Click on any picture in this post for larger image.

SPIFFS (www.spiffs.org/), the St. Petersburg International Folk Fair Society, is one of the beloved institutions of St. Pete. I’m honored to be their official photographer this year while their regular photographer is in the hospital.

This year, the fair has been moved from the spring to the fall. It is open to the general public Saturday November 7, 2009, 10am-10pm and Sunday November 8, 2009, 11am-7pm. Admission $8.00 children under 12 free w/paid adult.

I’m posting this article a day earlier than usual in hopes that those who read it will decide to go to the St. Petersburg International Folk Fair tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday.

The fair is usually in Vinoy park, but this year it’s in a slightly different location. It’s on Alfred Whitted Park, along the northern edge of Alfred Whitted Airport. I’ve discovered that all the online search map programs incorrectly identify the location and address of this park! But, the directions are simple: take 5th Avenue South until it deadends at Bayshore Drive. There will be police directing you where to park.

Thursday and Friday of this past week were school days, during which Tampa Bay area students attend the fair. The photos in this post were taken during that time.

If you enjoy these photos, please go to http://inkwatu.com/spiffs-2009-photo-page/ for the final edits for each of the days as well as some collections by subject. This file will be updated until all photos from the event are posted.

A full-sized slideshow of all the pictures in this post is at this Flickr set. A webpage with link to slideshows and albums of ALL the stages and booths throughout the four-day fair is available at SPIFFS 2009 Photo Page.

I’ll now simply present the rest of the photos in this SPIFFS Thai Orchid collection without comment…hope you enjoy them. Be sure to click on pictures for larger images. Hope to see you at the fair!

Celebrating autumn and winter holidays down here in the semi-tropics is always a little unconvincing because the temperatures are still in the upper 80s to mid-90s. But, many here are transplants–temporary or permanent–from climates that have actual seasons so we bring our traditions with us. We even relish the dissonance of seeing a carved pumpkin next to a palm tree as in the photo above (be sure to click it for a better view).

And, yes, we can grow pumpkins here. There are huge fields where you can go pick your own. But…you’re more likely to find a field of watermelon!

Or a pile of coconuts!

And, instead of stalks ready for a hayride, you’re much more likely to find a passel of sugar cane. (I remember my father teaching me how to cut and chew sugar cane when I was a tiny little boy…a fond memory, and I can actually remember the grainy, sweet, sweet, sweet taste.)

Have a Happy Halloween everyone!

The tagline of Inkwatu is “Delights, Near and Far.” Many of these delights are independently owned food establishments (restaurants or markets) with tasty food, pleasing ambiance, friendly staff, ethnic authenticity, inventive dishes, and reasonable prices. Some of these delights are activities, events, locations, artists, buildings, aspects of nature, books, and non-food businesses that grab me, that contribute to a sense of well-being, that make living fun.

One of those delights is seeing local entrepreneurs with great ideas become successful. One instance is Ester Venouziou, founder of LocalShops1.com. She began LocalShops1.com (in her own words), because “Many small businesses don’t have the time or money to invest in a quality Web site or a huge marketing campaign. So we wanted to create a place where they all could be listed, for free. We want to show the world the creativity, beauty and uniqueness that Indies have!”

She continues, ” I grew up in Brazil, and some of my favorite memories have to do with shopping, mostly with my grandmother and my sister, on Saturday mornings. We’d go to the produce market, chat with the vendors as we picked up fruits and veggies. Then it was off to a meat market, or to the fish guy. Along the way we stopped at the newsstand, where my grandmother picked up the daily paper. Eventually we’d end up at my parents’ shop, a fabric store named after my mom.”

Ester’s concept—creating an interactive community of local shoppers and shops—is well thought out. As she points out, “On a typical November day, the Tampa Independence Business Alliance reports, if all taxable purchases in Hillsborough County were made at locally owned independent businesses instead of national chains, it would make a $28 million dollar difference to the local economy. Economics aside, supporting the independents helps link us to the past, and ensures our communities retain charm and character in the future.”

