Bringin' The Sexy (Grits) Back

I also posted this on Eating Tampa, but I have such a fondness for Grits, I had to share it with all of you, too.

I am Southern girl, we all know this; however, I could not stand Grits as a child. Due to my hatred for Grits, I ignored the various uses Grits may provide. WWWHHHAAATTT????!!!!! A Southern girl who does not like Grits? I know, it’s strange. That is, until I was in New Orleans a few years ago (pre-Katrina) and found Mother's.
Every dish on the menu seems to come with Grits. So, I did as the natives did.

They were perfect. Heavenly (As was everything else there, don't leave New Orleans without going to Mother's.). Creamy, light, peppery, salty, buttery. Delicious. I am salivating just thinking about Mother’s amazing Grits. I became a Grit lover, as did my hubby (who had always thought Grits were repulsive). Immediately upon our return home, every breakfast we made was accompanied by Grits. Bacon, Eggs, and Grits. Sausage, Eggs, and Grits. Biscuits & Gravy and Grits. Grits were a breakfast food in our home, until a business trip landed me in Savannah, GA.

While there I had a little time and wanted to try out Paula Dean’s Lady & Sons’. Ever since I tried Michael Chiarello’s place, Tra Vigne, in St. Helena, CA (and found it to be amazingly bad), I have made it a piont to try the Food Network celebrity Chef spots while visiting said City, so that I may determine whether or not that Chef was truly a Chef or had slept with the right person to make a few Food Network bucks (I'm not hatin', I'm just sayin'). Paula Dean is an honest woman.

The food was fantastic and it was a buffet!!!! All foodie’s know, do not eat at buffets. The food will be mediocre at best and is undoubtedly not sanitary. Yet, somehow, Paula raised the bar for her Lunchtime buffet. It was filled with traditional Southern favorites, including Grits. One thing not on the buffet was Mashed Potatoes, yet there was a cauldron of Gravy? Surely, you are not supposed to replace the Mashed with Grits? Oh yes. That was the plan.

Sinfully good, buttery Grits with a perfect ladle sized bowl in the center molting with yummy gravy. Mmmmmmmmm. I was officially addicted.

The very night I returned home, I made my Hubby the bounty found in Savannah. To this day, he prefers Grits to Mashed Potatoes. Every Holiday, I make Grits instead of Potatoes. Every year someone moans, and every year the Grits are devoured.

I challenge you Tampa. Replace your boring Mashed Potatoes with creamy, buttery Grits. You can make small portions or large portions with the same amount of effort, it takes less than 7 minutes to make, and a 2lb bag will set you back $2. How can you go wrong!!!
I use Quaker’s Quit Grits. Here’s my simplistic recipe for the Grits, you add the Gravy.

Creamy Quick Grits
½ cup Quit Grits (5 minute cooking. NOT Instant)
1-cup Warm water
2 pinch Salt
1 pinch Pepper
1 tbsp Butter
1 tbsp Cream Cheese
1 tbsp Sour Cream

Bring water to a boil. Add salt. Add Grits. Turn stove down to low, stir constantly for 1 minute. Turn heat to Low, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Check half way, to be sure you aren’t burning the bottom. Turn heat off if necessary. Cut heat off, add Butter, Cream Cheese, Pepper, & Sour Cream. Mix very well. Serve with any Gravy immediately.
*Add 1/2 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese to turn them into Cheese Grits.

Other Grits recipes:
Shrimp & Grits
Grits with Goat Cheese & Chives
Maverick Grits (Sausage, Shrimp)

Punk Rock Pizza To The Loyal

A little birdy told me a food rumor. This little birdie (who could or could not be the actual owner of this establishment) stated Ybor Pizza and Subs may not be around much longer due to the lack of sales. WHAT!!!!! This little birdy also said he has gotten a lot of grief from the South East Seminole Heights Association for various “code violations” of which he has yet to be tagged on by the City. Yet, every week, like clockwork, another inspector is at the door. This little birdy also stated he invited the entire City’s higher up officials in for Pizza, to ensure he was in perfect compliance. He was.

