Tres Pollos!

Three chickens! Chicken is one of my all-time favorite foods...not only is it inexpensive, but it is so versatile and delicious! Chicken is used quite a bit in Florida cooking. Think southern fried chicken for one...yum! The recipes I'm featuring this week are chicken done 3 different, distinct ways.....but I suspect that if you try them, you will love them! As you may already know, Florida has many cultural influences. And given our warm, sub-tropical climate, we can grow many of the fruits and vegetables associated with warmer climates, such as those in South America and the Carribean....and we can also grow more "south-Asian"-style choices (such as lemongrass).

How about trying Sticky-Chicken Skewers with 3 Sauces? The chicken, marinated in Asian spices,including some fresh-chopped lemongrass and chives from our garden, is paired with 3 different sauces of your choice: Banana Curry, Thai Peanut and Sweet n' Sour. Along with fragrant Jasmine rice and a side of spicy cabbage, it is a meal that can transport you! *These Asian flavors can seem difficult to pair with a wine, but we paired this particular meal quite well with a lovely, German Riesling "Funf: 5". I was pleasantly suprised because I'd always thought rieslings were nearly candy-sweet wines...but this one was not that at al!! This riesling went very well with this meal!


Another, more South American, option for chicken is Chicken Enchiladas. Leftover cooked chicken (such as that from last night's rotisserie chicken) is folded, along with shredded Mexican cheeses, in corn tortillas....rolled up, topped with a sauce and served with rice and the vegetable of your choice. Yum!

How about trying Fontina Chicken? This is my 'take' on Swiss Chicken. While I do admit that I used a bit of whole, whipping cream to make the sauce (really, nothing has the body of that nor thickens up better), it is not all that bad once in awhile, especially utilized in small amounts. And I have found that a carton of whole whipping cream can keep rather well in the fridge...generally you don't have to use the entire carton that week! Just the same, I'd recommend getting the smallest size you can (unless you really do plan to use quite a bit in a short period of time or have a group to cook for)....this time I bought the smaller, 16 oz carton. I only used a portion of it for the recipe for just the 2 of us, of course. Try pairing this dish with Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.

Try these recipes if you're looking for something different from perhaps the usual chicken offerings! And if the weather is balmy enough, by all means, serve dinner on the patio with candles.

Florida-Style Paella!

I love Florida. I was born and raised here. I love the salt water and sunshine. The summers may be quite hot for a long time, but we get by, luckily with air conditioning. When I was very young, we got by with fans. And we went swimming to cool off. Luckily, I grew up right on the water. I think that is why I appreciate the salt water so much. While I don't live right on the water now, I'm not too far away from it. And whenever I do go to the coast, I close my eyes and breathe in the salty air, and it just fills my heart with joy! The water is absolute tranquility. I think it is in my blood.

Florida is home to all sorts of people. There are a lot of northerners, for sure. And they have brought their northerly influence. We appreciate new influences and experiences, even though some of them complain that the "NY Pizzas" aren't the same as in NY because of the water, and that is probably true; we have different water here, but we also have our own, local foods that are quite good.

There are the "southerners" like me. We cherish the deep south and the cooking of the south. Think sweet iced tea, fried chicken or fried catfish and biscuits. But Florida is also home to other cultures, like the Cuban culture. The Cuban culture is very prevalant in South Florida, but also has influence in mid-Florida, such as in Ybor City. I love Cuban food, with its use of garlic and lime....black beans and rice....and the ubiquitous "pressed cuban" sandwich...YUM! We have melded a lot of our foods into a "Florribean" theme based on Cuban and Carribbean influences. I think it is a wonderful, tropical melting-pot!


Florida definitely has a very big Spanish influence, too. After all, our state was named by the spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leo'n: "La Florida", meaning "flowery land". I absolutely appreciate the spanish influence on our food. We have a myriad of choices! In honor of Florida's great culture, I made my idea of a "Florida Paella" for dinner...I just interpreted paella to fit with what I had on-hand and what I wanted it to be, which is what I think they do with their Paella in Spain.


I made my paella with chicken, chorizo, shrimp and cooked tuna (not out of a can; flaked from a tuna steak), short grain rice and other ingredients....if you want to recreate it, I'm providing directions under the "recipes" tab on this blog...but I have to tell you in advance that I am not one to stick to or know strict measurements. I'll describe them the best that I can, then I encourage you to "taste as you go" so it comes out exactly like YOU prefer!


I hope you will be inspired to make your own Florida-Style dinner! Preferably eat it alfresco....and think of the salty waves lapping at the shore on a balmy summer evening.


This meal would be great with a lovely white wine such as Sauvingon Blanc or even Pinot Grigio.