Tampa Food Mom

DeVito’s Italian Specialties is the newest Italian restaurant in town! Located downtown, across from the Hilton at 200 N. Tampa St. Not such great timing to open a new restaurant with all the Covid19 awareness and precautions going on in the world but that was surely an unforeseeable hiccup. All the more reason to read my review and recommendations and bookmark it for takeout or your first date night out when all this blows over!

My husband and I were invited to make a limited seating reservation earlier this week for their soft opening. We were more than stoked to try it out… With a last name like Lombardo, Italian food is a way of life for us!

We were greeted by the restaurant manager and seated in the deserted dining room. Again, a sign of the times and social distancing. We had the corner booth against a window overlooking Tampa Street, it would have been a little more enjoyable if the street was bustling… Darn you Coronavirus! There were a few passer bys that stared as we ate, but not too distracting. Truthfully, I liked the window seat. The decor is spectacular, especially the black and white tile floor. The entire restaurant exudes the ambiance of an Italian restaurant of yesteryear while balanced with today’s interior trends.

Our server immediately greeted us at our table and offered us wine as they did not have a full bar at the moment. We declined as we are not wine drinkers and she then brought still water, we declined the sparkling water. Midway through our meal, I realized we weren’t offered any other beverage type and my husband does enjoy Coke with his meal …. it was kind of funny watching him struggle with water for the evening!

I ordered the Bucatini Taleggia e Speck since that was the Instagram post that attracted me to the restaurant in the first place! And our server agreed it would be a delicious choice for my first meal there. This hearty pasta dish is similar to Carbonara, commonly made with egg, hard cheese, cured pork, and black pepper. In case you’re unfamiliar, Bucatini is a thick spaghetti-like pasta with a hole running through the center… great for dishes like this to trap the savory sauce! This particular variation was prepared with Speck ham.

My husband ordered the Salti in Bocca di Pollo, it came with roasted vegetables and potatoes. The roasted chicken was topped with parma ham and fontina cheese, under the crispy chicken skin… braised in a delicate white wine, sage infused sauce. Reminiscent of a classic pan sauce. What’s not to love about that?!

The food was moderately priced but worth it for the time preparation and expertise that went into creating each dish. A few things I took note of and would have loved to seen … We would have enjoyed a visit to our table from the owner, as he sitting at the bar. Being we were the only paying customers in the restaurant we would have enjoyed hearing a little bit about his new restaurant and concept. This was also the first Italian restaurant we dined at that we were not offered any kind of bread service or a starter such as salad or soup. If this is a new trend, I am not aware of it and not one I’m particularly fond of. Who doesn’t want a nice Cristy Italian bread with their entree to soak up the delicious carbonara sauce or white wine pan gravy?! This by no means is a sour review, the food was delicious and the ambience was spectacular! I would definitely visit DeVito’s again but I feel the forementioned items of constructive criticism were valuable enough to mention.

I would surely give our dining experience, the knowledgeable attentive server and phenomenal food a 9.5 out of 10 rating! I suggest you all get your reservations in now, while you can, before the world gets back to normal and there’s a mad rush on the entire Tampa Bay area dying to get into DeVito’s doors!!

Bon appetit

Rachel

*I was not paid or compensated for this independent restaurant/ food review. I paid for this meal and experience as any customer would have.

In light of social distancing and the crazy new way of life we are all having to experience, thanks to the Coronavirus, my son and I still managed to get out of the house on Sunday morning to help welcome Aroma Joe’s to the Tampa Bay area!

I had been anticipating the arrival of this New England coffee shop to our area for several months now. I had read about their Pompano Beach location and found out they had plans on branching out to the Tampa Bay area. I reached out to the general manager of the upcoming Land o Lakes location, Glen Cote. He was very happy to answered my email and social media questions and kept in contact with me throughout their construction process. So needless to say, through great communication on Glen’s part, I knew exactly when they would be opening.

