Kestrachern » quest

Key Lime Pie

kestrachern — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 02:12:02 +0000

Traditional Key Lime Pie is not baked, instead uses the acidity of the key limes to thicken & curdle the pie filling into a fork suitable delight.

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.

Ideal Florida Meal

kestrachern — Sun, 31 May 2009 13:57:48 +0000

The regional fare in Florida that I most enjoy are the:

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.

Cuban Sandwich

kestrachern — Sun, 24 May 2009 15:55:25 +0000

Constructed of ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, and sometimes salami all stacked up on Cuban bread, the Cuban sandwich is a regional food that is rumored to have come out of YBor City here in Tampa Bay. It is similar to a panini as it is pressed and heated before eating.

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.

Best Margarita Quest

kestrachern — Tue, 05 May 2009 20:20:31 +0000

Today is Cinco de Mayo and is traditionally celebrated with a margarita! What better day then to launch my quest for the best margarita ever!

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!

———————————–
6-6-09 Update
———————————–

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