But paninis—oh, paninis take my sandwich-love to the next level. Individually, these sandwiches are called paninos (how cute is that?), and they originated in Italy, although they’re now part of our international foodie vocabulary. Panini are traditionally made on ciabatta or rosetta bread, and Italians like them with a few salty slices of prosciutto and some cheese, but you should absolutely feel free to customize yours with whatever fillings you’d like—fresh seasonal vegetables, a variety of meats, or good old cheese for a global version of everyone’s favorite grilled sandwich.

One of the most recognizable features of panini are their pretty grill marks, and there a variety of manufacturers who make panini-makers now, ranging in price from moderate to high. But fear not: If you don’t have one, you can still get the exact same look, feel and taste from a grill pan—just flip your sandwich over when the bottom side is golden brown and toasty.

Here’s one of my favorite, classic paninos for your tasting pleasure:

Prosciutto, Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil Panino on Ciabatta

½ cup olive oil
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 large garlic clove, minced
8 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto
10 oz. thinly sliced whole-milk mozzarella cheese
12 tomato slices
12 large fresh basil leaves
1 (16-oz) ciabatta bread, halved horizontally
Whisk olive oil, vinegar, and garlic in a small bowl to blend; season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Layer prosciutto, mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil over bread. Drizzle lightly with dressing, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Press top of bread over ingredients, then cut equally into four sandwiches.

Prepare your panini maker. Grill sandwiches until bread is golden brown and the cheese melts, pressing occasionally to compact with a large spatula, 3-5 minutes per side.

And you don’t have to limit your panini-making to savory ingredients—I have a recipe for Nutella panini that is to die for and super easy to make. For each panino, simply preheat your panini grill, then slather three tablespoons of that creamy-dreamy chocolate-hazelnut spread, Nutella, onto 2 slices of white sandwich bread. Grill for about three minutes, then remove from the panini grill, remove the bread crusts and cut into triangles. You could serve with some fresh strawberries and a little fresh-whipped cream; I like to add sliced bananas before grilling and then sprinkle with a touch of confectioner’s sugar. Delicious!

However, there are a few guidelines that we all need to remind ourselves of every once and awhile.

• Tip on the total amount, prior to coupons or gift certificates. Hopefully your server didn’t give you discounted services, so you should respond in kind by tipping on the total bill, not just the discounted portion.
• Order drinks as a group. If you’re part of a large party, make life a little easier for your server and order one round of drinks at a time instead of each person sending the waiter or waitress back and forth multiple times.
• Push your chair in if you get up to go to the restroom. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen someone trip in a crowded restaurant because another diner didn’t push in his or her chair.
• Don’t hover. When you’re waiting for a table, don’t hover over the table, especially in a bar area where seating is often first-come, first-serve. Let other diners finish their dinner—treat them the way you would like to be treated.
• Respect reservations. If you are prone to making reservations at more than one restaurant because you can’t decide where you want to dine and you’re afraid you won’t get a table, you are not only costing the restaurant money if you choose another place, you are also taking away the opportunity for another guest to enjoy that establishment. Especially on holidays and Saturday nights, be sure to cancel 24 hours in advance to be courteous.

Well, Sarasota, with all these new restaurant openings, you’ll have plenty of chances to practice your proper dining etiquette. And don’t forget to put your fork and knife together neatly to one side of your plate when you’re done!

Judi Gallagher is a Sarasota-based chef who is the culinary director for ABC7 and hosts a daily cooking segment called “Chef Judi’s Dish.” She is also the contributing food and wine editor for Sarasota Magazine, and the co-publisher of www.flavorsandmore.com, a national online publication that celebrates the table. Learn more about Judi at www.judigallagher.com.

Coconut desserts have always been a popular spring treat, and with its distinctive smell and taste, coconut—at least for me—always evokes thoughts of warm weather and fun outdoor gatherings with friends. I like coconut in many forms, both sweet and savory, but I have to admit that, in spring, my favorite way to enjoy coconut is in cake form, whether that be a dainty cupcake or (even better) a huge slice of coconut cream-filled layer cake with cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut on top with cream cheese frosting and toasted coconut on top. Yum.