So why has the neon PIZZA sign been removed from the side of the building? It wasn’t to code, but it was to code when the Copa Cabaña guy put it up when he bought the place last summer. All of a sudden, the sign is a problem? Because it doesn’t look like a partially rotted sign? Or perhaps because it was obstructing the view? Oh, that’s right, it was on the side of a big ass wall!!!!

I fondly remember Ybor Pizza and Subs when it was located in Ybor. The countless $1 slices of pizza I ate in that square block. Ybor Pizza (Punk Rock Pizza to the loyal) was forced out by Centro back then and moved to the present location. The original owner; Kerry, sold the biz, then it got sold again to the creepy Copa Cabana guy last summer. When the creepy Copa Cabana guy left in the middle of the night, Kerry stepped back in, painted the urine yellow back to white and called in the old Ybor Pizza gang, many of which agreed to work for free and still are.

If you have never tasted Ybor Pizza, you need to. I find it to be in the top 3 of pizzas in the City. The Spinach is amazingly good and the Pepperoni brings back great memories. The crust is thin and perfect. Ybor Pizza is a place that ignites late nights long passed. Don’t go there expecting shadow boxed tables with games pieces inside or a Mexican inspired pie. There is a reason why it is called Punk Rock Pizza. Hell, don’t even bother going there. Just call for delivery (813-238-3150) and don’t expect to spend a fortune either. A gi-normous X-Large 1 topping or Spinach will set you back $11.75. You’ll be eating it for days. Oh, and don't forget the Good As Hell wings. They trully are Good As Hell.

So, let me get back to this bitching part. What is the deal with you people who are after Ybor Pizza? Did your pepperoni not get cooked properly one night? Why is it, that we Seminole Heights residents say we want commercial success but yet, we try to put one out of business? Go after a car lot if you are bored. Leave my Pizza alone.

This little birdy also told me that he was thinking of having Punk bands play for a fair-the-well, just like in the old days. I’ve already made some calls and have Flat Stanley signed up. It’s rumored the Dukes of Hillsborough and The Tim Version will also be on board. Just like old times.

Word to the wise all of you people bitching out there. Don’t piss off old Punk Rockers and never touch our Pizza.

For everyone else, support Ybor Pizza. There is still a chance he can stick around, but we gotta get some pizza.

Ybor Pizza and Subs
Dirt Cheap
813-238-3150
4703 N Nebraska Ave.
Delivery available
Pizza, Subs, Salads, Pasta, Calzones, Wings, Fries
Mon-Sat
11AM-10PM

The Double Cheeseburger Wars

Last night, while watching the boob tube, I saw a new commercial for Wendy’s. They have launched a new 99 Cent double meat patty cheeseburger. They are calling it the Stack Attack. This got me thinking. Has Wendy’s succumbed to the More Is Better mentality of the Fast Food Nation? Are they launching this Stack Attack because McDonald’s and Burger King are doing so well with their own double cheeseburger programs? And that’s when it hit me. Like a boulder smashing me on the forehead, I thought the inevitable marketing ploy tag, “I wonder which is better?”
Now, I am not a Fast Food person. Yes, I do like my annual Whopper (not to mention the Whopper Freakout commercials are hilarious and make me want a Whopper every time I see one)and yes, if a road trip consists of 8 or more hours of driving, there will be a cooler filled with McDonald’s cheeseburgers, but these are all habits stemmed from childhood. Whoppers were as big as your head back in my childhood days and it was a treat only given to children when Burger King would run their annual 99 Cent Whopper specials in which you had to provide a coupon. Yes, a physical coupon. McDonald’s cheeseburgers were 39 Cents and made perfect shut-the-kids-up-for-awhile-so-Dad-can-focus-on-driving vessels, only offered during family road trips. Ah, found memories. With all of that said, I thought, “Who better than to judge the Double Cheeseburger Wars than myself? A person who has a culinary background, is a culinary professional, wouldn’t be caught dead at a Fast Food drive-thru (that’s why I go late at night, in an unmarked car), and has an extremely opinionated mind?”
Let the Double Cheeseburger Wars commence! I'll aplogize ahead of time for the picture layout. something is askew.
I set out today to buy 3 Double Cheeseburgers for the foremost Fast Food Giants. The contenders would be Wendy’s Stack Attack, McDonalds Double Cheeseburger, and Burger King’s Double Cheeseburger.

