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Help Cider Press’s Chef Nate Win the National James Beard Blended Burger Contest

Cider Press Cafe's James Beard Burger
Let’s get St Petersburg on the map by supporting our local contestant!

St Pete is all about local so let’s show our support for The Cider Press Cafe in this contest. They are up against 400 other burgers nationally. They are the only St Petersburg contestant and the ONLY burger not made with some sort of meat. Currently they are … Continue Reading

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The Cider Press Cafe Has Some Hot New Menu Items

The Cider Press Cafe Exterior

A couple of weeks ago we heard the news that Cider Press Cafe was going to be featuring some new hot, cooked menu items along with their favorite staples. Trying to incorporate a more comfort food feel that will appeal to a larger group of customers while staying true to their roots. We were invited by Chef de Cuisine, Nate … Continue Reading

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St. Paddy’s Day Soup…

My first St. Patrick’s Day as a vegetarian had me longing for corned beef and cabbage something awful. I missed simmering that aromatic cured meat and pickling spices all day long. I missed the distinct funk of cabbage that wafted through the air. I missed having sandwiches for days. For nostalgia’s sake, I cooked up the cabbage, got the house … Continue Reading

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Red Beans and Rice…

Red Beans & Rice Recipe

Weekly food traditions are a fun way to plan the week. Some of my favorites have been Sandwich Sunday, Meatless Monday, and Taco Tuesday; I’m a sucker for alliteration. During our recent trip to New Orleans, we were introduced to a weekly tradition among the locals that goes back generations: Red Beans and Rice Monday–so much for alliteration on that … Continue Reading

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Posole Verde…

It is a cold January night and my fireplace is just heating up. There is just one more thing that could make this cozy night more perfect: soup. Cold weather is never a prerequisite for soup in my house–I could eat it just about anytime–but an evening like this just begs for it. The question now becomes which kind of … Continue Reading

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Persimmon Butter…

Butter, jelly, jam, preserves, marmalade: you name it, I love to spread it on carbs of some kind. Oddly enough, I had never attempted making any of the aforementioned toast toppers in my own kitchen. I was perfectly happy stocking my fridge with Bonne Maman, St. Dalfour’s, jars we’ve picked up on our travels, and the occasional local jam from … Continue Reading

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My First Taste of Masala…

The date was October 3, 1999. The time was 11:00pm. How could I remember my first taste of masala so clearly? It was my second date–the day after our first date–with my now husband, Ed. After hitting three restaurants in Tampa in a 24-hour span, we decided to explore downtown St. Petersburg to grab a late bite to eat. Back … Continue Reading

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Gnocchi–Hold the Potato…

(Nyoh’-kee) – a dish of little dumplings made from potatoes, semolina, flour, or a combination of the three. There is no mention of ricotta in that definition from Dictionary.com, but there totally should be; the first time I had those pillowy puffs of goodness made from ricotta in lieu of potatoes, my mind. was. blown.

On our first trip to … Continue Reading

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Practically Perfect Pumpkin Bars…

Oh, the pumpkin rush of the season has begun and I am all in. My love of pumpkin isn’t merely reserved for the fall months; I love making pumpkin bread, waffles, muffins, and pancakes all year long. What I don’t do often enough is get creative with those pumpkin goodies. My mind started to wander the other day as I … Continue Reading

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Fridge Foraging…

A lone sweet potato. One pie crust. Half of an onion. Sad, wilted parsley.  Leftover tomato soup. These are the odds and ends I found while rummaging through the refrigerator last week. I admit–much to my chagrin–that I am the queen of wasting food. I stock my fridge with so many ideas: a week’s worth of ideas. Inevitably things pop … Continue Reading

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