A Kansas Foodie in the Virgin Islands

The CELLAR - Fine Dining in Red Hook!

2010-04-21T13:26:00.000-07:00

Friday night, Jackie and I went out to eat... What an unexpected gem!

The Cellar restaurant in Red Hook is fine dining at it's finest. The look, decor and menu would be right at home in any big city. It was a little refreshing to dine out without Jimmy Buffet and Bob Marley dominating the juke box.

We started with an amuse bouche (free food)... just a little something, a hint of things to come... This is a short rib risotto. The menu offers a new chef's preparation risotto that changes daily.

I am a sucker for a cheese tray. Sadly, I do not recall the cheeses, but there was an excellent goat cheese, as well as two other soft cheeses that stood out. The fabulous presentation included some fresh made crackers, fruit and nuts. This was a real bargain at only $15. Cheese, well, quality cheeses can get very expensive on the island.

My main course was a grilled mahi over a potato purree. From this angle, you can't see the relish inside the pepper, but the entire presentation was wonderful.

Jackie had a beef Wellington over sautéed spinach. Caramelized onions and a peppercorn cream sauce. After we each finished half, we exchanged plates. Each meal was special, tasty and most unexpected!

Like I said, after a couple months of cheeseburgers in paradise and local faire, this restaurant caters to locals who care about what they eat. It was a spectacular evening. If you are only visiting for the day, it may not meet your expectations for island dining. But, if you want something special, I could not recommend the Cellar more.

All the details are there... including the wine bottle bathroom faucet (got to get me one of these!).

It's not your Grandmother's HERBES de PROVENCE

2010-04-11T03:16:00.000-07:00

No, it's not your grandmother's and it isn't the commercial mix of herbs either.

BUT, it is a handy spice mix to have around. It is very fragrant. Open the sealed bag and your kitchen smells of a spring garden!

I use this almost anytime a recipe calls for a mixture of two or three herb spices. It tastes great on a focaccia bread, add to oil and balsamic for a great bread dipping oil. I add to fish and chicken for a light taste accent. It is just great to have sitting around... ready

5 TBS dried Tarragon
5 TBS dried Oregano
5 TBS dried Dill
5 TBS dried Thyme
5 TBS dried Rosemary
5 TBS dried Garlic Flakes
2 TBS Sea Salt
2 TBS Fresh ground Pepper
1 TBS dried Lemon Zest

Store in a sealed plastic ziplock bag, airtight in a dark drawer, and stays fresh for 6 months or more.

Very useful

Sesame Seed / Kosher Salt ... Rub / Garnish recipe

2010-04-09T02:08:00.000-07:00

I seem to be using quite a bit of this rub here. Could not be easier to make...

1/4 cup White Sesame Seeds
1/4 cup Black Sesame Seeds
1/4 cup Kosher Salt
2 TBS Garlic Flakes

Mix well. It is best to use as a coating or garnish prior to cooking. the heat will toast the sesame seeds, increasing their flavor.

Like on this loaf of bread...

It is a great seasoning accent for Chicken and fish...

And especially Vegetables.

Cuzzin's Caribbean Restaurant & Bar

2010-04-06T03:23:00.000-07:00

Here is something rare... A business without a website. But, when you enter Cuzzin's, you are taken back to another time anyway...

Located in a former livery stable and cook shack, the historic building is at the edge of Charlotte Amalie's shopping area. Just four blocks in from the shoreline, and a block from the jewelry and T-shirt shops that attract the cruise ships, Cuzzin's is a great stop for lunch.

Air conditioned (a BIG plus in the afternoon), with an authentic Caribbean menu, decorated nicely; you will enjoy all the amenities that separates Cuzzin's from the tourist bars that surround the shops.

The building has been wonderfully restored, with many modern accents. Just enough history to make the building feel authentic, and just enough accents to make the building beautiful, functional and comfortable... Did I mention air conditioned? Almost no restaurants are.

The pace is relaxed. The bar is well stocked, and the drink menu is old school authentic with just enough colorful rum drinks to make you want to slow the pace even more.

But the star of the show is the authentic Caribbean style menu...

Our party enjoyed Conch Fritters, fried Plantains, Sweet Potato fluff, Creole stuffed Lobster, and their specialty... a Cuzzin Nemo — a melange of shrimp, lobster, conch and scallops in sauce over pasta.

I had to give the BBQ Ribs a try... they even added some excellent BBQ Chicken Thighs.

Charlotte Amalie is the shopping district. It is also the starting point for the cruise ship tourists. There are plenty of open air fun bar type places. Cuzzin's is a step above, excellent local flavor, and local cuisine. Historic setting and AIR CONDITIONED. If you are planning a day of shopping instead of beach hopping, or if you take one of the couple hour island tours in the morning... Cuzzin's is an excellent place to stop for lunch and to relax before hopping back on the boats!

Duffy's Love Shack... Red Hook - My neighborhood bar

2010-04-05T04:00:00.000-07:00

Is there anything more boring than looking at someone else's vacation pictures?

Like I said yesterday, this week we are entertaining our first guests. My wife's favorite aunt and her cousin (David and Becky shown above) are giving us locals a chance to be tourists for the week. Taking the organized island tours, watching them haggle with the vendors (and then we swoop in and get a local's discount for them), snorkeling and sunning have been on my agenda all week... Almost no cooking, and what little cooking I am doing, I am repeating recipes. So, content for the blog has been light.

BUT, no trip to our corner of paradise would be complete without a stop at my favorite dive bar and grill... Duffy's Love Shack!

Literally, it is located in a parking lot in the Red Hook area of St Thomas (closest "town" to us). It is our go to bar for a fun time.

Just so you don't think I have forgotten that this is a food blog...

Blackened chicken nachos (above)... A little of everything (including a few SURPRISE hot peppers!

Some kind of crappy health food salad that my cousin-in-law loved (how healthy can it be with a half cup of sour cream and a cup of guacamole on it???)

Personally... Their Blue Cheese burgers are the best on the island! A little bacon (of course bacon!) just to set the mood!

But I guess when you get down to it... This is what sets the mood...

The infamous DUFFY's SHARK TANK... 64 ounces of Booze (and a little fruit juice)! Served in a fish bowl with straws for everybody!

