* * *These recipes can also be used for a Mardi-Gras-themed dinner./ David Samayoa* * * I’m not a football fan at all.  But the fact that this is a New Orleans-infused Super Bowl inspired me.  One PR person suggested that Super Bowl parties may be second only to Thanksgiving in food consumption, according to Judy [...] » Read more..

I celebrated “Spring Thanksgiving” this past Saturday.  It’s a regular tradition of a certain friend to gather together her girl friends and celebrate the renewal (and as she says, the “recycling”) of the season.  It was my first time attending, and I enjoyed meeting some fellow food lovers, as well as a bunch of smart, [...] » Read more..

This past Saturday, Miami Dish participated in a global blogging event, as part of the official launch of Foodbuzz.com. Twenty four bloggers from around the world held dinners on Saturday night and then posted about the events on their blogs. There was a BBQ road trip, a recreation of a Serbian medieval dinner, and [...] » Read more..

I was the joyful recipient of a brand new ice cream maker for my birthday. So, for the Farm to Table dessert, I crafted a longan sorbet, a jackfruit sorbet, and a passionfruit ice cream. Longan Sorbet Longans are similar in taste and texture to lychees, although they are milder, and almost floral in flavor. The [...] » Read more..

Chef Howland’s Guava Glazed Snapper Guava Glazed Snapper In this Video Bite, Chef Graham Howland demonstrates how to select and prepare fresh, local fish with a sweet guava glaze. In the video, he uses yellowtail snapper. At my dinner, I served lane snapper. His specialty is seafood. Chef Howland is now retired, but his experiences as [...] » Read more..

Pabellon is a traditional Venezuelan dish composed of stewed shredded beef, black beans, and plantains served separately on a plate. For the Farm to Table Dinner, my cousin Mercedes helped me make the fillings for the empanadas and taught me how to form the dough. I won’t kid you; this is old school, all-day cooking.  [...] » Read more..

For an appetizer, John DiRocco prepared a homemade brick-oven flatbread with Venezuelan queso de mano, homegrown basil, and tomato. In this Video Bite, John demonstrates how he makes flatbread or pizza crust at home. The queso de mano was my idea. I wanted to find some kind of local cheese, and the most local version I [...] » Read more..

An amuse-bouche is a light precursor to the appetizer; it is meant to stimulate the palette. I started the Farm to Table menu with a chilled avocado soup, which I made from this recipe at epicurious.com. I substituted a whole Florida avocado from Bee Heaven farms, which was heavy and buttery on the tongue. I [...] » Read more..

John DiRocco made refreshing kalamansi water, akin to lemonade. He grows the plant in his yard; it was a gift from his in-laws.  The kalamansi, also known as the calamondin, is popular in the Philippines.  It has an acidic citrus taste, like a cross between an orange and a lime.  John says he has seen [...] » Read more..

This year I chose to honor the mothers in my life with a Sunday tea party. I invited my mom, mother-in-law, sisters-in law, aunt, and grandmother to spend a cozy afternoon picking at dainty sandwiches and such. A tea party is also a wonderful excuse for me to unearth all of my domestic toys: crystal [...] » Read more..