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By Joseph Temple

From dreary swampland to America’s Riviera, the city of Miami Beach has gone through an extraordinary transformation over the past century.  Known for its pastel colors and Art Deco style architecture, the urban decay that once plagued its streets is now a distant memory.  Today, tourists from around the world flock to Miami Beach to soak up some sun while enjoying all that this exciting and culturally diverse city has to offer.

Of course, in addition to the white sands and historic buildings, there is no denying the important role that cuisine plays.  Whether it’s food trucks or fine dining, there’s no shortage of great places to eat as you stroll through South Beach and beyond!  It is a proud gastronomic heritage dating back to the early twentieth century when frigid Northerners eagerly bought up real estate along the shore.  So take a trip down memory lane as we look at five iconic restaurants that put Miami Beach on the map.

Special thanks to FloridaMemory.com for providing most of the photos for this entry.

With a Jewish community deeply embedded into the cultural fabric of Miami, it’s easy to forget that at one time anti-Semitism was on full display as numerous businesses along the beach posted signs reading NO JEWS ALLOWED.  So when New Yorkers Joe and Jennie Weiss opened a restaurant on the edge of town, many residents predicted that it wouldn’t last a single year.  Fast-forward to 2015 and Joe’s Stone Crabs—now a Miami Beach institution—has been in operation for almost 100 years!  A favorite hotspot amongst celebrities, author Mandy Baca writes, “No trip to Miami is complete without a visit to this iconic restaurant, even if it is just for a slice of key lime pie … Like Delmonico’s and Peter Luger’s in New York, Joe’s is a cult classic known the world over and popular with anyone that enjoys stone crabs, fried chicken or keeping up with Joneses.”
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“Find me a Jewish person in Miami Beach who didn’t go to Wolfie’s” declared one Miami resident.  “Go ahead–just try.”  A staple amongst the Borscht Belt, this deli-style restaurant became famous for its large portions that made customers go home both stuffed and satisfied.  And if you were a fan of the hit television show Miami Vice, you’ll remember Sonny and Rico cruising past its 21st street location many times throughout the series. Operated by Wilfred Cohen who also owned Wolfie Cohen’s Rascal House delicatessen on 172nd street, the iconic name was the result of a contest asking residents to create one for the restaurant.  When a University of Miami student came up with Wolfie’s, it was such a hit with the owner that he later had his own name legally changed to Wolfie Cohen.
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Back in the 1980s, if you ever wanted to see a cocaine cowboy or a real-life Tony Montana up close, then you had to dine at The Forge Restaurant and Wine Bar.  Originally built during the twenties, it re-opened in 1969 after an extensive renovation that included the installation of a 300,000 bottle wine cellar.  Having an interior that one critic described as a “bordello meets Louis XVI,” the expensive decor attracted everyone from A-list celebrities to associates of Pablo Escobar.  One former maitre d’ recalls a story told in Gerald Posner’s book Miami Babylon: “One Latin guy walks up and says, ‘We are seventeen and we don’t have a reservation’ … The man took out a wad of cash and peeled off seventeen hundred-dollar bills. “That’s just to seat us.  We’ll spend ten times that inside.”
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During the 1950s when middle-class Americans could suddenly afford to travel by plane while the invention of air conditioning shielded tourists from the unrelenting heat of South Florida, Embers was definitely the place to dine.  Situated at Collins Avenue and 22nd Street, this restaurant became known for its sizzling steaks, which were cooked over an open pit.  Adding to the friendly ambiance was a maitre d’ named Mario who would personally welcome you as you walked through the front door.  Sadly, the original location burned to the ground in 1984.  Attempting to recapture the magic, a copycat restaurant was erected on the same lot in the 1990s. Unfortunately, tastes had evolved in the city since the heyday of Embers and the reincarnation proved to be bust.
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Palm Island, located between Miami Beach and the mainland is where an extravagant and posh nightclub called the Latin Quarter entertained the city’s elite for more than twenty years.  Owned and operated by Lou Walters, the father of legendary journalist Barbara Walters, the club was a magnet for attracting celebrities that included Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra.  The 20/20 reporter would later credit her time at the Latin Quarter hobnobbing with the rich and famous as an essential part of her education, learning not to be intimidated later in life by the same type of people she would go on to interview.
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Sources:

Baca, Mandy.  Discovering Vintage Miami: A Guide to the City’s Timeless Shops, Hotels, Restaurants & More.  Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2014.
Baca, Mandy. The Sizzling History of Miami Cuisine: Cortaditos, Stone Crabs and Empanadas. Charleston: The History Press, 2013.
Biondi, Joann. Miami Beach Memories: A Nostalgic Chronicle of Days Gone by. Guilford: The Globe Pequot Press, 2007.
Bramson, Seth. Miami Beach. Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2005.
Brown, Joseph. (2004, May 16). The Latin Quarter Nightclub. South Beach Magazine.  Retrieved from http://southbeachmagazine.com
Posner, Gerald. Miami Babylon: Crime, Wealth, and Power—A Dispatch from the Beach. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2009.
Staubach, James. The Magic City Captured by Miami Vice, Scarface, Movies, and Burn Notice a guide to 80s Locations and Culture. Raleigh: Lulu.com, 2014.

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Question: Is the vintage date on a bottle of wine still important?

Answer: Of course it is. That is why the IWFS continues with their sought after valuable Vintage Chart membership card every year! We try to keep you informed on the current vintage buzz from around the world. However you are right that for most commercial wines released for current drinking it may now be less important than some other factors. For warmer areas with more consistent harvest ripeness (including with global warming more and more wine regions) it becomes less critical. Nevertheless vintage is often reflected in the price you pay. I am presently at Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte in Bordeaux where this issue is clearly reflected in their wine shop where the last 4 vintages for sale are priced in Euros per bottle for 2012 (71), 2011 (66), 2010 (140), and 2009 (256). Vintage still does matter!

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By Joseph Temple

Tomorrow is Independence Day!  And what better way to celebrate the birth of America than by preparing some dishes that our Founding Fathers loved to eat.  In previous posts, we’ve documented that during the revolutionary period, patriots were quite fond of Madeira, whiskey and hard cider throughout the thirteen colonies.  But what did they pair with these drinks while they wrote the Declaration of Independence or prepared for the Battle of Saratoga?  Have a look below to see five dishes you might want to consider making if you’re looking to commemorate a truly authentic 4th of July! Cheers.

Did you know that instead of a bald eagle as the national emblem of the United States, Ben Franklin wanted it to be a turkey?  That’s probably because in the dense forests surrounding the revolutionary city of Philadelphia, wild turkeys were in abundance and an easy source of food for colonists.  Additionally, the turkey according to Franklin symbolized early America because it “minds his own business, respecting the rights of others.”  But if you’re not up to cooking an entire bird like you would for Thanksgiving and Christmas, how about some BBQ turkey legs or turkey pot pie for your patriotic gathering?
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If game bird isn’t really your thing, you might want to consider roasting an entire pig this Fourth of July.  Just like turkey, there was no shortage of swine roaming the streets of Boston, Philadelphia and New York during colonial times.   In fact, pigs became an important trade item before and after independence, being shipped in mass to the Caribbean.  So how about cooking up some luau style pig for your summer festivities?
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Brought to the thirteen colonies by African slaves arriving in Philadelphia, this heavily spiced West Indian recipe traditionally consisted of tripe, pig’s feet, fish, vegetables and hot peppers spread like wildfire.  The dish known by many as “Philadelphia pepper-pot” became so popular that General George Washington requested it to raise the morale—and the temperature—of his troops fighting at Valley Forge in 1777.  To modernize the dish, try replacing the tripe with spicy chicken sausage.
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After crossing the Atlantic Ocean, America’s first settlers successfully planted many European vegetables such as lettuce, carrots and turnips.  But cabbage, which could endure the cold winters and was rich in nutrients, became a vital food staple. Being grown extensively across the Hudson River, the food was especially popular with German immigrants living in Pennsylvania and New Jersey who used it to make their traditional Sauerkraut.  If that isn’t up your alley, try making it into a salad with some bacon, garlic and olive oil for a twist on summer coleslaw.
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Although the story of George Washington famously chopping down a cherry tree proved to be a myth, there certainly was no shortage of cherry trees during colonial times.  Unfortunately, native cherries proved to be too sour for the palates of most Americans who generally preferred the sweeter varieties from England.  However, you can use sour cherries for everything from brandy to jams and the best way to celebrate this national fruit would be with a fresh cherry pie for dessert.
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Sources:

Goucher, Candice. Congotay! Congotay! A Global History of Caribbean Food. London: Routledge, 2013.
Lewis, Jenny. Midwest Sweet Baking History: Delectable Classics Around Lake Michigan. Charleston: The History Press, 2011.
McLagan, Jennifer. Odd Bits: How to Cook the Rest of the Animal. Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, 2011.
Mizelle, Brett. Pig. London: Reaktion Books Ltd., 2011.
Smith, Andrew F. The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.
Staib, Walter. The City Tavern Cookbook: Recipes from the Birthplace of American Cuisine. Philadelphia: Running Press, 2009.

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By http://www.flickr.com/people/sherseydc/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/sherseydc/2939637726/) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Question: I really like how those savoury Italian Chianti go so well with dinner. Lately finding that as the prices are increasing that I am experimenting now with Maremma for better value. Similar?

Answer: Good choice. Yes both are using the delicious sangiovese grape. I too enjoy it with pasta and find excellent value of Morellino (local name for Sangiovese) from Scansano in Maremma. They got their DOC in 1978 requiring a minimum of 85% morellino and then their DOCG in 2006. Quality is much improved recently but often their wines seem to me in a style which is riper, softer with less acidity and more accessible than Tuscany – not necessarily a bad thing for current drinking use. Also check out the wines from their more northerly neighbour around Suvereto. This region uses Sangiovese/Morellino but often mixes it with oaked cab sauv, merlot, and syrah for a blend of IGT labelling. I spotlighted one of the top producers Tua Rita in my February 2, 2015 IWFS blog. Enjoy Maremma while saving yourself some money.

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By Joseph Temple

Growing more than 200 different crops that include everything from almonds to plums, there is no denying that California is the nation’s breadbasket.  So when America’s leading agricultural producer experiences a massive drought that is now entering its fourth year, it’s not surprising that a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed that eighty-four percent believe these conditions will lead to significant increases in the price of food.  While opinions vary as to how much of a spike consumers are going to feel at the cash register, the dire situation has highlighted the need for new and sustainable irrigation methods by farmers, both big and small.

Then there’s the wine industry.

Unlike avocados and strawberries that require considerable amounts of water to flourish, grapes have proven to be much more drought-resistant as vines are forced to dig deeper into the soil in search of water.  And with less irrigation, smaller grapes with thicker skins and a heavier concentration of flavors are popping up across the state. Ironically, as other crops turn brown while billions in profits dry up, many vineyards in Napa and Sonoma are experiencing double-digit growth due to the drought.

“This year’s vintage could be one for the ages,” said one California vintner in 2014.  According to the Wine Advocate, Cabernet Sauvignon produced in the Golden State scored an average rating of 78 in 2011—one year before the drought.  By 2013, that number had shot up to 96!

Of course, not all growers are benefiting from these conditions.   Smaller grapes are starting to plague the producers of inexpensive wines in California’s Central Valley.  “While people typically think of cheap wine producers as being big firms,” reports CNBC, “many of the largest producers actually buy their grapes from small, independent farmers in the San Joaquin Valley.” With profits largely based on bulk quantity pricing, those selling a bottle for $7 and less are being hit hard, seeing shipments drop between 2-3% last year.  Factor in the competition from other low-priced alcoholic beverages and quite possibly, the worst is still yet to come.

The $64,000 question that still remains is when will the effects of this drought begin to wreak havoc on higher-priced wines?  Will the short term gain that Northern California is currently feeling eventually morph into long-term pain?  According to the experts, the answer is yes.  “Grapevines may be able to withstand droughts for a certain period of time, but they cannot carry on forever,” said one observer.  “And they may reach their limit soon. Even though the plants can reach up to 100 feet below the ground to get water, the lack of precipitation could cause salt levels to rise and damage the vines.”

Sources:

Balakrishnan, Anita. (2015, Apr 1). California drought and wine: Cheaper products hit hardest. CNBC.com. Retrieved from http://cnbc.com.
Carlton, Jim. (2014, Oct 17). California Drought Produces Tastier Wine Grapes. Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://wsj.com.
Koba, Mark. (2014, Apr 19). Your food, your wallet and the California drought. CNBC.com. Retrieved from http://cnbc.com.

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