Macy's Culinary Council Hosts A Cooking Demonstration By Michelle Bernstein

Last week I mentioned how Macy's is kicking off their summer with their American Icons campaign. In conjunction, the Macy's Culinary Council is kicking off cooking demonstrations across the US. Our first demonstration here in the 305 is by none other than Miami's own Mrs. Michelle Bernstein. It's happening May 23, 2013 at the Aventura Macy's Home Store. Don't know who she is? Well you best recognize. Michelle is the person behind the restaurants Michy's and Crumb on Parchment. Mrs. Bernstein is the host of Check, Please! South Fl. She's also known for kicking Bobby Flay's ass on Iron Chef back in 2005 and if that isn't enough, she is a 2007 James Beard Award winning chef (it's like an Oscar award for chefs).

Photo from sun-sentinel.com

Burger Battle And Your Chance To Win A $100 Giftcard To Macy's!

Summer is inching closer and that means, Macy's is about to launch it's summer series of fun events! This year, Macy's is exploring good ol' Americana with it's American Icons campaign. This campaign is going to explore and celebrate everything from snoozefest baseball & American fashion designers to reaching second base at drive-in movie theatres.

On May 16 this campaign is having its official launch party at the Macy's Homestore (aka the one with the men's section) in Aventura Mall. At this launch party there's going to be a hamburger battle between two local (and loved) burger joints: The Filling Station and Sparky’s Roadside Barbeque. This will definitely be a tough match, so I'm personally excited to see what both restaurants cook up. The party starts at 6pm and runs til 8pm. During the showdown you can enjoy live blues by One Man Bands.

Gusto Fino Italian Deli: My New Favorite Hole-In-The-Wall

I was out to dinner with friends the other night when someone mentioned this tiny, hole in the wall sub shop in Coral Gables. According to my friend, it was supposedly amazing. I took a mental note of it and added the info to my little mental address book. A couple days after that, I was in Coral Gables and I was hungry (as I usually am) so I decided to do some Foursquare stalking. I figured out exactly what sub shop my friend was talking about and it was Gusto Fino Italian Deli.

I Found A Culinary Oasis At Haven Gastro-Lounge

So I finally made my way over to Haven Gastro Lounge. It's tucked away in a little corner of South Beach hell, right off Lincoln Road. As some of you may already know, I hate South Beach. Between the European pata sucias, congested traffic and tourists that can't drive for shit, I always leave sobe wanting to stab myself in the eye. So I finally decided to just suck it up and make the trek; God knows I'm glad I did.

I Found Biscuit Heaven in Jacksonville

I drove up to Jacksonville this passed weekend to visit some good friends and while I was there I had only one thing on my itinerary, visit Maple Street Biscuit Company. I had seen a picture of their delicious biscuit sandwich on Instagram and I knew I had to get my hands on one. So once up in Jacksonville I dragged all five of my friends half way across town to try this place out.

Miami's Food Blogger Bakesale is BACK!

 

This is the fourth year the Food Blogger bakesale is going on in Miami and the second year I'll be participating in it. Last year our bakesale ended up ranking third in the nation, let me say that one more time fo some emphasis, THIRD IN THE NATION. 100% of all the proceeds from the bakesale go to Share Our Strength. Share Our Strength is a national non-profit organization that is working towards bringing an end to childhood hunger here in Uhmerrica.

A Berry White Sangria Recipe

For Easter I went to a potluck and as my dish I decided to bring some booze to keep things klassy.  Since this was supposed to be a daytime affair, I decided to make something colorful and make a white sangria of some sort. After posting the picture of the finished product online, I got several requests for the recipe, so I decided to share.

Machiya Midtown

 Machiya in Midtown had quite possibly one of the rockiest starts in recent history. Why do you ask? Well before opening in October 2012, this place was hyped up as, "The place that ramen built." Originally named Machiya Ramen Noodle House, they flat out stopped serving ramen shortly after opening, leaving many people like "WTF??" They then changed their name to just Machiya to reflect their abrupt menu changes. I dubbed this whole little fiasco as Noodle-Gate 2012. Things have finally started to calm down over at Machiya and ramen has made it's way back onto the menu. However, ramen is no longer the main focus at the restaurant and they're now serving a giant mish-mosh of traditional Asian or Asian Fusion dishes. So far I've been to the restaurant twice and both times I've left full and relatively happy.

