Souper Sanford

Sanford's second Thursday of every month Alive After 5 street party in November was themed "Souper Sanford" and featured a soup contest. Entrants in two categories, Home Cook and Restaurant, each made about 5 gallons of soup. For the price of a $7 spoon and card, AA5 attendees were able to sample some or all of teh 15 soups and vote on their favorites. 

Every month on the second Thursday, historic Sanford's First Street is blocked off from Oak Street to Sanford Avenue and merchants and vendors set up along the street for Central Florida's largest and best monthly street party. Some vendors hand out food samples, some trinkets and promotional material, some offer mini-massages. Often there's a bounce house for kids. The event is kid and dog friendly. There are usually several music venues. And of course, a beer tent. Thousands of knowing area residents gather from 5-8 PM and party in the streets. Each month has a theme, and in November it's Souper Sanford. At the end of the night, the votes were tabulated and winners announced. 

But first, my take on the soups. I sampled all 15 soups and was stuffed by the end of the evening. Here is a list of the soup makers and what they offered: 

1. Restaurant - Celery City Craft - Beer Cheese soup (of course!)
2. Restaurant - Christo's - Broccoli Cheese soup
3. Restaurant - The Breezeway - She-Crab Chowder (last year's winner, if I remember correctly!)
4. Restaurant - Zorba's - Avgolemono Soup (Greek lemon and chicken flavor)
5. Home Cook - Angela's African Braiding - Jamaican Chicken soup
6. Restaurant - Mattie's Delectable Desserts - Seafood Chowder
7. Home Cook - GCI Guys - Broccoli Cheese soup
8. Restaurant - Fred's Market - Bell Pepper and Rice soup
9. Home Cook - Sanford Barber Shop - Gumbo, Louisiana style
10. Home Cook - Windshield Specialist - Chicken soup
11. Home Cook - Doc Paper Scissors - Matzo Ball soup
12. Restaurant - Smiling Bison - Zellwood Corn soup
13. Home Cook - Magpie's Modern General - New Mexican Chili Chicken soup
14. Restaurant - Hollerbach's Willow Tree Cafe - Lentil soup
15. Restaurant - Wop's Hops - Italian Wedding soup

Before I write about my favorites--and I had some--a few general comments. First of all, in general, the competition this year was certainly stepped up. Last year there were a few soups that were just not good, this year, they were all good, some better than others, but none of them lacked seasoning. Second, I'd recommend that for next year the organizers and vendors consider using 1-ounce ladles. 15 soups at 1 ounce apiece is rather more than i can eat, and some gave out closer to 2 ounce portions. I think a one ounce portion is enough and would also level the playing field a bit. 

Now for my favorites in each category. My vote went for the first in each, but it was a hard decision, there were a number of great choices in each category.

Restaurant:

• Corn soup from The Smiling Bison got my vote here, but only by a hair. The sweet corn flavor was outstanding and the creaminess made this a real standout for me
• Lentil Soup from Hollerbach's Willow Tree Cafe was a close runner up. Hollerbach's has been making wonderful soups for a long time, and they do not skimp on the ingredients. You can tell this was homemade, nothing from a can or bottle.
• She-crab soup from The Breezeway, last year's winner, was also pretty gosh darned good.
• Bell Pepper and Rice soup from Fred's Market was a surprise to me because I am not a bell pepper fan, yet the pepper flavor was very subtle and so i actually enjoyed their soup

Home Cook:

• New Mexican Chili Chicken soup by Magpie's Modern General was far and above my first choice, in large part due to the carefully roasted chili flavor--it did not overpower the soup, was not overly spicy and in my  mind  was actually the best of all the soups I sampled, and even more so because it was by a home cool. Outstanding and definitely restaurant-quality in my mind.
• Mazto Ball soup from Doc Paper Scissors was also excellent. The chicken broth made this soup a real standout, it tasted fresh and homemade to me. And the addition of the matzo ball was perfect. 
• The Gumbo by the Sanford Barber Shop was also a standout in my mind, in part because it seemed very authentic and contained all the flavors I'd expect in a good gumbo without being overly spicy. They did a nice job as well.

And the winners by popular vote were:

Home Cook: Magpie's Modern General's New Mexican Chili Chicken soup.

Restaurant: Fred's Market's Bell Pepper Rice soup.

But again, I have to admin that the competition this year was really stepped up a few notches. There were not soups that I did not enjoy, and I'd have eaten a bowl of any one of them for my dinner. I did sample all 15 and was stuffed at the end of the night. Alive After 5 is one of my favorite monthly events in Sanford and I rarely  miss it, every month on the second Thursday of the month, 5-8 PM. 

