Tasting all the foods

Warning! Calories ahead! Just reading this post may cause drooling, lip smacking, food cravings and a serious case of the munchies.

On our weekly Saturday morning trips, in the golf cart, to the produce markets at Brownwood, Linda and I have bought farm-fresh veggies and fruits for her to juice for our breakfast each morning. So healthy!

  

In fact, from my very first day here in the USA, eating and drinking has featured highly among my holiday adventures. Linda's husband, Dan, an excellent home cook, has made it his mission to expose me to the widest assortment of dishes, drinks and sweet treats possible, and I've willingly co-operated!

Here's just a sampling of Dan's home cooking... Texan lasagne, Cajun salmon, Chicken Tetrazini, Waikiki meat balls, and breakfasts of pancakes, and eggs with hash browns (not shown 'cos I ate them too fast!). Linda's salads, a meal in themselves, and her amazing home made bread, have been mouthwatering accompaniments!

 

 

Here's my favorite, pizza with pastry made from scratch.

 

However, I confess, dear reader, this isn't the whole picture, and my sweet tooth needs a serious reprimanding!

With only a nanosecond's hesitation I've gobbled up warm roasted cashews covered in cinnamon, waffles an inch thick(!) and maple syrup, and big, soft sweet pretzels studded with crushed almonds. 

I also have a serious crush on the king-sized pecan pralines we found in Savannah. The Savannah Candy Kitchen a little too obligingly gives away free samples, and with one bite of these warm, sugary, nutty candies I knew resistance was futile! Alas, it's destined to be just a holiday romance....sigh.....because I doubt if I'll find any back home.

 

I'm not much of a drinker (I only drink on days of the week ending in 'y'). However, my drinking horizons have been widened with margaritas (at Universal, Orlando), Yuengling beer, 'Two Men in a Glass' (a mix of Arnold Palmer Iced Tea and Jack Daniels), and pina coladas. I've also had Cuban coffee and an old fashioned chocolate milkshake at Johnny Rocket's here in The Villages.

  

They said I mustn't pass up the chance to try a Cuban sandwich, and they were right! This one came from the Cuban Cafe and Bakery in the historic part of St Augustine, and was a delicious toasted bun filled with ham, mustard and cheese.

 

Then there were the BBQ restaurants, where you ordered your pulled pork, beef etc by the quarter pound! I passed on the Fried Gator Tail, but did have the pulled pork with 'Damn Good Corn Puddin' from the menu pictured below. It lived up to its name!

 

Are you ready for dessert yet? How about flan, a Cuban caramel treat, pies of every kind from a roadside shop in North Carolina, or pineapple soft serve ice cream from St Augustine.

 

Or a really, really special treat, enjoyed at Linda's neighbour Becky's home, cannoli filled with whipped cream and chocolate chips from Ferrara, a New York Italian pastry shop.

 

The least said about how much chocolate I purchased at Chocolat by Adam Turoni in Savannah the better. 

'Mouth-watering' about sums it up!

 

I've also conducted extensive research, in the name of science of course, to find the best Key Lime Pie. 

 

And I hereby declare the winner .....(drumroll).... the Publix supermarkets Key Lime Pie!

 

Now, in case you're imagining I'm the size of a house after a month on the 'Florida diet', I'm mighty relieved to tell you that both Linda and I have actually LOST weight! I think it has something to do with all the walking we've been doing as we've travelled around Florida, North and South Carolina and Georgia. 

 

More on those travels soon!

The time of my life!

Sunrise on Monday found us here, at this beautiful nature reserve, looking to spot an alligator in the wild. The wildlife was plentiful, and noisy. Sandhill cranes, ducks and frogs provided a dawn chorus as Linda and I scanned the glassy lake for tell-tale ripple. In the end a v shaped ripple and a couple of head bumps were all we spotted, but I'm hoping there will be better 'gator sightings elsewhere (at a safe distance!).

I'm told we might even see them in the water at Sumter Landing, where the Villagers gather in the evenings for live bands and line dancing beside a picture-perfect lake with artfully placed row boats that never go anywhere. Such a pretty place!

 

 

I've had some delicious meals here, including authentic southern barbecued pork with corn fritters, a delectable strawberry and beets salad with goats cheese and almonds, and Mexican quesadillas. The very best, though has been Linda's husband, Dan's home made pizza on a base he makes from his own recipe. Cheese, sausage, mushrooms, peppers, onions, black olives ... oh my! Accompanied by a cold glass of Arnold Palmer iced tea and Jack Daniels, it's a wickedly indulgent treat.

 

Ive also been introduced to the delights of key lime pie.  

In case you think I'm on the slippery slope to carrying home 'excess baggage' ... I've taken up line dancing! Well, at least I survived my one hour Ultra Beginner class.

 

As you can see, I'm doing the 'full emersion' experience here at The Villages. More to come!

 

It's another beautiful day...

 

... in The Villages, Central Florida, where I'm enjoying the generous hospitality of my friend, Linda Hungerford (http://flourishingpalms.blogspot.com) and her husband, Dan. 

 

This truly is a picture-perfect part of the world, where the artifice of the built environment, combined with the genuine warmth of The Villages residents, has had me pinching myself with excitement since I arrived here on Friday night after a 30 hour journey. 

 

We were out early on Saturday morning shopping for fruit and veggies at the markets in the Wild West themed village square of Brownwood, and saying 'Howdy' to the locals. 

  

 

Stepping into the Sales office for this part of The Villages is like stepping right into a Western movie, with authentic decor including armchairs upholstered in alligator skin, distressed leather couches, steer heads on the wall and Tiffany glass ceilings.

 

 

 

The entrance to Brownwood is guarded by magnificent bronze cattle.

  

 

And look who I found! A bronze pup looking so much like Chester that I had to give him a hug.

 

St Mark's Quilters - July Jollies

Outside was very bleak and grey.

But inside was bright with quilts, large and small, as our colourful ladies met for our July workshop on Saturday. 

So many of our friends who had to miss the June get together were back in the fold again, notably Di B who was savagely attacked by a dog and hospitalized with deep cuts to her right hand and arm just before our last stitching day.

Miraculously, just a month later, there were smiles all round as Di was back at St Mark's Quilters, managing to do some machine sewing and keeping not just her quilts, but all of us in stitches! 

She has even started work on another Blanket of Love using some of her beloved Linen Cupboard fabrics by Emma Jean Jansen. Isn't this gorgeous?

 

With Di C back from her travels, Michelle recovered from her surgery, and Cath finding time to visit from afar there was much to be thankful for.

Look at our latest finishes, a double dose this month because the wheels fell off for me in June, life was crazy busy, and I missed posting. The names of the quilters are beneath their quilts.

Perdita

Perdita

Gail

Gillian

Di B

Barb

Gillian

Barb

Margaret

Cath

Cath

Perdita

Barb

After finishing her cute little Winnie the Pooh quilt Margaret couldn't wait to start another, this one Dalmatian puppy themed! 

 

And Di C showed that a little imagination and colour sense can transform some country-themed scrappy strips in quite muted tones into a bright and fun kindy quilt.

Goodness, it's half way through July already and I still haven't caught up with sharing all that happened in June!

But first I think I need a little lie down.....