And just in case there was not enough booze in the Fish Tank, Jackie wanted her signature, Lime in the Coconut (which I have spent many nights trying to replicate, but always seem to be just a shade short)...

Have you ever been charged $9 for a strawberry daiquiri? At least when you order a $9 daiquiri at Duffy's, they let you keep the parrot glass (Jackie's Cousin's Daughter not included)...

Even the favorite aunt gets to go home with a logo beer mug when she ordered a virgin daiquiri...

Yes, they made fun of me for a bit for photographing the food... Then the fancy glasses arrived and everyone was photographing the food...

Even people from other tables were photographing our shark tank...

That is a shark inside our drink...

When in St Thomas, don't miss Duffy's Love Shack... Best dive bar set up in a parking lot I have ever been to!

Mediterranean Herb Pizza Dough - and cheater pizza sticks

2010-03-30T01:37:00.000-07:00

Pizza dough... fast and easy...

3 1/2 cups Flour (divided)
1 package fast rising Yeast
1 cup warm Water
2 TBS Garlic infused Olive Oil
2 TBS Mediterranean Herb Rub (see yesterday's post for that mixture... Click HERE)

In a large bowl, combine the warm water and yeast... mix well

add the other ingredients and mix very well.

Knead dough on a floured surface until smooth... about 10 minutes by hand, 5 minutes in a kitchenaid.

Cover and allow to rise for 2 hours.

And use as pizza dough... it takes about 20 minutes to cook the dough through.

But I take just a bit, and make some BBQ cheater pizza sticks...

Lay out some flat sticks of dough...

add a layer of BBQ sauce, and a bit of Asiago Cheese...

Bake 350 degrees for 20 minutes...

Makes a great appetizer!

Another RUB - Mediterranean Herb Mix

2010-03-29T02:48:00.000-07:00

Think Herbes de Provence...

This is very useful. I make a batch of this up once every few months. It is handy to add a little extra something to lots of dishes. Once you make it up (takes 5 minutes), you can store a bag in the fridge and always have a fresh teaspoon to add to lots of things... Like pizza dough!

2 tablespoons each -
Oregano
tarragon
dill
thyme
rosemary
lemon pepper
garlic flakes

Notice, another low/no salt mix... Too much salt in my diet, so i make my own mixes. Fast, easy and cheap!

Garlic/Onion/Chipotle Moomie Buns... I did it My Way!

2010-03-28T02:40:00.000-07:00

Since this is to be a journal of my cooking and dining experiences while living in ST Thomas, I would be remiss if I didn't include what I do to the world famous Moomie Rolls.

If you have never heard of moomie rolls, go ahead and google them. over a quarter of a million sites talk about this recipe... And for very good reason. It is my go to recipe, at least once a week. Cost wise, I am sure it is less than $1.50 (even at island shopping prices) to make eight hamburger buns. Or in this case... Sausage rolls...

But, on the island, no bread machine (if you use the dough setting on a bread machine, you can whip these off with almost no effort, no mess)... But alas, no machine here on the island. Here is the original recipe, so easy with a bread machine...

� 1 c water
� 2 tbsp butter or margarine
� 1 egg
� 3 1/4 c. flour
� 1/4 c. sugar
� 1 tsp salt
� 3 tsp instant yeast

� Place all ingredients in your bread machine. Select dough. Allow to run cycle. � Dump out onto lightly floured surface. Divide into 8 pieces. With each piece, slap into a bun shape. Usually 4 or 5 slaps will do it. Place on greased cookie sheets or your bun pans, cover; rise about 30 to 40 minutes. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes til golden. Cool on wire racks.

And another BUT, no Kitchenaid mixer. So, it's old school for me once a week... Mix by hand...

And get creative... I added 1 tsp of Garlic Powder
and 1 tsp Onion Powder
and 1 tsp Chipotle Powder

This is such a beautiful recipe. Form any way you like. I had just bought a batch of Johnsonville Brats, so I made split top sausage rolls. Had enough dough left over to make a few "regular" buns.

I made these in the morning, had a left over Blackened pork chop sandwich for lunch...

And at night, I had mango beer braised brats that you will have to go to my "regular" site to read all about it! I posted about those today!

Blackened Tilapia

2010-03-27T02:28:00.000-07:00

Remember yesterday??? Cajun Rub (blackening seasoning)... We made a triple batch. Now we start using it...

Tilapia is a wonderful fish ... Taste and cheap! Every store from Aldi to Kroger to the cheap place in St Thomas sells big bags of single fillets, individually sealed and perfect for a quick lunch...

And this recipe is quick... Freezer to thawed in the microwave to 4 minutes in the frying pan and served... total time, just a shade over 5 minutes...

While the fish is thawing ... BTW, if you plan ahead, instead of microwave, put a fillet (still sealed in plastic) in a pan of warm water for 30 minutes and it will be thawed. OK, back to the how to... While the fish is thawing in the microwave, take an aluminum non stick pan and melt one TBS butter for each fillet you are making...

Add one rounded teaspoon of the rub to the butter and get hot hot hot... You will start to see whisps of smoke coming from the spices. At that stage, turn the heat down just a tinge. You like the smoke, but you do not want to burn...

Add the fish fillet. 2 minutes, and you continue to see the smoke...

Flip the fish and 2 minutes on the other side...

Filled with flavor, cooked perfect, flaky, not over cooked...

I love blackened fish.

Make your own rub - CAJUN RUB (Blackening Seasonings)

2010-03-26T05:23:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, I got my care package from home (Kansas City). 25 cups of various spices!!! Click HERE to see what I got.

Now it's time to start doing something with all those beautiful spices...

No, these pork chops are not burnt... They are blackened. Sadly, many restaurants have confused blackening seasonings with blackened. Blackened is a cooking process, made popular by Paul Prudhomme! It is a way to infuse and caramelize spices with butter and cook meat. The collection of spices used would be more accurately called Cajun spiced if you do not use a flash frying method followed by gentle baking... But I digress...

Soon, I will blog the recipe and technique for making these blackened chops, but today... just the rub.

A Cajun rub is very versatile. Not as hot as it's reputation would suggest, but certainly enough to know you are eating something special. I prefer to make my own, especially without salt. There is plenty of salt in our everyday food. Highly overrated (in my opinion), and more often than not, not needed. And especially if you are trying to cut back on dangerous quantities of salt.

