Banyan Coffee & Tea Co

689 9th St N, St Petersburg, FL 33701
Tel: 727-896-7100

I had the opportunity to visit the Banyan Coffee & Tea Co again, this time for lunch. I went with the family and everyone got somehting different. I had the Grilled Goat Cheese which I loved. The cheese isn't a solo act in this concoction, allowing some tasty accompaniments with, scallion, dates, bacon and a delicious balsamic drizzle. The classic BLT is served with a wasabi mayo that my 10 year old loved, plain is availalble. The pork sandwich my husband tried was flavorful and tendor. Definitely a filling meal with a bowl of soup. Banyan's soups are inventive and excellent comfort food. The day we were there, a ginger carrot soup was served that had everyone complimenting it. Our meals were served with a side of old fashioned macaroni and cheese. This is a great spot for breakfast or lunch and a nice crowd of friends is always in attendance. Between $8 and $9 for a sandwich. Soup and Sandwich combos available. You owe it to yourself to pop into this place, it will put a smile on your face.

Making the Case for Fruit Cake

I discovered a real treasure in my family's archives this Christmas, a recipe for a much maligned part of anglo culture, the Candied Fruit Cake. Yes that poor, innocent cake known to be the butt of jokes, made its way into my heart this holiday season. Family Christmas stories in our house inevitably include the process of our mother making her famous fruit cake. Always well received among my parents friends, the common refrain was "not like any other" and "delicious." It was a production that began on Thanksgiving weekend and lasted until the week before Christmas. Mother would hoist an enamel coated iron skillet onto the stove and turned the heat up to medium high to begin the process of making candied fruit. Once those cured over the next few days, she would add the other ingredients, then poured the batter into pans and they were baked. She wrapped them in brandy soaked cheesecloth and foil. Some were entombed in a decorative tin. They waited in a cool dark closet and were occasionally drenched with more booze.

As we breakfasted on a recent Sunday morning, my family exchanged remembrances on the process of fruitcake making. My brother remembered the chop-o-matic that was used to pulverized the pecans. I remembered my brothers shelling pecans and me sampling the candied fruit. Dad remembered the peach brandy and that it was dates, not raisins used in the recipe. This recipe is a bit of a mystery to us since my mother died suddenly 23 years ago without so much as goodbye.

I have to admit that I never liked the end product as a kid, but this year something inside me wanted to try my hand at making "the" fruit cake. I thought I'd seen the recipe in a box of old pictures, but I couldn't find it anywhere. After a couple hour search, I called my aunt to see if she had it. My mother and she were inlaws, but had a close friendship so it was worth a try. The next day she called to say she had found it after a 2 hour search. It was hand written by my aunt, and obviously dictated in conversation by my mother. So I began the process of buying the ingredients and readying the kitchen. It wasn't a walk in her shoes I was after, but rather to experience the flavor of this cake with an adult palette to see why others found it so tasty. This was a scientific experiment with an emotional attachment. I candied the cherries and pineapple with great success. Next, came the mixing of the fruit and the chopped dates, and then the flour with baking powder and salt mixed in. All this is done with your hands. 4 eggs are beat until frothy and a cup of sugar added. The final ingredient was 2 pounds of chopped pecans. I thought it was a typo, so I added one pound at a time. It wasn't a typo and the pecans rounded out the dough perfectly. That was it, no lemon peel, no spices, no weird looking stuff from a package. The batter smelled great, a very good sign. Now I had to get the batter into the pans. I forgot to mention the process of cutting parchment paper to fit the tiny loaf pans (7 of them) and buttering both sides. It was easy, just time consuming. The batter is packed into the pan and is a sticky mess if not handled properly. I had plenty of shortening on hand and wax paper on my hand to push it in. The oven was ready at 275 degrees as I slid my little cakes in. I made a trip to the liquor store for the peach brandy in the hour and a half that was needed to cook them and still had time to spare. I returned to find the most wonderful scent in the house and though they didn't rise much, a bevy of beautiful cakes. I sprinkled them with peach brandy and sliced off a trial piece. The cake was delicious, more banana breadish than cake though and totally addictive. Friends stop by and with encouragement on my part, sampled the cake with the lousy reputation. Everyone gave it the thumbs up and with the back story, who couldn't? Over the week before Christmas, the cakes softened a bit from its booze bath and mellowed into a fine tasting treat. I suprised my dad with a framed copy of the recipe and two cakes to take home. We all tried it at breakfast. My father said he didn't think he would ever taste this fruit cake again in his lifetime. I was pleased with the journey and felt the end product was worth the trip. I think comedians need to find a new Christmas joke, fruit cake has gotten a bad rap.

400 Beach Drive Seafood and Tap House

400 Beach Drive, St. Petersburg, FL. Tel. 727-896-2400

400 Beach Drive is a luxurious condominium that rises far above the corner of Beach Dr. and 4th Ave. No. The restaurant of the same name is one of the sleeker restaurants in St. Pete. The entrance is at street level, next to the towering pink sculpture in front of the Chihuly Museum.