By the way, here is my ballot, before I marked my winners and turned it in. Yes, i tried all 15!

Alive After 5 Chili Cook-off

On the Second Thursday of the month, Sanford hosts Alive After 5 in beautiful, historic, downtown Sanford from 5-8 PM. Every second Thursday of the month, First Street is closed to traffic and lined with various vendors and food samples, as well as artists showing their wares, entertainment, and other fun events. However, the AA5 every January is special--it's time for the annual chili cook-off. Various purveyors, individual and restaurants hand out samples of their chili and the attendees vote for the best. 

This year, it was a popular vote that determined the winner. But no worry, I sampled about half or so of the 25 varieties there--there is only so much chili one can eat. Here's my rundown of what I had and what I thought was the best.

First of all, the best: there were three top contenders and an honorable mention in my book. Any of these were worthy of the top award, but I'll give my choices and reasons:

In First Place: In my humble opinion, the top chili this year was from Shantell's Grill & Oyster Bar, the "3 Sons and 7 Daughters Chili" (yes, that's her family--it does make you wonder where she had time to learn such great cooking skills!).  Why was it the top? Depth of flavor. Shantell's chili had a depth of flavor unlike any others there, I could tell there was layer upon layer. Yes, it was a bit hot, and I liked that. But just by the tiniest nose--and even though it had beans in it--I'd give it top billing. Shantell's restaurant is located just a block or two south of First Street on Sanford Avenue. It's well worth a visit, I just ate there last night!

Second Place: And a very, very close second, was last year's winner, the chili from La Sirena Gorda Cabana (the "Fat Mermaid," as everyone know it), they had their "WhoopAss Chili." By far, this was the most authentic (Texan style) chili. Chuck was cut and slowly roasted, chorizo was also used, the flavor was rich and deep, and the addition of Mexican chocolate (the secret but necessary ingredient for a really rich chili) was use. I was hard put to pick a winner, as it was a very close race. This chili was also on top for me, outstanding. La Sirena Gorda is just off First Street on Palmetto. I ate there last week and was there last night for happy hour. It's really great food and a fun place. You should give it a try as well. 

Third Place: A close third was the chili from Hollerbach's Willow Tree Cafe, "Chicken Scratch Chili." It was unique and unusual in that it also included some root vegetables such as rutabaga, parsnip, and etc. Owner Theo Hollerbach is a constant and star supporter of downtown Sanford, the attend every Alive After 5 and hand out samples each time. I've never found anything they've fed me to be anything less than top notch. The restaurant is located right on First Street, you can't miss it, there's always a bit of a line, and for good reason. I ate there just before the holidays and it was good as always. And, by the way, you owe it to yourself to visit their nearby Magnolia Market, just off First Street on Magnolia Square. You can find lots of authentic German and central European food there. Give them both a try, the restaurant and market. 

Honorable mention #1: Dexter's from Lake Mary put on a very decent showing with their chili, it was very good, assembled and garnished right as you waited. It was also very good and was the people's choice, the winner of the chili cook-off. They, too, had a very Texas-style with the "Texas Smokehouse Beef Brisket Chili." 

Honorable Mention #2: Buck's Catering had a "Turkey Chili" that was surprising because it's use of poultry seasoning and sage reminded me of a turkey and dressing dinner. It was actually pretty good.

Honorable Mention #3 was the chili from Gail Williams Insurance Agency, "White Chili." Her chili was second place in the voting overall. Her's was great in that you could tell that it was made with real, homemade chicken broth--it had that lip-smacking, mouth-feel that only gelatin can give. So it was also very good and I can see why it was so popular. 

Honorable Mention #4 has to go to Angel's Soul Food & BBQ, "Kickin' Lickin Chili." I would be remiss if I did not mention their chili. It was unusual and "outside the box." While a lot of the other chilis had beans in them, Angel's was unique because they used lentils! Yep, lentils. The chili was served over some rice and with a nice, crisp cracker that was extra-tasty. It really was a delight. Angel's is located just around the corner, a few steps south of First Street on Sanford Avenue. There is a reason they are so highly rated on urbanspoon.com--they do Soul Food and BBQ right. I've eaten there in the past and will again, and they, too are a great supporter of Sanford events, including AA5. You owe it to yourself to give them a try sometime. It may look like a dive inside, but the food is awesome!