Although the media strongly advised against going out to high-traffic, crowded areas, including restaurants and coffee shops, I basically threw caution to the wind and still ventured out for their soft opening. I’m a huge supporter of locally-owned businesses so a little pandemic wasn’t going to stop me from being part of Aroma Joe’s opening here in Tampa Bay!!!

My son and I were warmly greeted by the entire staff in the coffee shop and behind the counter! The vibe of Aroma Joe’s is your typical coffee shop but in a good way! The interior is as friendly and inviting as Glenn and his wife were! You walk into an abundance of flavored syrup line shelves and prepackaged coffee bags (for purchase) and brewed coffee urns.

They had a vast selection of specialty espresso beverages either iced, frozen or hot for you traditionalist! they even had a specialty drink for St Patrick’s Day called the Shamrock macchiato. If you know me you know that was the beverage I chose and it was bangin! Mint and espresso who knew …. delicious!

My 14 year old is into a big coffee drinker, I guess that’s a good thing, but he does enjoy the frozen cappuccino drinks. He ordered the Cappuccino FroJoe and drank it right down to the bottom of the plastic cup, with a huge smile on his face the whole time!

Since it was breakfast time, I ordered the Maple Ham Swiss Croissant… Yum!! It does come with eggs but as I’ve mentioned before, I’m not an egg fan. I kindly asked Glenn to 86 the eggs for my breakfast sandwich and he happily obliged. How can you go wrong with a hot melty breakfast sandwich to accompany your icy cold espresso drink?!

I know everybody is leery of venturing out of their houses where it’s a germ-free, safe environment but I also believe you should partake in commerce and help local businesses. This Aroma Joe’s location has a drive-thru that, last I heard, will remain open through all safety precautions and is happy to fulfill your caffeine needs!

I definitely think we should all heed the health and safety warnings and use extra precautions right now but please patronize local businesses that offer drive-thru service as much as you can right now!!!

That being said, I’m jealous of all the Land ‘o Lakes and Lutz people that have this gem of a coffee shop in their backyard!!! Stop a new Aroma Joe’s and let them know Tampa food mom sent you… And don’t forget to tell me what you thought!!!

Drink up friends!

Rachel

I was browsing through Instagram last Sunday and fell down the rabbit hole of #SundayRoast. Mind you, it was noon here in Florida but evidently dinner time across the pond. And our friends in the UK know how to make a mean Sunday Supper! I was relaxing after a big hearty lunch of Chicken and Dumplings and totally not hungry but it didn’t stop me from drooling over those scrumptious plates full of perfectly roasted beef! I knew I’d have to make my family a savory family dinner with a slow roasted Eye Round as the main course!

So off I went to Winn Dixie! I am a huge food snob and it has taken me 45 years to come to terms with the fact that Winn Dixie really is THE beef people! I’ve been getting my red meat there for the past year and it’s always been top quality. No, really, I’m being serious! As I type this, I cringe since I always made fun of my mom for getting her meat there. But mom really did know best! Winn Dixie is a great spot for beef! I will say they are pretty expensive so I only get what’s on sale that week. Top Round/ Eye Round was on sale last weekend.

Begin by preheating your oven to 500. Yes, I said 500 degrees! This is a really full proof roasting method for medium rare beef! While it heats up, season your roast to taste…. I like a simple dry rub of equally generous amounts of onion powder, garlic salt and pepper.

When your oven is screaming hot and ready, quickly put the roast in and set the timer! Set your oven timer for 5 minutes per pound, in my case, I have a 3 lb roast so I set the oven timer for 15 minutes. When the timer goes off, turn off the oven and DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN, AT ALL!! Set the timer for an additional 2 hours. This is where the slow roast magic happened, trust me!

Remember : DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN UNTIL THE LAST TIMER GOES OFF!!!

While your roast is slowly cooking and teasing your taste buds, prepare your horseradish sauce.

You’ll need a small (glass) covered dish to make and store your prepared horseradish sauce. The ingredients you’ll need are : 3 tbsp good quality sour cream, equally good quality prepared white horseradish – 3 tsp, 1/4 tsp fresh dill or dried dill weed, salt and pepper. Mix all of the sauce ingredients together, taste to make sure it is seasoned well and horseradish-y enough for your taste. Make sure you refridgerate for the 2+ hours you’re finishing up your dinner prep. As with any sour cream based dip or dressing, it needs to made ahead (a day or few hours at least) so there is time for the flavors marry together!

