STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

More Restaurant News & Reviews

• Su’s Garden has found the recipe for success
• Your Food Review: September 7, 2008
• Old Southern charm with modern twist

Share and Enjoy [?]

His Honor, Mayor Bill Barnett, has declared May as Naples History Month. The proclamation was read at the gazebo in Old Naples earlier this month with a crowd of history mavens eager to spread the word about our unique and fascinating past.

One of the most tantalizing facets of our history concerns the vittles those modern pioneers subsisted on. From its very beginnings at the turn of the 19th century, Naples has always attracted adventuresome folk, who appreciated solitude in a wilderness more than the luxuries of modern life.

Naples was only accessible by boat for many years after the first settlers came. Yet, they managed to live on a healthy diet of fish, wild turkeys, fresh vegetables, hearts of palm, game birds and the plentiful tropical fruits.

When I arrived in November, 1952, Naples was a much more civilized place. There was a movie theater, one traffic light, a couple of doctors, a weekly newspaper and several bars and restaurants.

The old Naples Hotel, just down the street from the pier, was our original “gourmet” eatery. When the hotel opened in 1889, Miss Annie McLaughlin took over the running of the place. She was an incredible cook with incredible challenges since there were no grocery stores and all supplies were brought in by boat. Nonetheless, this inspired cook came up with great meals and was a legend among the winter visitors.

William Schultz, a talented and creative chef reigned over the kitchen beginning in the late 1940s and prepared many a Lucullian feast for the guests and home-towners able to afford the six bucks it took to partake of his Sunday night buffets. Frequent visitors for Sunday lunch were Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. Ford had built a car especially for the inventor, and they would spend the four hours it took on a dirt road from Fort Myers to Naples in order to enjoy a meal at either the hotel or at the Flamingo Grille. Charles and Ann Lindbergh were more fortunate guests and came down from Captiva in their plane, which landed on the first golf course on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Third Street South.

Earlier on, the Flamingo Grille had earned a reputation for great food and many people from Fort Myers made the perilous trip to visit this early pleasure palace for the palate. It was here, on my first night in Naples, that I encountered Jackie Elmore, major domo of the Flamingo. Later, she moved on to manage the Fish House Dining Room, where one encountered Rosa’s famous key lime pie and the very freshest denizens of the deep.

The first restaurant in Naples was opened in 1928 and was located next door to Ed Frank’s Auto Shop. Ed Frank’s Rudy Bomer owned Rudy’s Café and was fortunate enough to marry Winnie Storter, a member of one of the region’s most influential pioneer families. Winnie had been a school teacher but rapidly become known as the best cook in the region. Her father was a fisherman and owned a thriving fish house so patrons knew that the fried mullet was the freshest and best.

The Rexall Drug Store at the corner of Eighth Street and Fifth Avenue South was best known as the meeting place for the Breakfast Club. The Miami Herald and the Fort Myers News-Press had bureaus here in those days and their reporters, along with those from the Collier County News gathered with the townspeople to discuss the latest gossip and gather leads for stories. Mrs. Caruthers was major domo of the lunch counter and made the best grits, eggs and coffee for breakfast, then going on to prepare the Blue Plate Special for lunch.

Down the street on Fifth Avenue reposed the old-fashioned and lovely Gulf Hotel. The meals were offered only to guests, but occasionally there was a vacant spot at the dinner table. When word got around we rushed over for some of Frances Day’s great vittles: sometimes there was wild turkey, always there was fresh fish, and the desserts, which were made by Frances, still evoke salivating at the very memory. Her specialty was a rum pie, and at Thanksgiving she prepared a feast that sent aromatic signals of great food throughout the small town. Pasha and Perky were the resident felines (the best-fed in the entire universe). These cultural kitties loved the movies and were often encountered in the town’s only cinema taking in the sights and sounds.

Most entertaining took place in private homes since the only club in those days was the Elks Club, where the public was able to partake of great oysters (especially the fried variety) and southern specialties. Naples’ greatest cook was Alta Riley, who had one of the early catering services. She often cooked for private parties, and an invitation to one of the dinners prepared by Alta was one of the most treasured occasions in our lives.

There were a couple of diners at Four Corners and one, Helen’s Diner, became Baroni’s and ultimately St. George and the Dragon. In 1952, the Fish House was opened and remains one of the historic eating places with consistently good food.

Naples has a plentitude of good restaurants where one can choose from a variety of international, continental and American cuisine. However, during Naples History Month perhaps we can look back to simpler times, simpler but tasty dishes created by those early, courageous pioneers.

ALTA RILEY’S DEVILED CRAB

This scrumptious dish was often served as a first course or a main course at luncheons. Serves 4.

