Coastal Breeze News

Chef Anne Feinman  [email protected] When I first started out on my sushi adventure, sitting at the sushi bar was a bit scary. I didn’t know how to order anything other than a California Roll and the knife-wielding sushi chef was intimidating. But one day, I got brave, and sauntered up to a sushi bar. It was well worth the effort and I promise it will be the same for you. Bring a friend or two if it might seem too much of a challenge. The fun part of leaving the safety of your table is that you never know what ... Read More »

CHEF’S TABLE Chef Anne Feinman [email protected] It’s that time of year when we are all considering what our New Year’s resolutions should be. I know, I have made the resolutions and have found a way to deny it was ever so…only to make the same resolutions the following year. I promise to exercise more, eat better and healthier and to “not work so much”…. but for those who know me and love me, it doesn’t seem to happen the way I plan. Today is December 23rd and until two days ago, I had not given one thought to this year’s resolution. ... Read More »

Chef Bob Aylwin  [email protected] Now that Christmas time is upon us once again, I have been literally pouring over hundreds of my Christmas time recipes for this article. As a result, I suddenly found myself less interested in recipes and party ideas and more interested in what Christmas really is, or should be about, namely family, friends and love. As I sat at the computer getting ready to embark on some “Holiday Good Mood Food” ideas I began to drift back in time, to my early childhood days growing up in Springfield, Massachusetts. In my imagination, I can still see my ... Read More »

By Chef Anne Feinman [email protected] The Christmas Boat Parade is just around the corner and the Holidays are upon us. Put together some fun and delicious refreshments and invite friends and family to your home. Favorites of mine include this Christmas Cosmopolitan: • 1 1/2 oz Green Apple Vodka. • 1/2 oz Triple Sec. • 1 tsp grenadine. • 3 oz cranberrry juice. Pour over ice and strain into your favorite martini glass. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and a cranberry that will float on top. A non-alcohol Holiday beverage treat: • 4 cups apple juice. • 3 cups ... Read More »

Chef Bob Aylwin  In the Aylwin household we are not very complicated in our daily food routine but we do enjoy a variety of worldwide cuisines every week. We have always enjoyed teaching our children about different cultures and culinary styles of many different nations. Whether it is a simple dish of Bavarian style meatballs on Monday, or French Beef Burgundy (Boeuf Bourguignon) on Tuesday, or possibly some andouille potato crepes of French origin on Wednesday, we try to include many cuisines in our diet. We love Dominican style coconut tres leches (creme brulee) for dessert on occasion and it’s ... Read More »

Chef Annie  I’ll admit that cooking with kids is not always easy. I’ve had plenty of spilled milk, dropped eggs, burnt cookies and even a mixing bowl dropped on my toe. I can remember when my girls, Lauren and Nicole, were 4 and 11 and helping me make cookies for the holidays….I ended up with an entire gallon of spilled milk all over the kitchen floor! My patience was not always there, but I knew I had to share my love of the kitchen with my two lovely daughters. Often what the eleven year old could do, the four year ... Read More »

Chef Bob Aylwin After spending my summer on beautiful Put In Bay, Ohio, it was a wonderful feeling arriving home to Marco Island. Five months away from home is a long time and certainly there were so many things I missed. But one thing I missed dearly was my avocado tree. That’s right, my avocado tree. Sure I missed my wife and kids and surely I missed the Marco Island beaches. I missed my cat, my friends and my rosemary bush­es, too. But my avocado tree and me go way back. For 14 wonderful years my tree has been producing ... Read More »

Chef Annie  Who would have thought that the simple combination of spinach, chicken, pears and gorgonzola could create such a delicious meal? Well, for me, I’m just awed that it took me so long to realize it. I mean, I love spinach, I love chicken, I love pears and I am crazy for anything with gorgonzola! How has this dish never been prepared in my kitchen? And when can I have it again? It truly is a perfect combination of flavors and textures and all those other things that make food so decadent. This dish has the benefit of making ... Read More »

CHEF’S TABLE By Chef Anne Feinman  With football season upon us, and the excitement of opening our new restaurant, I recently went looking for creative new recipes. Yes, we will have the football package, and I’ll look forward to watching the faces of our guests, friends and family, when all our creativity and deliciousness meet! The following was inspired by Disney, and I encourage you to “Pass” these around for a “Touchown.” Meatballs: • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef. • 1 large egg, beaten. • 1 cup bread crumbs. • 1 cup onion, chopped finely. • 1 tbsp minced garlic. • 1 ... Read More »

Chef Bob Aylwin  As my summer winds down here on Put-In-Bay Ohio, I’m starting to think of the things I will miss the most when I return home to Marco Island; the absolutely incredible sunrises off the bay; the spectacular “Perry’s Monument” that towers over the island; the crisp northern air each night blowing through my bedroom window. Although I’ll miss all of these I believe that I will miss the fresh Lake Erie perch that I have had the pleasure of cooking each and every day. If you have never had Lake Erie perch then you are unfortunately missing ... Read More »