I LOVE this sauce and always glob it on my beef! It’s just the best accent for red meat!

I like to serve a variety of sides with my Sunday Roast. I usually look to my biweekly produce co-op basket for inspiration, I like to equate this process to Chopped! Use what I have!! I’ll be serving fresh sauteed Brussels sprouts, fresh green beans and homemade mashed potatoes (the potatoes are an Aldi purchase, they have incredible produce prices!). And of course brown gravy for my husband!

Remove from oven when the timer goes off and let it rest for 10 minutes before thinly slicing!

Sunday supper is a rare treat around here these days. My two older boys work part-time on the weekends, so they haven’t been able to gather around the family table with us lately. Family dinners were always an important foundation with our families daily life but as they’ve gotten older and have added more responsibilities to their plates, these special meals are far and few between. Savor your family time and go the extra mile where you can my friends ❤️

Bon appetit

Rachel

Today is Pi Day, March 14th, 3-14 or affectionately known in my household as PIE DAY!

I AM “that” mom that looks for any excuse to make an ordinary day extraordinary. And Pi Day fits my MO to a tee! I love giving my kids and husband something to look forward to. A constant. They know they can always expect me to buy or make their favorite pies, serve up a few pizza pies or my homemade shepherd’s pie and find some kind of pie centric activity on March 14th.

One year, I bought cheap dollar store pie tins, filled them with shaving cream and let them have at it with each other in the back yard. Another year we broke out our game, Pie Face and enjoyed a few giggles. I never shy away from making memories with my family! Even if it’s messy!

Several national chains and restaurants enjoy getting in on the Pi Day action, offering special deals and money saving treats! Here are a few ideas that will help you take advantage of some savings and fun family memories!

My favorite local grocery chain, Publix, has several fun Pi Day offers on pies this week! Mini, personal sized, bakery fruit pies are $3.14 each. Frozen pie such as Marie Callendar’s are currently BOGO, 2 full sized delicous pies for $7.99 and the same brand in a 2 pack mini pies are BOGO at $2.42. I’m skipping homemade this year and taking advantage of these great deals!

My guys are also fans of cheap, frozen Aldi brand pizza! So I always have a few on hand in our freezer. You can’t beat a medium sized rising crust pizza pie for less than $2.50! And all three of my frozen pizza fans can share one of these easy peasy pizzas!

Check out the nifty pizza delivery app, Slice. Beginning March 14 they are offering new users $5 off their first order by using code PIDAYPIE at checkout. Your order total must be at least $15. This offer is good through the end of March. Also a great app to have while we practice social distance right now! https://slicelife.com/

Papa John’s (at participating locations) has an offer where you purchase a large pizza at the regular price and you get a second large pizza, with one topping, for just $3.14. Just remember to order using the code 314LG.

Call ahead if you can and keep in mind, there may be some sudden changes to these offers as the world is extra cautious right now with the coronavirus.

No matter what is going on in the world right now, seize Pi Day as an opportunity to take your families minds off of all the corona craziness and make sweet memories together!

Bon appetit

Rachel

To close out the 2020 Florida Strawberry Festival week, I am sharing a truly special southern dessert recipe… Strawberry pretzel salad! And in true Southern fashion, this recipe has nothing to do with salad! No leafy greens and mayo based dressings here! The name is cleverly deceptive, leaves more dessert for the grown folks!

I’m still using the fresh strawberries from the half flat I purchased last weekend from a roadside vendor!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups salted pretzels, crushed
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 – 8 oz. brick cream cheese, softened
• 1 – 8 oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 large package strawberry instant Jell-O, prepared as per the package directions.
• 2 cups fresh, sliced strawberries

Directions:

Preheat the oven at 350. Then lightly spray a 9×13 Pyrex baking dish with Pam, non-stick cooking spray

Pulse the pretzels in the food processor, not pulverizing, add the sugar and butter to the crushed pretzels while it’s still in the food processor.