People's Choice Third Place was from Dreams & Destinations Travel, their "Chili Chili Bang Bang." I'm sorry to say I did not sample their chili, but apparently it was pretty good to come in third among 25 entries. Good job!  

Also rans and misses:  There were a number of other chili offerings that I sampled as well, but those listed above were the best. Some of the others were OK. Some tasted like a can of tomatoes with ground beef. One of them had a burnt taste (you know who you are), and a few of them were cold. I was sorry that I could not sample all of them. I tried to hit the restaurants and local businesses first, and those who are frequent supporters of AA5 and other Sanford events. I congratulate all who turned out on a somewhat dreary evening to provide a lot of fun and good eats to all who were. there. It was another awesome time. A lot of people put a lot of hard work into their chili. Some spent days on it, and you could taste that depth of flavor. Some were more afterthoughts, but still, it's good that the spent the time (and their own $$) to support Sanford and this great, fun event. Kudos to all the participants for being there.

If you'd like to know more about Alive After 5, I suggest you find them and friend them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AliveAfter5. 

Shantell's Cafe & Oyster Bar

We have known Shantell Williams, the genius behind her restaurant, 
Shantell's Cafe & Oyster Bar, for a while now. I first met her and her delicious food at Sanford's Alive After 5, where she'd often set up, hand out samples, and promote her catering business. Later we got to know her and Eric as the did karaoke at La Sirena Gorda Cantina, a favorite hangout of ours. And eventually, she took over that restaurant on Mondays, providing a buffet of great caribbean food. So it was with great joy that we heard she was opening a restaurant next to Fat Rats, a local watering hole. 

Since She's opened we've eaten there a few times. Above you can see a picture of the huge, 1 pound burger. Yes, it is huge. We've only had it once. Personally, I wish it was smaller, but then i can imagine that at two in the morning it looks awful good to someone who's been drinking all night. I was surprised by the first thing I ordered, the fish n chips, at left. The cornmeal based breading on the tilapia was excellent, and they were cooked perfectly. The only improvement I'd like to see is to use catfish, then this dish would be a home run. As it was, it was wonderful.

On another visit I had the Philly CheeseSteak (sans green peppers). I watched as Shantell herself prepared this and it was masterful. It was a very good cheesesteak and I'd order it again. The portion of fries, as with all the portions there, was more than generous. I could not eat them all, but managed to clean up every speck of the cheesesteak--it was that good.

Tommy has enjoyed the Jerk Chicken Ceasar Salad on more than one visit there, and rightly so. The jerk chicken is to die for, and a hallmark of Shantell's caribbean cuisine--she sure knows now to cook. I've also had a bit of her stewed cabbage--OMG, it was wonderful, i did not know you could make cabbage taste like that--like "not cabbage." I've even learned a few tricks from here, like when to pick my collards.

We've been to Shantell's a number of times now, and will certainly be back time and time again. The food is fantastic, the atmosphere wonderful, and all the employees are very helpful and pleasant. It's more like eating out with family than eating at a restaurant--that's how they treat you. We'll be back again and again until they get a restraining order!

 

Alive After Five Chili Cook-Off

Alive after Five happens every month on the Second Thursday if tht month from 5-8 PM on First Street, downtown. January's them for a number of years has been aChili Cook-Off. I attended again this year and sampled 18 of the 34 different chili's there. After careful consideration, I am ready to declare my favorite.

Admission to Alive after Five is only $7.00, and for that you get a wristband that allows you to taste food from the many merchants and vendors who set up shop on the street. And this happens every month, like clockwork, on the second Thursday of the month. It is, I'd say, the best street party in central Florida, with several blocks of First Street closed off and lined with vendors and merchants giving out food and beverage samples, $1 with wristband beer, and wristband holders get a ticket for food at an event sponsored location. It's always a great time, and this year's January event was no exception.

Some of the chili served this year was really awesome. Some was just OK. And some did not really shine. The purpose of the event, though is to have fun. Some of the cooks are home cooks, and some are professional chefs. So, before I give you my results, I want you to keep that in mind. Everyone who participated put their heart and soul into this event which sponsored by and a fundraiser for the Historic Sanford Welcome Center.

First, I must make mention of the Chile names, as two were really outstanding. The first was the chili made by the Sanford Flower Shop: it was called Smokey's Florist Fire Chili. Get it?  I love that name, and their chili was mighty fine too.  The second was prepared by Magnolia Street Market and was called Praise the Lard and Pass the Beer Chili -- it was a beer chili made with pork belly, and also very good. Overall, the two above, along with the Red Solo Cup Chili made by World of Beer came in with a tie for second place, in my opinion. They were all very, very good. In my estimation, one other chili was in the same class but barely, just barely, edged out these there. So I declare all three of the above as in a tie for second place overall for the best chili I ate at the Chili Cook Off.

My winner and championship chili for the contest, by a nose, was the Red Hot Mama's Chili from The Palette, a wine and light fare bar located inside Art Affair Gallery. First place, top notch chili. It was a true Texas-style chili, and Sherry, the chef and creator should know, she's from Texas. I asked her about it and she tells me they hand cut the chuck, roasted the peppers and skinned them, and made all ingredients fresh and from scratch. The care she took in this was evident, as it was for all the top level of chilis. Good job and congratulations to Sherri and The Palette, as well as all the top level chilis.

There were other chilis that were decent, and some not as good. I have listed all the ones I tasted below and given them a ranking. They are alphabetical within their place:

Vendor/Merchant	Chili Name	Place
The Palette	Red Hot Mama's Chili	1st
Magnolia Square Market	Praise the Lard and Pass the Beer Chili	2nd
Sanford Flower Shop	Smokey's Florist Fire Chili	2nd
World of Beer	Red Solo Cup Chili	2nd
Café Rouge	Too Hot to Trot Fire Roasted Chili	5th
Candelight Catering	Chef Sennet's Even Better Chili	5th
Taste of Thyme Café	Texas Best	5th
Café Rouge	Sweet Herb's Three Bean Chili	8th
Framing 408	Cuban Chili	8th
Gander Mountain	Gander Mountain's Gas Master's Chili	8th
Healing Laser Clinics	Sweet Heat Chili	8th
Little Fish HUGE Pond	Sancho's Silly Chili	8th
Skibo's Subs	Skibo's Steak Alarm	8th
Superior Sheds	Ken 3 Alarm	8th
Gail Williams Insurance	White Chili	15th
Gail Williams Insurance	Smokin' Chipotle Chili	15th
Harrell & Beverly	Gone in 60 Seconds Chili	15th
Tru Valu	True Valu Chili	15th

Congratulations to all participants. It was a great and fun event!

   

Willow Tree Café and Octoberfest

Willow Tree Café was featured on My Fox Orlando recently. You can see the segment here.  Octoberfest starts tonight, Thursday October 13th, at Willow Tree Cafe as a part of the monthly Alive After Five event. As always, I'll be hanging out much of the time at Art Affair Gallery. Join us!

Alive After Five -- Thursday July 14th

Join me in downtown Sanford this Thursday evening for Alive After Five.

Alive After Five is the Orlando area's best kept secret, but slowly the word is getting out. Thousands of people come out on the second Thursday of every month for this street party. Though the event itself and the live music is free, if you want to partake of the many food and beverage samples (including adult beverages) there is a very modest $7 charge for a wristband. 

Best of all, you probably can meet me! I am usually hanging out with my artist partner and pals at Art Affair Gallery, which just opened a wine bar called The Pallette. It's really a fun place. And as a bonus, for this next event, my two sisters will be in town and attending, all the way from Wisconsin! Come join the party! 

Alive After Five -- Thursday July 14th

Join me in downtown Sanford this Thursday evening for Alive After five

Alive After Five is the Orlando area's best kept secret, but slowly the word is getting out. Thousands of people come out on the second Thursday of every month for this street party. Though the event itself and the live music is free, if you want to partake of the many food and beverage samples (including adult beverages) there is a very modest $7 charge for a wristband. 

Best of all, you probably can meet me! I am usually hanging out with my artist partner and pals at Art Affair Gallery, which just opened a wine bar called The Pallette. It's really a fun place. And as a bonus, for this next event, my two sisters will be in town and attending, all the way from Wisconsin! Come join the party! 

The Palette

Sanford's newest addition to the art and food scene is The Palette, located a Art Affair Gallery on First Street in Downtown Sanford. If the food, wine, and beer I sampled at their "Arty Party" grand opening is an indication of their wares, they will do well!

Local art evangelist, artist, and entrepreneur Ronda Richley, founder of Art Affair Gallery, has team up with the owner of the locally favorite (and much missed) Two Blondes and a Shrimp, Sherri, have teamed up to open a wine, beer, and food bar inside Art Affair Gallery. Now you can truly eat with the art and the artists--quite a few of the gallery's featured artists were in attendance at the Arty Party.

The opening gala featured Sangria by barmaid Lauren (who was kept mighty busy!) and every half hour Sherri would bring out another appetizer-creation for sampling. I tried to sample as much as I could, but I will say, you had to be quick to get some, it was all that good! One comment about the Sangria--it was good but was missing something--I think a bit of clove or maybe a stick of cinnamon would have pushed it over the top and given it a bit of mystery. But still, it was pretty darned good and I noticed that it all went through the course of the evening.

The appetizers that I sampled were all great and freshly made by Sherri. If you don't see a lot of food in the picture, it's because it was devoured before I had time to snap a photo. My favorites were two. First off, Sherri's Layered Concoction was a pleasure just to look at. Pesto, roasted red tomatoes, cream cheese , and basil were layered like a torte. Second, the Van Gogh was a very pleasant surprise--a vetegable/vegetarian pate was surrounded by huge sliced mushrooms and served with some artisanal bread and chips--it was delicious. All of the food was delicious. The assortment of crackers was astounding, the cheese was excellent, the baked brie and pears very good. I can't wait to come back some day and try the sandwich.

The menu at The Palette is small and very European in style, meant to be mostly appetizers, desserts, small plates that can be shared while drinking some wine or sangria, having one of the nice selection of craft beers, or over a cup of coffee. Many of the local artists were in attendance, and I suspect will be hanging out here as well. And if you can play the piano--or even if you can't--it's worth a try.  

The interior of course is an art gallery, so you can wine and snack among lots of great local art--much of it by nationally and even internationally collected artists. The table and even the bar top themselves are actually works of art! And for those pleasant evenings, there is outdoor seating as well. 

I have been a big fan of Art Affair Gallery since day one when they opened in a small space just a few doors down from the current location, almost two years ago. Since that time, they have moved to a larget space, then expanded, and now added the wine bar. I myself have provided the food for several events there, usually Sanford's Alive After Five and/or the Fourth Friday Art Walk. It is always a great time and alway a lot of fun. Over the past two years I have gotten to know many of the artists and other locals who are a part of the downtown Sanford art scene. And I've eaten at and reviewed many of the local restaurants. Downtown Sanford is really a happening place. Hope to run into you there sometime!

Hollerbach's Willow Tree Café

There is a good reason that Hollerbach's Willow Tree Café is rated so high on urbanspoon.com...well, actually two good reasons: (1) good food and (2) great atmosphere. I have been to Hollerbach's a number of times, and will keep coming back time and time again.

My friends and I ate here recently during the ever-popular Alive After Five event in downtown Sanford--it happens every month on the third Thursday of the month and is always a fun time. We were lucky to go at a good time and get a table immediately, outside where we could watch the street party going on, and later where we could hear the music inside. It was a great evening out.

I had the Chicken Cordon Bleau Schnitzel and it was pretty good. The chicken was just a bit dry, but overall I enjoyed it a lot. There was a lot of food, and I had a decent sized portion to take home and enjoy another time--which I did. I also had the spaetzel and the red cabbage to go with, both very good.

We all enjoyed our meals here as well as the fun atmosphere and mostly attentive service. It shows why they have such a high rating. Yumm!

Alive After Five -- Thursday April 14th

Join me at Alive After Five this coming Thursday, April 14th in Downtown Sanford from 5-8 PM.

What is it? Well, it a big street party. It's free to walk around but a $7 wrist band gets you a dinner ticket, free samples from all the local food vendors, and ridiculously cheap beer--it can't be beat.

I can usually be found hanging out at Art Affair Gallery, one of my favorite places. Some months I even do the cooking, but not this month--this month I'm all about the eating! I'll also be going up and down the street, sampling food, and visiting all the galleries. I've been attending Alive After Five for about a year and a half now, and have become a "regular." My friend Tommy is an artist in residence at Art Affair Gallery, too. You should stop in and see some of his wonderful work. C'mon down, it's a lot of fun!

  

Alive After Five

I'll be at Alive After Five this Thursday, March 10th, in beautiful downtown Sanford. So if you're in the area and up for a fun evening street party, join me, 5-8 PM. I'll be hanging out at Art Affair Gallery, but still enjoying all the great food and drinks up and down the street. Always a great time!

Leon's Kick @$$ Chili

I am making my own recipe called Leon's Kick @$$ Chili for Alive After Five in Downtown Sanford on Thursday, January 13th. Alive after Five is a "second Tuesday of every month" street party held rain or shine from 5 PM to 8 PM on First Street in Sanford. The streets are blocked off and vendors set up along the street, giving out food samples. There is always a theme and this month's is Chili. There is actually a chili cook-off going on, though I don't have the time to devote to making that much food. Still, i will be serving my chili there at Art Affair Gallery, my usual hangout. This blog post is my recipe for all those who will stop by or who have stopped by if you're reading this afterwards.

