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Chef Lindsay Autry on the Today Show Saturday

Fri, 25 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

Lindsay Autry, former “Top Chef” contestant and West Palm Beach resident, will appear on the “Today Show” Saturday morning.

Autry, who has been doing all kinds of pop-up appearances across South Florida, will demonstrate Lemony grilled chicken with pepperoncini & feta cheese, grilled broccoli & cheese and grilled potatoes.

Autry is scheduled to appear around 8:30 a.m.

PHOTO: Chef Autry (Rich Graulich)

Pairings progressive dinner May 31 in West Palm Beach

Thu, 24 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

About 15 downtown West Palm Beach restaurants are participating in a one-night event Thursday, May 31, 5-10 p.m. called Pairings.

For $25, diners receive samples of the fare at each restaurant along with cocktails, wine and coffee. Part of the proceeds benefits Place of Hope, which spports children in the region.

Among the offerings are Middle Eastern chicken from Leila Restaurant, lobster mac and cheese from LongBoards and churrascos and caipirinhas from Cabana Nuevo Latino. Other participating restaurants include The Wine Dive, Backyard Bar, Clematis Pizza, Café Sweets Bakery, Duffy’s Sports Grill, Grease Burger Bar, Habatat Coffee Company, Off the Hookah, Palm Sugar, Rocco’s Tacos, Roxy’s Pub and Uncle Louie G’s.

Buy tickets at wpbgo.com/pairings, or visit the DDA office located at 301 Clematis St., suite 200, and the SunFest office at 525 Clematis St. On-site tickets can be purchased for $30 at the ticket booth tent outside City Center at 401 Clematis St. Tickets include entry and sampling at each of the participating restaurants, a map of the downtown district, and a VIP dining card that can be used for 10 percent off the check price at downtown restaurants during future visits in June.

Open Table names best South Florida restaurants for outdoor dining

Wed, 23 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

OpenTable.com, the online reservation web site, just released its list of top 100 restaurants for outdoor dining across the country.

With 30 statewide restaurants, Florida was second to California for the number of top al fresco dining destinations. There are 19 restaurants on the list from Key West to Palm Beach Gardens. Winners were based on the opinions of nearly 5 million reviews submitted by Open Table diners for more than 15,000 restaurants.

Here are the South Florida winners: Bimini Boatyard Bar & Grill, Blue Moon Fish Co. and Chart House in Fort Lauderdale; GG’s Waterfront Bar and Grill in Hollywood; Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar and Max’s Grille in Boca Raton; Dada, Deck 84 and Sundy House in Delray Beach; Renato's in Palm Beach; Vic & Angelo's in Palm Beach Gardens; A Fish Called Avalon in Miami Beach; Cafe Sambal and Red Fish Grill in Miami; JB's on the Beach in Deerfield Beach; Sundowners on The Bay in Key Largo; Trio on The Bay in North Bay Village; and Latitudes and Nine One Five in Key West.

For the complete cross-country list, log on to OpenTable.com.

PHOTO: Diners at Sundy House in Delray Beach (Sun Sentinel file photo)

Fundraiser at local restaurants for James Beard Foundation scholarships

Tue, 22 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

Eight South Florida restaurants are raising money for the James Beard Foundation Scholarship Program.

Each restaurant is featuring a special limited time entree on its menu. Order that entree and the restaurant will donate $1 to the James Beard Foundation Silver Anniversary Scholarship Drive, which supports aspiring culinary students in pursuit hospitality careers.

Called Serving Up James Beard, the restaurants are 3800 Ocean in Singer Island; SUGARCANE raw bar grill, The River Seafood & Oyster Bar and Red Light in Miami; and SUSHISAMBA dromo, Pubbelly, Meat Market and Tudor House in Miami Beach.

The James Beard Foundation maintains James Beard House in New York City’s Greenwich Village as a “performance space” for visiting chefs. The foundation also hosts tastings, lectures, workshops, and food-related art exhibits in New York City and around the country.

Florida Key lime new to the Krispy Kreme line-up

Mon, 21 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

A classic Florida flavor gets a spot in the Krispy Kreme line-up starting today with a Key lime Kreme pie doughnut.

The filling is a mixture of Key lime and stand cream filling. It’s topped with white icing and graham cracker crumble. Key lime is being introduced along with glazed lemon cake with cream cheese icing through July 8.

