Florida's Erika Davis

Many accomplished Top Chef contestants have been demoralized by challenges requiring desserts. (Hello, Stephan and Tre!) Enter, a twist on Bravo’s successful Top Chef franchise simply called, “Just Desserts.” This season of TC has been pretty much dullsville so it will be interesting to see if all desserts all the time can hold the attention of fans for an entire season.

Regardless, you have to give Bravo credit for trying to switch things up, especially with franchise sweetheart Gail Simmons leading the charge. One reason to tune in for the September 15th debut: Erika Davis, the pastry chef at Ponte Vedra’s Inn and Club, is one of the contestants. According to her Bravo bio, Erika always has butter, sugar, salt, chocolate and heavy cream on hand, and her favorite quote is “A day is never good without chocolate.” Our kind of lady!

Peaches are in season

August is National Peach Month. Peaches aren’t just the darling of Georgia– there are stellar varieties from Florida that are just as ripe, juicy and in season and we can’t seem to get enough.  While the ways to use peaches are seemingly endless, we are sharing some of our favorite peach recipes from around the web, as well as where to snag some stellar peach desserts in Florida.

Tampa-based Chef Debbie Frangipane’s Piemontese Stuffed Peaches are sweet, just like her.  Her suggestion: serve with a glass of Moscato wine and a dollop of whipped cream on the side. Yummy. Or how about Peach Cobbler? It’s Barack Obama’s favorite dessert, and Dixie Kitchen and Bait Shop in POTUS’s hometown has a Peach Cobbler recipe fit for the leader of the free world and for you.  Here’s a link to their peach cobbler recipe thanks to Jacksonville food blogger Debi Lander.

We found this Peach ice cream recipe via The Amateur Gourmet, one of our favorite food bloggers. Adam inspired us to make Alton Brown’s recipe and we all screamed for more. Don’t feel like cooking? Aunt Sue’s famous Peach Cobbler at Bowled in St. Petersburg is a pretty darn good substitute.  How do you like to cook with peaches?

Patricia Rossi

When manners guru Patricia Rossi agreed to sit down with us to answer our restaurant etiquette questions, we were poised and ready to take advantage of her years of experience as an etiquette coach and manners columnist. (Patricia’s “Manners Minute” TV segments air weekly on NBC, CBS, FOX, ABC and other affiliates throughout the U.S. ) From how to eat sushi to how to prepare children for fine dining, and what to do with those pesky cell phones in restaurants, Patricia was up to the task and gave us some great insights.

Patricia’s modern manners mantra is “Kindness as opposed to formality. Relationship…not rules,” which is also good guidance for dining in restaurants. Want to learn more? Patricia’s book “Everyday Etiquette Made Easy“ can be found on her website, www.patriciarossi.com.

Q: Our feeling regarding children and restaurants is that there is a time and place for everything. What are your feelings about kids in restaurants? When is it appropriate for them to be there and when is it not?

A: Restaurants today are more family friendly than in the past. Parents can prepare their children for fine dining by helping them with a few etiquette rules. Parents could also practice with their children the difference of dining in a restaurant and at home by role-playing. For example, kids love to use pretend menus.  Let the children pretend to be waiters and take orders, then let the children do the ordering.

My suggestion is to role play with your children on how to be a good restaurant citizen. Encourage kids to talk with their library voice so other diners won’t be interrupted, making nice conversations, and eating slowly with respectful manners. Children love to experience new things, so if the rules are discussed prior to the fine dining experience (several days before-not on the way to the restaurant) then children are more relaxed as they know what is expected. It is also important to explain why these rules are so important. Teaching by asking questions is always a great way to get the idea across. Example: “Why do you think it’s dangerous to run around waiters carrying hot food?” Let the children give the answers. Then say, “I’m so happy you would never do that.”

