Southern Comfort and Peaches was one suggested…

What are some others that you would recommend?

Recent trends has the pie being baked to give it a little more substance and to make the eggs in the filling safe for consumption (raw eggs, I hear, can be bad)

I’ve added this to my list of foods to explore during my Florida sojourn… hoping to find the essence of a great key lime pie and share that with friends.

• Margarita – Tequila, lime juice, and  orange liquor
• Cuban Sandwich -  ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, and sometimes salami on Cuban bread
• Key Lime Pie -  key lime juice, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk in a pie crust

So I have been working to explore each of these foods to learn what makes each the best.  While the margarita may not be as exclusive to Florida as the Cuban Sandwich or the Key Lime pie I find that it is suited to the general nature of this easy going state.

And if nothing else this quest helps me more quickly decide what I’ll have when I’m dining out.

While here in Florida I look to find the best Cuban Sandwich possible and to enjoy all the variations.

I’ll have more info as I go exploring the local eateries but in the mean time would love to hear where you find your favorite Cuban Sandwich.

There are two parts to this quest.
1. Best recipe
2. Place/bartender that  crafts the best margarita

As for part 1 my present favorite served in a salt rimmed glass is:

• 2 oz tequila
• 1/2 oz agave nectar
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• 1 oz chilled water

For places to find margaritas here in Tampa Bay it is the V.I.P. on Treasure Island.  I wish I had spent more time at Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco to explore the variety of tequila and margaritas that they create.

What is it you like about margaritas in terms of taste and experience?  What makes your favorite, your favorite?

I expect that I’ll have a long thirsty road in front of me, but I feel up to the challenge!

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6-6-09  Update
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My exploration so far has led me to the following conclusions/guidelines

•  Use only 100% Agave tequilla
• Silver Tequilla is the best choice as it provides good flavor but not overwhelmingly so.
• I don’t like lower end Triple Sec so am trying Margarita variants using Grand Marnier and Cointreau 

One of the most notable alumni is Grant Achatz  who went to found Alinea in Chicago.

Right now I don’t have much more to offer until I make the visit.  Hopefully this will be in April of 2010 for Shelley’s birthday.

How to get a reservation:
THE FRENCH LAUNDRY 6640 Washington St., Yountville, Calif.; 707-944-2380 Tip Exactly two months before you want to visit, start speed-dialing at 10 a.m. Pacific time. FL gets 400 to 500 calls for reservations daily. Hours Lunch Friday-Sunday, dinner nightly Tab (without wine or tax) $240 (includes tip)

From my experience it was closer to one of the weekend campouts that I recall from being in California than a Mini-Burning Man. There were seven camps with a music theme, 3 with a DJs selecting the music and one a live band type, with an energetic drummer! The remainder seemingly offering pre-recorded/pre-selected tunes.  One mutant vehicle traveled the place, a golf cart bed, while the rest of the art vehicles being 2 golf carts with some lights added.  Costumes and outfits were OK.  Many people opting to remain in their street clothes for the weekend.  Hoopers and poi spinners were out and about with a handful using fire.

The biggest disappointment came on Saturday night (say 10:30pm) when the organizer had all of the camps turn off the music and seemingly cease other activities to focus attention at performances on a single stage.  Despite that an hour or so later the music came back on the existing vibe was killed and had to rebuild again. I also was missing any disruptive or thought provoking art.  Only two installation pieces were in the open area, a large metal fish hooked up to propane (that I misses going off), and four foot flower that looked like something from Second Life. Fire art was non existent outside of poi spinners and hoopers although one individual brought a homemade propane torch that shot flame almost 20 feet straight up.

My participation was limited to individual interactions.  When I wasn’t engaging with others I was meandering about the event with thoughts wandering.  I found myself most often thinking about subtlety and also the interplay and differences of perception, reality, and unreality.   I did not take too many pictures as I wanted to stay fairly immersed in the event and I find that a camera can separate  me from the goings on.  I did learn a new game, Go Stop, a very popular Korean card game whose rules and game play I am still deciphering. 

Calamity and I arrived Friday night just as the sun set and stayed through Sunday morning.  We met some people and have hopes of working with them to take the next event, Florida Afterburn, to another level.  Living in San Francisco with the pervasive Burning Man culture gives a person a different spin on this event.   It was my impression that many of the attendees do not express themselves outside the event nor follow the Burning Man precepts outside the event as do a comparable contingent of SF residents.  I’m interested in attending other regional events and seeing what differences are present as you get geographically closer to San Francisco and Black Rock Desert eg. Dark Skies in Las Vegas and Burning Flipside near Austin.

Sunday after returning home we cleaned up our gear, snacked on some food, played cards and watched Wall*E and Babylon 5.  It was a great weekend and I am looking forward to what comes next.

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4-21-09 additional
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In my initial post I forgot several key things. Like thanking all those that invested time and energy into making the event a success.   I did not get the chance to meet the organizers of the event, nor to encounter (that I know of)  many of those that also contributed as volunteers over the weekend.  Thank  you.  You pulled off an event that helped rejuvenate me.  It has been over a year since I have had the opportunity to interact with a community of like minded people and I truly appreciated the experience!

There were many virgins at the event, either PreHeat virgins (like myself) or virgins to Burning Man culture.  With PreHeat being so new (2 years) and having doubled in size to nearly 500 people there number of new people is a large proportion of the population.  My above comments were based on the people  I met who were by and large virgins.  I missed encountering many of the Burners established in the community and I think while inadvertently putting my foot in my mouth may not make for the best introduction I am now meeting more of the passionate members of the community.   Reiterating from the initial post I have hopes to invest more energy in future events and am willing to contribute where needed.  

Tartine has been one of those places for which I have yet to find a replacement here in Tampa Bay. Bread pudding does not seem to exist nor does a fresh éclair. I have heard whispers of a place called Cafe Croissant located in a strip mall next to a Wal-Mart in western St. Petersburg. Seems like a good excuse to take out the new bike.

My reason for going is this years Ultra Music Festival  and maybe some exploring of the city.  I am doubtful that I’ll venture far from Bicentennial Park this trip…maybe as far as Nikki Beach.  :-)

I would appreciate any suggestions on places to visit or things to do during the break between the music.

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Trip Report 3-30-09 
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Miami was fun, but I did not see much of it this visit.  Spending most of my time at Bicentennial Park for Ultra Music Festival.   There was the short trip downtown to eat Saturday morning breakfast at Cacique’s Corner.  I had the Cuban Sandwich.  The majority of my Miami exploration was kept to the area between the Miami Sun Hotel and Bicentennial Park.  Sunday after Ultra Music Festival ended I enjoyed brunch at Emeril’s Miami Beach followed by a drive up A1A to Ft. Lauderdale before heading back west.  I’d like to return to Miami for a longer exploration of what the city has to offer.  Food, Music, Dancing, Culture. 

all guilt easing gifts should be directed to:
Giving Trader Joes to Friends Without, Makes Me a Better Person
1003 Arlington Avenue N Suite 1
St. Petersburg, Florida 33705

Much thanks to all who have sent some Trader Joes goodness my way.  It’s like hugs for my tummy!

And now the list:

• Go Raw Trail Mix
• Flattened Bananas
• Dried White Peaches
• Creamy Corn and Roasted Red Pepper Soup
• Iced Cranberry Dunkers
• Marinated Bean Salad
• Steamed and Peeled Baby Beets
• Artichoke Antipasto
• Zinfandel Port
• Other Random goodness for a surprise

And some visual aids to ease your gathering: