Tallahassee Cooking Club, August 2009
PUBLISHED ON: 09.04.2009
This blog post is dedicated to our Cooking Club. We had another terrific evening filled with fun, food and frolic. Our evening’s theme was Caribbean Fusion. This theme allowed us to take advantage of the abundant summer fruits and vegetables that are available this time of year in Florida. You will see a focus on mangoes, peaches, cucumbers and a variety of peppers. The theme was perfect for beating the summer heat and being whisked away to a cooler place at least for the evening.
The evening began with Mojito cocktails with 3 fresh options to choose from: A traditional Mint Mojito or you could live a bit on the edge, and select a Mojito infused with Basil or Jalapeno. For those of you who enjoy these tropical cocktails, never be afraid to experiment! You can muddle (using a wooden spoon or muddler) a variety of herbs and fruits and even peppers! Or you can use new fresh ingredients to infuse the simple syrup that is traditionally used in Mojitos. This will bring the experience of drinking a Mojito cocktail to a new level.
Followed by a simply prepared grilled swordfish with mango, cucumber and melon served with a lime sauce and topped with a quinoa and orange salad.
Check out these beautiful biscuits. The basket included a variety of homemade biscuits that included sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and scallions. I am not sure I could possibly name all the varieties that we were enjoying. What I can tell you, I was not able to stop at just one biscuit covered in butter but, at least three!
Finished up our evening eating chocolate drizzled fortune cookies and reading our fortunes to each other.
Sophie Sportende Foodie
MMMMMM,..it loks that you had fun, eating & making food!Could we get the recipes?
Fresh Local and Best
Wow! How fun and creative! I love the experiments happening at the cocktail bar.
TKW
Just looking at all that wine on the table makes me think that I could *totally* hang out with your cooking club!
Laura in Paris
What a feast! Everything looks delicious . specially the mango pie!
Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen
How fun. We've talked about doing a food club here but haven't actually gotten around to it yet. Looks like everyone was having a great time. Loved the swordfish with the mangos. I'm looking forward to your tailgate party, especially since you're in Tallahassee and a Gator alum and fan. Reminds me of when I lived in Texas and was an Arkansas alum and fan. I felt like a fish out of water. Thanks for stopping by my kitchen. It gave me the opportunity to visit your blog and meet you.Sam
Juliana
Wow, seems that you all had a great time, and what a feast…yummie!
Heather S-G
How fun!! And all of the food sounds so delicious 😀
Anonymous
Yum, yum and yum! The crab cakes looked positively devine – ok, it doesn't take much for me because I LOVE crab cakes. Such a great idea. You've inspired me! Tomorrow morning I'm calling our neighbors and see what we can come up with.
Anonymous
oops! divine…they look positively divine.
Foodie with Little Thyme!
Did you start this group? Everything looks wonderful. I think I could live on the mango cheese cake alone.
Erica
Wow! Everything looks great. I would love to join a group like that one 🙂
chow and chatter
wow what a fun evening
Anonymous
Those biscuits are GORGEOUS! Full of yummy stuff too…I wouldn't have been able to stop at one, either! And the fish with the quinoa with the orange salad with the medley of mango and cucumber and melon? What a tasty and lovely-looking dish! My mouth is absolutely watering! Fantastic dinner!
Anonymous
What a wonderful feast! I'm loving the Caribbean fusion flavors of the dishes! Would love a slice of that mango cheese pie, yum!
Nil
Wow Velva. Este clube é tudo! Desejei muito ser Capaz de lá estar. Mas eu sinto que minha energia vai ser bom para perto de você! Ah, eu preciso encontrar uma forma Alargada para formar um grupo para aqui.Parabéns. Atenciosamente, Nil.
Unknown
This looks like so much fun. I wish i was part of a cooking club! Love the chocolate drizzled fortune cookies!
grace
fun, food, and frolic, eh? sounds like a good time, and the food (my favorite part, of course) looks sensational!
Lori Lynn
Sounds like a great time, great menu too!LL
Palidor
Caribbean fusion sounds really cool! All the food looks so delicious.
Tangled Noodle
What a great dinner theme (resulting in some delicious-looking dishes!) I could use a mojito or two – or three. It sounds like the Tailgate theme will be just as good but I hope the mango cheese pie makes another appearance. 😎
RecipeGirl
It all sounds so summery and delicious! \”Tailgate\” is a great theme! I just hosted a Portuguese dinner party last night. I love dreaming up new ideas 🙂
CrystalsCozyKitchen
All the talk of mangoes is making me hungry! This all looks so great. Thanks for comment on my site!
NKP
What a great party! I would love to be your neighbour.
Olga
Sounds like you had a marvelous time! The food looks amazing, especially everything with mangoes 🙂
Maris
Hi Velva, thanks for visiting my blog and commenting! This looks like one fabulous dinner – those cilantro crab cakes especially called out to me. sounds like everyone had a great time.
unconfidentialcook
Thanks so much for stopping by. I love your blog–I have unconfidential cook dinners in which each person brings a dish and recipe. I've had two so far (please check out some of the amazing recipes, all marked), and am planning a third next month.PS Your table looks gorgeous!
unconfidentialcook
Thanks so much for stopping by. I love your blog–I have unconfidential cook dinners in which each person brings a dish and recipe. I've had two so far (please check out some of the amazing recipes, all marked), and am planning a third next month.PS Your table looks gorgeous!
Foodie with Little Thyme!
Come by I have an award for you.
pigpigscorner
That's so much fun and lots of yummy food! Love the fortune cookies with choc drizzle.
Unknown
The table looks just beautiful. All that food does too. It must have been fun.
Lindsay Rudolph
That looks like such a great time! I would love to be a part of something like that. I just may have to talk to my friends about starting a Cookin Club in Winchester, VA!
Anonymous
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog! (: I absolutely adore your blog and the idea of a cooking club is just awesome! great food, great company and a beautiful table setting!
The Absence of Alternatives
A cooking club, oh my! Such an awesome idea. I need to move somewhere there are people that actually enjoy good food… Thank you for posting pictures in all of your posts so we can live through them vicariously. 🙂 Mojitos… hmmmm…
Diaczun Style
What a great idea…can't wait to see what you guys come up with for your Tailgate theme. If you aren't already familiar with it, you should check out sunday-suppers.blogspot.com. Its a great blog about food and photography based around a cooking class/dining experience run by two talented women in NYC.
Gina
Another great post…wonderful food! Moving to Jacksonville next year…may have to find a chapter there!