Forking Tasty

7 fish in 7 hours

I know you all understand that Italians eat a lot. I also know you realize that we dial things up during the holidays, particularly Christmas Eve. What I am willing to bet most of you have fell short on is truly understanding the amount of food that gets cooked, served and consumed in the course of one long, over indulgent, hot pan may lay, melted butter tornado of a meal. Some call it the feast of the seven fishes we just call it “the start” because it kicks off a four day eating event that includes Christmas Day, “The Day After” (December 26th) and “The Hangover” (December 27th).

The day is always filled with lots of loud conversation (which can be mistaken for arguing to most outsiders) grabbing at food, over stuffing plates, sugar highs, impromptu menu items and a random nap break. For this post I’ll focus on the food. For those of you wishing to better understand the behavioral dynamics of a dysfunctional, food obsessed family of Italians, leave a comment and we can see if we can help you out Donnie Brasco style. And then…

35th Annual Eating Marathon (aka Christmas)

I can barely move. I am not kidding. For the last 168 hours I have done very little but eat. My goal to eat smart and healthy between Thanksgiving and Christmas succeeded but I find myself asking to what end. Since the 24th I have put an ungodly amount of food down my throat. The best recap would be here. But let’s see if we can do a quick run down below.

12 dozen homemade cookies
11 piping hot side dishes
10 Tiger Shrimps a leaping
9 lobsters dancing
8 made of milk and cream sauces
7 fishes on Christmas eve (look for the post)
6 bone ribeye roast (another post)
5 linguine and clam sauce rings
4 plus 21lbs of turkey bird
3 french garlic breads
2 plates of lobster/crab risotto
1 Cold Stone creamery run

boca pizza

My cousin Mario is good for excitement. Ant and I don’t get to see him and Nikki (Mario’s wife, my blood cousin, that’s the connection) all that often. I love their kids, Meggie and Molly to death, they maybe the cutest on earth. I am sure that will go highly contested but lets not get off topic. On our last day in Florida Mario was hell bent on taking us to his favorite Boca Raton pizza joint. Mario was born in Brooklyn and comes from, I am sure you guessed this already, a huge Italian family. So, the Gentile’s (jen-teal-ehhy-z) know their Italian food. The but is…Mario has lived in Florida for the last 20 years and I actually live in Brooklyn right now. As in any Italian family, this became a friendly argument and bone of contention. All we heard all day was “When we are going to La Pizza”, “What we are getting at La Pizza” and “Who is coming with us to La Pizza”…

V&S(pecial)

Mortadela, sopressata, provolone, lettuce, tomato, oil and vinegar. That is the V&S Special. There may not be a better sandwich in all of South Florida or, dare I say, Brooklyn. I know, I know very bold words. Well, let me explain. These guys are Italians from up north. They get it. They lived it. But, maybe smarter than me, they moved down to sunny Boca Raton 30 years ago and now are the number one game in town to satiate all the snowbird and transplants desire for a “real” Italian sandwich…

Beach Bun

On the way home from the beach today I stopped by this market/restaurant for a late lunch. A few years back my grandma and uncle had taken me here. The great part about this joint is that they have the freshest fish around because their main business is supplying all the local restaurants. When you walk in there are always fresh catch specials and deals of the day…

Leftover Luxury

I know I told you guys that the eating goes on all week. Today is when it all gets a little more relaxing. Everything is cooked already the work is only in deciding what you are going to craft from the myriad of options. Here we have a fresh turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato and mustard. On the side some cauliflower and eggplant caponata. If you are interested in the full Florida set, check it out here.

Jingle Smell Rock!

Christmas day starts off with a bang, and I am not talking about a frenzy induced, wrapping paper ripping, gift mania. I am talking about food. For better or for worse, my family does not do much if there is not food involved. I woke up in my grandmothers house which is covered in Santa Claus’. My parents were already stirring. My father had on coffee and my mom was making eggs. It was only about 9:30am. The tree, gift ceremony and “real” food would be back at my Uncle Doug’s. Kickoff? 10:30am…

Lobsters vs. People

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house ever creature was stirring except a mouse. We just finished a feast made up of copious amounts of seafood, cheese, olive oil and vino. Not that I am surprised. This happens every year. Italian families have this Christmas Eve tradition called the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Now, started in southern Italy back in teh day the meal consisted of, well, seven fishes. Over the years, the country skipping and the desire to mix up the menu have sort of modified the traditional seven fishes to be more of a it-has-something-from-the-sea-in-it menu…

Irreconcilably different

Yesterday, I met Ant in Miami. We had less than 24 hours there so we had to use our time very wisely. Still slightly weary from my 3 and a half drive north from Key West, Ant greeted me with a Captain and diet coke to perk me up. As soon as the ice was dry of rum and carbonated sugar water we were out the door and headed down the block to recreate a meal I had nearly 6 years prior. The Blue Door has been on my top 5 restaurant list for as many years and last night I was determined to see if it still made the list…

Tasty at Mile 0

After being stranded in San Francisco because of snow in NYC, I finally made it to my next destination, Key West. I am at the bottom tip of the Florida keys to visit one of my favorite families, Bennett, Bruce and Baby Fallon Porter (And of course Butters too!). Shortly after my arrival Bruce and Bennett took me out to literally a fish shack on the side of the road. There is no health inspection certificate and they serve what was caught that day. MMMMMM. I tried the fried soft shell crab sandwich with key lime sauce (pic above). It was delicious in all of its health-code-violating glory…