The depth and importance of this idea wasn’t lost on local movers and shakers: LocalShops1.com recently won a $250,000 media package sponsored by Humana &. Fifth Third Federal Bank, Tampa Tribune, WFLA news Channel 8, tbo.com, 820 AM newstalk, 1040 ESPN Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Business Journal, and Tampa Bay magazine. What a tremendous achievement for only having been in operation one year.

Ester—she’s very much a “first name” personality–creates this community through a number of different avenues:

• a magazine (online copy of first issue) managed by Marisa Barbosa,
• expert branding and ads by Malcolm Out Loud,
• a gang of coordinators who are a big part of LocalShops1.com’s success: Latoya Brown, Gulfport/Beaches/south Pinellas county coordinator; Pat Largo, Pasco county coordinator; Brenda Smoak, Manatee/Sarasota counties coordinator; Jennifer Steele, St. Petersburg/North Pinellas coordinator,
• on facebook: www.facebook.com/localshops1com,
• on twitter: www.twitter.com/LocalShops1com,
• various events such as parties, clothing swaps, etc., and
• where it all comes together, the website: LocalShops1.com.

I have a shopper’s membership with LocalShops1.com. I encourage you to get one, too. It’s free. The website is your key to checking out LocalShops1.com. When you go there, you’ll notice that the front page lists the latest news regarding local shopping including the coming LocalShops1 social gatherings which are key to the success and uniqueness of what Ester has created. Examples are (at the time of the writing of this post) a party at Bradenton Beach and a Clothes Swap in Dunedin as well as a contest with a $50 prize.

On the website, you’ll find a list of more than 800 businesses listed, making it Tampa Bay’s largest network of local, independent businesses and independent-minded shoppers. I say “more than” because the list expands, daily. An important website page is the 1CardOffers page which lists a number of outstanding offers by businesses. This is a page you’ll want to print out and keep in your car. You’ll also want to print out the Sales page which lists current sales, in addition to the above promotions, from the business members. Be sure to check the News page for all the latest on local shopping events.

I want to say it again because it’s so important: memberships for shoppers and basic listings for businesses are FREE!.

There are also expanded plans for businesses starting at 55 cents a day. You can contact LocalShops1.com by email, phone (727.637.5586), or mail (P.O. Box 530144, St. Petersburg, FL 33747). Ester says, “we’re always looking for journalism, marketing and web interns to join our staff; as well as smart, happy, not-pushy experienced salespeople.” Whether as an intern, a volunteer, a business, or a shopper, LocalShops1.com is a phenomenon–you definitely want to be a part of it.

OPEN HEARTH BBQ AT JAZZY’S

There is a gold standard for barbecues: Leatha’s, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi (6374 U S Hwy 98; 601-271-6003). I had the privilege of tasting that standard when my Mississippi Cuzn Don treated me and part of his family to supper there. I got to experience, first hand, the prodigious memory of Miss Leatha’s daughter’s memory. She can take an order for a table of a dozen or more and repeat it back, properly assigned to each customer, in complete detail without writing it down, after only hearing it once.

JAZZY’S BARBECUED RIBS

But, the food at Leatha’s, is of course, why everybody goes there. It’s tops. As I understand the story, her old restaurant was destroyed by some natural disaster–flood I think–and a group of businessmen bought her a new place just so the city of Hattiesburg would not be deprived of her cooking. It’s that good.

JAZZY’S BARBECUED CHICKEN

Well…I thought Leatha’s was the gold standard until I ate at Jazzy’s in Tampa. A motorcyclist friend habituates Jazzy’s (5703 W. Waters Ave., Tampa, FL 33634-1216; 813-243-8872) whenever he and his buddies go riding out in west Tampa. He took his wife and I to eat there not too long ago and I am grateful. I now know the gold standard for barbeque is in my own backyard: Jazzy’s BBQ — Taste and See! — It’s all good!

