The food blogging community in Miami is a fairly close-knit group of great people – many of which I’ve grown to call some of my favorite people. Even though we are close, it doesn’t mean that we rule out a little friendly competition.
In honor of the 3rd Annual SoFlo Cake and Candy Expo coming up April 28-30, we ( the founders of the convention Melanie and Natasha of Sweet Life Cake and Candy Supply and a few of us working for the event ) decided to put together a Bakers and Bloggers Boozy Baking Competition taking place on three dates leading up to the actual SoFlo weekend as sort of a fun kick off.
This competition will consist of teams made up of one home baker and one local food blogger racing against the clock to create cupcakes that not only use a secret ingredient but also represent the variety of themes of this year’s SoFlo Cake Competition.
Last Saturday, Round One was hosted at Sweet Life Cake and Candy Supply in their baking classroom. The bloggers competing were: Geoffrey Anderson of Miami Food Pug, Jennifer Agress of DiningOut Miami, and Mitch Nover of Mitch&MelTakeMiami. The home bakers drew blogger names out of a mixing bowl to decide their teams. The secret ingredient was then revealed to be Rum Chata, a sweet liquor that tastes much like rice pudding with a hint of cinnamon and the theme was Art Deco.
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Welcome the 65,000 attendees of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival February 23-26! Don’t despair if you got closed out of a coveted event, or found the prices a bit rich for your tastes. In celebration of Miami’s own amazing food scene, local chefs and restaurants have come up with some creative and unique events of their own.
Hence, the “Unofficial” SOBEWFF guide is here:
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Countdown to #SOBEWFF! February is our favorite month in Miami as the South Beach Wine and Food Festival and it’s over 65, 000 guests take over Miami Beach and surrounding Miami venues from February 22-26 for 4+ days of Food, Wine, Fun and maybe even a little sun in between all of the over 85 different events and seminars.
Now in its 16th year and hosted by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits and Florida International University (FIU), the Festival benefits FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management and the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center. To date, the Festival has raised more than $24 million for the school.
So, where to begin? Here are MIAbites picks for best 12 SOBEWFF events with a focus on some of the amazing local chef talent and local venues featured this year in collaboration with many of your favorite Food Network stars. Many events sell out quickly, so check availability and buy your tickets online at www.sobefest.com. ( Pro Tip- Many of the below events have limited discount tickets available on both Gilt City and Groupon.)
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February 14th. Valentines Day. Whether you celebrate this holiday or not, going out for dinner or treating yourself to some artisan chocolates or a fun outing is still in order. Here are some Miami options for special dinners, gifts, chocolates, events and more.
Special Dinners:
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Britain’s Winston Churchill was known for his quick wit. The story is told that he was once confronted about his heavy drinking:
“Prime Minister, people say that you’ve drunk enough alcohol to fill a room.”
“Ah,” Churchill replied gazing up towards the ceiling, “So much to do, and so little time.”
Churchill himself might have been impressed this past Saturday night if he had been lucky enough to score an invitation to a gourmet Scotch tasting at Michael Schwartz’ Cypress Tavern.
Organized by Gilt City, an affiliate of the online retailer, Schwartz teamed up with famed Scotch distiller, The Macallan to pair five of their distinct single malts with a number of his signature dishes.
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Each week, MIAbites features the Weekly Nibble, a listing of curated upcoming food events in Miami. Schedule is subject to change so please check ahead to confirm at details and pricing.
Jaya at The Setai is offering a three course Peking Duck menu to celebrate the Chinese New Year. One dish featured is the Peking Duck Wrapped In Bamboo Leaves with a Tangerine Marmalade and Bok Choy. Executive Chef Mathias Gervais and Executive Sous Chef Vijay Veena also feature desert truffles with Duck Bacon and chocolate. The menu will be available Saturday, January 28- Saturday, February 4th for $95 per person. Jaya at the Setai 2001 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139
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Each week, MIAbites features the Weekly Nibble, a listing of curated upcoming food events in Miami. Schedule is subject to change so please check ahead to confirm at details and pricing.
Thursday January 19th- Celebrate the grand opening of Bàcaro, Miami Beach's newest wine and food destination by acclaimed international chef, Carlo Bernardini. From 8pm to 11pm, the Venetian-inspired eatery and wine bar will offer guests complimentary hors d'oeuvres, along with an open bar of house wine and bubbles. Music will be provided by DJ Nuny Love, and European flair will fill the air at Bàcaro's grand opening experience. RSVP required. Free admission, 3-hour open bar and hors d'oeuvres will be offered only to guests who reserve in advance. To RSVP, email rsvp@bacaromiami.com. Bàcaro Miami is 1625 Michigan Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139.
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Did you know there’s a farm in the Redlands called Patch of Heaven Gardens, that’s single handedly foresting and producing cacao? Cacao is the purest form of chocolate you can consume, and refers to the beanlike seeds from which cocoa, cocoa butter, and chocolate are made.
Cacao doesn’t typically grow in our backyards here in Florida, but the ambitious people at POHG have paired up with our friends at Cao Chocolates to make it happen anyway. Last weekend I was invited on a tour of the property complete with a five course dinner and wine pairing – the best part – each dish was made with cacao!
We arrived at the farm mid-afternoon right after a crazy Florida rainstorm blew through, and blew through it did, as a tree fell and knocked the power out on the entire 20 acre property. In a hurry to be able to use what daylight we had left, we rushed to the fields for a quick lesson on how to pick the cacao and then over to the Chocolate Bar Tasting area for dinner. Let it be known that I will definitely be back to check out the rest of the property, I hear there’s an amazing barn that’s almost complete.