By Chef Annie  It’s been over a month since we closed doors at The Chefs Express in Olde Marco. In our quest to get our new restaurant opened at The Beach Club, I have been working on creating new menu options….and thus a Love Story is born. Have you wondered how great it would be married to a chef? I am certain, at one time or another, whether a long day at work, hectic schedules, your birthday or guests dropping in unexpectedly… you imagined your chef husband or chef wife using his or her talents to dream up that special meal. ... Read More »

By Chef Annie Have you ever wondered how the bakeries make such beautifully decorated cookies? You enter the store on Valentine’s Day…and those soft sugary cookies are decorated with those beautiful reds and pinks or the 4th of July with the red, white and blue. Well, here’s a great cookie icing recipe that you’ll use again and again. This decorating icing is so easy to make and the icing flows on and hardens just right. There’s nothing like a homemade sugar cookie with icing to tempt everyone’s sweet tooth. Not only does the icing add delicious yumminess and richness to ... Read More »

By Chef Annie Are you one of the fortunate few to have a mango tree growing in your yard? If so, your tree is probably full, with the limbs nearing the ground with all their weight. This time of year, June and July, the mangos are abundant and offer the best picks and prices. The delicious and juicy mango has long been one of the world’s most popular fruits. The fruit’s flavor is often described as an exotic mix of pineapple and peach. They have been cultivated for more than 4,000 years and are a relative of the pistachio and cashew. ... Read More »

By Chef Bob Aylwin As the summer weather begins to spice up our little Marco Island paradise I am reminded of the wonderful, yet seemingly forgotten, spicy culinary American classic, Fra Diavolo. “American?” you may ask. While it is true that the name in origin is positively Italian (translation: brother devil) and that it is an Italian/American invention, its roots are firmly planted around New York City in the early 1900’s. Many have made claim to its discovery (Mama Leoni’s located in mid Manhattan and Grotta Azura Restaurant located in the Little Italy section of New York city to name ... Read More »

By Chef Anne Feinman Steak Au Poivre, aka Peppercorn Steak, is not just for special occasions! This simple recipe can be ready for your dinner table tonight with just a few easy steps! Your choice of steak may be a sirloin strip, but my preference is tenderloin steaks. As a restaurateur, I have lovely beef tenderloins from which to slice my 8 oz filets, but you may ask your butcher to slice the number of filets you will be serving. I prefer them to be in the 6-8 oz range, no more than 1 ½ inches thick. Our first step ... Read More »

By Chef Bob Aylwin It doesn’t seem like 33 years ago when I worked every morning with my uncle Ernie in a small pastry shop at the The Cape Codder Hotel in Falmouth, Massachusetts on Cape Cod. It just doesn’t seem possible. But it was. Uncle Ernie was the second of my mother’s four brothers and had become an accomplished pastry chef. I can still remember the wonderful cakes and pastries that he would make for family birthdays and special events. As a young boy, I longed to learn how to make his wonderful creations. On occasion I would ask ... Read More »

By Chef Annie Cheese…it’s not just for crackers anymore! One of my favorites, Brie, soft and creamy with such mass appeal. Recently, while making Cream of Mushroom soup, I decided to add a twist to this much loved favorite. I began with two quarts of beef stock, two quarts of sliced mushrooms and 8 ounces of Brie, rind and all. As I brought this to a rolling boil, I added ••• cup of cooking sherry. The Brie had melted and blended nicely, with the rind floating, which I skimmed off the top. My next step was to add a quart ... Read More »

By Chef Anne Feinman Thyme and rosemary are magical herbs, always have them on hand… start your own garden today! Last night as I was preparing dinner for my husband, I dismissed the traditional bakers, mashed potatoes or rice. I was thinking about what I could add to those lovely baby red skin potatoes in the basket on the counter. I washed them, covered them with water and put them on the stove…and it came to me, why not add rosemary and thyme? As I am so fortunate to have many herbs growing on my patio, it was just a few ... Read More »

By Chef Bob Aylwin The natural richness of salmon and its high amount of omega 3’s, makes it a great choice for a healthy meal. The speed in which it cooks makes it a great choice for an expedient meal as well. Try this delightful Honey Soy Salmon and let me know what you think. Ingredients: (yield: 4 servings) 1/4 cup chopped cilantro. 2 scallions. 1 tsp. chopped pickled ginger. (Mix these ingredients together with a tsp. of olive oil). 4 (6oz) fillets of wild salmon. 2 tsp. low sodium soy sauce. 2 teaspoons honey. 1 tsp. fresh squeezed lime juice. ... Read More »

By Chef Anne Feinman Yes, I love to cook! And more than that…I love to watch our customers pull out their cell phones or cameras and take a picture of their lunch, before they will take a single bite. One of my greatest joys is walking around our restaurant’s beautiful outdoor courtyard and asking our customers how they are enjoying their breakfast or lunch. The delight is written all over their faces. Ever watch the Food Channel? All chefs agree, we eat with our eyes. Put the presentation of freshness and color before your guests…and they are smiling before taking ... Read More »