Longboat Key & Sarasota: A Culinary Journey

A Culinary Journey to Longboat Key, Florida

February 28 - May 10, 2025

Scrumpdillyicious will be touring the Longboat Key area along Florida's Gulf coast from the end of February to mid May, 2025. Join me online each week as we journey through Longboat Key, Anna Maria Island, Siesta Key and Sarasota, capturing the cultural and culinary pulse of this little corner of paradise, renowned for it's sugar-sand beaches, fabulous cuisine, stunning Spanish style architecture and thriving theatre arts, museums and opera scene on Florida's cultural coast.

Our Culinary Journey will take us from Longboat Key to St Armand's Circle and Sarasota. We'll then journey up to Anna Maria Island, over to Tampa then south to Naples, as we explore the diverse culinary influences and regional ingredients of Florida's diverse cuisine. From the Spanish settlers in the early 16th century to the Cuban, Caribbean and African immigrants, the rich fusion of exotic and complex cuisines has created a food culture that continues to evolve, in addition to native seafood specialties such as shrimp, grouper, Bay scallops and pompano along with unique local dishes as stone crab, conch fritters and Key Lime Pie. So grab your appetite as we head south for two and half months of sun, sand and culinary snooping!

Adrak: Michelin Star Indian Cuisine in Yorkville

 

Celebrated for its Michelin-recognized dishes and exquisite flavours, Adrak is a culinary jewel. Sleek and stylish with hand-carved cane and wood furniture, Herringbone wood floors, cozy turmeric-hued booths, and custom fabrics and wallpapers sourced from India, a nod to fine Indian architecture and style. Showcasing refined cuisine inspired from of the regions all across India, the kitchen stands out with a unique hierarchy, featuring specialists with expertise in specific dishes rather than traditional executive or junior chefs of most typical restaurants. The team of culinary experts brings global experience from kitchens across the UAE, India, Thailand, and beyond, that have been trained under a Michelin-star Chef Vineet Bhatia, with some having tenures with other world-renowned chefs, including Gaggan Anand, Hari Nayak and Prashant Chipkar.

Arriving for dinner on a very snowy evening with my brother and sister in law, we were seated in one of the elegant saffron hued booths complete with beautiful pillows, and selected a selection of dishes from Adrak's inviting menu, including their iconic Rani Kachori with vibrant pink yogurt sauce and the impressive and delicious Prawns Tandoori served table side on a long tandoori skewer. Also noteworthy was the Khatte Meethe Baingan with baby aubergine and of course the traditional Dal Makhani, one of my favourite dishes. Attentive, professional and friendly, the service was excellent and the dishes even more so. We shall definitely return, but perhaps on a less snowy evening. 

A copper cup with crisp pappadam-style biscuits arrive as an amuse-bouche

Adriak's most iconic dish Rani Kachori, a large crisp puri filled with onion, potato, tomato, sprouts, chickpeas, and chutney with a vibrant pink yogurt sauce

Portion of the delicious Rani Kachori garnished with a flower

Onion Bhajia unusually fashioned as onion rings

Coriander Mint Chutney for the Onion Bhajia

Server presenting the Prawns Tandoori at the table served with a cheese dip and apple-fennel salad

Prawn Tandoori marinated with sesame and fresh coconut

Apple Slaw with rainbow radish served with the prawns

Aloo Gobi

Traditional Dal Makhani is one of my favourite dishes

Khatte Meethe Baingan with baby aubergine and sweet-sour sauce

Murgh Tikka Masala made with chicken tikka, cashew nuts in a spiced tomato-onion sauce

Basmati Rice served in a mason jar

Garlic Naan

www.adrakyorkville.ca

South Indian Crab Cake and Crab Chutney

Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of chef Vineet Bhatia

Crab Cakes:

4 1/4 oz of white crab meat

1/4 lb of potatoes, unpeeled

1 1/2 tbsp of black mustard seeds

6 curry leaves, coarsely chopped

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 1/2 tsp garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp ginger, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp green chillies, finely chopped

1 tsp chaat masala

2 large eggs, lightly whisked

4 tbsp of breadcrumbs, for coating

vegetable oil

salt

Crab Chutney:

3 1/2 oz of white crab meat

1/2 tomato, deseeded and finely chopped

1 tsp ginger, finely chopped

1/2 lime, juiced and zest grated

4 tbsp of mayonnaise

1 tsp green chillies, chopped

1 tbsp of spring onions, chopped

1 tbsp of black mustard seeds

6 curry leaves, finely chopped

2 tbsp of olive oil

salt

To make the crab chutney, mix the crab meat with the spring onions, tomato, lime zest, ginger and green chilli. Heat the oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves. When the seeds begin to crackle, take the pan off the heat and drizzle this oil on to the crab mixture. Add the mayonnaise, a little salt and lime juice and mix well.

For the crab cakes, boil the unpeeled potato in salted water until tender, then peel and grate. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. When they begin to splutter, add the curry leaves and chopped onion and sauté until the onion turns translucent. Mix the red chilli powder and turmeric with a little water. Add the chopped garlic, ginger and green chilli to the pan and sauté briefly, then add the red chilli powder and turmeric paste and sauté for a minute longer. Add the crab meat and stir-fry until all the moisture has evaporated, then stir in the grated potato. Season with the chaat masala and some salt, then leave to cool. Put the eggs in a bowl and the breadcrumbs in another. Shape the crab mixture into 4 round patties, dip them in the egg and then coat them in the crumbs. 