JAZZY’S BARBECUED HOMEMADE SAUSAGE

You can tell you’re at a REAL barbeque when you drive into Jazzy’s parking lot because beside the building is an enormous pile of chopped firewood. When you step inside, you’re greeted by the maestro of the kitchen wielding a cleaver, artfully chopping ribs and chicken he’s just taken off the open hearth grill behind the counter where you place your order. In addition to the ribs and chicken and various side dishes, they also have their own homemade smoked sausage which I just had to have (I’m a rabid “sausageanista.”) It was perfect: tasty, soft inside with a crispy, natural casing. And the sauce…oh my.

YOU KNOW IT’S A REAL BARBECUE WHEN THE WOOD IS STACKED OUT BACK

The AOL yellowpages has this review from which I’d like to quote a paragraph about the owner of Jazzy’s:

“Retired NFL player Johnny Ray Smith, a defensive back for the Tampa Bay Bucs 1981-84, opened Jazzy’s in the mid 1990s. It didn’t take long for the restaurant to gain a loyal clientele of area industrial and office workers, as well as people calling in orders from the farthest reaches of Hillsborough County. With just an order counter, some airbrush art and formation of two-seater tables, the 50-capacity Jazzy’s has become a favorite for barbecue lovers all over Tampa Bay. It’s all that wood that goes in the pit. You see those hickory logs piling up outside and smell it smoking juicy meat the moment you step out of your car (a torturous tease when driving by). Everything is homemade at Jazzy’s: Smith makes the sauce on the premises, one sweet and mild, the other hot and peppery, and the desserts are also prepared by Johnny’s wife, co-owner Pam Smith – sumptuous 7-Up pound cake, mini pecan or sweet potato pies.”

ONE OF THE MURALS AT JAZZY’S

This is an extremely comfortable place with a welcoming atmosphere and worth the drive from any point within the greater Tampa Bay area. On Fridays they have some special items they don’t have the rest of the week: mac and cheese, collards and cornbread. Next time, you can bet I’m going on a Friday!

JAZZY’S BBQ — TASTE AND SEE! — IT’S ALL GOOD!

It’s that time of the year in Florida. The hot, humid days of late summer are just beginning to pass away. There’s the occasional cool front that comes through (we never seem to have real cold fronts). And the festivals begin. A couple weeks ago I went to the Geckofest (geckofest.com) in one of my favorite parts of the St. Petersburg area, Gulfport, Florida. There are several other Inkwatu posts on Gulfport you might want to visit: Gulfport fresh market, Gulfport Florida, and Before TV.

The Geckofest is very much a family and kid friendly event with lots of body painting and fake tattoos as well as inflatables. For the adults, many tents where local craftsmen display their work. And, everywhere: music! Bands, solo artists, and even a belly dancing troupe are scattered through the venue. Of course, many food and drink vendors. A worthwhile experience, especially for families as the pictures in this post show.

The Geckofest is hardly the only fall festival in the area, though. For examples, there are the local Okterberfests I reported on last week (see Oktoberfest). This weekend is the Sunshine City Antiques and Collectibles Show at the Coliseum. November 27-29 the Coliseum hosts a Gem, Jewelry and Bead Show, on January 8-10 another Sunshine City Antiques and Collectibles Show, and on January 16-17 a Buckler’s Craft Show. One not to be missed is the The Florida Antiquarian Booksellers Association’s 29th Annual Florida Antiquarian Book Fair Friday, March 12 through Sunday, March 14, 2010 at the Coliseum. For a complete list of shows at the Coliseum see the Coliseum Events page.

Another St. Pete festival not to be missed is the St. Petersburg International Folk Fair Society (SPIFFS.org) 35th International Folk Festival which has a new date this year: General Public–Saturday November 7, 2009, 10am-10pm and Sunday November 8, 2009, 11am-7pm; School Days–November 5th & 6th, 9am-3pm. Admission is $8.00 children under 12 free w/paid adult.