The doughnuts are 99 cents each, $8.49 per dozen or $12.99 for two dozen.

Krispy Kreme is also introducing three new chiller: frozen cherry, frozen lemonade and frozen cherry lemonade.

PHOTO: Key Lime Kreme Pie doughnut

HipPOPs food truck debuts Saturday at Wheelin’ Dealin’ Street Food Festival

Thu, 17 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

The South Florida food truck lineup is about to get….well…hipper.

HipPOPs hand-crafted gelato bars make their debut 5-10 p.m. Saturday at the Wheelin’ Dealin’ Street Food Festival at Magic City Casino, 450 NW 37th Ave., Miami.

Unlike most food truck entrepreneurs, owner Tony Fellows has been in the ice cream business most of his life.

“‘I’ve always loved ice cream,” says Fellows, 44. “We’re from Hollywood and we always had family barbecues on Sunday nights and we always bought ice cream. Ice cream was a focal point.”

When he was 15, he started scooping at the Baskin-Robbins on Sheridan Street. In the mid 1980s, he helped open a short-lived store called Quintuples Ice Cream and Frozen Yogurt. For several years, he worked with Edy's Ice Cream expanding the brand from outside of traditional supermarkets to shopping malls across the country.

After living in Michigan and Texas, Fellows returned to South Florida in 2009, got out of the ice cream business, but discovered food trucks.

“I really enjoyed the fact that when I went out to one of these food truck events, my friends and neighbors were there. It was kind of grass roots.”

Fellows tossed around opening a frozen yogurt spot, but wanted to create something unique. He also wanted to invest his money in quality ingredients instead of a high rent spot in a shopping mall. His gelato is made with skim milk and there are pieces of fruit and chunks of chocolate in his pops.

HipPOPs truck will have 17 different flavors of 4-ounce gelato, sorbet or yogurt pops. One-ounce pops are available for special order.

Gelato flavors include Belgian chocolate, Mexican chocolate chipotle, coconut and pistachio. There's also blood orange and lemon sorbet with fresh mint and lemon zest and original tart or strawberry yogurt. Prices range from $3 to $5, depending on dip flavors (dark, milk or white chocolate) and any of six toppings, which Fellows calls poppings. They include crushed pistachios, shredded coconut and crushed pretzels.

“I'm very excited because of the interactivity that they bring to the South Florida food truck scene,” says Sef Gonzalez, who organizes food truck events at MiamiFoodTrucks.com and invited Fellows to Saturday’s festival. “Everyone loves to create and here you'll have the chance to be the mad scientist and create a pop that is solely based on your choices.”

Gonzalez was also impressed with Fellows’ Dania Beach microcreamery.

“It’s really a handcrafted product,” says Fellows. “It’s not mass produced ice cream that’s sitting in some substation in Ocala waiting to be transferred to a distribution point.”

Fellows says HipPOPs is also a family business with wife Niva handling social media and their children, ages five through 12, approving new flavors.

“It makes me very very happy when I bring these bars to my family and friends and to the public and they bite into a piece of high quality Belgium chocolate and say that’s phenomenal,” says Fellows. “That’s where my joy comes from.”

PHOTO: Fellows in his Dania Beach microcreamery where he makes his HipPOPs.

Southern Living calls Georgia Pig one of the best barbecue joints

Wed, 16 May 2012 20:26:01 GMT

Southern Living magazine includes Fort Lauderdale’s Georgia Pig among the best 20 barbecue joints in the South.

The June issue, which hits newsstands May 25, includes a story called “The South’s Best Butt: 20 of the Best Barbecue Joints in the South.”

The magazine looked at chopped, pulled, shredded and sliced pork sandwiches. Georgia Pig chops its smoked meat.

Georgia Pig, which sits near the corner of State Road 7 and Davie Boulevard, was opened in 1953 by Georgia transplants Frances and Linton Anderson.

It’s now owned by their son Wayne Anderson.

PHOTO: The cover of the June issue of Southern Living

Duffy's new burger: The Rachel

Tue, 15 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

Duffy’s Sports Grill has introduced a burger it calls The Rachel.

A half-pound burger is topped with pastrami, Swiss cheese, coleslaw and spicy brown mustard and served on a kimmelweck bun. It’s $11.99 and comes with fries.

