Level 8 bar snacks: Most addictive ever

Chef Chris Leynes at Level 8. Photo © by Judy Wells.

Chef Chris Leynes is diabolical, having produced the most irresistible bar nut mix at Level 8 atop the Hotel Duval in Tallahassee, FL. His other bar fare is great, too, but it was the nut concoction that caught my attention.

Fortunately, the diabolical chef is also generous. Here's his recipe.

Bar Snax Photo © by Judy Wells.

 Level 8 Bar Snax

1 lb. peanuts
1/2 lb. walnuts
1/2 lb. cashews
1 lb. pretzels
1/2 lb. pretzel loaf, sliced (Chris makes his own pretzel loaf but you can substitute miniature Melba rye or other bread)
1/2 cup fresh rosemary
1/3 cup lemon zest
1 lb. butter
1/2 lb. bacon (optional, says Chris, necessary say I)

Melt 1/2 lb. of the butter and brush onto the pretzel loaf or miniature breads and toast.
Zest the lemons and chop the rosemary.
Combine all the ingredients except bacon and toss.
Cook bacon to crisp and chop.
Bake the other mixed ingredients at 350 degrees (F) for 10-14 minutes.
Toss with chopped bacon and serve.

Try to eat just one handful.

NOTE: To read more about Tallahassee and what it has to offer, go to Travel on the Level.

Bon Appetit Chef in Bradenton

Want a cooking demonstration and luncheon with Bon Appetit Chef de Cuisine and star of Food Network's Chic and Easy Mary Nolan?

If you're going to be in or near Bradenton, Florida June 9 you're in luck.

Get all the details at WellsWorld.

Datiled Crawfish and Crab Savory

 Datil peppers have been a key flavoring and source of fiery spice in St. Augustine, the nation's oldest city, for generations. Historians think they originated in Peru and were brought to St. Augustine by the Spanish who founded the city in 1565.

Wherever and whoever, the peppers add a tang to any dish. At the Hot Shot Bakery & Cafe, Sherry Stoppelbein has finally combined her restaurants, bakery and prize-winning hot sauce company. In October, she took the grand prize in the St. Johns County Fair's Datil Pepper Festival for her combination of the peppers with local seafood.

Here's the recipe.

Datiled Crawfish and Crab Savory

CRUST:
1 cup Cornmeal
½ cup Flour
1 TBSP. Baking Powder
1 TBSP. Dried Datil Peppers, Crushed
1 Egg (beaten)
½ cup Milk
Mix all of the above and pour into prepared 9” spring form pan

 FRESH SALSA:
4 very ripe plum tomatoes, cubed
1 small onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 vine ripe tomatoes, washed and pureed
Pour one cup of salsa over the crust and reserve the rest.

FILLING:

½ lb. Drained Crawfish meat
½ lb. Fresh Crab Claw meat
1 cup Softened Cream Cheese (beaten until smooth)
½ cup Sour Cream
6 Eggs
1 cup Shredded Provolone Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Hand mix all of the above until well blended and pour over crust.  Top with reserved salsa.
Bake 350 for 30 minutes or until firm when pan is shaken. Enjoy!

Florida Foodie Opportunities

So many areas hold restaurant weeks, food festivals and wine tastings that fall has become a great time to be a foodie.



                                                     




 

Take note of these two for Florida-bound travelers.

As the nation's oldest city St. Augustine has had ample time and many cultural influxes to develop special cuisines. The month of October is when residents focus on the "Flavors of Florida's Historic Coast."

Oct. 1-31 enjoy month-long fixed price dining specials at 24 of the top restaurants.

Oct. 1 Aviles Street, the oldest street in the oldest city reopens with more authentic 17th century ambiance, including sidewalk dining.

Oct. 2-3 will be a hot time in the old town because of the Datil Pepper Festival.                            

Oct. 8-10 it's Opa! time at the 13th annual Greek Festival.

Oct. 16 celebrates Cracker Day with bluegrass music, horsemanship demonstrations and of course, barbecue.

Oct. 23 get your oompah on for the Oktoberfest Celebration.
                                                         

Last and perhaps most hotly contested, Nov. 7  brings the 25th annual Great Chowder Debate.

Consider: an auction of 100 different bottles of 100-point wine. Down in Naples, plans for the 2011 Naples Winter Wine Fest have oenophiles salivating. Included are a bottle of 1955 Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion, a 1989 Chateau Petrus and a 1985 DRC Romanee-Conti, considered by many the best Burgundy ever made and valued at more than $11,000. You can see the entire list of 100 at www.napleswinefestival.com in October.


A celebrity chef wine dinner brings in 17 masters of cuisine including Chef de Cuisine Lee Hefter of Spago. 

The cause is a good one - needy and at-risk children - and festival isn't until January 28-30 so you have plenty of time to get your financing in order, but contact them soon because tickets quickly sell out.

Grapefruit PIE?

My thoughts exactly when Katy Martin sent in the recipe for it. She lives in the heart of Central Florida's citrus belt so when she raved about the Grapefruit Pie from Florida Cafe at Lang Sun Country Groves, I figured she ought to know and whipped one up.

To be fair, I warned her I wasn't a great fan of grapefruit. Katy told me she didn't like any citrus but "this pie is amazing."

It is good and guessing what's in it will stump a lot of people. The gelatin/cornstarch mixture gets a bit gummy after a day or two and don't substitute plain grapefruit for red; it doesn't work as well.

Here it is for you to try.

Florida Cafe at Lang Sun Country Groves' Famous Grapefruit Pie

Yield: 8 servings
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Refrigerate: 2 to 3 hours

1 (6-ounce) graham-cracker crust or 1 recipe Graham-Cracker Crust
2 large or 3 medium red grapefruit, sectioned
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 ½ cups water
1 (3 ounce) package strawberry-flavored gelatin
1 (8 ounce) container frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed (or better, if your diet allows, real whipped cream)

Arrange grapefruit sections in graham-cracker crust. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add water and cook over medium heat until thick and clear. Add gelatin and stir to dissolve. Let cool slightly.
Pour gelatin over grapefruit sections in crust. Refrigerate until firm.

If you can't go there in person - the Lang's grove is in Lake Alfred, FL (near Haines City) - go to their website, www.langsuncountry.com, click on Florida Cafe and you'll find lots of other citrus-centered recipes that sound divine.