Local Roaster Oceana Coffee Opens in Tequesta

Oceana Coffee debuted last week in Tequesta, one of the only local roasters in the area. It’s the brick-and-mortar result of three years of work for Amy and Scott Angelo, who spent time tasting beans, learning sourcing, experimenting with roasters, and building the cash to start the shop. The couple…

November Restaurant Openings and Closings

Though November restaurant openings were not as prolific as earlier this year, a couple of restaurants that made their debut inspired speculation and commentary from readers, in particular Tundra and Tap 42 in Fort Lauderdale and Kapow! Noodle House. Have you visited yet? Let us know your thoughts in the…

Kamikazie Eggs Beat It In Awesome Cake Video

Chef Factor, a cooking contest in Ireland, recently has a call for entries.  The prize?  A 12 week cooking course, complete with tools of the trade for one lucky winner.When Dee entered her legendary chocolate biscuit cake, her husband decided to do one better than download the required photo.  He…

SNL Thanksgiving: Kissing Family Makes Your Family Look Less Weird

We promise that this is the last Thanksgiving post for 2011, but we had to share this Saturday Night Live skit which made us feel really good about our completely weird family holidays.Remember the Aunt who kissed too much?  We remember running under the table, hiding in a closet, climbing…

Cyber Monday Food Deals

First there’s Black Friday, then there’s Cyber Monday — the shopping day that’s devoted to letting you shop in your underwear (assuming that you’re not taking advantage of the deals at work).After you snag the latest cameras, tablets, and TV’s online, take advantage of some cyber savings on food:…

The Hot Brown Sandwich Tastes Great With Cigarettes

Author Peter Meehan and New York chef David Chang have unveiled issue two of McSweeney’s Lucky Peach, the magazine of gems among which is a primer on miso varieties, scientific proof of the sweet spot, and recipes for one of the finest turkey leftover concoctions, The Hot Brown. First assembled at…

Energy Kitchen’s November Opening Pushed to April

Why come up with a creative, health-conscious concept when what we really want are burgers and fries that don’t kill us? This appears to be strategy behind Energy Kitchen, whose recent signage highlights ostensibly healthy burgers and fries under 500 calories.Energy Kitchen touts grass-fed beef and wheat buns as better for you…

Marando Farms Grows Porny Produce

Chelsea and Fred Marando opened Marando Farms two years ago with the intention of serving as a Fort Lauderdale hub of locally grown, organic produce. I’m smitten with the charm of the place, from the potted gardens to the chicken coop to the boiled peanuts to the visual feast of…

Martha Stewart Pepper-Sprays a Turkey

You might think that domestic diva Martha Stewart doesn’t consider herself part of the OWS 99 percent, but apparently she does.On a recent Today Show segment, Martha is asked to cook a turkey. When Matt Lauer asks if he should salt and pepper the bird before placing it in the…

Turkey Pizza: Butterball Shows You How (Video)

It’s the day after Thanksgiving and you’re fridge is stuck with what seems like ten pounds of leftover turkey. You could make a sandwich, but why not try something much more awesome?  Since Clean Plate Charlie was all about pizza this week (when we weren’t talking turkey), we decided to…

Alton Brown: How to Carve a Turkey in Three Minutes (Video)

You’ve finally cooked the perfect turkey. It looks brown, juicy, and delicious. Now what? Are you really going to butcher the beast with a butter knife?  Before you tear apart that poor bird, watch Alton Brown’s video on how to deconstruct your holiday turkey. Yes, deconstruct. In this three-minute video,…

Last Minute Thanksgiving: What Grocery Stores Are Open?

So it’s Thanksgiving, the turkey’s in the oven, and you’re about to start the sides when you realize you’re out of cream and you totally forgot the cranberries!  Don’t panic. Though most stores are closed, we’ve compiled a list of stores that are open for any last minute items, whether…

Lady Gaga’s A Very Gaga Thanksgiving: A Preview

Here are a list of things we thought would never happen:Wildebeest found on MarsMcDonald’s turns all-veganLady Gaga Hosts a Thanksgiving SpecialGuess McDonald’s is going veg and NASA’s going to find animal tracks any day now, because Lady Gaga’s A Very Gaga Thanksgiving is airing tonight (Thanksgiving) at 9:30 p.m. on…

Christmas On Las Olas Cookie Battle: Meet The Bakers

The 49th-annual Christmas on Las Olas celebration on November 29th is next week. Five blocks of Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale will be festively decorated with lights, decorations, and snow for the occasion.The family event will feature music, entertainment, and new this year — the first annual Christmas Cookie…

Grill Grrrl Grilling Clinic Scheduled for December 3 in Pompano Beach

Robyn Lindars, a Clean Plate Charlie contributor also known by the handle “Grill Grrrl,” recognizes how intimidating the grill can be for novices, including women who may traditionally cede that territory to the males in their lives. In fact, Lindars first got into the grilling game professionally after attempting to…

Whipping Up the Best Thanksgiving Dessert Ever Conceived

I usually don’t swoon over dessert, especially in home cooking. My standards are seasonal fruit and fresh whipped cream, whisked in a copper bowl: a group effort from the dining collective. Root beer floats are another go-to for hot weather. If I’m really lazy, it’s single-origin dark chocolate to pair…

Larry David’s Family Thanksgiving Nightmare (Video)

Larry David just released some of his family Thanksgiving memories. Of course, this being Larry David, they’re not on the Hallmark Channel — they’re on Funny or Die.In this animated short, Larry reminisces on holidays filled with family members that ring familiar. Uncle Leo eats in his undershirt, Ma won’t…