He noted that, “The culinary style at Vernona is one of elegant simplicity with strong emphasis on organic ingredients and, where possible, on local ones. Further highlighting local produce, citrus flavors accent many of the dishes.”

Winner also complimented Vernnon’s extensive wine list and excellent service.

Watch this clip on ABC TV and learn our secrets for making one of Vernona’s best dishes. With the right equipment you can make this flawlessly at home, too.

Click here to view the video from Suncoast ABC7

If you’d like to prepare our Olive Oil Poached Beef Tenderloin, just click here.

I have always been an avid fan of our Downtown Farmer’s Market, as I feel that it displays the hard work of our local growers to the public in a way that is very appealing and, well….fun.

Many people migrate to Sarasota only for the winter months to escape the hostile cold weather of the north to experience our fantastic beaches and soak in the South Florida sunshine. What most of these people do not realize is that Sarasota is actually a very active agricultural area. Actually, you might be surprised to hear that Florida ranks in the top ten in the United States with regards to agriculture and that farming is the second biggest industry in the state (behind, of course, tourism).

Of course, when people think of Florida agriculture, invariably they think about citrus. The state of Florida accounts for 40% of the world’s orange juice supply – a staggering figure when you consider all of the places in the world where citrus grows. But we in the state of Florida have a lot more to offer than oranges. Once a month, during the growing season, I take a group of 10-20 guests down to the market and we forage for what will be our lunch.

I try to acquaint them with what to look for, what to buy, etc. However, my real goal has always been to get people comfortable with the idea of going to a market, instead of a commercial grocery store, to buy food for the meals that they prepare at home. Believe it or not, the zucchini that you buy at the market (if it is in fact local, and not shipped in) is different than the zucchini that you buy at most commercial supermarkets (the reason for this is another blog altogether).

In our market lunch we secure our foods for the lunch, and then bring them back to the restaurant to prepare them in real time. Most of the meals that we prepare are very simple (this past class we made caramelized onion soup from the organic sweet onions of Worden Farms), using very fresh ingredients. The goal is to create dishes that highlight the fresh flavors of the foods, instead of masking them with complicated and heavy sauces or accompaniments.

Click here for information on our next Market Lunch and Cooking Class. We look forward to having you join us.

Tres Sabores Wine Dinner: 6:30 p.m. Sat., Vernona, 1111 Ritz-Carlton Drive, Sarasota. Husband and wife winemakers of Napa’s Tres Sabores (Three Flavors) pair their single-vineyard wines with four courses that end with chocolate tasting. $95.

This small, family-owned ranch is located on the western Rutherford Benchland of California’s Napa Valley, where they grow organically certified Zinfandel, Cabernet, Petite Syrah and Petit Verdot grapes, olives, Meyer lemons and exotic pomegranate cultivars.  Our single-vineyard wines include Tres Sabores estate Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc from the Farina Vineyard of Sonoma Mountain.

Tres Sabores means “Three Flavors” in Spanish, and in each of their wines, you’ll find three equally savory, yet distinct  tastes: the Terroir, or flavor embodied by the unique location of our ranch; the Vine, or distinct character of the grape variety; and the Artisan, or winemaker’s personal contribution of style and intuition. When appropriately balanced, these flavors result in wines with intense, yet delicate aromas and a structure that supports both long-term aging and immediate enjoyment.

Place vacuum bag in 138° water for about an hour*, or until the internal temperature reaches 138° (the beef will hold in the water for an additional hour until needed).

At Vernona we use a thermal regulated water bath that maintains the same digital temperature constantly. At home, you can either buy a home sous vide system or use a water bath and thermometer, being sure to check the temperature on a constant basis.

Enthusiastic students learned how to select the very best fresh produce prior to planning a marvelous meal.

Sarasota Sturgeon (trip to Mote Marine, pictures, caviar harvest, miso-sturgeon recipe)