In progress right now, is the renowned Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival which runs October 8-18, 2009. One of the most venerable of St. Pete’s festivals is the Festival of the States which dates back to 1896; it features many marching bands and floats. Two of the biggest festivals are the Gasparilla Pirate Festival over in Tampa (its art show is a must see) and the Strawberry Festival over in Plant City, just east of Tampa. The list goes on and on, including the St. Petersburg Cajun Zydeko Crawfish Festival, McDill AirFest, the Bay Area Renaissance Festival, and Creative Clay’s Folkfest which just concluded a couple weeks ago. (See Creative Clay Folkfest for a report on last year’s event.)

Here’s some links you’ll want to bookmark to keep track of the latest information on all area festivals:

• St. Petersburg Festivals
• Florida Beaches Events
• Pinellasarts Festival Guide

If you think all we do down here is party at festivals and eat…you might be right!

If you are looking for something fun to do tonight—especially if you’re a family—go to the final night of the German American Society of Pinellas County OKTOBERFEST! (8098 66th St. N., Pinellas Park, FL 33781). They serve food from 6 pm-8:30 pm and the event (and beer!) continues until 11:30 pm. Admission is $6, food and drinks you pay for what you order, cash.

They have many of the traditional Oktoberfest meals and pastries. I had the weisswurst (a white sausage) and sauerkraut, plus reiberdatschi (potato pancakes) and then käsekuchen (cheesecake). There are plenty of other German foods at the fest, some of which are pictured here. For example, they had freshly made schnitzel, deep fried on the spot (one of my friends was the schnitzel maker the night I was there) and something I’ve never seen before: thick slices of German bologna, fried. I was too stuffed to try that, but I will remember it for next year.

The best features of the evening for me, though, were the music and dancing. The night I was there, the band was one of the best German bands I’ve ever heard (and I’ve heard a bunch). Not all German bands are created equal. This one grooved! Very tight, very “long” rhythms that made you want to dance. There was no way to sit still.

The dancing highlight of the evening–in fact the reason I went–was performed by friends who are the Gulf Coast Enzianer Schuhplattler Verein which is “a nonprofit, cultural preservation society that is dedicated to upholding the traditions of Bavarian culture through dancing Schuhplattler and wearing Tracht.” Tracht is traditional Bavarian clothes; for instance, lederhosen for men. Schuhplattler is the style of Bavarian dancing that involves stamping and slapping. Unfortunately, too many people only recognize it from Chevy Chase’s lampooning of it in his “European Vacation” movie. In reality, it is a beautiful folk dance form that has many proponents, world-wide. It is excellent for family group participation.

For my friends, Wednesday night (their Schuhplattler rehearsal night) is family night. It is an ideal family activity with a focus on lighthearted fun and sociability. In fact, most German folk music (I confess to being a lifelong fan of German yodels and polkas) have words that are about family life and the home. If this idea intrigues you for your own family, check out their website and their photo page. For sure, try to make it to the German-American Club’s Oktoberfest tonight to watch them dance. Immediately below is a slideshow of my friends’ group dancing last weekend at the Pinellas German-American Club Oktoberfest.

If you can’t make the final night of the German American Club’s Oktoberfest tonight, then make plans to attend the Oldsmar Oktoberfest, October 23-25, held at Tampa Bay Downs (11225 Racetrack Rd., Tampa, FL 33626). This is a mammoth event with rides and music and lots of food. See this Oldsmar Chamber of Commerce page for complete details on that event.

If big crowds aren’t your thing, then try something smaller: area German restaurants are offering special menus during this time, some even having their own mini-Oktoberfests. Be sure to make reservations for these since seating is at a premium during this season. A few examples are the Schnitzelhaus in Tampa, Cafe Vienna in St. Petersburg, Bavarian House on St. Pete Beach, and Cafe Berlin on Treasure Island. I’m sure that even the German bakeries will be having special featured items this time of year, such as the Cafe Mozart German Bakery in St. Pete.

Prost!