Here’s a fun fact for you about coconuts: They come from a Spanish and Portuguese word that means “monkey face.” Whole coconuts were often used as currency until as recently as the beginning of the 20^th century, and coconut palms—the trees on which coconuts grow—are prolific in Florida and other tropical climes such as Hawaii and South America. Interestingly, in spite of their association with the warmer months, peak months in which to get the freshest coconuts are October through December, but here in Florida, we’re lucky to have access to them year-round.

Coconut meat is white, fleshy, and delicious, and can be used fresh or in dried form. A note to those attempting to use fresh coconut for baking: Cracking one open is hard. If you’re not up for that challenge, you can find shredded sweetened and unsweetened coconut in your local supermarket, and that works perfectly for any recipe requiring coconut’s sweet, nutty taste. And to really bring out the flavor, spread shredded coconut on a baking sheet and toast until golden brown. The bonus of toasting, in addition to the enhanced flavor, is that your whole kitchen will smell delicious.

Almost everyone I know has a beloved coconut pastry recipe, but my favorite coconut cake comes from a recipe based on The Peninsula Grill’s famous (and almost terrifying) 12-layer (yes, 12!) coconut cake. Edited to a more reasonable three layers, filled with a creamy coconut center and topped with decadent cream cheese frosting that’s flecked with golden toasted coconut, this cake is an indulgence, yes—but it’s worth it. I’m coco-nutty for it!

Giant Coconut Layer Cake
Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine

Filling

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups whipping cream

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 1/4 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1/4 cup sour cream

Cake

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

5 large eggs

1 1/3 cups whipping cream

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Frosting

2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups sweetened flaked coconut, toasted

For filling:
Stir cornstarch, 2 tablespoons water, and vanilla in small bowl to dissolve cornstarch. Bring cream, sugar, and butter to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Add cornstarch mixture and bring to boil. Remove from heat and stir in coconut. Cool completely. Mix in sour cream. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

For cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour three 9-inch round cake pans. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in another large bowl to blend. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in cream and vanilla. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture. Divide batter equally among pans. Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool completely.

For frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl to blend. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla extract.

Place 1 cake layer on cake plate. Top with half of filling. Place second cake layer atop filling. Top with remaining filling. Place third cake layer atop filling. Spread frosting over top and sides of cake. Pat toasted coconut over top and sides of cake, pressing gently to adhere. (Can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 3 hours before serving.)

Let’s be honest. When I think of comfort foods, I don’t think of whole-grain pasta. I think of lobster, macaroni and cheese, puffed-up doughnuts, matzoh ball soup, noodle pudding. But with a plethora of healthy restaurants popping up all over town (see: Veg in Sarasota), the resurgence of farmers’ markets all across the country, and the popularity of healthy cooking blogs like Heidi Swanson’s 101 Cookbooks, comfort food is taking on a new meaning.

The down economy has, I think, forced people to turn their eyes inward—to their own kitchens. And while a heaping dish of Ina Garten’s macaroni and cheese is good every once in awhile, it’s not the most healthy thing to serve every night. (Cardiologist appointment for one, please!) Hence the emergence of “good” comfort food—fare that you can feel good about eating and that doesn’t sacrifice flavor.

A good example of this kind of trend is a quinoa berry breakfast bowl. Colorful and flavorful, crunchy and filling, this is a perfect healthy, go-to breakfast dish that will make you forget about stacks of pancakes and sides of bacon. Well, almost.

Quinoa Berry Breakfast Bowl
Adapted from Dr. John LaPuma’s Chef MD’s Big Book of Culinary Medicine

1 cup soy milk

1 cup water

1 cup quinoa

2 cups fresh berries

½ tsp. cinnamon

1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Agave nectar, to taste (alternatively: brown sugar, to taste)

Combine milk, water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Stir in berries and cinnamon; transfer to four bowls and top with pecans. Drizzle agave nectar over each serving or stir in brown sugar.

