Places We've Been

Re-Create the Recipe: Crab Cakes with Cranberry Chutney

As soon as we left Cafe Karibo, I knew I was going to try to re-create those yum-a-licious crab cakes they served us. The ones with the Cranberry Chutney and Brie. Except that I live in a tiny little town, where the only grocery store has never even heard of brie, so I had to improvise and use cream cheese.

This is not the first time I have gone home and re-created the meal I had in a restaurant. I have done it many times. There are recipes scattered all over my blog where I have figured out how they made it in a restaurant, and tried to make it at home. There is the Mexican Seafood Soup. That one took me forever to get it right. Then there was the Shrimp Stuffed Avocado, and The Black Bean and Shrimp Nachos. I think that this is the sincerest form of flattery there is for a chef–when a person loves what they made so much that they will try to make it at home. Now I know I won’t ever be as good as the chef at the restaurant, but I can try to emulate them so I can have better food at home. So, it’s not a new thing for me to come home from a restaurant and start trying to make the things I ate there.

My version of the crab cakes turned out very good. For the crab cakes, I used a recipe with no bread fillers that I got from a restaurant proprietor in Virginia several years ago. Then I googled Cranberry Chutney recipes, and adapted to the ingredients I had on hand. Here ya go!

Gluten Free Crab Cakes Virginia Style

1 lb crabmeat, picked over for shells (I used a steamed Dungeness crab from the Kroger Seafood counter

1 beaten egg

4 Tablespoons mayonaise

2 teaspoons mustard

1/8 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

2 slices of gluten free bread, processed into fine crumbs

1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil for frying

Mix all ingredients except for bread crumbs in a bowl. Stir the mixture gently to prevent breaking up the crabmeat lumps. Heat oil in skillet. Gently shape two tablespoons of the mixture into patties about 3/4 inches thick. Place the bread crumbs in a separate small bowl. Roll each crab pattie in the bread crumbs, then place in the hot skillet. Fry for about 4 minutes on each side. Makes 7-8 crab cakes.

Cranberry-Peach Sauce

1 cup fresh cranberries

1/2 cup suger

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 frozen peach slices, diced

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring often. When the mixture boils, turn heat to medium low, and cook until cranberries pop and sauce is thickened a bit. Stir frequently. Serve over crab cakes.

I served my crab cakes with cranberry sauce and cream cheese over mashed potatoes.

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Amelia Island Restaurant Week: Visiting Fort Clinch State Park

Karen · 26 Comments

The main road inside Fort Clinch is a beautiful drive

While we were in Fernandina Beach for Amelia Island Restaurant Week, we stopped in to explore Fort Clinch State Park. I did not get a picture of the entrance, but the main road inside the park is a beautiful road, and I stopped frequently to take pictures of the Spanish Moss hanging in the oak trees along the way. I think I must have at least thirty pictures that look just like that one up there.

Fort Clinch, an actual working fort during the Civil War, was established in 1842, when the United States government purchased a tract of land on the northern end of Amelia Island at the Florida-Georgia border. The military installation was to be built on the property to guard the mouth of the St. Mary’s River, and protect the interior shipping.

Construction began on the fort in 1847 and progressed slowly. So slowly, in fact that by 1860 only two bastions and one third of the brick wall was completed. At the beginning of the Civil War in 1861, Confederate militia quietly took over the fort. However, with the Union Army advancing, General Robert E Lee authorized a withdrawal of the area. On March 3, 1862, Union troops took over control of the fort.

Barracls room in one of the buildings inside the fort. — Barracks room in one of the buildings inside the fort.

Fort Clinch was deactivated as a federal facility in 1867. The US Army maintained the property from 1869 until 1898, when the sinking of the USS Maine in the Havana Harbor brought the US into war with Spain, and brought Fort Clinch into action again.

That does not look like a comfortable place to be, in chains on dirty brick floor. The prison was in the same building as the barracks above.

I love these old buildings. This one reminds me of one of the older classroom buildings on the campus of the University of Alabama where my daughter went to school. I

Fort Clinch was called into service one last time during World War II, when the Coast Guard, the US Navy, and the US Army joined forces to maintain a surveillance system within the fort.

