Gerd´s little school of Cooking!

Wow, so far I would have eaten everything you have prepared. I'm not a big fan of some of the ingredients you have used but the presentation is so awesome I would eat it anyway. I hope the next time a TPR trip swings through Germany we can stop at your restaurant!

Hello everybody!

Just want to let you know that it will take a little more time until the next update!

Last sunday morning, my wife and I decided to take the kids and catch some sun!

So, on Monday morning we were boarding our plane to Miami and now we are enjoying a little bit of Floridian sun!

^ I love Tampa´s Centro Ybor, not only because of the cigars!

Enjoy Florida Gerd!

Hitting up any parks while over here?

I wouldn't mind a "Gerd - testing out American cuisine" update in the future.

Enjoy Florida Gerd!

Thank you, and believe me, I really enjoy this week with my wife and the kids.

No company, to take care about, just family and relaxing!

Hitting up any parks while over here?

We´ve been to the Ringling Museum an Ca d´Zan at Sarasota on Tuesday and just arrived at Orlando one Hour ago.

We´re planning to visit Magic Kingdom tomorrow ( I think it´s the best park for a visit with our Kids (Marlene, 5 yrs and Gerd jr., 3 yrs)), before we return to Boca Raton, where we will stay with friends.

I wouldn't mind a "Gerd - testing out American cuisine" update in the future.

What a nice thought.

We have a table reservation for the "VIX" at the "Victor Hotel", South Beach on Friday night and another for the "Himmarshee" at Las Olas Riverfront, Ft. Lauderdale, on Saturday, what I´m really looking forward to!

Reports will follow!

Gerd

WHAT?!?!?! I live in Sarasota!!! I'm like 10 minutes away from the Ca d' Zan! I'm in Chicago right now, but holy crap it would have been awesome to meet you!

If you went to Siesta Key, I might just cry.

"Himmarshee" at Las Olas Riverfront, Ft. Lauderdale, on Saturday, what I´m really looking forward to!

Reports will follow!

Cool, a report from my hometown. I actually met my wife about a minute's walk from the Himmarshee! Enjoy the cuisine, Gerd.

Not sure what your schedule is like beyond Saturday, but if you don't mind, I'll throw out a couple recommendations for great seafood in the area too. The Sea Watch and 15th Street Fisheries are excellent seafood choices. Mmmmm, I have to stop talking about food. I really need sleep right now instead.

I'm looking forward to the reports. Have fun!

Not sure what your schedule is like beyond Saturday, but if you don't mind, I'll throw out a couple recommendations for great seafood in the area too. The Sea Watch and 15th Street Fisheries are excellent seafood choices.

Dear Scott,

thank you for the recommendations.

Sea Watch is an awesome location. Our Friends, those we will stay with when going to Boca, had their wedding-ceremony there, because they had a condo at Sunrise Blvd. before moving to Boca, and I remember a great restaurant with fantastic food.

I don´t think I will be able to visit, because my wife will force me to do some Power-Shopping (Aventura, Bal Harbour or Town Center....) but I hope I´ll get it in November, when going to Florida again with my buddy.

15th Street Fisheries looks great, but I think, I´ll have the same problem.

But thanks again.

So, have to head over to Magic Kingdom ( MONORAIL!!!!) because my daughter is so exited about her first visit to Disneyland that she woke up at 4 am and tried to force us to go to the park! Need some more Coffee!

Gerd.

^ LOL, that's what I was like when I went to Disney World for the first time in fourth grade.

So, I´m back in Germany, .... (no more comment needed!)

Here´s part one of my report about american cuisine!

The "VIX", South Beach.

Yup, even if most of the european people won´t believe it:

There´s more than fries and Burgers in the USA and the jobs, the US-chefs do are really great!

Last Friday, our friends we stay with did babysitting and so my wife and I went down to South Beach to have dinner and go for a drink after that.

While driving down the turnpike, the weather changed and I began to rain cats and dogs, but after 5 Minutes, that rainstorm was over and it turned into a warm and lovely Friday Evening.

So, back to the "VIX":

The food just great. every bite was a explosion of aromatics and everything was prepared like it has to be, the fish wasn´t dry, the Kobe-steak was grilled "a-Point", the spices weren´t too hot, everything was just right!

The restaurant itself is impressive, very stylish, you have a fish-tank with real jellyfish on the one side, on the other side you can watch the chefs preparing your dish in the open kitchen.

One thing, they should work on is their staff of servants, very uppish and for the price-range, this restaurant is, not professional enough.

Example: We ordered wine and champagne by the bottle, but once, our glases were empty, we had to fill up by ourself, that´s not the guests job, it´s the job of the waiter.