You can use this rub to spice up just about any cut of meat, and sprinkling some on grilled fruit and veggies makes a special dish really pop.

here's what I did...

1/4 cups Sweet Paprika
1 TBS Garlic Flakes
1 TBS Onion Flakes
1 TBS Dried Thyme Leaves
1 TBS Dired Oregano
1 TBS Black Pepper
2 TBS White Pepper
2 tsp (TEAspoons) Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Ground Bay Leaves

Go ahead, mix by hand...

Did you pay attention to the quantities? Biggest quantity was Sweet Paprika (yes, paprika is a pepper, but not a hot hot pepper). There is a bite to this, it is Cajun after all, but not the killer quantities that people expect.

Isn't this pretty??? I tripled the recipe, as I use this mix a lot. From eggs in the morning, to grilled pineapple to (of course) meat... Cajun spice is very versatile.

The spices stay fresh for about 6 months. I store in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator (cool dark place, assuming that little light bulb does indeed go out when the door is closed... Who really knows for sure???). Mark the bag and date it.

And stay tuned to see my instructions for blackening pork chops and fish... It really is impressive!

ST JOHN WATERFRONT BISTRO

2010-03-25T05:02:00.000-07:00

St John Island (one of the "other" US Virgin Islands (the pretty one, almost the entire island is a national park)) is home to a very charming shopping district, just to the right of the ferry exit. Mostly locally produced artwork and beachwear shops, a few high end jewelry stores.

And this beautiful restaurant!

THE WATERFRONT BISTRO (click HERE to get to their home page) is among the most picturesque places to eat in the entire US Virgin Islands. Located bay side, with a view of the beach and Caribbean Sea, every table is a wonderful spot to enjoy your break from the world.

Jackie and I had a snorkeling session planned, but wanted to grab a quick bite before heading to our beach. Their VERY reasonably priced lunch menu was a fun read. It was foodie heaven to see such a wide selection of starters and soups (chilled tomato saffron with cucumbers and creme fraiche), specialties of the restaurant (Grilled ham and cheese, with gruyere cheese and an egg battered brioche)... But Jackie and I chose to split a blackened chicken breast sandwich with a garlic Aioli...

Only $9 (a bargain on the islands, where just about any burger is over $10, let alone with the beautiful view included free). It was cooked exactly right, very large (we were splitting to eat a light meal prior to our snorkeling trip). It was a great meal.

We had planned a quickie meal so we would have time to enjoy the island. Instead, we stayed for a second adult beverage, enjoyed the top quality food and the view. It was a great start to our day in St John.

the ST JOHN WATERFRONT BISTRO is certainly on our "must do" list for dinner one night. The view includes one of the best sunsets on the islands. Plus their dinner time menu shows the same amount of care as their lunch menu. Looking for a burger joint... sure, they have that. Looking for a memorable experience... They toss that in as well.

We loved everything about the Waterfront Bistro. If you are planning a trip to St John, include this place as one of your "must see"!

My first Foodie Care Package from the States

2010-03-23T04:05:00.000-07:00

Christmas came early yesterday. It took over a week for a 3 day priority mail box to arrive, but it finally arrived!

In Kansas City, there is a "spice guy" that sells spices for $1 a scoop (1/2 cup scoop). Fresh spices here are difficult to get and VERY expensive. I spent $8 for some dried garlic flakes I needed for a recipe and knew that I was going to take advantage of a friend and ask him to go shopping for me...

I got so many they didn't even fit in one photo...

3 scoops of Cayenne Pepper
2 scoops of a pre packaged Blackening seasoning..
2 scoop of chipotle pepper
Scoop of red pepper flakes
Scoop of onion flakes
Scoop of garlic flakes
Scoop of onion powder
Scoop of garlic powder

3 scoops sweet paprika
2 smoked paprika
2 scoops szechuan peppercorns
3 scoops mixed peppercorns
Scoop of white sesame seeds
Scoop of black sesame seeds
Scoop of Dry Mustard

2 scoops of Cinnamon
10 Cinnamon sticks
2 scoops star anise
2 scoops whole cloves
Cumin
Tarragon
Coriander
Bay Leaves
Celery seeds
Fennel Seeds
Parsley
Dill
Rosemary
Thyme

1/2 scoop of saffron threads

So, what did I leave out? Are there any spices you could not cook without???

OK, we're cooking now!

Why so many RUM Recipes???

2010-03-22T01:34:00.000-07:00

And remember, no tax...

Robert's American Grille

2010-03-21T03:54:00.000-07:00

Our little home away from home is located in the Cowpet Bay area of the island. In our bay, we share beach space with the St Thomas Yacht Club, a couple of condo developments and the Elysion Beach Resort. By far, the most developed of these is the Elysion. Complete with rental facilities for beach toys (little sailboats, snorkeling equipment, paddle boats, etc.), Full service spa (Jakie has an appointment to get her hair done next week, and for some ridiculous reason, a manicure/pedicure), a bar with happy hour specials and best of all, a top quality high end restaurant - ROBERT's AMERICAN GRILLE!

Best way to describe Robert's is Casual beach side ELEGANCE! Located just steps from the beach, in a comfortable spacious setting, it is a place to come dressed in resort finery... or shorts and flip flops. But what is surprising is the high end quality of the food.

Follow the link above to see their menu. This is no burger on the beach joint at all.

We split an appetizer, The THREE CHEESE MIXED GRILLE. A baked combination of Brie, Grueyere and Goat cheeses; topped with almonds and an herb vinaigrette served with a delicious toasted bread. I love cheese, and this was OUTSTANDING!

Jackie chose the Ribeye. HUGE, and grilled as she ordered (sadly, medium well, but that;s the way she likes it).Not shown in the photo, the steak rested on a generous cheese stuffed mashed potatoes and beans. The addition of tomato slices added a cold contrast taste to the plate that worked very well. the wine sauce gravy was very rich and blended well with the green beans, potatoes and the meat. It was a perfect plating.