Eric Parker, Duffy’s corporate chef, says he was inspired by all of the meat-topped burgers he saw during Burger Bash at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. The Rachel is a popular delicatessen sandwich of corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss. This the second burger in Parker’s new burger series.

Palm Beach Gardens-based Duffy’s has 24 restaurants on the south east coast of Florida. Find at location at DuffysMVP.com.

PHOTO: The Rachel

Charm City wings Burger Battle

Mon, 14 May 2012 17:57:10 GMT

Charm City Burger Company in Deerfield Beach won the Burger Battle this past weekend.

Check out the video by my colleague Maria Murriel.

Taste test: Blue Bell Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream

Mon, 14 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

The product: Blue Bell Red Velvet Cake Ice Cream

The pitch: The best of both worlds: cake and ice cream in one carton. “Our ice cream tastes just like a red velvet cake as there is a hint of red velvet flavor in the ice cream, but you have the extra tastiness of actual pieces of red velvet cake mixed in,” according to a press release. “The cream cheese swirl ties it all together quite well.”

The price: $5.99 per half gallon at Publix, Winn-Dixie, Target, Walgreens, Sedano’s

The pros: What could possibly be wrong with the combination of red velvet cake and ice cream? It joins other Blue Bell flavors Birthday Cake Ice Cream, Strawberry Banana Pound Cake Ice Cream and Key Lime Pie Ice Cream.

The cons: It’s got the bright-red-color, not-quite-chocolate flavor of red velvet cake. But it was hard to discern any of the cream cheese swirl. The success of this flavor depends on the quality of the red velvet cake. On a scale of 1-to-10, I’d give this cake a five.

The bottom lime: Not bad. But given the choice of this new ice cream or a slice of really good red velvet cake served with really good vanilla ice cream, I’d go for the real thing. Here's the problem: Does anyone know where to find really good red velvet cake?

PHOTO: The new ice ream

Miami artist Freegums designs Beck's beer label

Thu, 10 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

Beck’s beer asked six artists to design original labels for their bottles.

Among those chosen was Miami’s Alvaro Ilizarbe, who signs his work as Freegums. Check out the video for an explanation of the work he calls “A Bit of Spacial Tension."

Ilizarbe is in good company. Grammy nominee and Super Bowl bad girl M.I.A. designed a label. Another Miamian, Bert Rodriguez, who know lives in Los Angeles, also contributed a design.

Check them all out on the Beck’s Facebook page.

All 12-ounce bottle labels feature one of the six designs through July 2012.

Mozzarella making classes at da Campo Osteria

Tue, 08 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

Joseph Quinn, executive chef at da Campo Osteria at il Lugano (3333 NE 32 Ave. 954-226-5017) in Fort Lauderdale, is starting a weekly mozzarella class at the restaurant beginning May 17.

From 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Quinn will reveal the secrets of fresh pulled mozzarella.

The evening starts with a glass of prosecco. Two other wine pairings will also be served and each participant leaves with a complimentary bottle of olive oil.

Class size is limited to 10 and costs $25 per person.

Fresh pulled mozzarella is one of Quinn’s signature dishes. It’s prepared table side and served with a choice of six different seasonings including heirloom tomatoes and sweet basil; prosciutto and fig balsamic; pesto and roasted tomato and olive tapenade.

Call the restaurant for reservations.

PHOTO: Chef Quinn's fresh mozarella

Hedy Goldsmith at James Beard Awards

Tue, 08 May 2012 02:24:08 GMT

Hedy Goldsmith, pastry chef at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink in Miami, didn't win the outstanding best pastry chef award at tonight's James Beard Awards dinner.

But she's still my favorite pastry chef.

The award went to Mindy Segal of Mindy’s Hot Chocolate in Chicago.

Onward!

PHOTO: Goldsmith on the red carpet at the Beard awards in New York City

Taste test: PB&J Van Gogh Vodka

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

The product: PB&J Van Gogh Vodka

The pitch: Just like mom used to make — only alcoholic and in liquid form. The company’s master distiller taste-tested various peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to come up with what Van Gogh believes mimics the classic American sandwich.

The price: $27 for a 750 ml bottle.

The pros: Booze seems all about novelty these days, and this one certainly fits the bill. Check out Van Gogh’s Web site for such recipes such as Nuts & Berries: the new vodka, plus berry liqueur and milk or cream.