There is a fee of $2.00 per person to tour the fort, but it is well worth it! There is access to nearly all the building, and a volunteer in dressed in the 1848 style of uniform who will talk to you about the history, or give your group a tour.

fort clinch — Fabgrandpa on the trail by the big guns

In addition to the actual fort, there are many hiking trails, bicycle trails, rental bikes, geo cacheing, fishing, picnic areas, and camping areas. There is a pier as well. We didn’t go on the pier because it was a cold day.

We did take a drive through the Atlantic Campground, and took a few pictures. There are campsites available for most any size RV, tents, and group camping areas. I have no idea why we never came here with our RV–the campsites look amazing, and have immediate beach access just over the dunes.

RV's camped at Fort Clinch State Park — RV’s camped at Fort Clinch State Park

Fees at Fort Clinch are quite reasonable, with entry fee at $6.00 per car and camping $26 per night includes water and electricity. For Reservations: Reservations may be made up to 11 months in advance through ReserveAmerica. Book Online or call (800) 326-3521 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.) or TDD (888) 433-0287.

The Atlantic Campground. there is also a campground on the Amelia River

We enjoyed our tour of Fort Clinch, and can’t wait for an opportunity to go back when it’s warmer and get some fishing done on the pier.

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Amelia Island Restaurant Week: Cafe´ Karibo

Karen · 32 Comments

Cafe Karibo

The first night we were in Fernandina Beach, we had reservations at Cafe Karibo on 3rd Street as guests of the manager. It only took a few minutes to drive over from the Residence Inn. We parked around the block and walked a short distance. The neighborhood around the restaurant was charming, with a residential feel. There were several quaint restaurants and shops on the block. Even after dark walking was not scary, as it can be in some cities.

The atmosphere at Cafe Karibo was like a neighborhood pub, with some wooden benches at tables that would seat six, and smaller tables for two to four. If it had been warmer out, we might have opted to sit on the patio. It was beautiful even in winter, but just a bit too chilly that day. It was pretty busy for a Wednesday night. We found a table and soon after, our waiter appeared to take our drink order.

While they do serve wine and beer, we both ordered the Peach Iced Tea, which was a great blend of flavors. The Restaurant Week Menu was offered, as well as the regular menu. You can see the Restaurant Week Menu here: Cafe-Karibo.

We decided on the Caprese Salad and the Crab Cakes for starters. Both were excellent! I know I have had Caprese Salads in many different places, but this one seemed to be the best I have had yet. The Balsamic Vinegar they used was thick and sticky, which is quite different from what I am used to. It just made the whole thing better! There was also a noticable difference in the flavors of the red and orange tomatoes.

Anyone who knows me knows I love crab, any way I can get it. I was not disappointed by these wonderful crab cakes. The only thing I didn’t like was that they did have a bread crumb coating, so they were not gluten free, but I ate them anyway. They were served with brie and a cranberry chutney, something I would have never thought of on my own, but enjoyed immensely. Even Fabgrandpa ate half of them, and he usually does not care for crab. You know I am going to have to re-create them at home now.

Crab Cakes with Brie and Cranberry Chutney at Cafe Karibo in Fernandina Beach — Crab Cakes with Brie and Cranberry Chutney

Fabgrandpa chose the Coquille St. Jaques, or Sea Scallpos with Shitake Mushroom Sauce. These were jumbo scallops, served over smashed potatoes, covered in the mushroom sauce, and had a side of grilled vegetables. The veggies included red and yellpw peppers, zucchini, carrots, and asparagus. He said it was delicious. The only problem he had with it was there was so much he was not able to eat all of it. That man has never walked away from a scallop before, ever. I am not sure if the sauce if gluten free or not, I forgot to ask.

Sea Scallops with Shitake Mushroom Sauce

For my entree, I chose the Pan Seared Red Snapper. It was served over the same smashed potatoes as Fabgrandpa’s meal, and had the same side vegetables. This plate was gluten free: there was no breading on the fish, and no gravy or sauce on the potatoes. The fish was seared crispy and golden brown, and had a very tasty fruit salsa on top. (I think it was the papaya chutney, but not sure. It was delicious, though) The vegetables were cooked just right–not mushy, not too crisp.

Pan Seared Red Snapper with Smashed Potatoes and grilled vegetables.