I’m proud to announce that the September 2009 issue of Asia Trend Magazine carries my first article and photos as one of their contributing food writers. Asia Trend Magazine is out of Winter Park, Florida, but has a circulation that covers the entire state. You can pick up a copy of the magazine, for free, in most Asian establishments. You can also see my article online in an Adobe Flash version, or you can read it below where I’ve reposted it with permission of Asia Trend Magazine. If you really want to make yourself hungry, you can view a full-size slideshow of the photos in the post as well as the original photos that comprise the collage photos. (I really recommend the slideshow–it’s mouthwatering!)

THE OCEANIC FAMILY

The website for the Oceanic Oriental Supermarket contains this evocative phrase: “From its humble beginnings as a small dry goods store over the years to an indispensible Tampa establishment providing products from rosewood furniture to fresh fish to imported and locally grown produce…”

I remember that small, humble store well. I shopped there often over the years and watched as it grew to its present, supermarket size. Shopping at Oceanic was always an exciting experience and it still is. Most recently, Oceanic’s growth has extended into an entire family of related businesses, which includes not only the Asian grocery, but also a restaurant equipment supply store, a video and stationary store, and T.C. Choy’s Asian Bistro, Tampa’s premiere Asian restaurant.

T.C. CHOY’S ASIAN BISTRO

T.C. Choy’s hits that sweet spot between Eastern culinary authenticity and Western dining expectations—it fully satisfies both. The decor is subdued with muted earth colors highlighting an impressive translucent mural isolating the main dining area from a small liquor bar. Soft music plays in the background, (J.S. Bach, the day I was most recently there) while off to one side of the main dining area there is a sushi bar. There is also a small, beautifully appointed, secluded private dining room for special occasions. In the main dining room, behind the sushi bar, is an open kitchen where cooks prepare traditional as well as innovative Asian dishes. T.C. Choy’s website (www.tcchoysbistro.com) details their entire, extensive menu. But today, I would like to call your attention to their dim sum.

DIM SUM

Dim sum, in case you’re not familiar with the term, is a Chinese dining tradition during which a number of small dishes are served with tea, not unlike tapas in Spanish cuisine. The customers select these dishes from carts that are wheeled around the room from dining table to dining table. These are shared, family style, among the friends and family who have gathered at table. One of the things that’s especially nice about T.C. Choy’s is that they have preserved the custom of carts pushed around the room. These days, too many restaurants that serve dim sum, simply bring a short dim sum menu from which you order and then the ordered dishes are brought to your table. In keeping to tradition, T.C. Choy’s emphasizes the freshness and temperature of the dim sum they serve.

Now, you must understand that dim sum is a shared event and it’s done leisurely, with much good conversation and goodwill. The result is that a seemingly gargantuan amount of food is consumed. In preparing for this review of T.C. Choy’s, I sampled their baked barbeque pork buns, sesame seed ball in lotus paste, siu mai (pork & shrimp dumpling), steamed chicken feet with black bean, steamed spare ribs with black bean, pan fried turnip cake (daikon radish cake), pan fried chives dumpling with shrimp and mushrooms, shrimp and rice-noodle roll, steamed tofu-skin shrimp and pork rolls, and sticky rice (with chicken, shrimp, mushroom, and pork sausage) wrapped in lotus leaf.

And, it didn’t end there! I also sampled a type of dim sum of T.C. Choy’s own invention which they call Kitchen Specials. Pictured are four Kitchen Specials: salt & pepper shrimp, fried tofu stuffed with shrimp paste, Chinese broccoli in oyster sauce, and eggplant stuffed with shrimp paste—all very tasty and worth the little extra they cost.

Sharon Choi, manager of T.C. Choy’s, assured me that in addition to their selection of dishes which are usually vegetarian, they will happily modify any dish to make it vegetarian. For instance, the pan fried chives dumpling with shrimp and mushrooms—a new dim sum dish for me and an instant, new favorite—can be made without the shrimp.