So, without further ado, here is how I made mine!

Ingredient List

• 4 # Chuck Roast, cut into 1/4 inch (or so) dice.
• 3# Ground Beef (cheap is good)
• 12 oz bottle Sam Adams Lager (or your favorite mild beer)
• 2 large yellow onions, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 - 28 oz cans diced tomatoes
• 2 - 12 oz can tomato sauce
• 12 oz can tomato paste
• 1/4 can chipotles in adobo
• 4 Anaheim (or New Mexico) chiles, peeled
• 4 Poblano chiles, peeled
• 2 # dried navy (or other) beans
• 2 Tablespoons Mexene (a chili powder blend)
• 1 Tablespoon Oregano (as with all spices, I prefer Penzey's)
• 2 Tablespoons smoked Spanish Paprika
• 2 Tablespoons Ancho Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon dry mustard
• I Tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 Tablespons ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon Chinese Five Spice
• 2 squares bittersweet (unsweetened) Baker's chocolate
• 1/2 cup brandy
• Salt and pepper to taste

Bean: soak the beans in 6 quarts of water overnight. Drain and rinse slightly. But in a large pot and cover with fresh water, add a bit of salt a pinch or two. Bring to a boil and simmer 60-90 minutes (depending on the bean you may need to adjust) until you can easily squish one between your thumb and forefinger. When you can, they are done. Drain and set aside.

Prepare the fresh chilies by roasting or charring on a grill, then let rest 15 minutes in a sealed bag. Pull off the skins, open and discard the seeds. Chop finely and set aside.

Brown the chuck in batches with a few teaspoons of vegetable oil in a medium-hot saute pan or large stock pot. Do not crowd. When nicely browned, remove to a separate dish and hold. As you are browning the chuck, begin adding the spices, some to each batch. You can adjust the spice to your liking, but remember it's hard to remove too much heat. You can always add more later, but do season each batch. Once the chuck is all browned, set aside and cover.

If your pan gets too much fond (the brown stuff), deglaze with a bit of the beer and add to the reserved meat.

Add the onion and a pinch or two of salt. Deglaze with the rest of the beer and cook until the onion is soft. Once soft, add the minced garlic and cook only 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant. Do not burn the garlic, you'll be sorry.... Add the ground beef and cook until well cooked, adding more spices as you go.

Add the browned chuck and all the juices to the pot, then all the tomatoes and stir. Add the chile and the chipotles with adobo. Taste but be cautious about adding too much chile power. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Once simmering, add the beans and stir gently, then add the brandy and finally the chocolate. By now you should have added all the ingredients. Taste and adjust the heat with more chili powder if desired (I went light on the heat for this recipe, though I prefer more). Just before serving, taste and add any more salt, if needed.

Simmer the chili on low heat for 4 or more hours. Add a bit of beef broth if it gets too thick, or thin with some masa harina if it's too thin. It's actually better the second day and freezes well too.

To server, you can add shredded cheddar cheese, a bit of sour cream, and/or some chopped scallions. Serve with some tortilla chips, too, and your favorite cold beverage.

This recipe is definitely Good Eats. If you tried it, please leave a comment!

Alive After Five for November

Today is Alive After Five in downtown Sanford, 5-8 PM. Come on down, get some free food samples, enjoy the music, tour the shops. The weather is supposed to be fantatic. And, if you want, meet me. I'll be wearing my bright red "Polska" shirt with the Polish white Eagle on it, because today is Polish Independence Day, and I'm going to celebrate it. See you there!

Alive After Five for October

Things will be happening again this Thursday, October 14th, from 5 to 8 PM in downtown Sanford at the monthly Alive After Five street party. As usual, I'll be hanging out at the Art Affair Gallery, but also will make sure to sample all the great food and drinks up and down First Street in historic downtown Sanford.

This month's theme is Oktoberfest, so I imagine the beer, sausage, and oom-pah music will be plentiful. Alive after Five is always a lot of fun, and with the cooler weather setting in, you better arrive early to get some of the food--and a decent place to park, I know I will!

Alive After Five: Blues & Bar-Be-Q a huge success!

The June 10th Alive After Five is history and it was a fun time, for sure. My friend Tom Abbott has a lot of his artwork at Art Affair Gallery in downtown Sanford and this Alive After Five had an opening for a show of a lot of his new stuff in the gallery's showroom. Tom specializes in three-dimensional art using paint and other media. He really does take paint to a new dimension!