They removed my wife´s plate even if I haven´t finished eating...

But all in all,

The "VIX" is an incredible restaurant with awesome tasty and creative spiced food.

Enough talked, on to the Pics,

Gerd

so, that´s it for today, I´ll leave you with a pic of the winderful illuminated "Pelican" at Ocean Drive.

Hope you enjoyed the Pics,

Gerd.

and last but not least, always leave some space for the sweet:

"Variety of chocolate and wild spices"

FANTASTIC!!!!!

...while I had:

"Oak-Grilled Kobe-Filet with caramelized Chanterelles and Sage-Potato- and Cauliflower-Mash."

After that, my wife had the

"Grilled Swordfish on and topped with honey-sauted roquette"...

That´s my "Appetizer":

Marinated Lobster Tartar on spicy sweetpotato-pancake.

... incredible tasty!!!

That´s what my wife had as Starter:

Poached Halibut with a iced soup of Melon, vanilla and chillis

The Jellyfish-tank you see when entering the restaurant.

Here we are!

Hungry!!!!!!

After I finally found a parking lot that wasn´t stuffed (16th st. , ...)

we did a walk down Ocean Drive where I saw this beauty.

That´s what the weather was when we enterd the ramp to McArthur Causeway, it was raining cats and dogs, you couldn´t even see the cruiseship-terminal or Palm- or Star Island while passing the causeway.

That swordfish looked delicious!

Sorry to hear about the service though. That sounds like typical American attitude on the part of the wait staff....which I've found to be very hit or miss down there.

Anyway, thanks for the SoBe pics. Sometimes I still miss going down there to eat, hang out, party, or all of the above.

Did I tell you, that I found the perfect burger?

Last saturday, we went to the beach at Lauderdale-by-the-sea and on our way to LasOlas, we got a little hungry. The kids wanted burgers and fries but we didn´t want to give Mc Donalds or Burger King a visit, so our friends told us to try Jack´s old Fashioned Burgers on Federal Highway.

When we arrived there, my first thought was:

"He must be kidding, this creepy hut and they serve good food inside?..."

But the parking lot was stuffed and that´s mostly a good sign for good food.

So I parked the car and we went inside.

When I opened the door, a taste of fresh grilled beef touched my nose and it was so mouthwatering.

We ordered our food at the counter and Deborah, the girl who did our order was very, very friendly and very helpful with making a choice.

The burgers we had were the most tasteful and juiciest burger I ever had in my whole life.

So, if you ever drive down Federal Highway in Ft. Lauderdale, make sure to visit Jack´s old fashioned Burgers at Oakland Park.

So, on to the pics:

That was the most tasty, most juiciest and freshest burger I ever had!

... my choice was the 1/2 lb cheeseburger!

It looks awesome, doesn´t it??!!!

While my wife only had a simple hamburger and fries ( I love fries and burgers served in a basket, by the way! ) ...

Part of the menu,

Even if it´s a self-service restaurant, they have flyers with the menu on the tables. A good idea.

Here we are, looks old and creepy from outside but the food they serve is to die for.

^Gerd, most of the best burger and BBQ joints in the U.S. look like complete dumps. Thanks for sharing your discovery--a good burger joint is to be treasured.

Darn you, Gerd. This report is making me homesick and hungry! Jack's is definitely one of the best out there. The next time you're at Lauderdale by the Sea, you can also find the world's best hoagie at LaSpadas. These things are so good that the place has been known to ship their hoagies same day FedEx to kids away at college...thanks to some really understanding parents.

Hmmm, maybe I need to give Mom a call tomorrow.

Keep the good stuff coming. Looking forward to more!

The next time you're at Lauderdale by the Sea, you can also find the world's best hoagie at LaSpadas!

Thanks for that recommendation, Scott.

I´ve already been to LaSpadas during another Florida-Trip, but only to the one at Sample Road, Coral Springs. Their hoagies are amazing, I tried the "Monster", and all I can remember was, that it was one of the best subs, I´ve ever eaten.

I really understand you about getting homesick and hungry, I´m feeling the same, not homesick but hungry and with the great wish to return to southern Florida at once, not even because my wife and the kids are still there for one more week, also because of that delicious food I´ve eaten there.

Did the salad come in a baggy?

Did the salad come in a baggy?

....yes, it really did.

First looked strange to me, too, but that makes sense:

it makes sure that the salad stays really fresh and doesn´t get the consistence of an old piece of kitchen-tissue and the bun couldn´t get soaked by the liquid that get´s out of the tomato when you just put on to your burger just right in the moment before you eat it.

That would make me happy, usually I pick it all out anyway!