Heart Of A Chef!! Event Details and a GIVEAWAY!

The Heart of A Chef fundraiser is making its return to the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden on Sunday, April 28, 2013, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. This family-friendly food festival focuses on the education and prevention of childhood obesity. This event will benefit the Florida Heart Research Institute, an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to stopping heart disease through research, education and prevention.

 

Lucali: Delicious But Expensive

So I've been to Lucali now a couple of times and although I want to love it, I am hesitant to commit. My first visit was prompted by a good friend in New York that took the time to email me about how Lucali is the best pizza she's ever had. This was a bold claim from a reputable source, so I had to check it out. The restaurant is located right in the middle of Pubbellyville, directly next to Barceloneta. There were no menus available and the only thing available is pizza and calzones with a very limited topping list.

Foodspotting Eatup #2 Happening at Pao Town!

So a while back, I told you guys about Foodspotting coming to Miami and the first eatup that was set to happen at Pincho Factory. The Pincho Factory eatup ended up being a great time and if you missed it, te jodiste. There were laughs, lots of food pictures, giveaways and tons of delicious food.  I'm putting together the second eatup and it's set to happen at Pao Town on Wednesday April 17, 2013.

Ain't No Phockin Around With Green Papaya

You know what's good for a cold? Chicken soup. You know what's really good for a cold? Pho. Some of you may know what Pho (pronounced “Fuh”) is, and for those that don't go google that shit. I had been fighting a cold from hell and was in desperate need of some relief. I had heard about Green Papaya from folks on Twitter so I decided to get my flu riddened behind over there. This place is located in a shopping plaza tucked away in Miami Lakes suburbia and has been around for the better part of 10 years (if not more). This is the kind of place some people may refer to as "schlocky," but it's these kinds of mom and pop owned eateries that make this city's cuisine so diverse.

FGH's Rum Cake Recipe

So here it is! I wasn't really planning on sharing the recipe, but since several people asked for it I decided to just post it up. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Snail of Approval!

Slow Food Miami is the local chapter of Slow Food USA, is having its 2nd annual “Snail of Approval” Tasting Party on Friday, March 15, 2013, from 7 to 10 p.m., at The James Royal Palm (1545 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach). Slow Food Miami is a non-profit organization that supports good, clean and fair food for all. Chef Norman Van Aken and Deco Drive's very own Louis Aguirre will be hosting the event. Tickets are a little on the pricey side with Main event tickets costing $85 and limited VIP tickets at $165 per person. Keep in mind this is all for charity with all event proceeds benefiting Slow Food Miami’s Edible Garden Program.

Some of the restaurants that will be cooking up delicious food at the party include The Dutch, Eating House, Edge Steak & Bar, Essensia, The Federal, Harry's Pizzeria, HaVen Gastro-Lounge, Lido, LoKal and many more. We all know it ain't a good party without some boozey libations; attendees can sip on some garden-to-glass cocktails courtesy of Grey Goose Vodka, specialty wines provided by Vinecraft and for the DD's at the party non-alcoholic refreshments from Whole Foods Market SoBe will also be available.

Just like with any good party, the VIP After Party is happening from 9:30pm to Midnight at Florida Cookery with treats from Hedy Goldsmith. The After Party will honor 2014 nominees Kris Wessel of Florida Cookery and Matt Hinckley of Boxpark.

Chef Cabrera Brings His Cuban A Game with Pan Con Mantequilla

I was a fan of Chef Alberto Cabrera's food back when he was stillat The Local, so when he disappeared to work on his own restaurant, Iwas a bit saddened. I was even more saddened when it felt like aneternity for this place to open. So I waited and waited and then waited some more. Finally his restaurant is here, and this littlegastropub was worth every second of my impatient wait. The restaurant is doing oldschool Cuban classics with a new school twist. Similar to the menu, the decor of the restaurant ties together modern style with old oversized Cuban photographs. The menu is all tapasstyle, so be sure to order family style or at least 2-3 dishes perperson. My best friend and I decided to go here for lunch last week, and weboth pretty much fell in love with the place.