Things I miss already…

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I’m suffering from serious vacation withdrawal. The good news is that it’s absolutely gorgeous in Portland right now and I can sit in my backyard with a beer and a book and pretend I’m still in the Caribbean (kind of). And, in my travels, I discovered two delicious things that I can’t wait to indulge in again, this time on domestic soil.

1. A Mojito Royale. All the minty goodness of a rum-filled mojito…copiously topped with Champagne. Yes please!

Mojito Royale from the Rainbow Club in Grand Case, St Martin

Mojito Royale from the Rainbow Club in Grand Case, St Martin

2. Johnny Cakes. How have I never eaten these before?? They are the stuff dreams are made of!

Talk of the Town, St Martin

Shrimp Skewer and Johnny Cakes, Talk of the Town, Grand Case, St. Martin

Vacation Cooking: Why I Married a Chef

The main reason we rented the place we did in St. Martin is because it has a fully equipped kitchen. One trip to the Grand Marche and we were all set to make a few meals “at home” instead of eating out. Luckily I got to sit out on the balcony while my husband did the cooking!

Soft Boiled Egg, Mache, Lemon Zest Salad...with some Foie Gras and Proscuitto thrown in for fun...

Soft Boiled Egg, Mache, Lemon Zest Salad…with some Foie Gras and Proscuitto thrown in for fun…

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Gratuitous Food Pics: Where the wild things are (eaten)

I’ve written time and again about how much I love my job as a meat distributor. My hands-down favorite part is being able to eat the dishes that chefs create with our meat — from the basic cuts to the more unusual offerings. These pictures are a perfect example of offal at their best.

The restaurant Kingdom of Roosevelt is fairly new to Portland, though the chef has been around for a while and is even slightly infamous in this town for entirely different reasons. The menu is not for the faint of heart — take a peek at the last picture if you don’t believe me — but let me tell you, the food is incredible. Every dish was superbly executed, not something that happens often especially with such ambitious ingredients.

Fallow Venison Heart Tartare, Venison Marrow Bone and Arugula Salad

Fallow Venison Heart Tartare, Venison Marrow Bone and Arugula Salad

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