The art show opening was very well attended an yours truly catered the appetizers. I made Blue-Be-Q Chicken Tacos and My Sangria's Got the Blues. Both were very well received--I got a lot of favorable comments. Because I was busy serving, I did not get to many of the other Alive After Five venues, but I did get out and find there was a nice crowd. A number of friends came to see the opening, sample the food, and enjoy Alive After Five as well. The gallery  was packed most of the evening, and Tom received lots of ohhs and ahhs about his work. Overall, it was a very sucessful party--once again?

Next month for Alive After Five: International Night on July 8th. I'll be there, will you??

Blue-Be-Q Chicken Tacos

At this month's Alive After Five in Downtown Sanford, my friend Tommy is having the opening of his art show at Art Affair Gallery. I am making the food. We are having two things: Bleu-Be-Q Chicken Tacos and My Sangria's got the Blues. This article is about how I made the Blue-Be-Q Chicken Tacos.

Blue-Be-Q Chicken Tacos are my own invention, though based on various recipes and ideas I found on the Internet. But I have upped the ante and improved on the concept. And, lucky for you, I'm willing to share my secrets.

Blue-Be-Q Chicken Tacos consist of four distinct element, ranging in complexity from extremely simple to quite complex:

1. a Tortilla (quite simple)
2. Barbecued Chicken (very complex)
3. Blue Cheese Coleslas (complex)
4. Shredded Sharp Cheddar cheese (simple, unless you make your own cheese!)

1) For the tortilla, I wanted to make this an appetizer, a bite or two only. So I took a large flour tortilla and I used a 2-1/2 inch round cookie/biscuit cutter to cute seven rounds out of an approximately 10" tortilla. Quite simple with a bit of muscle

2) This is the complicated part. Smoke some chicken thighs, bone-in, skin on. The need to be smoked low and slow (250 degrees) for about 5 or so hours, until the meat is falling off the bone tender. You can, however, cheat. Put the bone-in, skin-on thighs on a half sheet pan, cover with strips of hickory smoked bacon, and cook in a 350-degree oven for 3-4 hours. Be careful so the grease and drippings don't overflow.

Once the chicken is cool, pick off the bacon and reserve, pick off the skin, and pull the chicken off the bones, discarding any gristle. Save all the meat.

Fry up some diced onions in a bit of fat or butter until soft, then add the chicken meat. Now's the time for the spices. Add the following (amounts are for about 5#--before cooking) of smoked chicken thighs:

• Cumin - 2 Tablespoons
• Chili powder -- 2 Tablespoons
• Smoked Paprika -- 1-2 Tablespoons
• Cayenne -- 1/2 to 1 Tablespoon
• Cider Vinegar -- 1/2 cup
• Vodka -- 1/4 cup
• Tomato sauce -- 8 oz.
• Ketchup -- 12 oz.

Meanwhile, chop the bacon up fine, and add this to the mixture as well. If you cheated using the bacon, you can also add about 1/4 teaspoon of liquid hickory smoke. 

Allow this to simmer on low heat for severa hours up to 8 hours, stirring occasionallyl

3) The coleslaw is easy if you buy a bag of mixed green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots at Publix. Or buy those things and shred them yourself. For a 1 pound bag, make the dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 Tablespoons Cider Vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons grainly mustard (I recommend Silver Springs Beer & Brat Mustard if you can find it--its' the best)
• About 1/4 of a fresh pineapple (cored and skinned of course), finely diced
• 4-5 oz of crumbled blue cheese. Save your money here, you don't need the Maytag brand. Any good Wisconsin crumbled blue cheese (yes, even in a plastic container) will suffice.

Mix all the ingredients together. This is best done the night before to allow the flavors to blend

4) Buy a bag of shredded sharp cheddar, or shred your own. the cheese is optional.

To assemble:

1. 1 Tortilla round
2. Place about a Tablespoon of Chicken Taco mix on it (about an ounce)
3. Place a half tablespoon of Blue Cheese coleslaw on that.
4. Garnish with just a bit of cheese.
5. Fold up like a taco and serve.
6. Stand back and accept the praise--these are darned good.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe. It really is very easy to make. My best advice is to taste as you go along. Salt and pepper can be added if desired, but be careful, most chicken is already brined so you should have plenty of salt already.

That's all there is to it. Let me know what you think!