But as good as Jackie's meal was, take a look at my Lamb Chops. One of their specials for the night, the chops came with the same mashed potatoes (my substitute, they were offered with mashed sweet potatoes).. a diced tomato chutney and a very generous amount of button mushrooms in a very rich butter sauce. Grilled to a perfect medium (my choice for lamb, medium rare for beef). Beautifully plated and out of this world for taste!

My only complaint... The meal was so good, and there was so much food that we skipped dessert.

Robert's is a culinary gem. One of those chef/owner places where the quality of the food is far better than the slow paced location would expect. Never crowded, but always top quality cooked to order specialties, Robert's American Grille deserves a repeat visit... again and again!

Pineapple BAY BREEZE

2010-03-20T03:28:00.000-07:00

A classic - in fact, one of the original Rum cocktails. Often, when you order a Rum Punch, you will get this drink. Jackie is such a fan of the Cruzan Pineapple infused Rum that I just substituted that for the "normal" light rum commonly used in a Bay breeze...

2 ounces CRUZAN Pineapple Rum
2 ounces Pineapple Juice
2 ounces Cranberry Juice

Combine and serve over ice for a Pineapple Bay Breeze on the rocks, or add a cup of ice, mix in a blender till it reaches a milkshake consistency to make a frozen pineapple Bay Breeze.

Not sure if Jackie was just celebrating a "thank God it's Friday" moment, but this was the first of the rum drinks I have made that she sucked down quickly and asked for a second one.

Skinny Pirate

2010-03-19T04:50:00.000-07:00

The lowly Rum and Coke...

Well, use Black Cherry Rum, add a bit of Grenadine and you have an adult version of a cherry-Coke. And if you use a Diet Coke, you can even claim low-cal...

1 can of Diet Coke
2 ounces of CRUZAN Black Cherry Rum
1/2 ounce Grenadine

Mix well and serve over ice

Or for a special treat, put it all in a blender, with a cup of ice blend til you have a milkshake consistency.

So far, this is Jackie's favorite!

Girl Scout Cookie - the Drink

2010-03-18T02:39:00.000-07:00

This drink recreates the taste of those addictive thin mint cookies the girls in green sell every year. And does a really great job of it. It is important to use clear Cream de Cacao, and not the brown. The two taste the same, however the drink needs to be that pretty minty color of the deluded Creme de Menthe.

But I am ahead of myself... Here is the recipe...

1ounce Light CRUZAN RUM
1 ounce Creme de Menthe
1 ounce Cream de Cacao
1 ounce Half and Half

Tastes great chilled, straight up, or on the rocks

OR, for a frozen Girl Scout Cookie ... add 1 cup of ice and use your blender to achieve a milkshake consistency.

'Cause we all know that a thin mint cookie out of the freezer is best!

DIRTY ARNIE

2010-03-17T03:45:00.000-07:00

Hey look... no rum today...

This is an alcoholic version of a very popular non-alcoholic drink served on the golf courses of America. Named for my generation's "greatest living golfer", if you order an Arnold Palmer at any 19th hole, you will get an equal mixture of Lemonade and sweet Tea... No booze.

A year or so ago, the good folks at FIREFLY VODKA created an infused Vodka. Not infused with Peach or lemon like the other guys did, Team FIREFLY (good ol' Carolina boys) infused their mama's sweet tea with their daddy's vodka. Tastes great straight up, but it was only a matter of time before someone would "dirty" up the Arnold Palmer drink.

Sure enough, the "Dirty Arnie" has become a very popular drink on the Islands. It is on most menus, and all the bartenders know it well.

Straight up, it is

3 ounces FIREFLY Sweet Tea Vodka
3 ounces Lemonade
served in a rocks glass

Also shown above, a frozen version,

add 1 heaping cup of ice and use your ice crusher setting on your blender.

I tried really hard to come up with a Tiger Woods joke that would go with this drink... Nothing outstanding, so I will just hoist a Dirty Arnie and wish him well.

These are best when you go out your back door, walk 30 yards to the beach, snorkel around the coral for an hour after your inconvenient day job, come back and sit on your deck. Since it is only 2 ingredients, it is very easy and quick to make.

Pina Colada

2010-03-16T02:45:00.000-07:00

It's the drink of legend... It's the drink of song and cheating spouses everywhere.

It is also among the easiest of all the tropical drinks to make...

Equal parts Pineapple Juice, CRUZAN coconut Rum and Cream of Coconut

I like 2 ounces Cruzan Coconut Rum
2 ounces Pineapple Juice
2 ounces Cream of Coconut

Blend... Can be served over ice, or add a cup of ice to the blender and use the ice crusher setting and blend till you get a milkshake consistency.

These are best sitting on your deck while you watch the hard working maintenance crew give the palm trees a trim.

ST John Spice CO and a BRAND NEW DRINK RECIPE!

2010-03-15T03:32:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend, we took the ferry for the short boat trip to neighboring Virgin island, ST JOHN! ST John is mostly a national park, but with incredible beaches, great places to hike, 4,000 wonderful residents and 400 asses in residence (There is a large group of wild donkeys roaming the park); St John is also a near perfect tourist destination.

The ferry drops you off at the only town on the island. Bay side restaurants, jewelry stores, tee shirt shacks and one very special store (for me) greet everyone as you debark (disembark???) the ferry.

The ST JOHN SPICE CO is paradise in paradise... Shelves upon shelves upon table displays upon table displays of spices, teas, coffees, hot sauces, a few cooking supplies, coffee mugs, tee shirts and beach supplies. But mostly, I was there to see the spices, and they did not disappoint.

What I really appreciated was the prepackaged spice mixes. Grilling rubs and Jerk spices were a highlight for me and I certainly did not leave the island without them.

Their website... http://www.stjohnspice.com/ handles mail order for you land locked souls (and for me in 5 months and a week ;(

But also a really fun thing, they have the ST JOHN SPICE CAM set up. So, you too can enjoy all the folks visiting the island.

And just in case you think I sobered up during my short little jaunt to ST JOHN, here is an original rum recipe for you. We are naming this the...

DIRTY FERRY RIDE

in honor of our trip to ST JOHN. The ferry was fun, very scenic, but it makes hourly trips to the island, so cleanliness was not it's priority. Much like this drink. It uses Cruzan rum cream, which makes the drink just a little dirty looking It has cream to symbolize a smooooooth sailing (and a smooth drink). It has a couple of kinds of rum to show add a sense of anticipation on what the new island mixture will bring. And it has a banana because I like bananas...