The steamed chicken feet were the best I’ve had anywhere, including Beijing. They had just the right texture (I like them “fluffy”). One has one’s favorites, of course, but everything I sampled was extremely good. I recommend T.C. Choy’s dim sum very highly. It’s served daily. Weekends are quite busy, so you might want to excuse yourself from work for a leisurely mid-week, extended lunch of dim sum at T.C. Choy’s. Just be sure you don’t have too much work planned for the afternoon because you’ll be serenely floating after swallowing clouds of dumplings.

T.C. Choy’s Asian Bistro (www.tcchoysbistro.com) is located at 301 S. Howard Ave., Tampa, FL 33606-1728; (813) 251-1191. The Oceanic Oriental Supermarket; Oceanic Restaurant Equipment Supply; and, Ocean Video and Stationary (www.oceanicmarket.com) are located at 1609 N. Tampa St., Tampa, FL 33602-2646; (813) 228-8110.

The best non-fiction book I have read this year is The Power of Coincidence: How Life Shows Us What We Need to Know, by David Richo. I don’t say that lightly, because I read a lot of books. It’s so good, in fact, that I’ve already begun rereading it.

THE CASSADAGA HOTEL
(note the spirit orb that mysteriously appeared in the photo of the bedroom)

The Power of Coincidence is a book about synchronicity. Synchronicity was first recognized as part of the human experience by Carl Jung, a student of Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis. Jung broke with his teacher to form his own approach to psychology which became the foundation of modern depth psychology. Richo, the author of the book I mentioned above, refers to synchronicity as “meaningful coincidences…that may guide us, warn us, or confirm us on our path…always unexpected and somehow uncanny in [their] accuracy of connection or revelation.”

Why am I starting a piece on the Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp with information about Carl Jung and synchronicity? I want to provide you with one possible avenue to gain intellectual entry into an exploration of Cassadaga that, assuming you’re not a spiritualist, will allow you to appreciate what goes on there. Please note, I say “one possible avenue.” There could be many others including taking the beliefs of spiritualism at face value. But, looking at mediums from the perspective of depth psychology works for me and it might for you. In fact, Jung’s writings, especially his Memories, Dreams, Reflections, explore alchemy, divination, astrology, and UFOs, from just such a perspective: mirrors that reveal glimpses of motives and feelings and desires of which we may not be consciously aware.

Of course, you could explore Cassadaga, Florida, purely for its historical charm as a town founded in 1894 that is now an historical district. But, I think it’s much more meaningful to actually take a taste of its very reason for existing: spiritualism.

Cassadaga is an entire town comprised only of mediums, psychics, clairvoyants, and diviners of different traditions, all of which are covered under the term spiritualism, which the Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Association describes as a “Science, philosophy, and religion based upon the principle of continuous life.” For a fuller statement of what their church believes, be sure to read this page from their website: Spiritualism Defined.

Recently, a friend and I traveled to Cassadaga. We stayed at the Cassadaga Hotel & Psychic Center, an early 20th century hotel that is reputed to be haunted. We each had separate, private readings done by a medium associated with the hotel. We were both extremely impressed by the things our intuitive said to us during the course of our respective 45 minute sessions.

One of the contemporary terms used instead of “medium” is “intuitive.” I like that term because it fits with my own way of approaching this whole thing. As humans, we have intuitive powers that make us far more perceptive than we realize. Too often, to our detriment, we dismiss our intuition. It is totally conceivable to me that a medium can accurately intuit issues and attitudes with which a client is grappling. That insight, sincerely and empathically discussed, can then, as I said earlier, act as a mirror that reveals a glimpse into our subconscious. That glimpse, as Richo says, “…that may guide us, warn us, or confirm us on our path…always unexpected and somehow uncanny in its accuracy of connection or revelation” has the power of a synchronicity, a meaningful correspondence between the inner and the outer (a paraphrase of one of Jung’s own definitions).