I’ll not get into the service or speed of any of the establishments, because that’s not what we’re here for. I’ll be judging simply on advertising appearance versus actual appearance and taste. Shall we?
First, the new Wendy’s Stack Attack. Well, as you can see the advertised Stack Attack looks quite different from the one I got. Um, where’s the beef?
The outer bun was coated in Mayonnaise and Ketchup. At first, I thought it was grease from the patties but as tasting would tell, there was no grease. In fact, this was the driest burger I have ever put into my mouth. Now I knew what it was like to eat cardboard. Without all of the Ketchup and Mayo, I would have needed a chug of water just to get the burger down. There was one slice of cheese buried between the two very tiny patties, although you wouldn’t have known because it was that kind of cheese that evaporates when heat touches it. The bun was super soft, way too soft for a burger. I guess that’s the reason Wendy’s uses greaseless burger patties. With this bun, all you would have is a soppy mess. By the way, when did real meat come in greaseless forms?
Upon my first bite my instant reaction was, “Wow, this is really bland.” It was like the burger patties, bun, and evaporating cheese were vessels for the Mayo and Ketchup. Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
Overall, the Wendy’s Stack Attack reminded me of the burgers you got in High school. Ya know, the ones that had no flavor or moisture. You would drown them in catsup, mustard and mayo just for flavor. They came in the plastic pouch and were often used as slingshots through the cafeteria?
Wendy’s, I think the name Stack Attack is a little boisterous. Maybe, Flat Board?

Second up to bat would be Burger King’s Double Cheeseburger. Once again, my Double Cheeseburger
did not look like the advertised Double Cheeseburger. I will say that Burger King got a little closer to their advertised picture than Wendy’s did, but not much. I’ll also mention, that I did not cut this burger. It was already cut. This was strange to me. Is this a new trend Burger King will be offering? A refined Fast Food restaurant where your sandwich is cut for you? How odd.
Instantly, I noticed the sheer size difference. We found the beef.
The Burger King Double Cheeseburger was a good ¾ bigger than either competitor, but, as it should be. It costs 79 cents more than either of the other fighters.
First bite and you were brought right back to that Flame Broiled taste that Burger King has become so famous for. Two pretty good-sized beef patties, a good amount of catsup and mustard, and a slice of cheese lay melted on each patty. Every bite was consistent with the flavor of grilled meat, cheese, catsup, mustard, and white bread.
It wasn’t overly greasy. It had some grease, but meat does have fat, which does make grease when cooked.
Burger King’s Double Cheeseburger reminded me of the kind of burgers you get one someone throws a BBQ at a public park, grilling on the multi-purpose park-supplied-grill. The years of burger grease adding flavor to every BBQ to come.
I can’t believe I am going to say this. This wasn’t a bad burger. I don’t know that the double patty was necessary, seems a bit gluttonous to me, but hey, do as the Romans do.
Finally, our third matador, McDonald’s Double Cheeseburger. Okay, my Double Cheeseburger did not look anything like the advertised Double Cheeseburger. Like Wendy’s, advertisers whored up a completely different concept and tossed it out to Americans. To be expected, yes; but can’t somebody just be honest for once and not completely exaggerate the actual appearance of food for goodness sakes????? Oh, wait; I’m a food stylist. Hmm, false advertisement equals work for me. Disregard everything I just said!
The McDonalds Double Cheeseburger was very greasy. The paper was lined with grease. The bun was soaked in grease. Grease was everywhere.
It was also very heavy for a little burger. Perhaps dense is a better word. Let this puppy sit out for a while and I bet you could have a pretty hefty weapon on your side. At least we know they used real meat.
I can’t say the first bite was pleasurable or even bad. It was different. It was a burger flavor, but a flavor all to its own. Perhaps similar to the kind of burger you get at a gas station off I-10 in the middle of nowhere.
Diced onions mixed with catsup and mustard that topped two burger patties both lined with partially melted cheese. The bun, well the only purpose for the bun was to soak up the grease and to allow the eater a vessel for containing the above ingredients. That bun could probably sit on a counter uncovered during a Floridian summer and not mold for a few months.
Overall, I still don’t get the point or necessity of a double meat pattied burger, but Americans are eating them up. If I had to choose, I’d go for the more expensive Burger King Double Cheeseburger. I’d completely steer away from the Wendy’s Stack Attack and leave the McDonald’s Double Cheeseburgers for the road trips.
If I really had a choice? I’d make my own. Way better taste, way less chemicals, and way less fat. My tummy hates me right now.