That place looks great, I will go there if I ever go to Florida again, did you happen to ride the Dania Beach Hurricane? Looking back, my biggest mistake in Fort Lauderdale was not riding that wooden beast.

I am happy you got back to Germany safely and hope your family has a safe trip back, and cant wait for Gerd's Kitchen to start again.

I am happy you got back to Germany safely and hope your family has a safe trip back, and cant wait for Gerd's Kitchen to start again.

Yupp, we are all back safely, thank´s for all your posts.

In the moment, summer-season has started, there are lot of tourists in town and we are very, very busy at the restaurant and café, but I promise I´ll come up with some new recipes as soon as time allows

Gerd,

I see you ate at Jacks! I was there a few weeks back... that burger was GOOD!

BAD for my diet though...

I can eat there more often on my cheat days, since it's only 5 minutes away from my new place! And it doesn't cost much more than eating at McDonald's!

Terry

I see you ate at Jacks! I was there a few weeks back... that burger was GOOD!

 

BAD for my diet though...

Terry

Yupp, their burgers are great!

...and about your diet:

You have to choose the right prorities in life,

When your brain says: "...BURGERS!!!!!", you have to feed it with a burger!!!!

I can eat there more often on my cheat days, since it's only 5 minutes away from my new place! And it doesn't cost much more than eating at McDonald's!

Terry

I´m jealous!!!!

Have one for me when you go there the next time!

Gerd "DIETS-SUCKS!!!!!" Müller

Being diabetic, I'm supposed to watch fat, salt, etc. As a rule, I'm pretty good. However, I do enjoy a good burger and an occasional one does me no harm.

Here at home, I grill sirloin patties on my George Foreman grill. I lose a lot of fat, but little flavor. Put a nice big pattie on a whole wheat bun with a slice of Cheddar, and, voila, a great burger!

Eric

So, took some time, but here I´m back again with a new recipe:

One of the best breads you can imagine:

ORIGINAL BAVARIAN FARMER`S BREAD

It´s very easy and simple to made, the only thing is that it takes a long time to rise before baking, but the smell when you put it out of the oven and the taste when you eat it is unbelievable!

That´s how I serve the bread as a pre-dinner-snack at the restaurant: with Fleur de sel (a very tasty kind of sea-salt) and fresh farmers-butter!

Enjoy!

get the bread out of the baking tins immediately! Use a towel so you can´t burn your hands!

Let the bread cool out for two hours before you cut it!

after 75 minutes, the bread is ready and want´s to get out of the oven at once!

Believe me, while baking, your house is filled with a mouthwatering smell!!!

Bake the bread for 75 minutes at 400°F.

After 3 hours, the dough has nearly doubled it´s volume and is now ready to bake.

Cover the tins with a clean kitchen-towel and leave them for at least 3 hours!

Part the dough in equal parts and give them into baking tins.

I prever baking tins made out of silicon, they are very easy to handle, they don´t stick and have a very long live even when used every day!

Now, cover the dough with flour, too, and start to knead it again!

Cover your kitchen-counter with flour and give the dough on it!

Time to wake up the dough with a loud "GOOOOOOD MOOOORNING!"!

The next morning:

Time to wake up the chef, feed him with some cans of sugar-free Red Bull!

So, and now leave the dough outside overnight so that the yeast and the sour-dough can work and give taste! leave the dough for at least 20 hours!!!!!

"Good night, Mr. Dough! See you tomorrow!!!"

... and cover the bowl´s surface well with foil, so that the dough can´t dry out!

Cover the surface well with wheat-flour ....

Now knead again until you have a fluffy, sticky piece of dough!

... and pour the rest into the chef! By the way, THAT`S the real reason why I love baking bread!!! )

When the dough is to compact, pour in some beer (it gives good taste to the bread) ...

... and start to knead very well.

... and warm water ...

Pour in the Solur-dough ...

... and finally the spice-mixture.

... the salt ....

... give in the yeast ....

Give the Rye- and the Wheat-flour into a real big bowl, ...

...until it is fine like powder.

First, we start with the mixture of spices:

Give the Anise, caraway and coriander into a mortar and crush it real good, ...

Anise, grinded caraway, corianderseeds, Wheat- and rye-flour, salt, instant-yeast, warm water, the sour-dough.

I just put together your shopping-list: ...

Two days, before you want to bake your bread, you have to make your sour-dough.

Once you made it, you can use it for 3-4 weeks, just leave it in a Tupperware-bowl and stir from time to time.

That looks good!

Maybe it has been mentioned before and I must have missed it, but what restaurant do you work at, cause if I'm ever in that area, I will defiantly stop by. Your food looks very tasty!

--James