Q: Florida is pretty casual- there are very few (if any) restaurants that require jackets for men. It seems like anything goes including flip flops 24/7. What are few rules of thumb for what to wear when dining out? A: Cover your feet and also your armpits! There is nothing worse than trying to enjoy your food and catching a glimpse of a ferret under a fellow diner’s arms.

Q: Tipping is always a hot button topic. What is a customary tip? Should you tip on alcoholic beverages also? What if the service was poor? Is it necessary to tip when picking up takeout?

A: Standard tip is 20%. Some things aren’t the waiter’s fault, like food coming out of the kitchen late. Tipping on alcohol is about one dollar per drink.

Q: What if you order something and you just don’t like it—either because it isn’t prepared well or it just wasn’t what you expected. What’s the best way to handle it? A: If it wasn’t prepared in a manner that was discussed, for example rare when you asked for well done…Then talk to your waiter.  Most restaurants want your experience to be memorable and pleasant.

Q: What’s your rule of thumb regarding cell phone (talking, tweeting, texting) use in restaurants? A: Leave your iphone, ipod, cell phone and ipads in the car. When you are breaking bread with another person, give them your full attention.

Q: How long do you ask a restaurant to hold a table if the party you are meeting is running late? A: 15 to 20 minutes.

Q: Sushi can be confusing for diners. Are chopsticks required? The Japanese eat sushi rolls with their fingers- is that appropriate in the US? How about using a fork? A: Trying to master the art of using chopsticks can be fun–it makes the dining experience more authentic.  Remember that when taking a piece of Sushi, to turn your sticks around (the end you haven’t been eating with) to serve yourself.

Q: There are some that say ordering red meat well done at a quality steakhouse is insulting to the establishment. Is that really the case? A: The personal preference of people should be honored.

Q: How about requesting steak sauce? A: This is a dining don’t- but again the personal preference should be honored.

Variety is the spice of life.  At least that’s what the promoters of Miami Spice—the annual Miami restaurant prix fixe extravaganza—would like you to believe.  Every August and September, Miami’s top restaurants offer special three-course meals featuring signature dishes priced at $22 and $35 for lunch and dinner respectively.

This year, the promotion promises to have something for everyone as there are nearly 160 participating restaurants— from Ago to Zuma— and every type cuisine represented. (The full list of participating Miami Spice Restaurants can be found here.) The value of the Miami Spice menu is up for debate, but at a minimum it allows diners to try restaurants that may otherwise stretch their wallets too far. For a restaurant- specific value assessment, see the first installment of the Miami New Times’ ongoing series on Miami Spice, “Deal or No Deal.”

For the first time, a Miami Spice Kickoff Event & Fundraiser is planned, featuring tastings from a selection of participating Miami Spice restaurants and celebrity chefs selling and signing cookbooks. Proceeds will benefit Share Our Strength and Madison’s Wish. The kickoff event is slated for Saturday, July 31, 2010 
at
 the Miami Beach Convention Center. Information about kickoff tickets can be found on the Miami Spice website.

We're rooting for Spicer in her suit against BP

Susan Spicer, respected New Orleans chef and cookbook author, sued BP last Friday. Spicer is chef at Bayona, which has been open since 1990 and is universally regarded as one of the best restaurants in Nola.

According to the New York Times, Spicer’s attorney filed the lawsuit in New Orleans federal court asking the court to certify a class-action status for restaurants and seafood sellers who have suffered damages from the April 20 drilling rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico. The lawyers are arguing that Spicer and other chefs have built a reputation and a business using fresh, local seafood that is indigenous to the Gulf. Since the oilrig “accident,” that seafood has either become unavailable or significantly more expensive. The lawsuit is presumably also based on the deterioration of the tourist industry, which may account for a significant portion of her business.

Kudos to Spicer for leading the charge on behalf of the restaurant industry. While Bayona’s bottom line may be able to weather this disaster based on good reputation, there are many other smaller, less secure restaurants that are teetering on the brink of extinction as a result of the oil spill. They deserve a voice.

Could Florida restaurants be not far behind?