Press the pretzel mixture into the baking dish, forming a crust. Bake 15 minutes, allow to cool on top of a wire rack.

Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and well blended. Mix in the thawed whipped topping.

Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over it the cooked pretzel crust. Chill in the refrigerator.

Prepare the strawberry jello as per the package directions. Fold in the cut strawberries. Chill the mixture until it thickens, not completely setting. (I cheat and chill it in the freezer!)

Once the jello and berry mixture has semi-set, pour over the cream cheese layer. Chill until set. Slice like a sheet cake and and enjoy!

Bon appetit

Rachel

I’ve made several posts throughout the week celebrating this area’s most beloved Festival. This is the last weekend of the 2020 Florida Strawberry Festival here in Plant City… So I decided to share two strawberry centric recipes with you. The first one is one of our family favorites, onion rings made from strawberry onions!

Today I stopped off at Three Son Farms, on my way home from taking my husband for an oil change in Plant City. I had planned all week on stopping off at one of my local strawberry fields to get a few fresh strawberry onions to make my homemade onion rings. Lucky for me, this road side farmstand is only 3 miles from my house!

Not too many people know about the famed strawberry onion that grows at the same time as Plant City’s delectable Strawberries. They’re grown as a natural pesticide with the strawberry plants, on the outer perimeter of the strawberry field. They are sweet (sweetness relative o an onion) and delicate with a much softer bite than the vidalia onion. These unique onions are huge, like a softball! Perfect for onion rings!

This is an extremely simple recipe, one that can easily be done with any fresh vegetable of your choice!

Ingredients:

• 1 large, cleaned strawberry onion or Vidalia onion
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup tap water
• 1 tbsp each of garlic powder, salt, pepper & onion powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 bottle vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

Start by thinly slicing your clean onion. Separate the layers.

Heat your neutral cooking oil, in a roomy pot, on medium heat. While the oil comes to temperature, start preparing your onion rings.

To get started, lightly beat the eggs and water together, making an egg wash. Season the AP flour with the spices listed above. Feel free to change up my traditional batter spices for your family favorites! I use pie tins whenever I batter anyting. They are uniform and roomy enough to do a few batches at one time.

I always batter much like you would for southern fried chicken… Always start by dredging the onions in the seasoned flour mixture, then into the egg wash, and lastly back into the seasoned flour. Place all of the battered onion rings in a separate pie tin.

Drop a pinch of flour into the oil to see if it bubbles round it to make sure the oil is hot enough. Begin frying in small batches so you don’t change the temperature of the oil too quickly.

Simply put, when they are golden brown, they are done and can be taken out of the oil. Place the freshly fried onion rings on paper towel lined platter, give them a nice dusting salt and wait a few minutes before eating so you don’t burn your tongue!

Bon appetit

Rachel

You’ve spent your weekend at the Strawberry Festival … what are you going to do with all those beautiful sweet berries?! I have got the perfect recipe. It’s easy and impressive, anyone that you server to will feel special! Plant City Strawberry Pizza!

Fear not, if you don’t live in Plant City or the surrounding areas, you can use this recipe with any fresh strawberry, raspberry, blackberry or blueberry that you have. Side note- Plant City also grows the most scrumptious blueberries this time of year!!

Let’s get started!!

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts/ large packages of fresh whole strawberries
• 1 premade sugar cookie dough package
• Strawberry jam, topping or premade glaze
• 1 cream cheese brick, room temperature
• 2 seperate 1/2 cup measurements powdered sugar
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To get started you’ll need to clean and slice your strawberries as pictured above.

Next, spray your springform pan with Pam. Then press your cookie dough into the pan. The pan I like using is commonly used for baking cheesecakes. It has a nifty latch on the outside to release the outer ring of the pan for easy serving. I don’t have the exact diameter, but you don’t want it to big.