Wendy’s Stack Attack: 380 calories, 20 grams of fat, weight: 135 grams
Burger King Double Cheeseburger: 570 calories, 34 grams of fat, weight: 189 grams
McDonald’s Double Cheeseburger: 440 calories, 23 grams from fat, weight: 165 grams

Key Lime Pie For Christmas

Every year, my in-laws pack up their gigantic RV and head down to Florida for the Holidays. I feel like I won the in-law lottery when it comes to my hubby's folks. I genuinely enjoy their company. Because I love my in-laws so much, I like to spoil them with their favorite foods. One such food is my Key Lime Pie.
It's my father-in-laws favorite sweet treat. He's a self proclaimed Key Lime Pie aficionado and tells me mine is the best. I don't know if I can warrant that bragging right, but I do make it with a lot of love. Perhaps that's why it is so good.
This year, I'd like to share my Key Lime Pie recipe with all of you. Even if you are scared of the kitchen, you can make this pie. It's just that easy.
There's some controversy over whether a traditional Key Lime Pie should be baked. My recipe is a baked version. I like to air on the side of caution when it comes to feeding masses of people and raw egg yolk can be iffy for the digestive systems of less adventurous eaters. I also like to make fresh whipped cream instead of a meringue top. To me, less is more when it comes to this tart pie. Let the Key limes do the talking.
I hope you try out this puckeriffic little pie. Let me know how it goes.

Key Lime Pie

15 graham crackers, crushed
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ pound butter
4 large eggs, yolks only
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
13 key limes, juiced
2 teaspoons lime zest
1 cup whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix the crackers, butter and 2 tbsp sugar together. Press into a 9” pie dish. Bake for 12 minutes until the pie shell is golden.
Meanwhile beat the egg yolks with an electric mixer until they lighten in color and thicken. About 4 minutes. Add the condensed milk and ¼ of the lime juice, and whisk until combined.
Add another ¼ of the lime juice and whisk until combined. Add the remaining lime juice and the lime zest. Mix to combine thoroughly.
Pour the lime mixture into the pie shell, and bake for 12 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Whisk the whipping cream and 1-tablespoon confectioner’s sugar until it forms soft peaks. Serve Pie with a dollop of whipped cream.

Holiday Cooking Classes in the Heights!

Cooks & Company is offering Cooking Classes! Come out and join me and my Executive Chef Hubby. It will be loads of fun!!!!!!!!

Perfect Pie Cooking ClassCooks & Co will be taking reservations for the Perfect Pie Cooking Class. Students will be taught how to make 3 perfect Holiday Pies, a Caramel Apple Streusel Pie, a Chocolate Mousse Pie, and a Turtle Pecan Pie.
Students will learn the techniques Pastry Chefs have known for years. By the end of the class, you will have the skills not only to re-create these original Pie recipes, but to also design your own original recipes.
Perfect Pie Cooking Class
Thursday 12/20
6PM-9PM
$45 per student, minimum 5 students required
Class held in Chef Greg’s kitchen.
Call to book your spot, spaces are limited.
813-500-3205

The 2 Hour Christmas Dinner Cooking Class
Cooks & Co will be taking reservations for the 2 Hour Christmas Dinner Cooking Class. Executive Chef Greg will teach students how to make the perfect Christmas dinner in only 2 hours! The menu will include Bourbon and Honey Glazed Ham, White Truffle Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Cassoulet, and Green Chile Corn Bread Muffins. Students will learn gourmet recipes that will make their Holiday guests savor this special time of year.
The 2 Hour Christmas Dinner Cooking Class
Friday 12/21
6PM-9PM
$55 per student, minimum 5 students required
Class held in Chef Greg’s kitchen.
Call to book your spot, spaces are limited.
813-500-3205

Pho.....Fo Sho

While doing time in Texas (and oh yes, living in Texas is like doing time in prison), I got hooked on Vietnamese cuisine. I lived in Austin (Note: Austin is not in Texas, it is surrounded by Texas.)
A large hippie movement ensued through the late sixties and early seventies throughout Austin. Janis Joplin was a product of this Texan town. She would play acoustic at the Armadillo (a local college kid hang out and “newspaper”) while attending University of Texas. Many soldiers returned to the Austin area after the Vietnam War. I am guessing that’s where the surge of Vietnamese restaurants came from.
I would frequent two said restaurants. One on The Drag (street bordering the UT campus with college kid-like shops and restaurants) and the other closer to home. Both were equally good and both served the heavenly Pho.

