Hey there Florida Foodie friends,
It’s that lingering feeling that you forgot something really important, Thomas Mates.
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Hope you all are doing great.
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You may have noticed there is a lot of change happening here at News 6. We’ve had to say goodbye to some friends, both on-air and behind the scenes. They are off enjoying their retirement and we wish them the best.
There’s also been a lot of people moving into new roles. For instance, Florida Foodie’s own Candace Campos is now Chief Meteorologist🎉🎉🎉! Show her some love on social media if you can.
There are other changes happening as well, including for yours truly, but we’ll talk more about that at another time.
Does all of this mean anything for the future of Florida Foodie? That remains to be seen, but I am going to do my best to keep the ship on its tracks until we land this plane.
OK, that is enough speculating.
Let’s get into it.
Creating memories🍨
Marie Mercado calls herself a “professional ice cream lady.”
”I have a very important job,” she said. “I have to provide ice cream options for people in the community.”
She believes ice cream is vital to helping people make core memories, like “baby’s first ice cream.”
Mercado has a fascinating story that started with her training to be an opera singer and ultimately opening a pair of very different ice cream shops.
You can her her conversation with Candace Campos on the latest Florida Foodie.
>You can listen to the episode here<
You can also find every episode of Florida Foodie on YouTube.
Small bites🍣
Legendary⚡: Two Orlando area restaurants are now considered “legendary,” at least according to Southern Living. The magazine came out with a list 17 notable restaurants around the Sunshine State. Learn more about it here.
Eat to the beat🎶: Disney is bringing a special concert series to its 2024 International Food & Wine Festival. Check out who will be playing as you enjoy your fancy food by clicking here.
Eating bugs?🦗: Would you voluntarily eat bugs? Neither would I, or most Americans as it turns out. Here’s a look at why it is so hard to convince us to dine on crickets and other critters.
Something to try at home 🍽️
There is nothing better to eat on Independence Day than a burger. The traditional beef burger, seasoned simply with salt and pepper is great. It’s a classic for a reason.
However, if you want to try something different, I have a turkey burger recipe that will knock your freedom-loving socks off.
This one is adapted from the great Alton Brown. He points out that the reason a beef burger is superior is that it has a lot of umami flavor. Umami is that rich, savory, earthy flavor that you find in things like beef, soy sauce and some cheeses. So, to make a turkey burger that can compete, you just have to add some umami to the mix.
Here’s what you need:
- 2 pounds ground turkey ( I prefer dark meat, but that’s up to you)
- 12 oz. of portabella mushrooms
- 8 oz. of parmesan cheese
- 1 tbsp. brown miso paste
- Salt and pepper
- Finely dice your mushrooms. Try to get them as small as you can. Place them in a sauté pans over medium-high heat and salt them. The salt will help to draw out the moisture in the mushrooms and you want to cook all of that out. Just let the mushrooms go, stirring occasionally. You’ll know they are done when there is no more liquid left in the pan and the mushrooms start to brown. Remove them from the heat and allow them to cool in a bowl.
- Grate your parmesan cheese. Again, you want this as fine as you can get it.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine your turkey, mushrooms, parmesan and miso paste. Mix it by hand until it is thoroughly combined.
- Form the meat into 6 to 8 oz. patties. I like to keep them on the thick side — like a hockey puck — because I find that it helps the meat retain its moisture. Generously season both sides of the patties with salt and pepper.
- Cook your patties. Now, these burgers will cook up well on the grill, but I actually prefer cooking them indoors. In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, you want to sear each side of the patty and make sure there is a nice brown crust on them. Once you’ve seared all your patties, finish them in the oven at 400 degrees for eight to 10 minutes. Remember, these are turkey burgers so they have to be cooked the whole way through.
Personally, I like to serve these burgers with American cheese, finely diced raw onions, dill pickle chips, yellow mustard and ketchup on a sesame seed roll. It’s a really classic presentation.
That being said, you can dress up these burgers however you like.
You want smoked gouda and caramelized onions? Go nuts.
Sharp cheddar and Dijon mustard? I bet it will be great.
Chocolate syrup and marshmallows? I’m sorry but if you don’t leave I’ll have to call the police.
That’s it for today.
Also, please take the time to rate and review the Florida Foodie podcast.
Send me your recipes so I can share them with everyone. My email is tmates@wkmg.com.
Don’t forget to send in your foodie pictures as well through our PinIt! program.