Tag Archives: Lake Worth

Florida, Food Finds

Wing Wong BBQ

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Oh baby. Quantum Physics, I love you… You know how sometimes there is such synchronicity in the Universe that it stops you in your tracks, tickles you to the bone? That is what happened this last Friday. When you are ready, the world is ready for you… I have been thinking about Peking Duck and talking about it a lot, as of late. The week before, I was googling trying to find a Chinese restaurant that served Dim Sum because in my experience, it’s always the best dim sum “palaces” that specialize in this roasted duck Chinese specialty. Distracted, as I usually get when trying to do research, I forgot about it until the weekend started to creep around… The subject comes up again, but this time, my foodie BFF and I are discussing another Chinese specialty… BBQ pork. Also known as Char Siu, I enthuse to my compatriot, who I am sure is only half listening to me as we go into our favorite Asian grocery store in search of our necessary food finds.

As is usually the case, we immediately split up following whatever pulls us down the aisles. He is on a mission, looking in the refrigerated cases for BBQ pork and I am on another mission. Assuming we may not find it prepared, I head down the prepared condiment aisles looking for the next best thing. I’m thinking that we’ll make it ourselves. After all, I have a pretty awesome pit master and 2 outdoor grills at my disposal. Why wouldn’t we try?  We meet up a few minutes later. He’s a little disappointed he didn’t find the pork but mollified by other fun finds, clutching several goodies in hand. We could spend hours here and it’s become one of our weekend treats, to make our rounds prepping for the kids we get the pleasure of cooking for over the weekends. They love Lo Mein and Chinese fried rice, so that’s what we are perfecting this particular weekend that sent us in search of the elusive Char Siu.

I’ve found the ingredients for marinating our own pork tenderloin and we excitedly discuss how we’re going to do it. On the way out to the car, we pass again, the Chinese restaurant just next door… But this time, we both stop and look in the window at the Peking Duck hanging there, invitingly. We look at each other and head to the car, Chinese goodies and a Vietnamese Cherry tree in tow. He’s putting the tree in and just says to me, “Go in and check it out. I know you want to…” I giggle and hop out of the car practically skipping. And then I see it… hanging right next to the last duck… CHAR SIU. I squeal all the way back out to the car. $16 later, half a duck and a pound of char siu in hand! My aspiring closet chef takes the bundle and says, “You freak, what else did you get??!!” Knowing me too well… I ceremoniously hand over what felt like the food find of the century. “NO FREAKING WAY!!!” Aw, yes… a gratifying moment in deed. And of course, we have to try dripping bites of both oohing and ahh-ing appreciatively in the car.

We researched recipes for Char Siu all weekend, still dedicated to making it at least once. But we obsessed and were so impressed with the beautiful roasted duck that we went straight home mid-round of running errands just to have a dinner fit for royalty but so inexpensive it felt wrong some how. Feeling like we won the lottery, we were well equipped for our family feast of authentic Chinese Lo Mein and fried rice. Look the duck out, kiddos!!

Worth a drive:

Wing Wong BBQ
Address: 5891 S Military Trail # 8, Lake Worth, FL 33463
Phone:(561) 433-2732

Florida

Rorabeck’s Plants and Produce, Lake Worth, FL

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Love this place. It’s an indoor/outdoor farmer’s market and produce stand but they also sells plants, trees and pottery at very reasonable prices.

I love making my produce rounds and Rorabeck’s is often on my list because I can get my veggie/fruit/plant fix all in one place. Especially, if I have time to dilly dally a little bit… I will roam the acre of landscaping plants just to get inspiration and often I find something unique hiding or tucked away inconspicuously. Like the tiny chiltepin bird chile I discovered or the 3 gallon bucket of fennel or the myriad of brightly colored coleus that can grow to enormous sizes here in our beautiful tropical Florida weather.

As for produce, Rorabeck’s is an outdoor covered market that has a plethora of local, in season fruits and veggies as well as other ethnic staples that may be harder to come by at a typical American grocery store. In fact, I used to miss the diversity of the produce we could get when we lived in the Bay Area in California. But over the last couple of years, I’ve discovered so many hidden jewels on my own and with the enthusiastic support of my Florida born sidekick, that I’m hard pressed to miss anything at all. I’ve also taken some of my Minnesota friends here and they’ve just been fascinated at how much beautiful produce we can bring home for under $20.