Pho (pronounced fuh) is a traditional Vietnamese dish, equivalent to the American Hamburger. Everybody in Vietnam eats Pho and every family has their own recipe. Pho is a beef noodle soup. It is served with finely juilenned cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, and cilantro. Typically the beef is flank, but in more traditional establishments the meat would include tripe and tendon. It sounds so simplistic, but yet it is so addictive.
So, while on a mission to North Tampa via Dale Hell Mabry, I drove through a little section of Waters Ave where all of the business signs change from English to Vietnamese and Korean. Tampa’s own little Vietnam/ Korea Town. This is where I discovered Pho An Hoa.
I decided on my way back, I would give it a go. 1 ½ hours later (Dale Mabry!!!) I passed it up twice trying to find it again.
The little plaza Pho An Hao rests in is nothing to brag about. It could use some paint and a good scrubbing, but I ventured on, because what’s my motto? Yes, that right. If the place is consistently packed then there most always is a reason.
Greg and I walked in to find a trendy looking; tattooed couple sitting enjoying two hefty bowls of Pho. Two Vietnamese women sat at another table enjoying the remnants of their steamy bowls.
The inside was unremarkable. Tiny space, white walls, brown tables. We sat at the end of a community table and were promptly greeted by a tiny woman who handed us menus and smiled through every word she said. On the back of the menu, she showed us they had Bubble Tea.

Now, if you have never had Bubble Tea, you have to try it. It’s like an Asian Milk Shake. It comes in a huge variety of fruit flavors and has tea pearls (or Black Tapioca balls) in it. The same pearls you would find in Chai Tea. If you prefer to stay away from caffeine, your safe with this drink at this restaurant, but ask at any other establishment because sometimes the Bubble Tea is used with caffeinated tea.
Greg ordered the Green Apple Bubble Tea, due to a communication barrier, I ordered a 7up.
The menu was filled with the traditional Pho and other Vietnamese staples. At first, we both thought we would go for the Pho, but then saw the other side of the menu, filled with other traditional Vietnamese dishes like Pork In A Claypot, Beef & Lemongrass, and Pork, Egg roll, and Vermicelli.
We ordered a round of Spring Rolls and the Pork, Egg Roll, and Vermicelli. When you walk into these little joints that don’t look so pretty on the outside or on the inside, a good rule of thumb is to steer away from the seafood dishes until you see many other regulars eating the seafood. Why? Because, raw seafood has a short shelf life and smaller establishments aren’t as likely to throw iffy seafood out until the whole thing is borderline, at best. HOWEVER, every once in awhile I will gamble with food poisoning because I am less susceptible than most. I am a culinary professional who has eaten tacos on the side of the road in Mexico. I have eaten things most Americans wouldn’t dare look at. I ask you to consider this statement the next time you find yourself in an iffy situation. If you feel you must, discreetly smell the seafood before consuming it. The nose knows.
With that said, the Spring Rolls arrived.
Two large silken rice wraps filled with the biggest shrimp and freshest cabbage, carrots, and cilantro I have seen in awhile. The Spring Rolls were served with a Peanut dipping sauce that very well could have been made that morning. There would be no risk of food poisoning here. The shrimp was sweet and fresh. It was cooked perfectly without any unnecessary seasoning. It allowed the shrimp to actually be a flavor.
The wrap was tight and light. I could have eaten 12 of these babies. This is the kind of food your body likes. It’s happy when you feed it things like Spring Rolls. Everything is in it’s raw state and again, it is very simplistic but the combination of raw flavors create a superfluous taste sensation.
The Pork, Egg Roll, and Vermicelli
was just as good and just as simple. The pork was sliced very thin and sautéed with chopped peanuts very quickly at a very high heat. Just high enough to allow the natural, healthy oils of the peanuts to meld with the paper thin pork. It is then served atop cooked vermicelli rice pasta. Along side the pasta is more raw cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, grated ginger, and cilantro. One fried and sliced egg roll finishes the dish. A small ramekin of fish sauce with scallions is also served to create a broth. The concept is to pour the fish sauce into the bowl and mix the veggies with the pork and egg roll. Upon mixing, it becomes a complete dish. Simplistic and delicious. All of the ingredients were very fresh and cooked to perfection.
I can’t say that Pho An Hao is the best Vietnamese in Tampa, because I haven’t tried any other places. I can say Pho An Hao has exceptionally fresh, traditional, delicious food.
As we sat enjoying our lunch, many regular patrons filled the tiny restaurant, most of them Vietnamese Americans.
If it’s not the best in Tampa, then Tampa has some pretty damn good Vietnamese restaurants.
Go explore your South East Asian side. Your body will thank you.