I hope you travel to this historical town near us and I hope you permit yourself to suspend your hardcore rationality long enough to enjoy a session with one of the psychics. There are a list of them associated with the hotel available through the hotel website (www.cassadagahotel.net) and another list of psychics in town available through the town’s website (www.cassadaga.org). We picked ours more or less at random and were very pleased.

We also went to the Spiritualist healing and reading service that night at the Colby Memorial Temple there in town. The healing portion was particularly interesting to me. My friend has not had trouble with her knee since then. That’s the kind of tale that, of course, gives skeptics conniptions, but…a fact is a fact. It may be only the placebo effect, but placebos have a very long and very useful history.

Of course, Halloween is coming up. Halloween night, there is a Witches Ball in Cassadaga! That might be just the excuse to rent a room at the hotel, try out a medium, and get some snapshots of some ghosts. If there’s anywhere in Florida that’s guaranteed to have ghosts, it’s got to be Cassadaga.

Here is a link to a full-sized SLIDESHOW of all the pictures in this post.

BANYAN COFFEE & TEA CO.

When a friend asked me more than once if I’d “been to Banyan yet,” I should have known I was missing out by not going. I finally went and discovered the charm that had my friend so enthused.

Banyan Coffee & Tea is another one of those recession startups that I’ve seen around town. Island Seafood is another. They seem so improbable because of the tough times. I truly hope they’re well capitalized so they can survive the economy. Places like Island Seafood, Banyan Coffee & Tea, and Nitally’s (which I’ve heard from Ester Venouziou, owner of the wildly successful venture, Local Shops1, is moving to Central Avenue) deserve to not only survive but flourish. They have unique character and culinary visions.

Banyan Coffee & Tea (689 Dr Martin Luther King Jr. St., Saint Petersburg, FL 33701-2138; 727-896-6100), is a breakfast and lunch place in a section of MLK Street that is developing into a thriving arts community of its own, featuring the creative arts space, NOVA. Step into Banyan and you’re immediately greeted by a case of baked goods such as bagels and fresh scones baked on the premises. Above the counter is the largest collection of Fiestaware I’ve ever seen anywhere—it includes some beautiful “modern” style tall triangular mugs and an immense bowl.

Banyan is locavore in every sense of the word–everything sold there is local. That is a feature they are proud of. Even the decorations are salvaged from former St. Petersburg businesses. Of course, in keeping with its name—Coffee & Tea—there is a collection of coffee and tea related items such as infusers and coffee pots and coffee. They feature Kahwa coffee, a local coffee roasting and coffee manufacturing company which, in addition to its wholesale business, also has its own little coffee shop, the Kahwa Cafe & Espresso Bar (475 2nd St. N., St. Petersburg, FL 33701; 727-823-4700).

INTERIOR VIEW

I’ve had tea and munchies at the Kahwa Cafe & Espresso Bar a few times and enjoy its quiet, hip atmosphere, but I tend to gravitate more toward the homey, child-of-the-60s-in-Northern-California quality of Banyan Coffee & Tea which serves a full line of espresso, cappuccino, latte, and mocha drinks.

The real hit for me at Banyan Coffee & Tea is its breakfast menu. It’s small, but the selections are extremely tasty. I usually have their hot pressed sandwich of hickory smoked bacon, sautéed spinach, fried egg and white cheddar cheese on Cuban bread. Everything was completely fresh and gourmet quality. They also have several breakfast burritos that look equally intriguing…but I can’t stop ordering that hot pressed sandwich!

The luncheon menu is equally interesting with portabella sandwiches, grilled goat cheese sandwiches, and a fresh greens salad, to mention just a few of the items served at lunch.

They deliver! Their deliver hours are 11am-2pm, Monday through Friday. The restaurant is open Monday through Friday, 7am-2pm, Saturday 8am-12pm, closed Sunday.