Here's what I did...

2 ounces CRUZAN Rum Cream
2 ounces CRUZAN Coconut Rum
2 ounces Cream (I had a bit left, so I made a milkshake thick drink, "regular" milk would work as well)
1 banana

Mix in a blender and serve over ice for a cocktail

or add a cup of ice to the blender and serve as a frozen drink!

SHARK in the WATER!

2010-03-14T03:12:00.000-07:00

I went to St John yesterday and had an adventure. I went snorkeling with sharks!!! This guy, that I was able to capture on film was about 5 feet long.

He was only a Nurse Shark, a bottom dweller that mostly feeds at night, so he is a rare sight among daytime swimmers. But, a shark non the less!

So, in honor of my bottom dwelling new friend, I have an original drink... I added a splash of grenadine, which gently floats to the bottom of the drink. I made a frozen version (Ice in a blender makes a "milk shake" consistency drink) for myself, as well as an "on the rocks" version.

SHARK IN THE WATER

Equal parts and a splash. Serve up, on the rocks or frozen...

2 ounces CRUZAN Coconut Rum
2 ounces Orange Juice
2 ounces Pineapple Juice
splash Grenadine

serve on the rocks, or combine in a blender with a cup of ice. Use the ice crusher setting and blend. If you do the frozen version, add the grenadine after the blending.

BANANA BOAT - Great Frozen Drink for the End of the Day-O

2010-03-13T01:35:00.000-08:00

Name of the drink and the "real" name of the song...

This one is very easy, only 3 ingredients and ice...

2 ounces Cruzan Coconut Rum
2 ounces Milk
1 ripe Banana
1 cup Ice

Shove in a blender and mix!

It is best if you take these down to the beach and ponder if you should take sailing lessons...

Maybe tomorrow

PINEAPPLE PRINCESS - An Original Pineapple Rum Milkshake Recipe

2010-03-12T06:11:00.000-08:00

My wife's drink of choice when we go out has become a Pineapple Rum and Pineapple Juice. A simple 1 part rum to 3 parts juice drink any bartender can make.

But my beautiful princess deserves a bit better... how about a milkshake made with the same ingredients???

I did a long check through the internet, and could not come up with an exact match to this recipe, so I am claiming naming rights for this original recipe...

I have two beautiful Pineapple Princesses in my life. Of course, my tropical island princess, Jackie deserves to have the drink named for her. But my very first crush in the world back as a foodie child, Annette Funicello also deserves inspirational credit for this drink.

So, sit back, click PLAY on the Youtube video and imagine your own Pineapple Princess...

Jackie's Pineapple Princess
Milkshake

2 ounces Cruzan Pineapple Rum
1 ounce Cointreau (Orange flavored liqueur)
2 ounces Pineapple Juice
4 ounces Whipping Cream (thick rich shake, can sub whole milk, but my wife deserves the thick rich Cream)
1 cup Ice
Fruit for garnish

And blend away

So, while I was mixing the drink, was I thinking of my wife or of Annette???

Well, Annette gets the song and all the royalties and honors for that contribution to society... But my wife gets the credit for being my ...

Pineapple Princess

FROZEN MUDSLIDE - Famous the World Over

2010-03-11T02:28:00.000-08:00

Since this features a coffee based Liqueur, I am thinking of starting to make these for breakfast everyday!

1 ounce Cruzan Rum
1 ounce Cruzan Rum Cream
1 ounce Coffee flavored Liqueur (I found a bottle of Patron Coffee Tequila!)
2 ounces Milk
1 teaspoon Chocolate Syrup
1 cup Ice

Everything in the blender and you may never go to Starbucks again!

Today, I recommend you put this drink in a plastic glass and take it out to your pool, overlooking your beach and the bay that feeds into the Caribbean Sea, with a view of St John in the background.

AFTERNOON DELIGHT - Strawberry/Orange/Mango Milkshake (just add the RUM)

2010-03-10T01:18:00.000-08:00

I couldn't find a recipe, so maybe this is an original... But like all these milkshake style drinks, very easy , just add a few flavors, some fruit and bingo bango MONGO - you are in for an AFTERNOON DELIGHT!!!

1 1/2 ounces Mango rum (would also work well with a coconut rum)
1 1/2 ounces Cointreau
1 1/2 ounces Half and Half
3 medium size Strawberries
1 cup of ice

Toss everything in a blender and enjoy! You may need to add more ice to get the desired milkshake consistency. Remember, it is important to get you daily serving of fruit!

A little controversy with this one. Jackie loved it as listed. Me, I added a whole peeled banana to mine to make a strawberry/banana/orange/mango milkshake...

Mine was better.

As always, drink on your deck overlooking the Caribbean Sea. Or, take it down to the beach... after all, it is only 30 yards (this time next year, it will be 2,000 miles and 30 yards, but the drink will taste good in Kansas too).

FUNKY MONKEY - Having trouble getting the kids to eat fruit? Just add Rum and Chocolate!

2010-03-09T02:22:00.000-08:00

It's a chocolate- Banana milkshake!!! And it is very easy and would be great at a backyard party... I have got to set up a blender station in my backyard kitchen area... but I am digressing from the recipe...

1 ounce Gold Rum
1 ounce Creme de Banana Liqueur
1 ounce Creme de Cacao Liquerur
2 ounces Cream of Coconut Milk (comes in a can, sweetened)
1 ripe banana peeled (Yes, one entire piece of fruit, I am feeling very healthy this morning)
1 ounce chocolate syrup
Coconut Flakes (the sweetened ones from the package)
1 cup ice cubes

Combine everything in a blender and mix away! If you need, add more ice cubes to the blender to get a milkshake consistency.

Serve on your deck looking out over the Caribbean Sea, with a view of St John and the British Virgin Islands, Have a tray of Blue Cheese and Apple slices handy, and just in case, take a bottle of wine out with you so you don't have to go back to the liquor cabinet and interrupt your Zen experience.