We both declined dessert, which was a choice of Strawberry Cake, Mud Var, Creme Brulee, or Chocolate Ganache Cake. We just couldn’t hold another bite. At that point, we were glad that we had parked around the block!

The Cafe Karibo menu includes a good selection of Soups, Salads, Sandwiches, Appetizers, and entrees to fit just about anyone’s taste. A few of the offerings are gluten free, such as the one I had, the Pan Seared Red Snapper. You might also try the Shrimp & Grits, the Rum Marinated Pork Tenderloin, or the Fresh Catch of the Day. (The information here about gluten free menu items is from my own observations of those items, and are not indicated as such on the menu. As always, be sure to ask about the ingredients when you are ordering)

Cafe Karibo is located at 27 North 3rd Street in downtown Fernandina Beach, Florida. Reservations are recommended for parties of 6 or more, and maximum split check limit is 8. 904-277-5269

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Amelia Island Restaurant Week: Residence Inn

Karen · 50 Comments

Last week Fabgrandpa and I finally left the house headed for Amelia Island, Florida. Restaurant Week, that annual celebration of the best meals at the best restaurants on the island, ran from January 17th to 26th. Of course, we needed a place to stay while we were in Fernandina Beach for the festivities, so Residence Inn by Marriott stepped up to the plate. What a delicious place! Yes, a lodging can be delicious, as compared to other places we have stayed that were merely functional. The Residence Inn, was, well, marvelous!

As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by the front desk staff. I introduced myself, and when I did, they all knew me by name! They had been waiting for us to arrive. I was introduced to the manager as “our special guest” and was given a welcome package that had been left there for me by the public relations person. I felt just like a star arriving in Hollywood!

There were people sitting in the lobby, enjoying the fireplace, and waiting for the hamburger cookout to begin. We were invited to attend, but we had reservations at another place for dinner. So, we went up to our room to freshen up and get ready to go to our restaurant.And just look at this room:

The living room had a desk, sofa, coffee table with ottoman, a chair, and a large screen TV with Cable. Free wi-fi made it super easy to get online, too. There was a small dining table with two chairs. And A FULL kitchen:

The kitchen featured a large refrigerator/freezer, a stovetop with two burners, a convection microwave oven and a dishwasher. It was also fully stocked with cooking and eating utensils for four. And I do mean, there was everything you would need to move in for a while and start cooking. I want this kitchen at my house! Or, I want to live here at Residence Inn. For the whole winter! I went into the bedroom to lie down for a while, and just look at this:

The bedroom featured a king size bed that was oh! so comfortable. I slept like a log the two nights we were there. A large closet with mirrors on the doors, a dresser, and a bedside table on both sides of the bed. The lighting could be adjusted from full light to just above dark, which made it great for sleeping or watching TV on the second big screen TV.

The vanity area had plenty of room for two people to move around and get ready to go at the same time if necessary, with a separate area for the toilet and shower. All of the rooms were so beautifully decorated in a warm red and beige color scheme. I loved it!

When we got ready to go to the restaurant for dinner, the front desk staff offered to have the shuttle take us. But, because we had to run a couple of errands on the way back, we declined. It was nice to know that the shuttle was available though. Other amenities offered were an outdoor heated pool, a hot tub, free Continental Breakfast, Business Center, Fitness Center, and Laundry Services. Residence Inn Amelia Island hotel is pet-friendly too, so my sister, Linda, wouldn’t have to leave her Bunny Boo at home if she came to Amelia Island for a visit.

You know Fabgrandpa and I took advantage of the free breakfasts each morning. Of course Fabgrandpa makes friends everywhere he goes, and met up with Dottie, the very nice lady who takes care of setting up the breakfast and keeping the coffee urns filled. We both met a lot of very nice people who were also staying at the Residence Inn. Amelia Island is a popular spot for snow birders to visit when it is cold and snowy up north. I talked to people from Wisconsin, Illinois, Canada, New Jersey, New York and Virginia.

if you want to go there and find out for yourself what a wonderful place Residence Inn by Marriott Amelia Island is, here are the particulars:

Residence Inn by Marriott Amelia Island

2301 Sadler Road, Fernandina Beach, Florida 32034

Contact: 904-277-2440 Fax: 904-277-2449

Email: ameliainfo@residenceinnamelia.com

Make a reservation

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Memories of Amelia

Karen · 15 Comments

When I wrote about Restaurant Week at Amelia Island yesterday, I did not anticipate the flood of memories that would come to me. My children and I had such good times there, and even though I have thought often of the place, I had forgotten a lot of the things that happened there. I didn’t own a camera back then, so I have no visual keepsakes of that era of our lives.