You don’t need to worry about the little fingerprints in the dough, nor do you have to press it all the way to the edge- I promise you it will spread out during the baking process. I’m not a perfectionist with baking or cooking but I can imagine if you are, you could take the bottom of a measuring cup and press the dough out to where it’ll look a little bit neater.

Bake just the sugar cookie dough at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes. You’ll definitely want to do a toothpick test to see if it is fully baked. Take the baked cookie out of the oven and let it cool for about an hour before putting the rest of the layers on. I often cheat and put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes so that the assembly process moves along quicker for me!

Use a hand mixer to beat together the softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. You will want to taste the cream cheese mixture to see if it’s sweet enough to your preference. You can always add more powdered sugar and beat for another minute. I give it a few finishing folds with a spatula to make sure it’s nice and smooth.

Once the sugar cookie is cool, you may remove it from the sides of the springform pan and begin layering on your cream cheese mixture. Use an offset spatula to get it nice and even.

Add half a jar of strawberry jam or sweetened glaze topping to your sliced strawberries. Gently place berries on top of the cream cheese mixture, not going all the way to the edge. You’ll want you are finished product to resemble a pizza with a crust.

Whip the pint of whipping cream on medium speed with the other half cup of powdered sugar and vanilla. I always start out with a little less sugar than I think I’ll need because it’s easier to add sweetener than to take it away. Always taste for sweetness!

Don’t over whip, you’re not making butter!

I usually don’t place all of the whipped cream on top of the strawberry pizza. Some people prefer a little less, some people prefer a little more. It can often break down the strawberries faster, so I serve it on the side.

I hope this recipe brings your family many happy memories as it does with mine! This is my son John’s favorite way for me to use the seasons fresh strawberries!!! I get so much joy out of seeing him take that first slice!

Bon appetit

Rachel

Greetings strawberry lovers and welcome to all that is strawberry and amazing. Strawberry and amazing are synonymous around here!

Eastern Hillsborough county is the proud home of the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City, FL. Strawberries are way more than a succulent berry around here, they’re a way of life! Even if you don’t live on a strawberry farm or work in the field or grow this magical fruit, you are still touched by it’s very presence.

Around here you look forward to Strawberry season. Whether it’s to gather in line at Parkesdale Farms for their first strawberry shortcake of the season or the grab a fresh flat of strawberries from the Berry Barn or to hit up Spivey Farms UPick… We countdown to strawberry season around here!

And the crowning jewel is the Florida Strawberry Festival to commence the end of the growing season. http://www.flstrawberryfestival.com/information/

I’m going to make you drool, shortly with all things scrumptiously strawberry but keep in mind this is a well rounded “county fair” like festival with livestock shows, a full midway with over 80 rides, you can visit the “ask a farmer booth” and learn all about strawberry production, milk a cow, local singers and world renowned headliners throwing full concerts (tickets extra for this!), best in show arts and crafts (yes like blue ribbons for pies and quilts!), baby contests, pagants and parades through main street… it’s truly an awe-inspiring experience!

You can’t talk about the Florida Strawberry Festival and not discuss the STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE! As you can imagine, there is always a healthy line forming in front of one of the three infamous strawberry shortcake stands. The lines are “well oiled” machines and moves much faster than you’d imagine. So be patient, I promise the sweet strawberry reward, that awaits you at the end of that line, is worth it!

I always go to the St. Clement Catholic Church “make your own shortcake” booth inside the middle of the Parke Exhibit Building. It’s super easy to find every year,  next to the Parkesdale Farms booth. It’s just my family tradition to patronize that particular stand.

There are several other strawberry centric treats to choose from this year like: strawberry sandwiches (picture a hamburger with the works including strawberry mayo!), strawberry pie, strawberry cheesecake, colossal chocolate strawberry shortcake shake (you know the freakishly huge kind with fruity pebbles stuck to the side and a cupcake bulging out from the top of the whipped cream mountain!), strawberry pizza (my too pick, family favorite!), strawberry brisket tacos, strawberry kettle corn, strawberry cream puffs, the sweetheart donut (from Peachey’s Baking Company- see photo below) and strawberry Dole Whip!

