Feelin the Love
We’re back from our little trek to Punta Cana where Stephan and I shot a fabulous wedding this past weekend. We managed to get there in one piece, although the Dominican Republic website kinda scares you when it has a full page of crime warnings. After reading a little on the website, I was terrified to get in a taxi as I thought we were gonna get mugged and left for dead. I was concerned that a man on a scooter was going to run me down and steal my handbag. In reality Punta Cana was not scary at all. It was quite beautiful, actually. You probably don’t want to wander around outside of the resort at night, but you don’t want to really do that in Miami either!
The resort, Edenh Real Arena was lovely. There are many amenities… scuba, snorkeling, wind surfing, kayaking… etc. Since the resort is all-inclusive, the food is also included. We were soooo excited to eat at the four “gourmet” restaurants. That is, until we had our first meal… I was very disappointed, but I now I understand how “all-inclusive” works. I suppose I’m pickier than your average person, but it was disappointing. However, the amazing white sand and unbelievable breeze totally made up for the mediocre food. Anyway, it was a fabulous working vacation. We found a little time to sit under a tiki hut with a fruity drink… a little unwinding and reconnecting after a busy wedding season. Good times for all.
Now to get on to the post, it’s one of my favorites… Linzer cookies. They are traditionally made with ground hazelnuts, but I chose to use almonds. The recipe is adapted from Nick Malgieri’s Cookies Unlimited.
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Schwartzwald
We just got back from a little jaunt in the Black Forest, known here as Schwarzwald. We decided to take the scenic route all the way around the mountain to the hotel, instead of the Autobahn. Very good decision. You absolutely must check out Stephan’s blog for pictures he took. We stopped often to take photos of the breathtaking scenery.
We stayed, literally, in the middle of nowhere. That was exactly what we wanted. The hotel, Waldsagmuhle, was wonderful. Its a tiny (30 room) hotel, but the service is beyond impeccable. I also think it was the cleanest hotel room I’ve ever stayed in. Fabulous, simply fabulous.
Our original plan was to eat dinner in nearby Baiersbronn, as there are not one, but THREE Michelin starred restaurants there, some of the best in Germany. When I saw the menu at our tiny hotel, I knew I had to try it instead. The giant spoon and whisk at the entrance also helped make my decision to try the fare there instead. Another good decision we made! The food was wonderful. Although they had my favorite fish (Angler fish) on the menu, I decided to try the regional specialty, Maultaschen or Swebian Pockets. It is a house-made pasta filled with herb infused veal, served with a red wine sauce. AMAZING! I always like to try the regional specialties, as they must be good and you really can’t get it elsewhere.
And yes, of course, I had a nice big piece of Black Forest Gateau from a small bakery. Unfortunately, it was so good, I didn’t think of taking a picture until I was almost finished eating it. Oh well… You’ll just have to believe me that it was the best piece of Black Forest Cake I have ever had!
On the way home, we stopped in Heidelberg, and for you South Floridians, no, not the restaurant in Ft Lauderdale! :P It was such a great city, right on the side of a mountain. We walked the city, and stopped in a little cafe for Flammkuchen. This dish is the specialty of the French Alsace region, which is right on the German/France Border. It resembles a very thin pizza, but has creme fraiche instead of tomato sauce, and is as thin as a tortilla or crepe. I had the traditional topping for the region, which was ham and cheese. Good stuff!
Les Secrets Du Chocolat
On our way home from Colmar, we stopped in Strasbourg, France to tour the Les Secrets Du Chocolate Musee. AKA CHOCOLATE MUSEUM! It was fabulous… you walk into the building, and are immediately struck with a strong chocolate aroma. I learned quite a bit about chocolate that I was not aware of before. Interesting stuff. At the end, we all had a cup of hot chocolate. I don’t mean the kind that you add water to chocolate powder… this was the texture of warm ganache and was only slightly sweet. Fabulous, I tell ya! Of course, I had to make a little purchase in their gift store… my favorite chocolate, Gianduja which is a mixture of chocolate and hazelnut paste.
Weihnachtsmarkt
I’d love to see how everyone pronounces that word! We traveled to Colmar France to attend the Weihnachtsmarkt, which is German for Christmas Market. Colmar is close to the German/French border (on the French side) and is just beautiful. It has a lovely blend of French and German architecture, as it was once a part of Germany. At the Christmas Market, we drank Gluhwein, which is a curious mixture of red wine, honey and spices, and is served hot. Its the absolutely best thing to warm you when you’re in cold weather. Everyone is walking around with a cup of gluhwein and breads, pastry and everything else you can imagine at Christmas. Colmar has several Christmas Markets, so we walked from one to another while sampling the gluhwein and goodies.
How do you like my hat? Every time I put it on, I immediately speak with a Swedish accent and think my name is Helga. hehe. Its not easy for a South Floridian to spend time in a cold climate, as “cold” for me is when it dips down into the low 60’s.
Pierre’s Restaurant, Islamorada
Its been a crazy week for us…Weddings, photo shoots, plus I auditioned for something (which I can’t really talk about now!) So I haven’t had the time to cook as much as usual. Today my post is about the food at Pierre’s Restaurant in Islamorada, Florida. Stephan and I photographed an amazing wedding and dined on some absolutely fabulous food. We always eat wonderful food at weddings, but this was so good and unexpected I felt the need to blog about it and spread the word. I had no idea that there was a fine dining restaurant in Islamorada, as most of the restaurants are old school diner style and quite casual. Next time you’re there, definitely check out Pierre’s Restaurant, you will not be disappointed.
Stephan had the Filet Mignon that was served with garlic mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus, demi-glas and bernaise Sauce.
I had perfectly seasoned Mahi Mahi served over chive mashed potatoes, haricot verts and a pepper coulis.
Captive Audience
When we got to Captiva, we decided not to stray far from the resort. That left just a handful of restaurants in Captiva. Our first night there, we ate at The Green Flash, a beautiful restaurant on the water. I had the Venetian Platter, which was very good. It had 2 giant prawns, two sea scallops, a small piece of both salmon and sword fish, and a decadent piece of pan fried polenta. Yes…. I ate like a linebacker that night…
Held Captive in Captiva Island
We’re spending this weekend in secluded Captiva Island, on the west coast of Florida. It’s mid-day, and way too hot to be outside right now. So I’m currently sitting on the balcony, looking over the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. My hubby is sitting next to me, surfing the web on his iPhone… I suppose we’re both slaves to technology and clearly meant to be together! LOL!
We’ve been here several times for weddings, but this time is only for pleasure and relaxation! If you ever make it to Captiva, I highly recommend the South Seas Resort, which is just amazing. It has everything you need, and trolleys to take you everywhere. This weekend it seems like a deserted island, as its very low season. We feel like we have the island to ourselves!
Name Meme… Last week I was tagged by Maki from In My Element, who was the first to comment on my new blog! Thanks Maki for your comments and for tagging me!
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