Suzanne Perrotto, owner of Rose’s Daughter in Delray Beach, recommends buying a propane grill or stove for use when the power is out, and stocking up on water and non-perishable foods. Photo provided by Libbyvision
By Jan Norris
Floridians know what this month brings — more storm watches. It’s peak hurricane season, and time to get serious about preparations — if you haven’t already.
While a major storm may not hit, it’s possible that even a blow-by can take out power long enough to cause trouble. But with advance warning, there’s time to prepare.
Local chefs have planned and readied for several storms and emergencies and have tips for people who may be new at this.
First and foremost, use the tracking notices for storms to create a timeline, says Jimmy Everett of Boynton Beach’s Driftwood. Focus on perishables, and shop judiciously.
“Plan on using all your perishables and buying only what you can use for a short time ahead of the storm. The biggest threat is the power goes out afterward,” he said. Expect to be without refrigeration and a freezer.
“My wife is from Puerto Rico,” Everett said. “They get storms all the time that knock out the power. If there’s a storm on the way, you’ll see everybody baking cakes or breads and using up all the perishables. You’ll have baked goods for days.”
If you have capacity to preserve some of the fresh foods by canning or pickling, that’s ideal.
“We keep a few pickle juices on hand,” Everett said. “Just boil them and pour them over the foods.”
Sliced root vegetables such as carrots, as well as cucumbers or cabbage, green beans, okra — all can be pickled, and will last outside refrigeration when done properly. (Use a pickling guide such as the Ball Blue Book for safety.)
Freeze water, or buy ice ahead of time, and fill the freezer to capacity to keep food cold during an outage. “Don’t open it just to check on temperature,” Everett said.
Equipment that should be on everyone’s list is a propane or charcoal grill, or small propane stove that runs on canisters, the same ones sold for camping, said Suzanne Perrotto, owner of Rose’s Daughter and Brulee in Delray Beach.
“Those are wonderful to have anywhere,” she said. “You can cook eggs, soups, stews; if you have a propane grill, you can even bake bread in it by covering it up.”
She also has a “ton” of wood for her outdoor pizza oven.
Water is essential. “I have a lot of bottled water and buckets to catch water if I need to. I remind all our staff to make sure they have plenty of water on hand this time of year. And have food in reserve, too.”
Perrotto sells sourdough starter at The Pantry, an offshoot of Rose’s Daughter. “You can have bread every day if you keep a starter. No refrigerator needed.”
Store-bought tortillas can sub out for bread and they will last for weeks, she said.
Having a store of dry foods to eat or reconstitute with boiling water will go far toward preparing full meals. “Quinoa, rice, and those ramen noodles in a pinch,” Perrotto said.
Adding herbs, spices and flavorings such as bouillon powder or dry soup base will make basic canned foods palatable.
“I have Patriot meals,” she said. These military-style rations last for a year and are found in various forms online or in some sports stores. “I have a 100-hour candle, too.
“I use fresh herbs from my garden, but you can use dried herbs — thyme, basil, rosemary, parsley — to boost flavors,” Perrotto said.
“I do use a lot of Asian spices at home, such as curry powder. Coconut milk, dried mushrooms, a variety of peppers — these can all add flavor. Garlic lasts for a long time.
“Vinegar and oils, you’ll need those, too,” she said.
These help digestion and boost nutrition.
Canned soups, meats, black beans, chickpeas, canned tomatoes and other vegetables can be made into cold salads, soups or stews and provide protein.
Perrotto keeps green juices in reserve, to get nutrition in a glass and move beyond bottled water. She also has “lots of instant coffee and coffee creamer on hand. I can’t live without my coffee.”
When buying canned goods, smaller is better, she says. “Once they’re opened, you’ll need to avoid leftovers or have refrigeration available.”
Proteins may be hardest to obtain, Perrotto said, but “guess you can always eat an iguana. I’m just kidding. But we really have to do something about them.”
More hurricane prep tips
Prepare for a power outage — the most common threat, even after a minor storm — as well as flooding.
To stock:
• Manual can opener
• Matches or grill lighters
• Propane stove and canisters, or tanks for grill
• Ice chests filled with drinks to avoid opening refrigerator
• Foil pans for cooking on grill
• Lantern and batteries for cooking area
• Contractor-strength trash bags — use as small tarp, containers for dry foods, or covering counters stacked with appliances
• Disposable plates and utensils
• Shelf stable dairy products: milk, pudding, cheese
• Shelf stable bacon, cured meats, canned proteins
• Juices and coconut water
• Canned foods — buy small cans so no leftovers
To do:
• Pack up cherished recipes or cookbooks to store with important papers.
• Fill all spaces in the freezer to keep it cold longer.
• Bag up any meltable foods such as ice cream or popsicles.
• Freeze large bottles (gallon and half-gallon) of drinking water and store in top of freezer.
• Use up perishables in a stew, but package in small containers to avoid waste.
• Buy farmer’s eggs, which don’t need immediate refrigeration.
— Jan Norris
Gary Rack’s Farmhouse Kitchen is one of the eateries participating in Downtown Delray Beach Restaurant Month. Its deals include half off prices on the dinner menu and half off drink prices from 3 to 7 p.m. daily in September. Photo provided
Restaurant month in Delray and throughout county
September marks the ninth annual Downtown Delray Beach Restaurant Month. More than 40 restaurants are participating in the discount program that offers special menus or deals through Sept. 30.
In an effort to draw in new diners to their eateries, participants offer special drink pricing at happy hour, a prix fixe dinner or a special event.
Those offering prix fixe menus include Bounce Delray, 50 Ocean, Amar Mediterranean, J&J Seafood Bar and Grill, Costa by OK&M, The Office Delray, The Grove and others.
Cafe deals are served at Jonny’s Deli in Tony’s Market, Kilwin’s Windy City Pizza, The Pantry and Fit Food Express.
Special dinners and events are scheduled at Akira Back and Ramen Lab Eatery. A food tour is on the list, provided by Craft Food Tours.
Restaurants are added to the list with updates daily. For a list of all participating restaurants, prices and menus, go to downtowndelraybeach.com/restaurantmonth.
Flavor South Florida also returns in September and covers more territory. Restaurants in the discount program range from Port St. Lucie to Boca Raton.
Special prix fixe meals are offered for both lunch and dinner at more than 60 restaurants.
This year, staycation deals at local resorts cover both lodging and dining at a discount.
A wide variety of cuisines fall into the program such as Italian and French, as well as sushi bars, steakhouses and plant-based foods.
In Boca, look for menus from the Pavilion Grille, Sushi by Bou, Il Mulino and the Loch Bar.
Boynton Beach’s Driftwood and A’lu Mexican Cuisine are participating. In Delray Beach, Dada and The Wine Room are, too.
Polpo in Manalapan, and Cafe Boulud, Echo, Florie’s, Henry’s Palm Beach, La Goulue and others are offering prix fixe menus.
For a look at menus and an updated list of participating restaurants, visit flavorpb.com/restaurants.
With both programs, it’s a good idea to make reservations.
Jan Norris is a food writer who can be reached at nativefla@gmail.com.
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