The cons: Do you we really need this? It tastes more like Amaretto with a fake raspberry aftertaste. Tasters described it as “super sweet.” Unlike orange or mango or cherry vodka, it also doesn’t lend itself to easy mixing.

The bottom line: If you live for novelty, why not? If you’ve ever attended a birthday party and been handed a birthday cake shot, you’re probably on board to try something new.

PHOTO: PB&J Van Gogh Vodka

Set your foodie calendars

Fri, 04 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

Set your foodie calendars.

The Great Food Truck Jam is set for 12:30 p.m.-4 p.m. Sunday at Old School Square at the corner of NE 2nd and Atlantic avenues in Delray Beach. Admission is a donation of a non-perishable food item for the Forster Family Kosher Food Pantry, part Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service. Among the food trucks expected are Manga Mia Italian, Miro’s ORB kosher, Vegi Express, The Philly Grill, Fireman Derek’s World Famous Pies, Mootz’s Italian Ice and Good Humor Ice Cream. Bring your blankets and beach chairs since there will be a live DJ, carnival games and other activities for children.

Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation Fort Lauderdale will take place 7-10 p.m. May 17 at the Broward County Convention Center, 1950 Eisenhower Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. This is the 21st year for the culinary benefit which has so far raised more than $2 million. More than 45 South Florida chefs and restaurants will participate. Wine and spirits will complement the cuisine. A VIP reception begins at 6 p.m. and includes a pre-event reception, catered dining area, celebrity chef mingling, gift bags and exclusive wines. SOS benefits the South Florida Hunger Coalition, Florence Fuller Child Development Centers, Inc., Boca Raton; and Feeding South Florida. General admission tickets are $90. VIP tickets are $160. For more info or to purchase tickets, call 305-763-8813 or log on to TasteOfTheNation.org or StrengthFlorida.org.

The 3rd Annual Friends of Jupiter Beach Food and Wine Festival will be held 3-6 p.m. May 19, at the Jupiter Riverwalk Events Plaza under the Indiantown Road Bridge. The event raises funds to support Friends of Jupiter Beach, which works to enhance the marine environment and keep the beach clean and dog-friendly. General admission tickets are $35 in advance, $40 at the door and $15 for children 12 and under. VIP tickets are $100. Buy them at FriendsofJupiterBeach.com. Among the chefs and restaurants participating are: “Top Chef” finalist Lindsay Autry; Buonasera Ristorante; Casa Mia Trattoria & Pizzeria; Imoto; Ironwood Steak & Seafood @ PGA Resort & Spa; Joseph's Classic Market; Jupiter Island Grill; Little Moir’s Food Shack; Spiro's Taverna; and Verdea Restaurant & Wine Bar.

PHOTO: Scenes from previous Jupiter Beach festivals

Tasting Table comes to South Florida

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:44:08 GMT

South Florida gets a new online food publication starting Friday.

Called Tasting Table, it’s the Miami edition of a site that currently has versions in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

Unlike most online restaurant sites, it’s not just a public relations platform for restaurant openings or a gossip site for what chef is going where.

Each city’s site is divided into sections: dining, wine, drinks, cooking, entertaining, travel and events. Of course, it also make recommendations on what to buy through its market section.

“Rather than focusing on the next restaurant or bar that’s opening under overhyped conditions, Tasting Table works hard to tell provocative stories about the people, places and products that make Miami a unique place to live, eat and drink,” said Miami editor Trina Sargalski in a press release.

While it's based in Miami, I'm told it will also include Broward and Palm Beach counties.

The original New York site got its start in 2008 with Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco coming in 2009. This is the first new city site since D.C. in 2010.

Sign up for the Miami edition by May 31 and you’ll be entered in a contest to win a $1,500 prize package. The prize includes signed cookbooks by Michelle Bernstein, Michael Schwartz, Lee Brian Charger and Andrew Carmellini. There’s also a $250 Whole Foods Market gift card, olive oils from Lucini and a two-night, three-day stay at Fontainebleau Miami Beach. While at the Fontainebleau, you’ll have dinner at either Gotham Steak, Scarpetta or Hakkasan and two 50-minute massages at Lapis Spa.

More info at TastingTable.com/MiamiLocal.