Coconut Banana Daiquiri

2010-03-07T01:26:00.000-08:00

Booze is cheaper than the mixers here, so i am going to use my time wisely... That is, I am finally going to start mixing all those drinks I have heard about for years. A couple years ago, I did spend a couple weeks at a bartender school (newly retired, thought why not?). So, I know the mechanics, now it's time to learn the tastes...

And let's start with the famous adult banana milk shake. A great little item to have on your deck while watching the boats in the bay at sunset...

You need a pretty good blender with this drink, something with an ice crusher attachment.

1/2 large Banana
2 ounces Dark Rum
1/2 ounce Triple Sec
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 ounces Cream of Coconut
1 cup ice

in a blender, add all the liquid ingredients, the add the banana. Finally add the ice and puree smooth in the blender. Add ice if need be to make a thicker shake.

It does indeed taste of an adult Banana Milk Shake!

Coconuts Bar and Grill in Downtown St Thomas

2010-03-04T03:14:00.000-08:00

Coconuts is a little hard to find. It is just a quarter block off of Main street in downtown Charlotte Amalie, tucked in behind a Subway Sandwich shop (what kind of person would go to an exotic location and eat at a fast food franchise restaurant??? But I digress). But, it is indeed worth the hunt.

Jackie and I went there during her lunch hour. It was recommended by a local. Real food, cooked fast served fast and very very tasty... no need for fast food.

I ordered the shrimp scampi, and Jackie ordered a fish (sandwich) and chips. Came with a little extra bread and it was indeed a fine lunch.

The bar had a nice whimsy look to it, dollar bills with messages from fans were tacked on teh wall near photos and memorabelia for most of the temas in teh NFL and MLB.

Lots of Navy hats tacked to the ceiling and a bookcase full of booze (that is a trend I am seeing down here, been to a few homes and everyone keeps a bookcase full of boose)!

Highly recommended, convenient to shopping, very close to where the cruise ships let out. Inexpensive (both our meals were under $10 each), made fresh to order and both were exceptionally tasty!

Look close, in the center is the bookcase full of booze.

This is the ceiling.

Click the blue letters to get to

Coconuts Bar & Grill's website!

WIKKED WATERSIDE SHACK AND BAR - My Favorite Happy Hour

2010-03-03T02:26:00.000-08:00

Greetings, and who doesn't love a great happy hour!

Great food, great prices and with Wikked, comes a GREAT VIEW as well. Wikked Waterside Shack and Bar is located in the Yacht Haven Grande collection of upscale stores and eateries. It is beautifully decorated in wicker island style, complete with lots of greenery to make you feel comfortable. For sure, one of the stars of Wikked is the setting. Easy views of the harbor with lots of private yachts and always a view of the cruise ships that come daily ot ST Thomas. It is a joy just to sit outside and enjoy watching the "other half" ~~walk~~ sail by.

But just as nice is to relaxe in the cool circulated air of the dining area.

But for me, the star is the happy hour menu served in the bar from 4 to 6 PM.... In specific, their chicken wings. They offer 4 flavors of sauces,

RUM & COKE with caramelized onion mojo
PINEAPPLE JERKED with creamy dill
HABANERO MANGO with roasted tomato thyme
W!KKED BUFFALO with bleu cheese buttermilk

I am addicted to the Pineapple Jerk. A little sweet, and little heat and a perfect mix, The wings are perfectly cooked, just a bit crispy. the happy hour price is $0.75 each (oredered in groups of 5), and well worth the price. If you are coming to the island, Yacht Harbor Grande is one of those places that everyone gets to. Plan a trip to Wikked for the wings,

Beers are $2 each, Rum drinks (including maragrettas) are $3 each and they also offer fish, chicken or pork tacos. for $2.

Kackie ordered a Cuban...

cuban
Pressed sandwich with roast pork, ham, dill pickles, swiss
cheese and yellow mustard

This was my first chance to sample "JEROME's HOT SAUCE". It is a vinegar based HOT sauce with lots of little bits floating around... Excellent if you like the heat. Will try a bottle of my own soon.

And stick around to watch the boats light up and the cruise ships depart... All part of the show and entertainment of HAPPY HOUR at Wikked!

MIM'S Restaurant at Bolongo Bay

2010-03-02T02:08:00.000-08:00

Continuing our dining adventures during our stay at Bolongo Bay, on Saturday night we had a beautiful table, ocean side at MIM'S Seaside Bistro. A romantic full moon set the stage, but the star of the night was the food!

Mim offered a three course dinner at a very reasonable (for the island) $39.95, with $3 going towards a local scholarship program to send students to culinary school. She had one of the most reasonably priced wine lists I have seen on the island as well. I am giving Mim's a huge rating in quality of food, incredible setting and reasonable prices... What more could we want!

Appetizers of coconut shrimp... Yum

Jackie ordered a seafood stuffed mushrooms, with clams, shrimp and topped with cheese. She raved, I liked my shrimp so much that we didn't sample each other's plates.

A Blackened Mahi Mahi meal. Nicely spiced, tater and veggies...

Jackie ordered a Shrimp/scallops and linguine in a white RICH cream sauce. This time, I distracted her and sampled some of her meal... OMG Good!

We topped the night off with a Walnut Bread Pudding and Key Lime Pie.

It was a beautiful night, temps in the low 80's, low humidity, gentle ocean breeze coming in, full moon...

Oh What a Night!

Iggie's Beach Bar and Grill - Bolongo Bay

2010-03-01T01:53:00.000-08:00

If you are researching a trip to St Thomas, you have probably come across someone talking about Iggie's Beach Bar and Grill in your research. A wonderful setting, next to the Bolongo Bay Beach Club. Right on the beach, with wonderful views of the Caribbean.

Check out their website, they have fun nightly entertainment. If you have a Jimmy Buffet Margaretaville/"Fins to the Left" Bar fantasy, this is the place for you! In fact, the night we were there, a local artist was singing lots of island hits from my iPod (no Frankie and Annette though)!

Pretty extensive bar, lots of rum drinks and at least a dozen varieties of bottles and beer on tap.

Jackie tried a Rum punch drink, I am still trying new things, and had a wonderful Virgin Islands Summer Ale (they are making this year round), made in St John (One of the "other" US Virgin islands).