Next Alive After Five -- June 10th

The Next Alive After Five event in Downtown Sanfor will be held on June 10th, 5-8 PM. For the price of a $7 wristband, you get two beer tickets and a chance to sample food from somewhere around 30 different vendors. Some of the food is your standard meatballs that have been cooked in a grape jelly/chili sauce mixture. Some are quite yummy and alcoholic like "Cowboy Punch." And some are just downright good eats. You be the judge. 

First Street is blocked off for the event. There will be a stage set up on the corner of First and Palmetto, and just down the street Steve's TailGator will be set up serving something delicious. 

Of course my big interest in this next Alive After Five is because I'll be serving some goodies in the Art Affair Gallery on the corner of Palmetto and First Street. The occasion? My good friend and artist Tom Abbott is having the opening reception for this new show: "Taking Paint to the Next Dimension" and I am catering the reception. On my menu:

• Blue-Be-Q Chicken Tacos
• I got the Blues Sangria

What is it all about? Well, I guess you'll just have to come and see it to find out, won't you. Add it to your calendar today. And get their early...quantities are limited! 

 So come on down to downtown Sanford on Thursday June 10th and find out what all the fuss is about. You will not be disappointed with what the Orlando Sentinel called the area's best kept secret!

Mexican Chili Slices with Sangria de Mayo

At last week's Alive After Five street party in downtown Sanford, I made the appetizers for Julie Kessler's "Earth to Metal" art opening show at Art Affair Gallery. My fair was simple yet, so I was told, delicious: Mexican Chili Slices served with a Mexican Sangria. Here's how I made it.

For the Mexican Chili Slices, start out by making your chili several days ahead of time:

For the Chili:

• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 1 Tablespoon Ancho Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Medium Hot Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Hungarian Half Sharp Paprika
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 8 oz can tomato sauce
• 2 oz. tomato paste

In a skill, begin to brown the ground chuck, addin the onion just as it starts to brown. Cook over medium to medium high heat until all liquid has evaporated and it just begins to sizzle. Remove from heat and strain off the grease. When strained, return to the hot pan, continue to cook and add the minced garlic, cooking about aminute until the garlic is fragrant. Add the tomato sauce, and tomato paste and mix well, then add the rest of the spices. Bring just to a simmer, then simmer on very low about two hours. If mixture becomes too dry, add a bit of beef stock, but do not let it get too thin. Once it has simmered a good long time, remove from heat, allow to cook, then cover and refrigerate for several days.

For the Vodka Barbecue Sauce:

• 1 24 oz. bottle ketchup
• 3/4 cup vodka
• 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
• 1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon Chili powder
• 2 1/4 teaspoons Cayenne pepper
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Kosher salt
• Juice of one fresh lemon

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 15-30 minutes. Cool and refrigerate. Will keep several weeks.

For the Chipotle Crema:

• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 1 whole chipotle chili in adobo with the sauce

Mix all ingredients in a food processor. If it's too spicy, you can add a bit more sour cream.

You will also need about 3-4 12" flour tortillas.

To assemble, warm the chili to just above room temperature to make it easy to handle. Spread about 3/4 cup chili on a tortilla, staying 1/2 inch from the edges. Roll up like a pinwheel, then roll in aluminum foil, pinching and twisting the ends, to make a round loaf like a sausage. Repeat, using all the chili. Refrigerate overnight to set.

The next day, unwrap the rolled chili and bias slice about 3/8 of an inch thick. You should get about 13-15 good slices per roll. Arrange on a platter and top each with a dollop of the Mexican Crema and a squirt of the Vodka Barbecue sauce. Garnish with a small piece of cilantro. Serve and enjoy!

For the Sangria de Mayo you'll need:

• 3 bottles inexpensive Merlot (I used turning Oak from Wal-Mart!)
• 3/4 cup fresh squeeze orange juice
• 1 large Red Delicious apple, cored, quartered and sliced thin
• 1 Large Granny Smith apple, cored, quartered and sliced thin
• Two large naval oranges, quartered and slice thin
• 1 Lime, quartered and sliced thin
• 2-3 fresh Lemons, quartered and sliced thin
• 3-4 cinnamon sticks
• 12 allspice berries
• 12 whole cloves
• 1 2-liter bottle lemon lime soda.
• assorted apples/oranges/lemons, sliced thin for serving.

Put all ingredients thru the 12 cloves into a large pitcher, stir, and refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve, transfer 1/3 of liquid to a separate pitcher, add 1/3 of the lemon-lime soda, and serve in small glasses that are already prepared with some additional slices of mixed apples/lemons/oranges. Serve and enjoy! Repeat until you've served it all.