Chanin's Profile
$5 wine ..delicious
Wow....this wine gets great reviews from almost everyone and the price is so very nice. I see a white sangria summer coming. Thanks for the tip.
How does your cilantro grow?
I feel that growing from seed rather than buying from a nursery makes a difference also. Would you agree?
One thing you can do to get more life out of your cilantro is to simply use it. Pinching off the tops where the flower is developing will buy you some more time but only a month or so. I let some of my cilantro flower and go to seed every year just so I have some to plant next season. I do the same with my basil varieties and chili's also.
The important and overlooked part of the OP is how did your cilantro die? What did it look like? Was there yellowing? Was it tall with disproportionately small leaves?
St. Augustine ?
I am glad I could be of some help. So where do you normally stay while in town and what do you consider to be a good walk for a meal? We live downtown and make a point to not drive unless absolutely necessary but we rides bikes so our range is a little further than the typical stroll.
Collage is a few doors down from Scarlet O'hara's on Hypolita St. and is more of a dinner establishment. On the same street just one block away though is Casa Maya and they are a great breakfast and lunch spot that serves Caribbean/Latin food made with organic produce. The best salsa verde and huevos rancheros I have ever had. You have to try their sweet potato pancakes also.
The Present Moment Cafe specializes in raw, organic fare that will amaze your senses and leave you wondering how such creative delicacies can be vegan. Try the nachos, mango samosas or white truffle pesto pasta and you will be delighted. A more traditional but equally enjoyable top would be on the same street but near the corner of US1 on the San Sebastian River is Theo's. A great two egg five dollar breakfast, a huge flounder sandwich and the Gyro are my regular staples there.
This may be out of your range but on SR16 the Manatee Cafe is well worth the fifteen minute drive from downtown and a generous healthy meal for a small pittance.
FA's is named after an old surf spot in St Augustine Beach called First Access. While heading south on A1A from 312 or Anastasia Blvd it will be the first building on the right just south of the southern tip of Anastasia State Park. They are more of a burger and light beer kind of place but they do it well. Sea Oats is further south down A1A at the Publix Plaza and they prepare a great breakfast that is always worth the occasional wait. All I have to say is banana pancakes.
Enjoy our beautiful town and don't hesitate to ask if you have more questions.
http://www.manateecafe.com/
http://www.thepresentmomentcafe.com/
http://www.purple-olive.com/
Help! I have too much cilantro!
Cilantro pesto would use quite a bit of your stock and will have a decent shelf life also.
Beef carnitas?
Most traditional forms of carnitas are not usually fried but braised then roasted. I see no problem using beef or chicken as long as you use fatty or well marbled cuts. I use a braising liquid of cilantro root, cumin, onion, garlic, sea salt and jalepenos with just enough liquid to cover the chunks of meat. Some people like to have chunks while others prefer loosely pulled pieces of meat. Braise it to your satisfaction, just make sure that you use a low to moderate temp and slow cook the meat. Be brave with your braising liquid as well. I have Panamanian friends who use Coca Cola to braise in.
Good luck and good eats!
St. Augustine ?
As a long time resident of St A and a Service Industry Professional I would agree with the following recommendations: The Tasting Room, Collage, La Pentola, Cafe Atlantico, Sea Oats and FA's Cafe. All of the others are questionable at best, especially OC's. Zhanra's is too much of a Cafe Tu-Tu Tango rip-off with low quality food items with an overpriced, unimaginative wine list.
I would recommend The Purple Olive on A1A just north of Dondanville Rd for a moderately priced casual dinner pared with a decent beer and wine selection.
We also have a new taquero on US1 next to the Vespa dealership and it is authentic and amazing!
If you haven't tried The Present Moment Cafe on King St. then you are missing out on one of the best kept secrets in North Florida.
Stir It Up on A-street and A1A is the best lunch on the beach if you want to sit outside. Considering they are about 50 yards from the beach I don't think that should present a problem. If you need need AC then walk acrosss the street to Mango-Mango's for some equatorial fare.
Madre's Cafe downtown on Aviles Street has some pretty good baja style fish tacos and burritos and they are right next to Cellar Six, a new wine bar that has a small menu of well prepared food items and an overwhelming (in a good kind of way) wine and beer list.
Wow, I just realized how old this thread is.....oops, sorry.
How does your cilantro grow?
I think our Florida sun is too much for cilantro. For many years we struggled with growing it until this year. I recommend partial sun or better yet indirect light. Ours grows outdoors, potted in a loose well draining soil under our patio with no direct sunlight and is the best looking cilantro we have ever grown in soil.
What to plant in FL?
I also live in Fl and currently have tomatoes, snap beans, squash, eggplant, corn, watermelon and cucumbers growing. Most of these were planted in late March but most of my garden has direct sunlight for 6-7 hours per day. The partial sun may present a problem for a lot of plants and may also be the source of your gnats if they are the biting variety. Is the shade created from an oak tree or a magnolia?
Good luck with both of your bug problems.
Do you grow Asian vegetables?
I live in N. Florida and have small (2x8) raised bed gardens that produce Thai Basil, Lemongrass, Chives, Thai chili's and a potted Kaffir Lime tree. All of them except the lime tree were cuttings from a Thai festival at a nearby temple.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/asianveg/
This may be of more help to you.