Fort Lauderdale Foodie Field Trips

Thu, 03 May 2012 14:00:00 GMT

They’re saying that Fort Lauderdale is in the middle of a gourmet renaissance.

To celebrate, Lenore Nolan-Ryan Cooking School & Catering, Cheese Culture and The Spice Quarter have organized the city’s first foodie field trip.

Guests pay $125 for a four-hour tour on board a comfortable bus.

Tours leave from Nolan-Ryan’s cooking school at 228 Commercial Blvd. and the first stop is Cheese Culture (813 E. Las Olas Blvd., 954-533-9178) where red and white wine will be paired with a selection of the shop’s fine cheese selection.

Next up is a stop at The Spice Quarter (2324 E. Las Olas Blvd., 954-652-1025) where guests learn about aged balsamic vinegar of Modena, exotic spice blends and taste the difference between olive oils.

The tour ends at Lenore Nolan-Ryan's place, where the city’s best cooking teacher leads a hands-on cooking class and tasting. She’ll feature goat cheese, artichoke pesto and tomato jam crostini; caramelized onion, olive and manchego tart; and mozzarella and prosciutto tapas.

There are three tours scheduled: 4-8 p.m., May 12; 6-10 p.m. May 17 and 6-10 p.m. May 23. There is a maximum of just 24 guests on each tours.

To reserve a seat, call 954-491-2340 or email carolina@lenorenolanryan.com.

Burger Battle III tickets now on sale

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMT

Tickets are now on sale for the third annual Riverwalk Trust Burger Battle 7-10 p.m. May 11 along Fort Lauderdale’s Riverwalk at Huizenga Plaza.

The $40 ticket get you samples from 24 restaurants as they face off for best burger in this fundraiser for Riverwalk Trust, which works to build the community connected by the New River.
Some 1000 guests are expected to attend.

Returning restaurants include: The Capital Grille, Timpano Italian Chophouse, ROK:BRGR, Morton's The Steakhouse, Johnny V Las Olas, Hard Rock Cafe, Big City Tavern, Pelican Landing, Tarpon Bend and Gilbert's 17th Street Grill.

Among the new contenders: Charm City Burger Company, Elevation Burger, Tap 42, M Bar, Lauderdale Grill, Rosie’s Bar & Grill, The Grateful Palate, Duffy’s Sports Grill and Bimini Boatyard.

A panel of judges will choose the best burger award while guests will choose the fan favorite. Doc Reno of 105.9-FM returns as master of ceremonies as will Chef Allen Susser's French Fry Bar.

The event is open for guests ages 21 and older. Buy tickets here.

There are a limited $125 VIP tickets, which includes tastes of two-time Burger Battle Champ Georgie’s Alibi sliders, adult milkshakes, craft beers and comfortable seating with a view of the battle.

PHOTO: The Burger Battle trophy will be awarded May 11

Makoto at Bal Harbour Shops anniversary meal

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Makoto, the Stephen Starr restaurant that opened one year ago at Bal Harbour Shops, is celebrating its anniversary with a $45 per person “Best of Makoto” menu.

I tried it last week and was mightily impressed, as much with the food as the calm setting within Bal Harbour.

Served family-style, it includes Spicy tuna crispy rice, Tuna air bread, Short rib robata, Eggplant robata, Frosty kobe fried rice, Spicy tuna maki, Spicy yellowtail and mochi. I liked the non sushi items better than than the sushi. The menu may vary depending on the chef's whim.

Starr also operates Steak 954 in Fort Lauderdale.

The “Best of Makoto” menu is available for lunch and dinner daily through the end of May.

Reservations at 305-864-8600.

PHOTO: The dining room at Makoto

$1 sandwiches today at all Palm Beach County Jimmy John's

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMT

It's customer appreciation day at Jimmy John's Sandwich Shops in Palm Beach County.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, April 26, sandwiches 1-to-6 on the regular menu are just $1.

Some of those sandwiches normally cost as much as $6.

PHOTO: Turkey Tom sandwich

Five lunch deals for administrative assistant's day

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Today is administrative assistant's day and restaurants are offering some very good deals. Call ahead for availability.

Breathe in Delray Beach has 10 different lunch items for $10 each. They include Mediterranean tuna salad, falafel pita pocket and chicken panini.

The Grill on the Alley at Aventura Mall is offering a $25 gift card to any administrative professional that has lunch at the restaurant through Friday. It’s good for a future visit.

