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Restaurant Owners Deserve Plenty Of Respect

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By JADEN HAIR

Tribune correspondent

Published: June 18, 2008

It never fails that at least twice a day I'm asked, "So when are you gonna start your own restaurant?" My reply is always the same: "Only when I have an extra million in the bank and I don't have to worry about making money."

I know a restaurant would be just too much for my delicate psyche to handle. How would I ever explain to the IRS that "weekly psychotherapy" is part of operating expenses?

The only way I'd be able to handle the long hours and hard work is with back-to-back shots of double espressos followed by a Red Bull chaser. But with that regimen, I'd scare off innocent, unsuspecting people, screaming, "DUDE! YOU! NEED! TO! TRY! MY! SESAME! SHRIMP!" while leaping out of the doorway and shoving a sample in any open mouth passing by. Yeah, maybe hyperactive, assertive marketing wouldn't work so well.

Which is why I have so much respect for anyone working in the industry. I just spent the afternoon at a food and wine festival called Forks and Corks in Sarasota and, I've gotta say, it was simply fantastic. The festival was sponsored by the Sarasota Originals, a group of 50 independently owned restaurants in the area, and held in the exquisite, palatial courtyard of the Ringling Museum of Art. It was very Sarasota-esque.

Behind every restaurant's sample booth were the owners, generously dishing out sample portions of their signature menu item. Despite being on their feet with only four hours of sleep in 90-degree heat, they rocked on with graciousness.

Independent restaurant owners: I bow down to you.

Here are some favorites from those I sampled:

•Cranberry Chicken Salad in little phyllo cups from Cafe Venice in downtown Venice. I confess: I doubled back, cut in line and snuck three more samples.

•Baby Back Ribs in Strawberry Hurricane Sauce from Sun House Restaurant on Anna Maria Island. How can you go wrong with fall-off-the-bone ribs lounging in a luscious sweet sauce reminiscent of a tropical drink?

•Tommy Klauber's live demo. This man can flip tandoori lamb in one hand, balance a cocktail in the other and flirt with all the women in the audience without breaking a sweat. He made me blush.

•Guigal Cotes Du Rhone Rose 2007, $16 - light and crisp; cherry and strawberry notes. Tell your boss it's OK to play hooky this afternoon, and grab a chilled bottle to enjoy with friends.

If I ever find that extra million in the bank, you can bet I'll be out there thrusting a deep-fried sesame shrimp pierced by a cocktail sword at-cha.

SESAME SHRIMP WITH HONEY MUSTARD DIPPING SAUCE

1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, with tails attached

2 teaspoons kosher salt

11/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine

2 large eggs

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup peanut oil, plus additional for deep frying

1 cup water

2 to 3 cups white sesame seeds

For Dipping Sauce:

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons peanut oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

In a bowl, gently mix the shrimp with salt to coat. Cover with cold water, slosh around a few times, drain the shrimp well, and then transfer to a cutting board. Line up 3 shallow bowls. Put 1 cup of the flour in one bowl. In the second, whisk together sesame oil, wine, eggs, cornstarch, baking soda and the remaining 1/2 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of the peanut oil and 1 cup of water until well combined. In the third bowl, put sesame seeds.

Heat a wok or large pot with peanut oil for deep frying over high heat until 360 degrees.

Work in batches of 4 to 5 shrimp at a time. For each shrimp, hold by tail, dip in flour, then batter, then sesame seeds. Deep fry in batches of 4 to 5 shrimp until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Serve with dipping sauce. Serves 6 to 8.

To make sauce: Wisk together the mustard, honey, oil and soy sauce until well-combined. Set aside until ready to serve.

Source: adapted from "The Seventh Daughter," by Cecilia Chiang (Ten Speed Press, $35)

Jaden Hair is a cooking instructor and author of the blog Jaden's Steamy Kitchen at www.steamy kitchen.com.

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