Earning my keep

I'm in Key West, Florida for the second annual Food & Wine Festival. My friend Judy and I are here for a glorious 6 nights, escaping what I believe to be the coldest winter in North Carolina history. Judy will be reporting her adventure on the Port City Foodies blog. Her first post was about the dinner, check it out by clicking this link.

Last night we arrived at 5pm and by 7pm I was serving the first of course of a delicious vegan tapas party for the owners and some employees of Bone Island Vacation Rentals. I had prepped the night before and converted my Heys suitcase into a mobile refrigerator. How? With soft sided coolers and LOTS of ice packs. The good thing about vegan ingredients is they travel well...vegetables, cous cous, tempehcans of coconut milk, herbs, etc... You can see my bag in the first picture.

Ken, Connie, John, Amy and HB all enjoyed the meal. Judy and I nibbled in the kitchen as well. The comments ranged from, "It was so much more than I had expected," to "I can't tell you which I like more, they were all so good!" The whole rental team has gone vegan as their new year's resolution. I decided to give them a taste of what vegans should really be eating, instead of plain old rice and vegetables. I also brought a treat from NC, Catdaddy Moonshine. I made daiquiris with mango, lime, ice and the moonshine...finishing them off with some mint...they were a great way to start the party off, and they went really well with the first two courses;)

Here is the Vegan Menu

Course 1

Thai Spring Rolls with Sweet Chili Sauce

(carrots, cucumber, green onion, baby bok choy and Thai basil leaves)

Course 2

Coconut Soup
(straw mushrooms, baby baby bok eggplant, galangal, kaffir lime, Thai basil and cilantro)

After the second course, most of the folks switched to prosecco which went well with...

Course 3

Spinach Salad with Herb Vinaigrette

(tempeh bacon, shaved fennel, red onion and roasted beets)

Course 4

Mediterranean Cous Cous Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

(carrots, onion, zucchini, garlic, cumin, mint and some other seasonings)

Course 5

Tempeh Marinara Sandwiches (simple marinara with fresh oregano and enoki mushrooms on toasted bread)

To finish the meal I made my first vegan 'pastry' if that is what you want to call it. The night before I was pureeing dates and almond paste, struggling to get a balance of flavor and texture. I added tofu, cinnamon, nutmeg and other flavors and the final result was really very satisfying.

Course 6

Date & Almond Tarts

(pureed dates and almond paste with tofu, vanilla and maple syrup in a graham cracker crust, topped with slivered almonds and marshmallow sauce)


The dinner ended with Judy and I sitting down with everyone...chatting about cooking shows, cooking for celebrities, how I transported all of the ingredients in a refrigerated suitcase. The house-adorable, the kitchen-lacked much counterspace, but it was still a great space. I especially liked the cutting board table and the perfectly white dinnerware...makes for a clean blank canvis for the food. Sometimes the energy of a kitchen makes up for it's lack of counter space and a ceramic top range.

I'd say the meal was worth it for everyone. I say this because Ken and Connie, the owners of the rental company were thrilled with their meal...and Judy and I are thrilled with our trade...accommodations. I just love a win-win situation. Yes, that's right, we are staying here for 6 nights in exchange for that delicious meal. How's that for a good deal!

In the end, I think I may be onto something...cooking a meal in exchange for a place to stay. I could take this show on the road for sure. Grilled lamb in Greece, puttanesca in Campania...