Then your sister calls to tell you that, in an effort to thwart holiday weight gain, she’s converted to a completely macrobotic diet. Your brother-in-law refuses to eat carbs—only protein—so can the presence of bread and mashed potatoes please be minimal? A great-aunt is allergic to pumpkin; someone else can’t have cinnamon. Pretty soon, your perfect holiday menu has become a Tofurkey-laden, macrobiotic, carb-free, pumpkinless mish-mash—and without any cinnamon to top it all off!

Believe me, I have so been there. For years, I catered my holiday dinner menus to the needs of my guests—to the point where there were sometimes two different kinds of mashed potatoes, two different kinds of cranberry sauces (some prefer fresh, some are Ocean Spray canned purists) and even several different main dishes on the table. Then one year, I realized I was about to pull all my hair out—so I took a deep breath and a step back.

Sure, I thought, the holidays are about food—but most importantly, they’re about being together with family and friends. If you don’t cater to everyone’s tastes, what’s the worst that can happen? After all, you’re the one doing the cooking—so cook for yourself and savor tradition. Cook what you enjoy. Focus on togetherness—chances are, once your family and friends see you doing that, they’ll do it, too.

Happy holiday eating,

Judi

My pumpkin streak began with a trip to Sarasota’s Fresh Market recently, where I picked up pumpkin butter (which I spooned over cheese blintzes, yum), pumpkin pie, pumpkin waffle mix and a fresh-from-the-bakery pumpkin roll. Then I picked up a quart (OK, or two) of McClain’s famous pumpkin-flavored homemade ice cream—it’s seasonal and it’s my favorite. (Have it with a piece of pumpkin pie and you’ll swear you’ve died and gone to pumpkin heaven.)

And pumpkin can be savory, too—try it with some whole-wheat penne pasta mixed with a garlic, oil, rosemary, cream and some red pepper flakes (Martha Stewart has a great recipe right here). And if you’re looking for a pumpkin beverage to wash everything down, well, Blue Moon has got you covered: Their pumpkin-flavored ale is one of my favorite fall libations.

Now, by this point you’re probably wondering about the health benefits of all these pumpkin-y treats, and I’ve got you covered there, too: While I certainly wouldn’t recommend overdoing the sweets—or the ale—a recent article in The Washington Post confirmed that pumpkin is, indeed, a superfood, meaning that it contains tons of vitamins and minerals to keep us healthy and hearty. So go ahead and enjoy pumpkin season while it lasts—and if you have any great pumpkin recipes to share, please do so in the comments!

- Judi Gallagher

For one who was professionally nurtured and creatively developed by this standard bearer of culinary periodicals, it is indeed a loss! And, I do not know where to begin.

‘Gourmet Mag’ was an integral part of my life since my graduation from Johnson and Wales, back twenty-five+ spring-times ago. I lived for their eclectic, monthly covers and the editors’ incisive food commentary. The additional information on travel and life, in general, was just a welcomed added dimension.

Yes, I digest culinary magazines – page by page, picture by picture. I, cunningly, anticipated the cover and, somewhat sinisterly relished the months that I beat them to the punch — having already cooked the main cover dish on ABC7 or tossed the idea on my blog.

Michael Green, the famed wine consultant from Gourmet Magazine and I cruised to Alaska several years ago on a Crystal food and wine spectacular. In typical, practical ‘Gourmet’ fashion, Michael taught me that fine wine should be judged not on price point, but on the deeper nuances of ‘dish matchability’ and individual taste-preference.

On an even more personal note, my step son, Sean, delivered a subscription to Gourmet on our first Christmas together – and has followed through ever since.

The times they are a changin’: not all for good, not all for bad – and many, simply, with raw emotion that manifests a changing economy – and a new order of things!