On our first trip to Amelia Island, we were helping our best friends move from a suburb of Atlanta to Fernandina Beach. Our little caravan of me in my car, Kay in her car, and David driving the U-Haul stopped at a gas station near the Georgia-Florida line. When my son, Seth, jumped out of the car, he asked me with all the excitement a five year old boy could muster, “are we on Gilligan’s Island?” He had just seen his first palm tree in person.

The trip to the beach was bittersweet because once we came home, our friends wouldn’t be just across the street anymore. We pledged to visit them as often as we could, and we did. We made tons of memories of good times, but we still missed them like crazy between times. Seth and Chris were almost exactly the same age. Seth was only four days older than Chris, and the boys had known each other since they were old enough to walk. They had play dates almost every day until they moved away.

After the unloading of the truck was done, David took Chris and Seth to buy fish bait. When they came home, Seth was holding a coffee can. Becca, who was three at the time, wanted to see the bait. I will never forget the look on her face, as she jumped what seemed like three feet in the air, to get away from that can full of baby crabs that looked a whole lot like spiders! It was almost comical to see.

They guys took off to go fishing off the bridge. My son caught a sheephead that weighed about nine pounds. I know David helped him reel it in, but my little guy was so proud of that fish. I packed it on ice in a cooler to take home with us. It took me a couple of hours to clean it and cut it up. We had so much meat in the freezer from that one fish that it took us weeks to eat it all. Every time I cooked some of it, Seth would say proudly that he caught that fish.

Another time we went to visit, we stayed in a rental house on the beach. It was fully furnished, with room for at least 12 people to sleep. There were even fishing rods available to for us to use. On the first night there, after the girls had showered and gotten ready for bed, we ordered pizza for dinner. When it was delivered, we were all starving! Emily was about 8 years old at the time. She was holding a huge knife that she had used to cut a slice of the pizza. Becca asked Emily for the knife, and she held it out to her by the handle, so that the blade was pointing toward Becca. Becca grabbed the knife blade, and for some reason, Emily jerked it back towards herself, cutting Becca’s middle finger to the bone!

There was blood everywhere almost immediately. It was a good thing that Kay and David were there because I am not good at the sight of blood coming from one of my children, and I had no idea where the hospital was. We wrapped Becca’s hand in a towel, and David drove us to the emergency room. The doctor stitched her finger up, and told her to keep it clean and dry for a week. I think she was more upset about being at the beach and not being able to go in the water than she was about the cut. We wound up taping a plastic bag over her hand every day so she could play at the beach.

On another visit, when the boys were about 12 years old, Becca was 10 and Emily was 9. The boys had been picking at the girls for days, aggravating them to no end. One day, Seth and Chris dug holes on the beach, got in them, and covered themselves up to their armpits with sand. The girls happened to walk up and find them that way, and decided it was payback time. They started kicking sand in the boys faces. You have never seen two boys wiggle and struggle harder to get out of a hole in your life! I told the girls they better run, because they would be in trouble when the boys got out of the holes, and I wouldn’t blame them for being mad. I guess you had to be there to understand how hilarious it was.

On every visit we made to Amelia Island, we ate all of our meals at the rental house, except for the last night. That is when we went all out at the local seafood restaurant. Although it always meant we would be leaving the next day, we looked forward to going to a wonderful seafood restaurant. I can’t remember the name of it, so I don’t know if it is still there or not. I think it was out towards Mayport, and may have been Safe Harbor Seafood Market, but I can’t remember for sure. I remember the first time we went there, we seated all the children at one table, and the adults at another table. The waitress kept refilling the kids glasses with soda, which we thought was free refills. Boy were we ever surprised when we got our checks and there was a $45 charge for sodas! We never let that happen again!

Even after Kay and David moved to South Carolina with another railroad transfer, we continued our spring break trips to Amelia Island. We all stayed in the same rental house, and shared the rental fee. Those were some of the best times of my life. Both Kay and David are now deceased, but I can pretty much say that if they were still alive, they would meet up with at Amelia Island this year.