4 Possums
Pho An Hoa
1420 W Waters Ave suite 106
9 AM – 10 PM Closed Tuesday
Cash Only. Very Inexpensive

TNT's Southern Spice is DY-NO-MITE!!!!!!

I’ll start this blog out by saying, YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED TO TRY THIS PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
With that said, I’ll share my experience. Brace yourself, it’s a long one.

Awhile back, I made a comment about getting out there and trying out the little places you may not ordinarily try. My motto, as printed to your left, is one should not be afraid to try restaurants based on their exterior face. If the place is packed on a consistent basis, then there most always is a reason. TNT’s Southern Spice is this very reason.
Jeff Houck recommended we should all go and try out TNT’s Southern Spice. He had been referred by a reader. Me, being a Southern born and bred girl, could not resist. I finally got my chance this past Saturday and oh, what a chance it was.

You will drive through a once very scary part of town, but now the bars are coming off the windows and new residents are rehabbing left and right. You’ll end up just on the north side of I-4 and Ybor, surrounded by old Cigar factories that are in the midst of renovation. In a little building, you’ll find TNT’s Southern Spice. The inside is nothing fancy; it’s a little warm, new booths sit 4 in a row. A counter greets you with a printed menu and a dry erase board with the actual menu and so does Tammy, one of the Ts in TNT’s. The USF football game reels on a large flat screen TV.

Here are just a few of the choices on this particular Saturday:
Oxtails, Meatloaf, Chittlins, Fried or grilled pork chops (a note read: All fried items are made to order and may take 20-25 minutes), Fried chicken, Chicken and Waffles, Banana Pudding, and Peach Cobbler. There was a lot more and I intended on remembering them all, but I was so inebriated after eating, I forgot most.

I ordered Fried Pork Chops, Mac & Cheese, and black eyed peas. All dishes are served with white rice and gravy. I also couldn’t resist the Peach Cobbler. I make a fine Peach Cobbler, damn fine and enjoy good competition. My hubby ordered Oxtails, Collards, Mac & Cheese and Banana Pudding. He too could not resist the Banana Pudding.

We sat at a booth, anticipating the arrival of what we hoped to be the best meal we would have that month. For a very, very long time we had decided that the South had left Tampa and no good authentic Southern cooking could be found. We would find we were dead wrong. Twiddling our thumbs and pretending to watch the football game (we know nothing about football nor care to know) we anticipated the arrival of our Southern bounty. FINALLY! Tammy came through the swinging doors, arms loaded. Granted, it had only been about 10 minutes.

