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.

Mangia! The Ravioli Company in South Tampa has over thirty types of ravioli

Since moving to Tampa, there have been a handful of times where I’ve been certifiably homesick. Those pangs usually come when I’m missing out on my out of town family’s weekly Sunday suppers. Of course, those dinners are as much about the company as the food that is being served, but when the blues hit, I order takeout from The Ravioli Company in South Tampa.  I’ve discovered that this teenie tiny South Tampa shop is the place to pick up some of the best Italian food in Tampa.

The Ravioli Company is so much more than an artisan pasta company.  As the name suggests, there is a vast selection of handmade pastas like egg rigatoni, gnocchi and cavatelli.  But The Ravioli Company also offers sauces to go that can be mixed and matched with the pasta (twelve options in all, priced by the pint) and an full arsenal of prepared Italian entrees. The menu also has five types of lasagna, an extensive selection of manicotti and choices of pasta bakes that are perfect for serving a hungry mob.

I’d trust The Ravioli Company with making food for my pickiest guests. In fact, the salmon ravioli and fresh cream sauce served at last year’s Feast of Seven Fishes Christmas Eve dinner were from the shop. I had a tough crowd to feed that night–my family was actually in Tampa for the holidays– but they gave the delicate little pillows of flavor their seal of approval. I’ve also ordered takeout from The Ravioli Company.   The noodles in the Meat Lasagna stand up to the hearty sauce and the Chicken Marsala with Gnocchi was delish (and not mushy, I hate that!)  Keep a few pounds of meat tortellini and angel hair in the freezer (with a few pints of sauce) for quick dinners. The Baby Arugula and Cheese Ravioli and Eggplant, Sicilian Olive and Fontinella Ravioli are next on my list to try.

Sometimes, homecooked Italian food, and the food coma that ensues, is just what the doctor ordered to cure homesickness. 3413 South Manhattan Ave. Tampa, FL Tel:  (813) 254-2051.

So many choices, so little time at Tampa's Oystercatchers

Last month, Mister M and I completed a Tampa foodie’s rite of passage by stuffing ourselves like little pigs in a blanket at Oystercatchers Champagne Brunch. Our expectations were high. After all, Oystercatchers was one of our favorite Tampa seafood restaurants and we considered ourselves brunch professionals- with brunch bonanzas at the Biltmore in Coral Gables and the Four Seasons in Miami under our (ever-expanding) belts. Oystercatchers rivals the aforementioned buffets and had the value-added bonus of being only half the cost of these other high-end spreads.

As expected, there’s something for everyone at Oystercatchers: traditional breakfast buffet favorites like eggs benedict and brioche French toast, sausage and bacon, scrambled eggs, and an omelet station with seemingly never-ending options. Oystercatchers also puts the “lunch” in brunch, offering a sushi bar, an extensive raw bar, a hot buffet with all sorts of warm lunch entrees and a salad bar with at least ten salad creations (the scallop, green apple and curry salad was light and zesty). There’s also a carving station, an impressive international cheese assortment and the requisite pastry and dessert island.

Truth be told, Mister M and I were disappointed in our assault on the buffet. Mister M loaded up on too many carbs (amateur mistake!) and thanks to a large portion of eggs Benedict, I didn’t attack the raw bar with my usual zeal. Regardless, we were impressed and are looking for an excuse to go back another Sunday. Champagne, mimosas and Bloody Marys are all included in the $45 per person price ($27.50 for kids). Reservations are suggested. 2900 Bayport Drive, Tampa, FL 33607. Tel: (813) 207-6815.

This recipe is adapted from Michael Symon and Michael Ruhlman’s book, Live to Cook.  Symon suggests letting the peppers sit for a week, so we’ll be serving them as a sweet and hot accoutrement at next weekend’s taco barbeque bonanza.

Good tip from David Lebovitz: Pickles like this can be kept for a few weeks, under refrigeration, without any problems. If you wish to preserve them longer, you can use these canning instructions and guidelines

INGREDIENTS: 1 pound fresh jalapeno peppers, washed; 
2 1/2 cups water; 
2 1/2 cups white distilled vinegar; 3 tablespoons sugar; 
3 tablespoons coarse salt, such as kosher; 
2 bay leaves; 
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds; 
3 cloves garlic, peeled; 
2 tablespoons black peppercorns.

DIRECTIONS:

Stab (careful now!) each pepper three times with a sharp paring knife and place them in a large glass preserving jar.

In a non-reactive saucepan, bring the other ingredients to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes.

Remove from heat and pour the brine over the peppers. Place the lid on the jar and let cool. Once cool, refrigerate for at least a week before using, if possible.

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?