Cupcakes are experiencing a surge in popularity, and bakeries—and cupcakeries—are popping up all over the U.S., taking a page from the book of the famed Magnolia Bakery in New York City. In Sarasota, Cupcakes-a-Go-Go has taken flight, offering a delectable array of confections in traditional flavors and frostings, as well as more exotic icings, including lime. Sprinkles, the well-loved Beverly Hills-based cupcakerie, has experienced a phenomenal growth in popularity, and their pre-packaged cupcake mixes are now sold en masse at Williams-Sonoma stores all over the country (shoppers can choose from chocolate, vanilla, banana, lemon, spice and red velvet flavors). Cupcake cakes have become increasingly popular at weddings and parties, as well.

But the home cook need not despair—you don’t need to be a pastry chef to whip up a delightful batch of cupcakes. Here some tips to make your cupcake-making experience even more fun:

• Use an ice-cream scoop to fill your cupcake liner. It will make the whole process neater.
• Fill your liner ½ to ¾ full, otherwise your cupcake will bubble over.
• You don’t need a “cupcake recipe” for tasty cupcakes. Traditional cake recipes will do.
• Place your treats in the middle rack of your oven for an even baking experience.
• Get festive with your frosting. A basic buttercream recipe can easily be altered to add color and flavor. Experiment and have fun!

Just for fun, here are a few of our favorite cupcake recipes:

Doughnuts and Coffee Cupcake: http://cupcakeblog.com/?p=86

Magnolia Bakery’s Vanilla Cupcakes: www.recipelinks.com/cookbooks/2005/0743246616_2.html

Ina Garten’s Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chocolate-cupcakes-and-peanut-butter-icing-recipe/index.html

Happy baking!

-Judi Gallagher

Happy hours. Everyone loves happy hour–it’s a great way to unwind after work. But it’s also a fantastic way to grab great-quality food and drinks at a low price. Many restaurants offer happy hour; one I’m loving right now is Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar’s new “5 for 6 ‘till 7” promotion. You can choose from 5 mixed drinks, 5 glasses of wine and 5 appetizers, and everything costs just $6 until 7 p.m. Best of all? The happy hour runs Monday through Friday, so if you’re jonesing for a martini on Sunday night, just head on over. (Be sure to try the calamari and the crab cakes while you’re at it.)

Street food. Say you’re in New York or San Francisco or Philadelphia and it’s lunchtime. Sure, you could dip into a restaurant for a bite, but chances are you’ll wind up spending at least $15. Why not indulge in American institution–food from a street vendor’s cart? After all, is there anything more satisfying than an authentic Philly cheesesteak, a real New York hot dog or tasty tacos from a taqueria in San Francisco?

Coupons. Not just for your run-of-the-mill places anymore–nowadays, fine-dining restaurants are offering great deals on dinners, whether it be a free appetizer or a 2-for-1 special. Check the Internet, magazines and even the restaurant itself for these specials. Another great way to get discounts is by joining a restaurant’s mailing list–members are often alerted to good deals or get special “members-only” coupons and savings.

What great dining deals have you found lately? Leave a comment and share!

- Judi Gallagher

1 yellow bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
½ red onion sliced very thin
1 large English cucumber, skin on
4 large fresh tomatoes, diced
1 yellow tomato diced
1 bunch scallions, chopped
2 Tablespoons minced flat leaf parsley
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced plus 1 teaspoon
3 cloves garlic smashed
6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
Kosher salt
Fresh ground white pepper

8 jumbo shrimp, cleaned and deveined, tail on
Olive oil
3 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice or lemon juice
Salt and pepper as needed

Heat grill to medium high. Brush shrimp with olive oil
Grill shrimp on double skewer to prevent curling. About 2-3 minutes per side until pink.
Thinly slice bell peppers, removing core and seeds. Chop cucumber. Add tomatoes and cucumbers to thinly sliced peppers. Gently toss in scallions and fresh herbs.

In a separate bowl, mix the garlic with the lemon juice until well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss lightly.
Place a serving in the center of the plate. Lay grilled shrimp on top

Mix the yogurt and lemon juice with one teaspoon cilantro. Top center of shrimp with a dollop of yogurt dressing.

Happy Mother’s Day—here’s to the flavors of May!

- Judi Gallagher