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Amelia Island, Florida

Karen · 22 Comments

Fabgrandpa and I are going to Amelia Island, Florida soon. I can not wait to get there! I know a lot of people have never heard of it, but when my children were young, we used to go there every year for Easter Break from school. One of my best friend’s husband worked for the railroad, and transferred to Fernandina Beach on his job. I helped them move, and fell in love with the area. Even after Kay and David moved from the area in another transfer with the railroad, we all met there in the spring at Amelia Island.

It has been almost thirty years since the last time I went to Amelia Island. I am sure that things have changed since then, but one thing that will never change is the beauty of the area. We went there because it was quiet: you could be on the beach all day long and never see another person. Crowded meant there was another family there.

One of the things I am looking forward to, though, is that Amelia Island’s Sixth Annual Restaurant Week takes place from January 17 through 26. a ten-day showcase of 18 of the island’s most popular dining hotspots, ranging from fine dining to casual courtyard cafés. Each participating restaurant will offer a special fixed menu (priced at either $19 or $29 per person) that includes three courses and a beverage. New this year, the Amelia Island Restaurant Week is kicking off a day early with a special “farm to table” dining event at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island’s Café 4750 on Thursday, January 16. I can hardly wait to taste the offerings of Cafe′ Karibo and BarZin!

I’d love to see y’all there. Amelia Island is north of Jacksonville, Florida near the border with Georgia. Make your reservations now to come join in the fun for Restaurant Week!

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Fall Color In West Georgia

Karen · 2 Comments

I don’t have to go very far to see beautiful fall color here in West Georgia. All I have to do is stick my head out the back door:

The side yard is looking quite good too:

Looking over by the shed:

Then I went out on the front porch:

Looking out towards the road, to the east:

The driveway:

And, because it was so pretty, another look across the road:

One last look before going back inside:

What does your fall color look like?

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A Drive Through North Georgia

Karen · 7 Comments

Fabgrandpa and I took a short trip up to Cleveland, Georgia to visit his Mom and Dad last weekend. WE haven’t been up there in several months, first due to my own health problems, and then my mother’s Since Mama had been so sick, going to visit and help take care of her had taken up most of our time for a couple of months. I was finally feeling a good enough to take the trip up there.

It also helped that his parents got a lift chair, one of those things that goes up the stairs. The stairway to the second floor is very steep, and I just didn’t think I could make it up there to the guest room. Having that lift was amazing! I just sat on the chair, pushed a button, and up I went!

Nana and Poppa were both doing pretty good. It was great to see them and be able to spend the night so we could visit for a longer time. I hope we will be able to get back up there soon! We got there on Sunday afternoon and left to go home on Monday, so it was a short trip.

On the way home, we decided to stop at The Tomato House. This place has been there for as long as I can remember, on Hwy 115. We have never stopped here before, but I’m glad we did. They sell all kinds of canned things, from pickles to jelly to chow chow. In fact, there were so many things to choose from that it was hard to decide what to get. That picture above is just one wall–there were two or three rooms of things on shelves!

There was a lot of stuff outside, too, which was fun to look at. We bought a bee trap that we hope will work efficiently next summer to trap all those carpenter bees we have here.

They had a lot of fresh produce, but since it was towards the end of the season, there was not a huge selection. I am sure that they have plenty of tomatoes and other vegetables during the summer. The main reason we stopped was to get some apples so I could try my hand at making apple butter.

We got a half bushel basket of Honey Crisp apples. I ate one on the way home and it was so juicy and sweet and crisp! We took Georgia Highway 53 from Dawsonville over to Rome instead of going on I-285. It was a pleasant drive through the country.

The drive took us through Tate, Jasper, Marble Hill, and Calhoun. The trees had not changed much yet, but it was still a beautiful drive.

The country side on Hwy 53 in north Georgia

I want to go back and see The Tate House. It was gorgeous from the road, but we didn’t have time to stop.

Even the elementary school in Tate is made from marble! Have you ever seen such a beautiful school? We got home around 5:00 p.m. I rested for the rest of the week. It still wears me out to take a drive like that, even though I was just the passenger. Tomorrow, I talk about apple butter.

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