The plates were huge. Two enormous Fried Pork Chops, a heaping portion of white rice with REAL gravy, a side bowl of REAL Mac & Cheese, a side bowl of Black Eyed Peas with a few green beans poking through, and a gigantic bowl of Peach Cobbler. Okay, first and foremost, the Fried Pork Chops. The chops were thin and had a nice semi-spicy flour breading. They were fried to perfection, still juicy. I prefer a little less fried, but a lot of people still think pork must be cooked until it is leather. It didn’t make a difference, the pork chops were awesome. In good Southern form, I immediately poured my Black Eyed Peas over my white rice and “God said it was good”. The rice was well cooked and the gravy was a homemade pan-gravy made from the au jus of roasted oxtails. It had the entire flavor of real home cooking as did the Black Eyed Peas. These were definitely cooked from dried beans, not canned. They were definitely slow cooked with a ham hock or three; fresh cut green beans, and a good amount of necessary seasoning. It was good, damn good. Now for the Mac & Cheese. I didn’t grow up eating Mac & Cheese out of a blue box. As a kid, it was a treat to get the blue box stuff. Why? Because it was what all of my friends had. What I got was 100% homemade Mac & Cheese with a saltine cracker top. There would be no flour roux made to ensure a creamy cheese fondue. It was boiled macaroni pasta, mixed with hand grated cheddar cheese (at least 2 blocks), real butter (at least a pound), and topped with a cracker crust and baked for about 35 minutes. It is an absolute wonder I stayed as skinny as I did throughout my childhood. My family often joked that I had a hallow leg and I am beginning to think I did. This Mac & Cheese was the real stuff, the good stuff. This is TNT’s Macaroni and Cheese.

One bite and I was brought back to sitting at the kid’s table at my Great Aunt Eddie’s home (which resided on Kirby Ave) surrounded by family. All of the women would be in the kitchen baking and cooking and stirring and mixing. All of the men would be watching the football game of the day, typically a Bucs game when they wore orange and white uniforms. My Great Uncle Earnest getting all rowled up over a “bad call”, my Great Grandmother sitting at the head of the table in her arm chair smiling; half aware of anything going on around her, and my other family members pinching my cheeks every time they passed. Home. That’s what TNT’s Mac and Cheese tastes like, home.

The Oxtails were also sensational. Now, for those who do not know what Oxtails are, allow me to “esplain”. Oxtails are the tails of cows, not oxes. It’s just beef, nothing gross. Same as beef short ribs, just another part of the cow. They contain cartilage which attaches the meat to the bone. It makes for a great braised meat as exemplified by TNT’s Slow Braised Oxtails. The Collards tasted like home too, slow cooked with ham hocks and onion. Little swirls of ham hock juice wrapped around each collard leaf. Perfect.

My god, I need to light a cigarette just to write about the Cobbler and Pudding. The Cobbler definitely gives me a run for my money. First, the portion was huge. The perfect combination of cinnamon and nutmeg accented canned peaches. Every good Southern cook knows Cobblers should be made from canned fruit. Our ancestors made Cobblers during the winter months with the fruit they had canned the previous summer. It’s part of the dish. Fresh fruit just doesn’t belong in a Cobbler. I’m not saying TNT canned their own peaches, but they used what should have been used. The dough had to have been made with some of the canned peach juice and had just enough caramelized dough rippled through the cobbler. This was one fine Cobbler.
The Banana Pudding was equally as large and equally as good. Vanilla wafers (still crispy, not mushy from sitting in a fridge for way too long) circled the outside of the bowl which was filled with creamy banana pudding, more wafers, and cut bananas. You would think it would be hard to mess up banana pudding, but my friends, I have seen it happen before. TNT; however, made it perfectly.
On our departure, I chatted with Tammy a bit. She told me they had opened 2 years prior and her and her girlfriend, Toya owned the joint. Hence, T N T, Tammy and Toya. Toya cooks everything. Tammy runs the front. You could tell they were very pleased with their food. You could tell these were the same recipes Toya’s family would cook every Sunday, just like my family did.

TNT’s Southern Spice is 100% authentic Southern Soul food. Everything was truly exceptional. Menu's change daily and they even pull out the BBQ on Fridays (i'll be gettin' me sum of dat!). Give TNT’s Southern Spice a try. They have football catering menus as well as Thanksgiving catering menus. These ladies know good Soul Food.

4 Possums
TNT's Southern Spice
2802 N 16th St
Tampa, 33605
(813) 247-2540 Limited Seating and Take Out
Open Lunch and Dinner (until 7pm) Tues-Sat and 12-5 on Sunday. Closed Monday.