For an appetizer, we had a terrific "West Indian Conch Fritter" with a mango dipping sauce... Very good. In fact, that sauce was very very very good... need to start working on this sauce... And eat more mangos.

Sadly, we made a mistake from here in the ordering. I have a pretty good sense of what a bar tries to be, and I do not try to ask the bar to be more than it is. Bar food is meant to be fried, breaded and cooked fast. Lots of outstanding bars serve outstanding sandwiches, fries, breaded stuff. The fried fritters were outstanding! It takes a really outstanding bar to serve an outstanding dinner.

Jackie ordered the Grilled Mahi Mahi - Blackened. Sadly, I do not believe they have a live fire (coal or gas even) grill in the back cooking their dinner menu. They have a grill pan. What they do not have is a Blackening cooking pan. Blackening "should" be a cooking process as much as spices. Get your butter smoking hot and add spices to your meat. Then cook til the spices sear, giving a "black" crusty layer of butter and spice. Paul Prudhome from New Orleans made the process famous with his blackened redfish. the Blackened Mahi mahi would have been exactly what I expect to get if I ordered this dish in Minnesota. It was just spiced and pan grilled. Not awful, but not as good as it could be. Just a couple weeks ago, back in Kansas, I did a post on cooking Blackened Pork Chops, the photos on that post show the process, as well as what the final product should look like. Imagine that process on the fish and you would really have something!

It was served with some cooked sweetened plantains that were excellent and rice which was also good. Vegetables are tough to find on the island. There is just nothing fresh. Unfortunately, the peas and carrots were fresh from a can.

And here, I made a big mistake. The waitress was raving on the ribs, saying best in the islands. OK, let's try em...

They were just as tender and moist as you could ask for. But, they achieved that tender and moist by boiling them (this is a guess, but I would bet $1.98 I am right). You should be able to taste the meat. The meat was tender, the meat was moist, the meat had little taste. Now, the sauce was a RUM AND COKE sauce that the waitress really raved about. In order to make up for the meat having most of the flavor going down a drain, they over sauced the ribs. The sauce was very very good but they could have easily used 1/3rd of what they put on. They also did not grill (even pan grill) the ribs with the sauce on. This would have caramelized the sugar in the rum and coke sauce and added an extra layer of flavor (as well as a bit of crunch for extra texture). Now, over sauced and boiled is how easily 1/2 the ribs in the US are served. So, nothing terrible about this, and I am sure there are many people who rave about the sauce.

It just could have been better.

But, the beer was ice cold, the food was served warm, and there was plenty for your money. the location was straight out of a Jimmy Buffet postcard. The staff and service were excellent, friendly and fast. The minor issues with the food are things that I should know better, and are my own fault. Don't ask a bar to be more than it is.

And this is a GREAT BAR!

Open air seating, but always a cool ocean breeze

Lots of extra decor (twinkle lights) add to the festive atmosphere. Jackie is a sucker for twinkle lights.

And this was the view from our hotel room!

This is a very short cab ride from where cruise ships dock. Skip the shopping, come have lunch and a quick dip in the ocean at Iggie's beach Bar and Grill!

Rum during our first week here

2010-02-28T04:33:00.000-08:00

Cruzan Rum... made in the US Virgin Isles, We bought these two bottles 6 days ago. Best price I have seen is the $7.50 I paid for these.

Every night we enjoy a little cocktail on our deck.

Jackie likes the Pineapple in a little Pineapple Juice.

I like the Banana in some orange juice.

Look close for the two blue lines I marked the level we have drunk so far...

Not on purpose, but I guess I make mine stronger...

Good to be the bartender

Island Wild Honey

2010-02-27T04:25:00.000-08:00

Today is the morning of our first chance to enjoy island life together. Jackie is off work til Monday and we are staying at a beach resort. Come Monday, I will have lots to blog about. Till then, just a couple snippets...

Like WILD HONEY!

Bees are everywhere on the island, and honey is around. Love the honey in a hip flask bottle. Bought this my first day on the island at the farmer's Market.

Makes a great sweetener for my coffee!

Our Usual Breakfast

2010-02-26T03:51:00.001-08:00

Serendipity. This is more of a post of life builds to where you are.

2 years ago, I occasionally grilled burgers. I could follow a recipe, but cooking was hardly a priority and absolutely not a part of my life.

A year ago, I committed to my wife that I would start the three a day; 7 days a week duties as cook for our household.

8 months ago I started blogging as a lark.

I found you all (fellow food bloggers), and realized there was more to cooking than just following a recipe and grilling burgers (while swilling a beer). While I certainly do not waste money, living on a budget was never really a concern.

I read you all daily, I study what works, what doesn't and I feel like I learned a lot.

6 weeks ago, I stumbled across a post on "Julia Child Omelets". Same ingredients, but such a different style and taste... I was hooked. Now, I had read 10,000 posts before I saw the omelet post, but this happened at a time I needed to see it. It was before we got the go ahead for the move, but it hit me at just the right time, and I was able to add a skill (cooking Julia's omelets is not the same as cooking my old version... Does take a little skill)

One onion... lasted all week ... $1
Two Green Peppers... lasted all week ... $1
1/4 pound of chorizo sausage... lasted all week ... $2.50
18 eggs... lasted all week ... $4
2 sticks of butter... lasted all week ... $2
6 Beautiful Tomatoes...lasted all week ...$3
1/2 pound of coffee... lasted all week ...$5

Total cost for 5 days worth of breakfast... $18.50

Sure, it was repetitive, but I have a budget of $200. But, 1/3rd of our meals for less than 10% of the budget leaves money to splurge on.

We are living in town during the week, on weekends we are moving to a resort beach area. Whatever food we do not eat gets tossed in the trash or given away. Until we get a permanent location, and I can freeze and store long term... I have to use it up or lose it. But these omelets do taste special.

Well, the skills I "stumbled" upon during the last 8 months are serving me well.

Thanks guys

Very much, being a foodie on the island is about living on a budget, making your ingredients last and stretching to the best meal possible...

Serendipity (and you guys) brought me here. Wish I could give you all a rum punch

Open Pit Bar-B-Que

2010-02-25T04:16:00.001-08:00

Sorry, this is the only photo I have. Whenever I photograph close up, items and especially people, I always try to ask if they mind. The owner of this business did mind. Here's the story...