Heat the oil to 350°F in a large, deep saucepan (if you don’t have a thermometer, check it is hot enough by adding a cube of bread to the oil. It should start to bubble and fry, but not burn, the moment it has been added). Add the crab cakes and deep-fry for about 2 minutes, until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper. To plate, serve one crab cake per person with a spoonful of the chutney on top with drizzle of balsamic glaze for presentation.

Pizza Libretto on University: Pre-Opera Dinner

 

We're fortunate to have a fabulous selection of authentic Neapolitan pizzerias in Toronto, and one that's received it's fair share of media buzz is Pizzeria Libretto, the brainchild of chef Rocco Agostino and his partner Max Rimaldi, who in 2009 sparked a Neapolitan pizza craze serving blistered, wood-fired thin-crust pies at their first location on Ossington Avenue, with three other downtown pizzeria now added to their roster. The pizzeria's name comes from the traditional Neapolitan way of thinking about pizza: it should be thin enough to be folded in half into a little book, or a 'libretto', and it appears Pizza Libretto wrote the book on Neapolitan pizzas — as they're still considered by many to be the very best in the city. Agostino is so serious about Neapolitan-style pizza that there’s an 'Ideology' section on the Pizzeria Libretto website. 

And Pizza Libretto is loyal to what real pizza is — invented in Naples using local natural ingredients, cooked in a wood fired oven at extremely high heat to achieve a charred, blistered crust. They use San Marzano tomatoes and Fior di Latte Mozzarella, brought in fresh daily. The dough is made with naturally leavened Italian Caputo '00' flour and is baked in less than 90 seconds at 900°F in their wood burning oven, hand built by a 3rd generation pizza oven maker in Naples. Simple, Honest, and Natural. They serve many different styles of pizza, but it’s the passion that's behind the pizza, and the ingredients that are laid on top, that makes all the difference at Pizza Libretto, from Duck Confit with Bosc Pear and Mozzarella; Spicy Nduja Sausage with Tomato, Garlic, Oregano, Basil, Mozzarella and Stracciatella; Creamy Funghi with Cremini Mushrooms with Buffalo Mozzarella, Gorgonzola Crema, Roasted Garlic, Rosemary, Thyme and Pecorino; to their signature Libretto Margherita with Buffalo Mozzarella, Crushed Tomato and Grana Padano. Still popular after 16 years, Pizzeria Libretto is still a booming success with devoted pizza-philes across the city and just a short walk to the Canadian Opera Company.

Glass of Gaie Prosecco

Arancini with scamoroza cheese, Libretto homemade sugo and shaved grana padano

Crispy with meltingly soft interior

Pizzas are cooked in wood fired pizza oven

Margherita Pizza with Pepperoni

Colognole Chianti

'Funghi' white pizza with cremini mushroom, gorgonzola crema, garlic, thyme, 

rosemary, fior di latte mozzarella and pecorino 

Gavi Bersano

pizzerialibretto.com

Pizza Libretto's Meatball And Tomato Sago Sauce

Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of chef Rocco Agostino

Meatballs:

3 lbs ground beef, ground pork and ground pork belly

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

1 large egg

1/2 cup parsley, chopped

1/4 cup chives, chopped

1/4 cup oregano, chopped

1/2 cup roasted red peppers, pureed

1/2 cup parmigiano cheese, finely grated

1/2 tbsp salt

1/2 tbsp black pepper

Sugo Sauce:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 large onion, finely diced

1 tbsp garlic (2 cloves), finely chopped

1 L canned San Marzano tomatos, puréed

1/4 cup bomba, an Italian spicy condiment found at most grocery stores

1/4 fresh basil, chopped

1/2 tbsp salt

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup parmigiano cheese, coarsely grated

Mix all of the meatball ingredients together in a large bowl and combine until well incorporated. Use standard ice cream scoop to portion the meatballs. Hand roll the meat to give it a tight circular shape and place on a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven at 375°F for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside.

For the sauce, add 1/4 cup of olive oil to a large enough pot that the meatballs will fit. Sauté the onions over medium heat until caramelized. Add the chopped garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the tomato sauce and bring to a simmer for five minutes. Add the bomba, salt and simmer on medium low until reduced by 1/4, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and use a hand mixing to purée the sago slightly, bringing it all together. Stern the chopped basil. Add meatballs and drippings left in the tray and simmer for another 15 minutes.

To serve, place 3 meatballs and pour a spoon of sauce over top each meatball. Sprinkle a tablespoon of grated parmigiano cheese over top and serve immediately. 

Note: Pizzeria Libretto sometimes serves this dish over whipped bufala ricotta with crusty charred bread on the side.

Banana Bread: Rich, Moist & Oh So Delicious

 

Rich, moist and delicious, this is one of my favourite banana bread recipes. it's also a great way to use up over ripe bananas — the browner they are, the better. Dark brown sugar is key. Walnuts are optional but wholeheartedly encouraged. 

Banana Bread

Serves 12

Recipe courtesy of All Recipes

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 large eggs, beaten

2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with butter and line with parchment paper, leaving a generous overhang on all sides. 

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Beat brown sugar and butter with an electric mixer in a separate large bowl until smooth. Stir in the beaten eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 minutes. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.