One Stop Shop

On the corner of Hanna and Florida sits the One Stop. Yes, a convenient store. It has the normal convenient store things. Chips-galore, hot-dogs churning along aluminum piping, and every soda known to man. It also carries beer (a descent selection), wine (a surprisingly decent selection), and those little individual packets of every over-the-counter drug known to man. They sell cigarettes (including American Spirits), Nudie Magazines, and laundry soap. It is a convenient store, by name and definition. One Stop provides convenience for the every day little things one does not want to drive to Publix or Wal-Mart for.
I like One Stop. I like the guys who work there. Max is the guy you most often see. He's friendly, remembers your name, and fast. More often than not, I have purchased my goods while Max consoled a customer about some catastrophic event in the customer’s life. Husband’s cheating, relatives dying, and the likes. You see, Max has a degree in Psychology and likes to listen to people’s problems. He doesn't judge between the transients who use Florida Ave as the super-transient-highway, he doesn't make opinions about the women who come in with their purse dogs and faux Prada bags. He just listens. He analyzes. He recommends, but he does not judge.
Next time you need a cold Gatorade or a pack of smokes, head over to the One Stop. You may find convenience for your mind as well.

Three Coins Has A New Owner....again.

Three straight 18 hour days will kill a person, as I almost found out. Business is good right now (no complaints), but it can take a toll. You begin to lose touch with friends, national events, and loved ones. 3 days can make a person feel like they have been exiled on a deserted island for 3 years. Into day 2, I began to realize why Tom Hanks made his Coconut friend. At the end of Day 3 (it was only a 13 hour day), I bee lined it for New World Brewery for some much needed Pint Therapy and Socialization with people who would not be hiring me. I got quite a few calls earlier that day from friends I had not see in awhile and took it as a sign, but I am rambling. (On with the point Michelle!)
The next morning, with a dry mouth and a throbbing head, I headed for 3 Coins. Many people have their own secret hang-over cures. I personally find grease to ease the pain, followed by a nap. So off we (my husband) went. Over the bridge and through the woods, to 3 Coins. I'm not going to go into the experience I had this day. Let's just say we left hungry. It was not the usual 3 Coins food or service. Maybe they had an off day, maybe a catastrophe happened minutes before we arrived. The point of this email is to announce that 3 Coins is under new ownership as of the beginning of October. What???!!!!! Where's Moe? No mo Moe? He was great. Always there, always smiling. He alone turned 3 Coins around in a very short time, making it THE diner in Tampa.
Dino Tsontzos is the new proud Papa of 3 Coins, according to Brian Ries of Creative Loafing, who apparently LOVED his experience. Tsontzos took over this past October and has stated he would not be changing anything (my previous experience states otherwise, but we'll see).
So get off your bottoms and go say "Hi" to the new owner of 3 Coins....again.

Thanksgiving: Seminole Heights Style

It's that time of year again. My favorite time. The leaves begin to turn shades of amber, gold, and red. The air becomes crisp and tickles your nose with swift sweeps of cool air. Oh wait, we live in Florida. Scratch all that.
It's that time of year again. My favorite time. The Palms begin to sway, the Centurion Oak leaves turn yellow and the thermostat reads 71 at midnight. It must be Thanksgiving.
We've actually gotten pretty lucky this year. I've had my windows open for 3 days now.
With the season, of course comes food and I am going to make yet another shameless plug for my own business.
Cooks & Company will be offering Thanksgiving dinners delivered to your door this year. Executive Chef, Greg Baker has designed a traditional Thanksgiving menu with a gourmet twist. You can take a peak here for the full version. My favorites are certainly the Baked Macaroni with a Trio of White Cheeses and a White Truffle Infused Cracker Top. (Ohhhhhhhhh, white truffle. You are a dangerous mistress.) The Marshmallow Studded, Vanilla Bean Scented Sweet Potatoes and the Orange and Fennel Roasted Boneless Turkey Breast are also sure to make you and Grandpa Jones drool. Can't you just hear your sister Suzie saying "You made all of this?" Oh, why not? Take the credit, we don't care. I have a Sister Suzie of my own and I would do anything to shut her up.
All dinners will be delivered the Tuesday before T-Day and delivery in Seminole Heights is FREE!!!! All dishes will have heating instructions printed on each container, ensuring a stress-free holiday. Orders should be placed by Nov. 15th. Call us now! We can only take so many orders!

813-500-3205
Cooks & Company
The Art Of Good Food