Don’t forget to purchase some homemade strawberry jam and a flat or two when you leave! When I purchase half or full flats, I always make a few chocolate covered strawberries! They are quick and simple to do and everyone loves them in my household! All I do is purchase melting chocolate such as Dolci Frutta Hard Chocolate Shell. You can find this at a Walmart grocery store for sure! I microwave the melts as per the package directions and dip fresh, cleaned, dry strawberries (stew and leaves still attached, it makes a handy dipping handle and it looks pretty!). I set them on a parchment lined tray for the chocolate coating to harden, which usually only takes about 15-20 minutes at room temperature. You can refridgerate for about 2 days, any longer and the fruit starts to break down. But who are we kidding, when do chocolate covered strawberries last more than two days in any ones household?!

Berry best wishes for a fabulous visit to the Florida Strawberry Festival!

Rachel

Happy Friday blog readers and friends! If you’re like me, you’re already thinking about your weekend plans and how you can make the most of your time with family and friends… Why not kick the weekend off right with a delicious Saturday morning breakfast date with your significant other of some alone time with one of your kids?!

I’d like to point out a few things about my breakfast preferences, as I write this post about some of my favorite morning spots around the Tampa Bay area….

1) I love quiche but that is THE only way I’ll eat eggs (well I’ll eat them in cookies and cake of course!). So there will be no omelette posts to follow…..

2) I like to utilize breakfast outings as alone time with my middle son. I’m not a huge breakfast person but going with him makes it feel special and ceremonial. Have no fear, I don’t exclude the other two, my 17 year old just happens to be an early riser like me!

3) Any restaurant that offers a to-go coffee as you leave gets more points in my book since I rarely ever get a coffee refill while I’m eating.

4) I’m not a chain fan when it comes to eating out but for breakfast I prefer it.

5) I will travel for food, so I may stay predominantly in the Brandon area but have no problem heading to Seminole Heights for a great waffle… So feel free to leave me feed back on your favorite breakfast spots around Tampa Bay!

I seriously enjoyed the Sticky Maple from Maple Street Biscuit Company in Bloomingdale. This scrumptious breakfast sandwich is layered on top of flaky biscuit, with their all-natural fried chicken breast, pecanwood smoked bacon, topped with a generous pour of real maple syrup. Perfect selection for a non-egg eater like myself! Check out their menu here : https://maplestreetbiscuits.com/our-menu-2/

Metro Diner in South Tampa is one of my most favorite breakfast spots! I go crazy for their fried chicken and waffles!!! Crispy fried chicken and a golden brown Belgian waffle, topped with powdered sugar and their decedent strawberry butter. Your server also makes their signature sweet & spicy sauce tableside. I usually skip this and ask for extra strawberry butter… It is phenomenal and probably why I drive nearly 15 miles for breakfast! You can ask your server for a half order as well, you get 2 pieces of fried chicken and half of a waffle for $9.99. You can browse there menu here : https://metrodiner.com/menus

I’ve been to the new First Watch in Bloomingdale a few times now. Both times were iffy with their service. But I hate to taint a good pancake dish for subpar service. That being said, my favorite breakfast there is the Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. Two light and airy pancakes served with lemon curd that just brightens up this hearty stack! They add whipped ricotta cheese to the multigrain pancake batter giving it more depth. It is topped with marinated berries and brought out nice and warm! Browse the breakfast menu here : https://www.firstwatch.com/menu/griddle

Nothing, and I mean, beats a bag full of fresh made, still warm NY style bagels!! It’s quick, convienient and shareable! I usually opt for a weekend breakfast that my whole family will be able to eat together… And bagels are totally approved by four out of five members of my family! The fifth ones opinion doesn’t count, he doesn’t eat bread! You can purchase a hand flavored cream cheese right there at the bagel shop and even breakfast sandwiches. I usually opt to run into Publix on he way home and buy a small cream cheese since I’m the only one that eats it. The earlier you go, the better your chances are for the bagel variety you want, including bialys!

Have an amazing weekend friends!

Rachel