COUNTER AREA

TURKISH TEA

Two friends of mine are planning an extended trip to Turkey this spring. They will be spending 10 whole days in Istanbul, allowing themselves to get to know the place a little deeper than the typical tourist. They did something similar with Finland a few years ago. They make the experience last well beyond those 10 nights in Istanbul by thoroughly indulging themselves in anticipatory behavior such as reading English-language Istanbul newspapers and Istanbul: Memories and the City by the Nobel prize winning author, Ferit Orhan Pamuk. Fortunately for you and me, one of their anticipatory activities is searching out good Turkish restaurants in the area!

MIXED APPETIZERS

The Tampa Bay area encompasses about 2,554.5 sq. mi. with a population of almost 2.8 million people.[ref] That’s the 19th largest metro area in the US. It sprawls around Tampa Bay with St. Petersburg, Clearwater, and other beach towns on the Pinellas County peninsula to the west and Tampa, Brandon, Bradenton, and Sarasota on the larger peninsula of Florida, itself, to the east and southeast. It definitely presents a challenge to those who feel compelled to sample all the wonderful restaurants available in the area.

In their quest for local Turkish restaurants, my friends found one that demanded to be visited. It’s on Hillsborough Avenue, west of the Veterans Expressway–quite a “fer piece” from either St. Petersburg or most of Tampa. However, my friends and I took the trek this past week, and the trek was worth it. In their mental preparations for their coming trip, my friends have discovered a goldmine: Shish Kebab & Turkish Cuisine (www.ShishTampa.com), 10061 W. Hillsborough Ave., Tampa, FL 33615, 813-443-5118.

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MEDITERRANEAN SALAD AND ADANA KEBAB

I recommend this restaurant, very highly. It’s too far for me to visit except on special occasions, but I will definitely be back. My friends and I went at lunch-time. The Shish website has a complete menu; view it, and you can see that they have very reasonably priced lunch specials. These “lunch size portions” are huge! One look at the photos in this post and you can see what I’m talking about. I can’t imagine what the dinner sized portions are like.

I want to go for dinner some evening, because the entire outside area in front of Shish has been set up with torches and numerous low, easy-chairs with equally low tables among them for those who come to smoke the hookah in the evenings–and, there is such a group; you’ll notice similar gatherings outside the S. Dale Mabry Borders coffee shop in the evenings and on weekends. The interior of Shish is equally exotic and restful, decorated with black and white prints of evocative photos of Turkey by the Tampa fine art photographer, Richard Stewart.

MIXED GREEN SALAD AND DONER KEBAB

One of my friends had Mixed Greens Salad with lemon and olive oil dressing and the Adana Kebab (chopped lamb flavored with red bell peppers and paprika). My other friend had the Mediterranean Salad (romaine, carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, black olives, lemon juice, olive oil, and feta cheese) with the Doner Kebab (spit grilled, thinly sliced, marinated ground lamb). I had a combination of two different dishes. They have a cold mixed appetizers and hot mixed appetizers. I asked if I could have some of each; they said yes. I selected my favorites: babaganush (pureed eggplant, sesame oil, lemon and garlic), stuffed grape leaves (rice, onion, currants, raisins, pine nuts and olive oil wrapped in grape leaves), falafel (deep fried patties of chickpea, parsley, onions, and mashed garlic) on top of humus (mashed chickpeas with lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, and garlic), and rolled cheese pie (lightly friend phyllo dough stuffed with feta cheese and parley).

All of this was preceded by sliced pita bread and a shared dish of cacik (homemade yogurt mixed with cucumber, mint, olive oil, and garlic). Following the meal, two of us pigged out on baklava for dessert. The other friend and I each had Turkish tea. When you go to Shish, have this tea–it’s not to be missed. I’m a bit of a “tea snob,” but most of my tea experience is limited to Chinese teas. I’m now a convert to Turkish tea as well; it has a most unusual taste. Throughout the meal, we sampled each other’s dishes and we were in complete agreement that this was very tasty eating. We swore to return. Here is a link to a full-sized SLIDESHOW of all the pictures in this post plus close-ups of each of the dishes mentioned above.

Best wishes to my friends on their enviable coming visit to Istanbul and many thanks for turning me on to Shish.

BAKLAVA