If you look close, behind the truck and wagon is the blue colored Pueblo grocery store that I blogged about earlier. I was walking to get my daily supplies for dinner when I spied the wagon. It had LARGE signs on the street advertising $5 BBQ sandwich. I assumed it would be a pulled pork, and I was willing. Seemed fair. BUT, up close, the sign read in small lettering, "chicken daily special".

Up close, his menu read $20 for a half rack of ribs, $12 for a pulled pork sandwich and $9 for a chicken sandwich. I got cheap, and lost my enthusiasm. I was going to eat in a couple hours, and I wanted to save the experience for when I was hungry, maybe a lunch sometime.

Now, this is near where the cruise ships let people out. I certainly do not look like a local, and I am sure he assumed he would never see me again.

He preferred not to be a story for the folks back home, and once he knew he was not making a sale, he preferred to not be disturbed.

Fair enough, I will probably be back, as I do love slow cooked pork. Maybe when I am a sale instead of a bothersome tourist I will get a better story.

Up close, he had a great set up for low and slow cooking. Smelled wonderful!

Jackie Took Me Out to Lunch - The Green House

2010-02-24T05:50:00.000-08:00

Still without a permanent kitchen, so every meal is an effort to cook and clean. So Jackie decided she wanted to see a bit of town (locals call Charlotte Amalie, the capital of the island, "town". I haven't heard anyone except Jackie and I call it a city. Today was a evry heavy day for cruise ships, so there was a lot of bustle walking the dozen or so blocks from her office to the GREEN HOUSE Restaurant.

It was recommended as reasonably priced... OK, $10 for a burger and fries is about as reasonable as you were going to find.

I am still trying to soak up the idea of being around seafood (remember, Kansas does not get a lot of seafood). So I had the Mahi Mahi sandwich... supposedly blackened, but I don't think they have read my post on blackened spices versus true blackened cooking method (click HERE for that post). But, the spices were there, so it had lots of fresh fish flavor and spice flavors!

Served with two sides, I had a choice of a dozen, I chose garlic bread and cole slaw... Both excellent.

Jackie's burger and fries came with a generous amount of sweet onion.

Busy, very convenient and easy to find if you are coming in on a cruise ship, Lots of color and atmosphere and we both liked our food very much! They advertise evening specials, including a pound of Crab Legs for $25 that we will try to make one day soon.

They have a website (click HERE), as well as a sister location in St Maarten; well worth a look. Love the guy with the lobsters!

Big Thumbs up!

I went shopping at the "BIG" Grocery store

2010-02-23T03:23:00.000-08:00

For the time being, we are staying near downtown Charlotte Amalie. It is the capital, but the shopping is geared more for the tourists that arrive on the cruise ships than for the locals... Prices are MUCH higher the closer you get to the ships.

The Pueblo is more of a locals grocery store.

This is the front of the Gourmet Gallery. This is the location for a taste of home for the tourists. Just about any stateside food is available here, but prices are easily double and often more for anything you want. An example would be CORN MEAL which I needed for a bread recipe I will be posting in a few days. I paid $4.25 for a 12 ounce bag.

OK, the rest of the post will be prices at Pueblo that had everything else I needed. I mentioned that rum is cheaper than orange juice... Well, here you are, $8.49 for a gallon of OJ. the Rum was $7.49 for a liter.

Some things just strike me as funny... This is a bottle of "MANLY" cooking wine.

Cassava... No idea, but they had a lot of it. Anyone have suggestions, let me know.

Malanga... Same thing, no idea???

These are directed at the sailors (lots of private yachts close by). Single servings of 6 spices you can combine for a single meal. Everything is humid, so spices are difficult to store. I guess smaller is better.

Sadly, I did not take a photo of an oddity, but... Corn (healthy and vegetables), $2.29

Next to it was a bag of Doritos... Snack food, empty calories, $3.49 (about the same as the states). What a world, what a world.

But, armed with my single bag of groceries (we are without a car for the time being, so I make a daily walk to the store to get a daily supply), I was ready to cook for the day. This does not deserve too much of a post, as I have already done a couple of posts on Julia Child Omelets, but this is Jackie's first breakfast right before she went to work for the first day...

A little chopped Chorizo sausage, diced onions, diced green pepper and some cut up sweet cherry tomatoes.

1 tablespoon butter, a clove of diced garlic, browned in teh butter, get the butter HOT, pour in 2 eggs, a little water, count to 20 slowly, add the mixings...

Start shaking Ala Julia and get it to roll up... serve with some sliced tomatoes.

And Bon Appetite

We Found a Farmer's Market

2010-02-22T05:38:00.000-08:00

Our first full day on the island, and we stumbled across a farmer's market. This particular site is only a quick scenic walk from where we are staying. We have a small kitchen, so I was careful with what we bought, but it was indeed an experience...

Beautiful peppers... VERY hot
Eggplant
These were next to the ginger root. I can not remember what they are called, but you are supposed to cut a nub off and rub on skin abrasions, bug bites, etc.

...

Not for me yet, still not an islander I guess.

And ginger root

Lots of varieties of greens... Beautiful cabbage, collard greens, bok choy, Spinach (which we bought for a salad).

We also bought some cherry tomatoes, green peppers...

And something called "lemon Basil". We got a lesson in tea making. Later today, I will be making lemon basil tea. We also got a lesson in saving the seeds so we can grow our own.

I was in hog heaven! This particular market happens every other week, so we were fortunate to find it when we did.

It is an interesting island. At the market, we found many folks that used to live in the states and have moved here. Prices for everything is higher than in the states. About half the tables at the market were manned by statesiders selling items to help make ends meet. An example is bread... $6 for a "wonder" bread" type loaf, and $7 for a specialty bread... to much higher.

Maybe in a month, the master baker will be selling his wares

Here's some website links...
There is a website that lists Farmer's Market in the Islands...
http://www.growvi.org/index.html
GROW VIRGIN ISLANDS

We found a very nice lady from Ohio who has started a business selling RUM CAKES (she does mail order). Slices of her cake were our breakfast, we found a little coffee shop and ate Auntie's rum cake slices along the peer.
Auntie's Rum Cakes
http://www.auntiesrumcakes.com/