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Each week, MIAbites features the Weekly Nibble, a listing of curated upcoming food events in Miami. Schedule is subject to change so please check ahead to confirm at details and pricing.
Thursday January 12th- Five years ago, on January 12th in 2012, Blue Collar opened its doors in the MiMo District in Miami, FL. Chef/Owner Daniel Serfer took a gamble on himself and the neighborhood, when he conceived his home-style menu in comfortable surrounds. To celebrate the restaurant’s 5-year anniversary, Blue Collar will give a 100% guaranteed-to-win scratch-off ticket to every table and take-out order on Thursday, January 12th until all 1,200 tickets have been distributed. Prizes include Blue Collar coffee mugs; gift cards; a free Blue Collar side dish plus the restaurant’s ‘dailies’; an order of Ribs, Braise Parm. Blue Collar 6730 Biscayne Blvd Miami, Florida 305 756 0366
Friday January 13th- LDV Hospitality’s Regent Cocktail Club celebrates their first live musical act of 2017 with a night of themed cocktails and a performance by the nine-piece electronica band, Latin Grammy nominees, Spam Allstars who will provide a unique blend of improvisational electronic elements alongside other Latin, funk and hip hop rhythms that they’ve originally dubbed electronic descarga. To enhance the lively evening of Latin funk, Regent’s skilled mixologists have developed a specially handcrafted cocktail menu inspired by the music stylings of the talented musicians. Regent Cocktail Club Gale South Beach 1690 Collins Ave. Miami Beach, FL 33139
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Looking for something fun and different to do with the kids this next holiday week? How about a visit to The Burger Beast Museum, curated by Miami comfort food expert, Burger Beast? Amber Love Bond reports on the museum's grand opening earlier this month.
About eight years ago, I found myself on a Google search for the best burger in Miami and I stumbled upon a newly started blog, called Burger Beast. Sef Gonzalez was on the same mission as I was, except he was documenting and sharing with others. He was one of the very first food blogs in Miami and the moment I found him, I instantly added his link to my bookmark bar – think pre-Facebook and Instagram days.
Flash forward to December 2016 and Sef has spent the last 7 years collecting over 2,000 pieces of burger and comfort food memorabilia that now fill his 1500 square foot Burger Beast Museum space. The history in the museum spans decades and Sef is eager to share it with everyone. On my visit I chatted with Burger Beast for over an hour learning about restaurants I had never heard of and talking about ones I missed from my own childhood. There were even a few that I had been to that he hadn’t, and I was able to share my memories of them with him.
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Jamaica Food & Drink Festival pictures include Chefs Brad and Leah, Miss T's Kitchen, Brad and Leah's Pork Dish and Crackerjack with Jerk Bacon by Smoked Marlin. Photo Credit: Andrew Giambarba.
Like the light from a really bright star, Chef Bradley Kilgore is on fire.
We would love to claim him in Miami as a native son, but we must admit we know that he is originally from Kansas City. The city of Chicago got to watch him shine during some of his formative years under Grant Achatz at Alinea (Boka and L2 as well). When he left the Windy City to come to Miami, few knew what we had just gained.
Soon though, his brilliance was difficult to miss at Azul and Jean-George Vongerichten’s J&G Grill. And then it was time for him to shine in a spot of his own. He collaborated with several local chefs for Basel week pop-ups as the finishing touches were being put on Alter.
When the doors opened in early 2015, night after night, diners sat down, dipped their spoons through a soft cooked egg, Gruyere crisp and scallop espuma and sighed.
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As over 75, 000 art dealers and art fans descend on Miami for the big shows like PULSE and UNTITLED on Miami Beach and Context/ArtMiami, Spectrum and the many smaller shows in and around Wynwood, a number of parties and food events are available to anyone who braves the traffic to Miami Beach, Wynwood, Midtown and other art-centric areas. Many kick off the beginning of the week and continue thru Sunday 12/4. Here is MIAbites Weekly Nibble curated listing for Art Week 2016.
Monday November 28th- Kick off the start of Art Basel with at LDV Hospitality’s Rooftop at the Gale South Beach on November 28th from 7pm – 10pm. Tasting Table and the Lincoln Motor Company will host the exclusive event. Tickets cost $45 plus tax and includes three drink tickets, specialty appetizers and shared plates and two interactive stations. Learn to make a Smoked Old Fashioned – blowtorch included, and how to make two different types of authentic Italian pastas Suitable for every kind of Basel-goer ( 21+ only), start your week at this trendy rooftop terrace. There will even be Live art mural by Miami artist Stuart Sheldon. Tickets on Eventbrite link here. Gale South Beach 1690 Collins Ave Miami Beach, FL 33139
Tuesday November 29th- Join Human Rights Campaign South Florida as our friends at the White Porch Gallery at R House Wynwood host a special event celebrating Art Basel and the HRC. Art for Equality will feature fun, food, drinks, and a DJ along with a silent auction featuring some of the most talented domestic and international LGBTQ and LGBTQ-allied artists. Tickets from $25 to $140 for full dinner on Eventbrite link here R House Wynwood 2727 Northwest 2nd Avenue Miami, FL 33127
Tuesday November 29th- Coyo Taco Wynwood invites all Art Basel attendees( and anyone else! ) to Come & party during #ArtBasel at a Major Rum and Bass block party with Walshy Fire and Friends. Very special guests will be dipping in from 7 PM to 2 AM. Tickets are $20-30 and on Eventbrite link here . Coyo Taco 2300 Northwest 2nd Avenue Miami, FL 33127
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