Hidden away on the corner of Oakland Park Boulevard and North Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale lies L’Hermitage Catering and Gourmet Emporium. Located in an unsuspecting strip mall, you would never suspect the treasures you would find once you walk through the door. L’Hermitage was the destination for outing #3 for the South Florida TasteCasting Team.
The walls were lined with gourmet food and wine products that would make any foodie stir up a multitude of dinner and entertaining ideas. On one wall, it was any spice you could imagine – these were the same spices that you can order from Dean & Deluca, but they’re half the price. (We like that!) On the other side of the store were prepared foods for easy preparation – sauces, dips, pastas, desserts and more for those nights when popping something in the oven is the only way to go. In addition to the gourmet store, L’Hermitage offers catering services and has been doing so for over 10 years.
Soon after I arrived, the TasteCasting Team started to make their way through the door. For this event, there were five tasters and we were ready with our phones and cameras in hand – @dinemag (that’s me), @barefootcount, @foodalogue, @fauxfoodiegirl and @jmdhsmiami. We would get to experience something similar to their progressive food and wine pairing events held every other Tuesday evening at the store. For these events, Marci, owner of L’Hermitage, pairs up with Christine Najac from Really Good Cookies for an evening of decadence with wine, gourmet food and a little sweet to finish it up. I knew that if Christine’s cookies were as good as her brownies, we were in for a treat. These brownies will transform even a non-chocolate lover into an addict, I kid you not.
For this event, I began the night off with a zesty glass of the Giesen Sauvignon Blanc. I quickly noticed that even the glass stood out from the typical and Marci mentioned that they always want to be one step above the rest and will make sure they, whether it be in her catering or in the store, offer only the best.
Lobster and Mango Mousse in a Tortilla Crisp
At this point, we didn’t know what we were in for, but soon one tray after the next of deliciousness was served to our team. First up, the Lobster and Mango Mousse in a Chive Crisp. Perfect start to the evening, as the creaminess of the mousse and the sweetness of the mango complemented the tortilla crisp.
Next in line was one of my favorites of the evening as I’ve been on a kick of wanting anything and everything mushroom. The Five Mushroom Tartlet in a Chive Pastry Crust satisfied this craving nicely, and the chive pastry. All it took was one bite, but bite after bite, these warm tartlets were quickly devoured.
We were just at the beginning of what was to come – Shrimp Curry Dumplings, French Onion Soup in a Brioche Bowl and Lobster Bisque were next in line. Did I mention that these Shrimp Curry Dumplings made the cover of a local magazine recently? While they weren’t my favorite of the evening, they were still quite tasty (the mushroom tartlets beat the dumplings out) and to be featured on a cover, you must be doing something right.
Five Mushroom Tartlets in a Chive Pastry Crust
At this time, the night was still young, but we had lots more eating and tweeting to do. We moved onto Marci’s line up of prepared sauces. We tried the Pesto Sauce for a Chicken Pesto Pasta Dish, a Chicken Marsala dish and Chicken Cacciatore. The pesto won here, as it was simple, bursting with flavors of basil and garlic and even though I was getting full at this point (and we hadn’t even made it to dessert yet), I couldn’t resist finishing my plate.
The time had come – time for a delicious plate of chocolate decadence presented to us by Christine Najac from Really Good Cookies. She had sent me the menu earlier in the day and I was drooling just reading about them. Along with the brownies, we would be tasting her Signature Chocolate Chip Cookies (chocolate chip cookies layered with caramel, chocolate and chopped walnuts), her Signature Peanut Butter Cookies (Chocolate Cookies layered with semi-sweet chocolate and honey roasted peanuts), her Florida Snoballs (coconut, cranberries and walnuts covered in velvet bath of white chocolate) and more.
The dessert tasting was rich, sinful, chocolaty and beautifully paired with a Layer Cake Red Zinfandel. The cookies and brownies were delightful and I’ve been gushing over them ever since. My favorite being the Signature Chocolate Chip, but everyone’s favorite was different. When Christine said to take home our favorites, like magic they disappeared. Just as delicious the next day (and the next and the next).
This TasteCasting event was run the same way as their wine and food pairing events held every other Tuesday at L’Hermitage. For only $20, guests can enjoy small bites, chocolaty treats and fine wine and do just as we did on this lovely evening. For a list of upcoming events, call L’Hermitage at 954-568-2383.
I must admit that when I launched the South Florida TasteCasting team, I didn’t know what to expect, but we have been spoiled with great food, fine wine and a fantastic team. Our first trip was to Secrets Piano Bar, next we went to Bimini Boatyard and now, L’Hermitage. If you are a South Florida restaurant looking for some added promotion and want to invite our team in, contact me for more information.
L’Hermitage Catering and Gourmet Emporium is located at 3045 N Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale. (954) 568-2383
Really Good Cookies can be found at L’Hermitage or ordered online.
It was time to sit down and begin our dining adventure. First up, the world-famous Bimini Bread. Since I had never been to the restaurant before, I had to do my research about it prior to my dinner, and everyone kept raving about this Bimini Bread. What was it and what made it so special? This loaf of doughy goodness looks like any ordinary sandwich bread, but it’s sweet flavor gives it the Bimini touch, and we ate that right up. Yes, it did live up to all the hype. And if you want the recipe, don’t even think about it, as this is a Bimini secret. Next in line, a collection of their appetizers – calamari, conch fritters and their crab cakes – a crowd favorite. They were crispy and full of crab, like they should be, which made this a delight (even for me as crab cakes are usually my least favorite menu item to get when I go out to eat).
All this food and we hadn’t even made it to our entrees. Dominican Gulf Black Grouper with a Mango “Coulis-grette,” Ocho Rios Swordfish with a Jamaican jerk glaze, Sweet Tuber melange and red Onion – coconut Rangoon, Blue Mountain Yellowtail Snapper – it was so difficult to decide. If you like seafood, you will be in seafood heaven. Fresh, delectable dishes, creatively presented with an island touch. At this point, we were all stuffed, but couldn’t resist the heavenly desserts.