Adventures of The Foodaholic: New Shake Shack in Coral : James Beard

Daily Melt

I don't know about you, but I associate the smell of toasted, buttery bread and warm, melted cheese with the carefree summers I spent at my grandmother's house growing up. If I fast forward a few years from those days, it also brings me back to my late night partying spells when hunger pangs would hit at about 4 o'clock in the morning and the quickest, most comforting dish I could put together in the kitchen was a grilled cheese sandwich. While these were simple days where two slices of bread and a slab of cheese would suffice, in today's gastronomically complex era and Instagram picture-taking euphoria (guilty), this simplicity just won't do. Over in Midtown, James Beard Award Winning Chef Allen Susser is creating some mouthwatering gourmet versions of the traditional favorites that would put my measly sammys to shame.

Cheese Please

Never seen one of
these before!

The cheese is selected by Chef Allen

The Daily Melt, located on Buena Vista Avenue in The Shops at Midtown Miami, is a small place with big flavor. Having opened in March of this year, it's primary focus has been to showcase a selection of gourmet cheese sandwiches, coupled with shots of creamy soups, at very affordable prices. The open kitchen is the focal point of the room, with a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine off to the side that offers patrons over 100 soda flavor options. You probably know Chef/Partner Allen Susser from his famous Aventura restaurant, Chef Allens, which he opened in 1986 and ran successfully for 25 years. Since then, he has received numerous awards and recognition not only for his culinary talents, but also his humanitarian efforts through organizations such as Share Our Strength and Feeding South Florida.

With Chef Allen Susser

I Melt For You Too Daily Melt

Starting to drool a bit...

Chef Allen, as he is affectionately known, has recently taken cheese to new levels by adding a variety of Chef's Blackboard Specials to the menu that include everything from Prosciutto and Mozarella with slow roasted tomato to Roast Beef with Boursin Cheese and balsamic onion marmalade. The funnest part? He pairs each sandwich with gourmet housemade pickles that tickle your taste buds. I had the opportunity to sample these lip-smacking new specials and watch Chef Allen in action as he put together his favorite ingredients, fig and rosemary, into a creation of aromatic proportions. "There's a method to layering the ingredients in a sandwich to bring out the 'yum' factor," explained the Chef. He also let us in on how he uses two different cheeses to add an extra gooeyness to his tasty treats.

True passion in the kitchen

Coming Soon: Pickling Bar

Gravity Brewlab

While we munched away on the new warm, crusty creations, Chef Allen taught us a bit of his pickling secrets. From the brine made with salt, water and vinegar, all the way up to the unique ingredients he uses to come up with the distinct flavors in his different pickles, he took our palates on a wild ride that gave us an Asian kickin' and helped us find our "mojo", sort of speak. What did we sip between gooey bites of cheese and creamy shots of soup? None other than wheat based local craft beers from Gravity Brewlab.

Difficult Decisions

I've been to Daily Melt a couple of times for lunch, and I'm happy to know I will also be able to start my mornings just a little bit cheesier now. They've recently launched breakfast service seven days a week that will include six new breakfast melts. I guess it all boils down to Chef Allen's take on good eating, "If I can bring in what my mother and my grandmother did, and serve some comfort with my food, then it will all be good." For more information on Daily Melt, call them at 305-573-0101.

A few weeks ago I shared with you that Macy's Culinary Council was holding a cooking demonstration on May 23rd at the Macy's Home Store in Aventura Mall, featuring award-winning Chef Michelle Bernstein. Miami's pride and joy, Bernstein's eateries include Michy's and Crumb on Parchment, and because she's a woman of many talents (Girl Power!), she is also the host of Check, Please (which I've been dying to go on) on WPBT. I hope many of you got the opportunity to attend and interact with the charismatic, talented chef as she cooked up All-American dishes for Macy's American Icons campaign. But if you didn't, here is a mouthwatering recap of the event, along with my interview with Bernstein prior to the demo.

With James Beard Award Winning Chef Michelle Bernstein

I'll start by saying that Bernstein has such a witty personality, she makes you feel like you're talking to an old friend. Funny and vivacious, it was a pleasure to chat with her before her demonstration about everything from her two-year old son, to her charity work.

The Foodaholic: The last time we talked, your son was just a few months old. I remember thinking, how does she do it all: running the restaurants, hosting a T.V. show, writing books, working on a number of projects and being a new mom? I would be pulling my hair out!

Michelle Bernstein: (Laughing) It is tiring but so much fun. And now that Zachary's entering his terrible two's in a few months, it is even more exciting. Making meals and getting him to eat them is an adventure to say the least. Despite being so busy, though, I always make sure to spend time with my family, and enjoy my son. They grow up so fast.

The F: You're a Miami native raised in a Jewish/Latino home. How do you combine those Latin and Jewish roots in your cooking?

MB: I grew up where the dishes in my home were a combination of cultures all in one dish. My mom cooked the Latin favorites but always added a Jewish and Italian touch to it. Naturally, it stayed with me. I developed my own style drawing from my childhood memories.

The Foodaholic: What ingredient will we always find in your kitchen?

Michelle Bernstein.: I would say it is definitely fennel. You can use it in more ways than people realize. I've been eating it since I was a kid.

The F: I told my Facebook fans I would be chatting with you and asked them what they would want to learn about Michelle Bernstein. Then I promised to pick one question to ask you. Ashley Peeler wanted to know what percentage of the food you cook is farm-to-table?

MB: Just one? You should have picked more! I would say the percentage of dishes I cook that are farm-to-table varies according to the seasons. If I had to give it a number, I'd say it ranges from about 70% to 75%, depending on the time of year. In my opinion, I'm still not where I want to be.

The F: How do you think we could help South Florida catch up with the farm-to-table movement?

MB: By continuing to buy local and to spread the word about the importance of it for flavor, health and our local economy. I think we've come a long way, but we still have a lot of work to do.

The F: You are such a huge part of the culinary scene in Miami and have influenced it in so many ways. What have been some changes you have seen in the past ten years?

MB: I have to say that one thing that has disappointed me in the last few years is that it is difficult to find authentic, cultural food in many of the newer restaurants. I find that some of the younger chefs have moved away from tradition and it is difficult to go say to a Cuban restaurant and find real Cuban food. For some reason, it has become a fusion that has a lost a bit of its roots. However, there are also some great things happening out there and some talented new chefs that are taking things to a whole new level.

TF: Tell us a little bit about Common Threads and your involvement in this great effort.

MB: Common Threads teaches kids in underserved communities about the importance of good nutrition and cooking healthy meals. There is such a big problem with childhood obesity, that showing kids how to make affordable and nutritious meals in a fun way helps them make healthier choices. We provide recipes, do fundraisers for the program and teach classes so that children will improve their well-being and learn about cultural diversity at the same time.

With that, the time arrived for Bernstein to go wow the crowd with her fabulous meal. And that she did. Between her impeccable skills, captivating humor, and fun personality, everyone was had a great time. Add to the mix, the comedic antics between Bernstein and her parents (particularly her mother Martha), and it was truly an amazing afternoon. Take a look at the pictures below to get a glimpse of the fun. The menu consisted of Shrimp Braised with Jerez Wine, Creamy Grits, Gremolata, and Crunchy Garlic, followed by juicy Steak au Poivre served with a Caesar Salad. Dessert featured a Bananas Tres Leches Cake that made me sneak in an extra one when no one was looking. Beware! You will get hungry...