1 stick butter

½ cup sweet onion

½ cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons sweet sherry

1 teaspoon minced fresh chives

½ teaspoon minced hot chile pepper

½ teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ pound fresh claw crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage

2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

½ cup dry bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over moderate heat; add the onion, and cook, stirring until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream, sherry, chives, chile pepper, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper and cook, stirring 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the crabmeat, remove from the heat and stir in the egg yolks until well incorporated. Divide the mixture among 4 buttered scallop shells or small ramekins and sprinkle a tablespoon of bread crumbs on each serving, dot with pieces of the remaining 2 tablespoon of butter and bake until the crumbs are golden and the mixture is bubbling hot, about 10 minutes.

ANNE WYNN’S PEANUT BUTTER CREAM PIE

Anne Wynn is the matriarch of the Wynn family. She is a member of pioneer Echols family and married Don Wynn after he returned from World War II. Many of the recipes in the bakery at Wynn’s Family Market originated with Anne.

1 baked pie crust

1-1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

¾ cup creamy peanut butter

½ cup, plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch

2/3 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cup scalded milk

3 egg yolks, beaten

2 tablespoons butter

Combine sugar and peanut butter. Spread all but ½ cup in the baked pie crust. Set aside ¼ cup for topping. Combine cornstarch, sugar, salt, vanilla and milk in a heavy saucepan and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add the beaten egg yolks and butter. Pour into pie shell, over the peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar mixture. Spread with meringue and sprinkle the remaining peanut butter mixture on top and bake in a 350-degree oven until lightly browned.

Meringue

3 egg whites

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

4 tablespoons sugar

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt. Beat until soft peaks form. Add sugar 1 teaspoon at times. Beat until stiff peaks form. Add vanilla.

WILLIE HOUSE’S CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

The Gulf Hotel was originally owned by Willie and Dan House. Willie was known for her lip-smackin’ tomato gravy and the best chicken and dumplings this side of heaven.

Take one fat hen, cut in pieces and season with salt and pepper. Cover with water in a large pot, add a whole onion, a couple of ribs of celery and cook until tender (about 45 minutes). This should make about a quart of rich broth. While the hen is cooking, make the dumplings.

1 egg beaten

¾ cup buttermilk

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

Salt to taste

Mix egg and buttermilk and beat well. Mix dry ingredients until well combined. Make a well in center of dry mixture and pour in liquid mixture. Mix, stir and beat until dough is smooth, tossing it about. Cut into strips two by three inches and drop into boiling broth. Cook 12 to 15 minutes, uncovered.

ASK DORIS

Q: While fishing in Scotland we stayed at a quaint country inn where we took most of our meals. The cook would prepare the fish we caught and one evening served poached fish with a simple, but delicious sauce. We were told it was called Michael sauce but were refused the recipe. Is there such a sauce or was it named after the chef? I’d love to prepare this sauce with local fish and hope you can help with a recipe.— Florence Block, Fort Myers Beach

A: I have several books dedicated to various sauces and I found this recipe in an old cookbook written by Helen Corbitt, director of the Neiman-Marcus Restaurant. As for the name: I have no idea where the name came from but am willing to thank Michael for an easy and tasty sauce.

MICHAEL SAUCE

1 cup sour cream

3 teaspoons tarragon vinegar

2 egg yolks

½ teaspoon paprika

Combine ingredients and place in a double boiler over hot water, not boiling and stir constantly until thick and smooth. This sauce is not only delicious over poached fish but enhances all cooked vegetables. Makes 1 cup.

---

More of Naples history

• Palm Cottage, free tours for mothers with another adult or child 1-4 p.m. Saturdays and Wednesdays during May in honor of Preservation Month, 137 12th Ave. S., Naples. $8, adults; $5, children; free, members. 261-8164.

• Investing in traditions with Cheryl Stone, 4-5:30 p.m. May 20, Provenance of Naples, 1300 Third St. S., Naples. Reservations required. Free. 263-4457.

• Cocktail tales, old timers share their memories of life in old Naples, 4:30-6 p.m. May 21, Campiello’s, 1177 Third St., Naples. Free.

• Backyard history speakers, Jenny Craig on history of body image, 10-11:30 a.m. May 23, DAJI Place, 12th Ave. S., Naples. Free. 216-0431.

• Backyard history speakers, children’s author Christine Jones talks about “Dixie the Wonder Horse,” 10-11:30 a.m. May 24, DAJI Place, 12th Ave. S., Naples. Free. 216-0431.

• Planning for the future while honoring the past with Joie Wilson, 4-5:30 p.m. May 27, 1300 Third St. S., Naples. Reservations required. Free. 594-2978.

• Life on Keewaydin with Lavern Gaynor, 3-4:30 p.m. May 29, 1300 Third St. S., Naples. Reservations required. Free. 594-2978.

Doris Reynolds is the author of “When Peacocks Were Roasted and Mullet Was Fried” and “Let’s Talk Food.” They are available for sale in the lobby of the Naples Daily News. Also available is her DVD, A Walk Down Memory Lane with Doris Reynolds. For comments and information regarding today’s column, contact Doris Reynolds at foodlvr25@aol.com. Sylfen 12 1745