Small baskets of jalapeños, local beefsteak tomatoes, avocados, mangos, cucumbers, plums, peaches, shallots, summer squash, cabbage, onions… you name it. Its easier to go overboard than it is to not find something you just have to have. The baskets all contain goodies from anywhere to $1-$3 on average and most of it is very ripe, intended to be used or processed within the week. Ideal for juicing, canning or just planning weekly family meals.

Rorabeck’s Plants & Produce
Address: 5539 S Military Trail, Lake Worth, FL 33463
Phone:(561) 642-3382

Florida

Solace Farms, Lake Worth, Florida

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This is a lovely little farm right next door. How idealic… Like Alice in Wonderland, I’ve often wondered what was tucked away on the little driveway where I used to only see a few greenhouses.

I thought it had been bought when the greenhouses disappeared and it looked like the land was tilled up. I mistakenly believed it had been bought by a developer as much of the land around my neighborhood is quickly being developed. And then one morning on my way to get milk at the grocery store, I saw a little sign for Solace Farms by the gate along with signs for Fresh Eggs. Are you serious?!  Ok, I had to check it out…

I met Ayup the crazy Afghani. That is how he introduced himself to me, so of course, it’s hard not to remember that. And something in my enthusiasm for the farm and the questions I was asking made him start to wander around, showing me fun stuff, completely interrupted from his farm tasks. But oh how fun. I couldn’t contain myself as he introduced me to a leafy green they were growing that tasted spicy and pungent like wasabi or horseradish. Like a crazy foodie, I rolled up the rest of the leaf and tucked it into my purse to share with my someone when I got home.

Having come for fresh eggs, Ayup proceeded to go get me a dozen eggs retrieved by the beautiful free range chickens roaming the property. How wonderful. I knew they would be good and I just giggled at the luck of having discovered such a perfect find literally in my own backyard. The posts in this blog will attest to my search for just such a wonderful local ingredient and to get it steps from my own door was almost too much for one morning. Ayup didn’t have change to cash my $20 so he just gave me the eggs and told me to come back soon. Pleased as punch, I took my gift and headed out for milk as I had intended.

Solace Farms… something so perfect about that name. My recent visit proved just as fruitful as the first and I took home a bounty of local produce fit for a gentle garden bee like myself. Orange beets, purple carrots, crimini mushrooms, sweet corn and my beautiful organic, free range eggs. A Saturday morning visit also provided an opportunity to meet Missy and Ashley, the family who owns this farm. Of course, Ayup came over to say hello. He happily discussed this morning’s produce knowing that I was just as appreciative of it as they were and was a little bit tickled that I remembered his name. But who could not? Can’t wait to go back and see their friendly faces next weekend.

Florida, Food Finds

Excalibur Fruit Tree Farm, Lake Worth, Florida

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Love. Love this place. I mean love. This is what I live for. After making my rounds at Aaldmon’s Organic Farm, I head around the corner, literally, to Excalibur. My first experience with this farm took me and my hubby on a 2 hour tour via golf cart to experience this 17 acre rare and native tropical fruit tree farm just a few miles from my current haunt.

Molina’s expertise and enthusiasm captured our attention as she drove us around, jumped out of the cart and picked fruit right off the trees they offer for sale. She educated us about medicinal uses, grafting techniques and general advice on growing tropical fruit here in Florida. They are a tropical fruit farm, true, but their primary focus is on providing these awesome and rare tropical trees for sale for commercial or residential use. However, I am now “in the know” and I swing by every Friday just before they close to see what has ripened on their property as a bi-product of these gorgeous trees. Like a kid in a candy store, but better.

It was here that I fell in love with egg fruit (yellow sapote) and black sapote, aka chocolate pudding fruit. Oh yes, I can attest that it really does make superb (stunning!) chocolate desserts.  Imagine my total delight when last week, they had both for sale! Extremely rare to find this selection of fruit in any grocery store, even in Florida. What a delight, walking away with 3 lbs of apple bananas, 6 lbs of yellow sapote, 5 black sapotes and 2 gargantuan avocados. All for less than $25. A crate of oranges at Costco is about $12… a dozen apples anywhere from $6-10! I mean, I will do it, but it’s so nice to have this as an option, too. Grown here. Locally. In my figurative “backyard”. It really doesn’t get better than this.

Check out Excalibur Fruit Trees’ website to learn more.