La Côte at Fontainebleau Miami Beach is offering a $28 per person prix fixe. It includes La Côte Signature Sangria (1 glass per person) or Arabica coffee and Tazo tea. It starts with a salad of your choice and features choice of three entrees: chicken paillard, grilled mahi ciabatta or fusilli alla Caprese. For dessert, there’s either quatro leches or coconut biscuit with salted caramel ice cream.

The Rusty Pelican on Key Biscayne has a three-course lunch for $25 per person. Entree choices are boneless half roasted chicken, grilled Columbia River salmon or shrimp salad. Key Biscayne pie will end the meal.

DB Bistro Moderne in Miami has a three-course $24 menu. Choices include harissa spiced mussels tomato compote, house made pita bread, pommes frites; pumpkin ravioli toasted almond, beurre noisette emulsion, amaretti; and steak frites peppered hanger, beurre persille, petite salad. The restaurant is also offering free cocktails to all administrative assistants during happy hour in the lounge.

Kokoriko Colombian chain opens in Miami with half off all weekend

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMT

Kokoriko Natural Rotisserie, a fast casual concept that’s operated in Colombia for almost 45 years, opens in Miami on Friday.

Kokoriko is offering 50 percent off its entire menu Friday through Sunday. That includes alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

The American concept was created in collaboration with Richard Sandoval, whose restaurant group operates everywhere from New York to LA., Mexico to Qatar.

Kokoriko stars with free-range, all-natural chicken marinated for at least 48 hours before hitting the rotisserie. The menu also includes half boneless chicken “churrasco,” jicama cucumber salad and Sandoval’s twist on the Venezuelan dish, corn cachapas pancakes.

There’s also ajiaco, Colombian-style creamy potato and chicken soup, and the Kokoriko chopped salad with rotisserie chicken, tomato, bacon, cucumber and jack cheese, with avocado dressing.

Average check is $20 per person.

The Miami flagship location is in the Axis building, 1111 SW 1st Ave., Miami in the Brickell neighborhood. Call 305-372-2594, KokorikoRotisserie.com.

PHOTO: Kokoriko's signature menu item

Fresh tomatoes from my garden

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMT

Those are tomatoes from my backyard.

Well.... my backyard and my neighbor's back yard. His plants are so tall that he has to stake them to his fence. He lets me pick whatever grows on my side.

My plants grow in containers on my deck. This year, more than any other, I've had good incredible luck with my plants.

Besides tomatoes, I've got basil, oregano, mint, rosemary and thyme.

My favorite way to eat tomatoes is simple. I toss them with good vinegar, good oilve oil and a scattering of some kind of cheese and herbs. I've got feta in the fridge, so feta it will be.

Volunteers needed today at Feeding South Florida

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:00:00 GMT

The kick-off for this year’s Great American Bake Sale and Taste of the Nation Miami and Fort Lauderdale gets some star power from 10 a.m. to noon today in Pembroke Park.

Top local chefs will be filling boxes for the hungry at Feeding South Florida. Food trucks will sell their fare and donating part of the proceeds. Volunteers can enjoy free Nespresso coffee and a DJ from Mike Sipe Entertainment will entertain.

Interested volunteers are invited to show up. Just be sure to wear sneakers or other closed-toe shoes.

The Great American Bake sale returns to Aventura Mall on Sunday, May 6. Taste of the Nation Fort Lauderdale is May 17 at the Broward County Convention Center and Taste of the Nation Miami is July 19 at Turnberry Isle Miami in Aventura.

Today's kick-off takes place at Feeding South Florida, 2501 SW 32 Terrace, Pembroke Park, 954-518-1818. Anyone who stops by can purchase Taste of the Nation tickets at a 20 percent discount.

Kevin James at Martorano's, Paula Abdul at Pinon

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:38:36 GMT

Actor Kevin James dined at Martorano’s in Fort Lauderdale where he was presented with a monogrammed cannoli plate.

In Boca Raton, Paula Abdul was spotted at Pinon Grill with new boyfriend John Caprio and a group of friends. Abdul had the Pinon salad, roasted chicken with cauliflower mash and was overheard saying she absolutely loved the white chocolate pudding.

PHOTO: Kevin James with DJ Joey Martorano at Martorano's in Fort Lauderdale