This tap house and beautiful bar boasts 24 beers on tap and despite the elegance of this restaurant with it's wood, steel and glass motif still maintains a casual feel with ketchup and condiments on each table. Private parties are held in a private room. In warmer weather outdoor seating is a pleasure with Tampa Bay, Straub Park and the Vinoy on view.

The menu is extensive with seafood as the main attraction. Sixteen appetizers ranging from Beachside Clam Chowder at $5.95 to the Iced Seafood Platter for $15.95. Entrees run from $15 for Fish and Chips to $37 for Grilled King Crab. Cheddar Biscuits are a house specialty served with most meals. The Vegetable Stir Fry is one of the cheaper dishes and delicious the first time I tried it, but alas, not very good the second time. Hopefully, the preparation of other meals might be more consistent. Sunday Brunch Buffet is held from 10AM to 3PM and just in time for New Year's Eve Dinner at $60.

Take advantage of the free valet parking, an attractive feature in a city where nighttime parking is quickly becoming a nightmare.

Paciugo

3rd Avenue and Beach Drive, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Tel: 727-209-0298

When asked about a place to have coffee in downtown St. Petersburg this week, Paciugo's Gelato came to mind. As I write this on one of Florida's cold days, I wonder why I'm thinking of gelato? The cafe is perched on Beach Drive overlooking the park and the waterfront. Seating is available both inside and out, so folks with their dogs can enjoy the great flavors too. First the gelato. Served at just the right temperature to ensure the smooth texture and flavor delivery, the choices are many. Taste tests are encouraged by the friendly staff the minute you walk in the door. My favorite is the Caramel Sea Salt, a perfect balance of sweet and salty. The Hazelnut is the best I've ever tasted outside Italy. Fruit flavors are available too from the pedestrian to the unique and these choices are sans dairy. There are also soy products and no sugar added for those with diet restrictions. The coffee is rich and flavorful, produced by various growers in Africa and East Asia and they are Fair Trade. Interestingly, the founder of Paciugo spent many years on a coffee plantation and really knows his cup o' Joe. Prices range from $4 and up depending on the treat you partake in. This cafe is located near the museum and next to some great restaurants so it bustles with activity most times of the day. Locals know it as the "Gelato Place" and it always comes highly recommended. You'll find Paciugo's at the Downtown Saturday Market too.

Straight Up Night Club

15 South Blvd of the Presidents, Sarasota, FL. Tel. 941-388-1555

Located just off of St. Armands Circle and above the restaurant '15 South' is a terrific old night club. My friends and I went on a Monday evening, did a little shopping around the Circle, climbed the stairs and arrived just after 7PM. Judging by the crowd already seated, this is a favorite of Sarasota jazz fans. The music was already good when from the audience came a string of entertainers, each one better than the last to either sing or play for us. So much talent in one room. My friends had been there before but I was blown away.

Of course we ate and drank while making merry. There's a special menu with a choice of 3 meals, each at $20. The main menu is extensive and an entree can be had for as little as $17 for baked eggplant or as high as $35 for a veal dish.

If you're not into jazz just choose another night. Latin, pop or rock.

Pick your poison and have fun!

St. Petersburg Ale House

7901 Martin Luther King St N, St Petersburg, FL 33702

Tel: 727-217-9206

It was an emergency meeting amongst friends in need of a glass of wine that brought us to the St. Petersburg Ale House. Just needed to talk about the days events and it was close by. This a big place that houses not only a restaurant, but a full service bar and pool room. Lots of people show up to watch sports and meet friends. Families come here too, but it has a very bar like atmosphere and not like a kid friendly British pub environment. The food is plentiful and tastes good, though my advice is to stick with classic fried favorites like fish or chicken sandwiches and fries, or their steaks. Our waitress was attentive and friendly. No need to ask for refills on tea since they give you a gallon sized glass. Prices range from $5 to $20. Check their web site for daily specials, they are open for lunch and dinner.

Skyway Jacks

2600 34th St S, St Petersburg, FL 33711
Tel: 727-866-3217

I couldn't find a website for Skyway Jacks, a well known St. Petersburg eatery, but I found plenty of satisfied customers that wanted to talk about their culinary experiences at some other web locations. I hadn't been to this venerable spot for many years, but walked into the cash only dining room with high hopes for a great breakfast. I wasn't disappointed with my choice of asparagus and tomato omelette, home fries and wheat toast. There was apple butter and marmalade on the table which gave the meal even more homemade flair. My husband went with the ham hash, a salty, delicious mixture of pork and potatoes. The potatoes in the home fries were red bliss, which were an addictive taste and texture experience. The eggs were cooked perfectly, and the asparagus still had a crispy freshness to it. The decor is eclectic and probably not to everyone's taste with a predominent theme of "pigs." Prices ranging from $3 to $10, so I couldn't care less about the porky motif. This is a classic breakfast spot that everyone should try, but be prepared to wait for a table on the weekends. The wait staff is friendly and regulars are treated like family.