***** Dunkin’ Donuts Valentine Day’s Donuts.

Last week- Dunkin’ Donuts of South Florida’s corporate office invited Jeff Eats to sample its Valentine’s Day offerings as well as its Chocolate Croissant, a recent addition to its menu. They sent me a $25.00 gift card and asked me to visit a DD in my area…of course they requested feedback and hopefully a “plug” in a Jeff Eats’ column.

Long story short,

Yesterday morning- Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats stopped in at the Dunkin’ Donuts at 3011 Yamato Road in Boca Raton and used the gift card to sample the following products: Heart-Shaped Brownie Batter Donut (heart sprinkles and chocolate frosting outside, brownie batter inside), Cookie Dough Donut (chocolate chips outside, cookie dough filling inside) and Cupid’s Choice Donut (pink frosting and custard filling inside); Chocolate Croissant and a White Chocolate Raspberry Iced Latte.

I enjoyed everything,

My favorite donut was the Brownie Batter, which had a terrific combination of chocolate outside and brownie batter inside. The warm Chocolate Croissant was also delicious and trust me- for $1.79, I could handle one or two of those suckers every day. The latte was ok, but you-guys know that I’m a straight up black-coffee kinda guy so “it wasn’t really my cup of tea”…Mrs. Jeff Eats loved it!

Now for the kicker, in addition to the $25 gift card that I already mentioned, the corporate office also sent me a second $25.00 gift card to use as I liked. Nothing for nothing, I had thought about keeping it for myself, but being a good guy- I’m gonna give it to one of you guys. To win-it send Jeff Eats a “comment” telling me- why you love Dunkin’ Donuts (if you gotta lie, lie) and in honor of Valentine’s Day, the 14th person to write me will win the card. If I don’t get 14 by February 12th, I’m the winner! By the way, Jeff Eats isn’t going to “publish” your comments-immediately on receipt…this way you guys won’t know where you are in the contest pecking order.

Finally, some of you guys with pencil and paper- have probably figured out that my “test” added up to less than 25 bucks…just so you know, I also took home a mixed-dozen donuts, so there!

All in all, I gotta tell you that I was super impressed with the “DD” I visited- clean, sharp service and the stuff was real good- comp or no comp!

Finally, some of you guys maybe wondering how Jeff Eats’ Dunkin’ Donuts outing- compared with the “gourmet” donut stores that dot the South Florida landscape- to be perfectly honest with you, the stuff I had this morning was real-strong. One other thing to keep in mind, maybe there are 5-so called gourmet guys within a 45 minute drive from my Boca Raton home…just guessing, but Dunkin’ Donuts in the same radius probably has 451,296 stores- soooo “availability” has to be factored into rating Dunkin’Donuts and that definitely helps-its case!

For additional information about Dunkin’ Donuts of South Florida including their own Valentine’s Contest, visit them at www.twitter.com/DDSoFla.

* Marshmallows, Who Knew?

Gonna sound strange, but last night I had a strange dream- in which I was being chased by something like a 532lb marshmallow. Long story short, this morning when Jeff Eats got up, I decided to research “uses” for marshmallows other than for eating…

Found a very interesting article “Seven Ways to Use Marshmallows” on lifehackery.com which I want to share with you.

Jeff Eats is still “researching” the subject…but I did find #3 in the article to be very interesting, helpful and insightful.

By the way, if you can add to the list of “uses” please write-in!
*****
Seven Ways to Use Marshmallows

Marshmallows may be made of nothing more than sugar and air, but they’re loads of fun and excitement. They are great to eat by themselves, roasted on a campfire, or used in many recipes. As good as they are to eat, marshmallows also have many other incredible uses that make life at home better, sweeter, and more convenient.

If you have an extra bag of marshmallows, and you just had enough of your daily dose of S’mores, there are still many other ways to use the sweet treats. Here are seven fun, practical uses for America’s favorite sweet snack.

1. Lozenge for Sore Throats
Unlike other candies and confectioneries, marshmallows are very soft, mild, and soothing. Marshmallows do not have the jagged edges and the very high sugar content of hard candies. The gelatin that binds the marshmallow together is very helpful at soothing pain and irritation in your throat. Two or three marshmallows are usually enough to soothe the irritating feeling. Make sure to chew on the marshmallow first; do not swallow them whole.

2. Draw Out Abscesses
If you have a boil on your skin or a shallow abscess on your gum, you can use a marshmallow to draw out the pus. The high sugar content of marshmallows attract pus cells and bacteria, and other dead matter that build up inside a pus sac or an abscess. When you use a marshmallow to draw out an abscess, make sure that you’re only doing it as a home remedy, not as a substitute for proper medical care. Marshmallows are only effective at drawing out abscesses if the boil or the pus sac has reached its head. Do not attempt to puncture the boil. Do not eat the marshmallow after you have used it to draw an abscess.

3. Pedicure Aid
If you run out of cotton balls, but you still want to give yourself a pedicure, you can use marshmallows to keep your toes apart. A marshmallow placed in between your toes can keep them separate, and makes adding nail color and polish so much easier. Do not eat the marshmallows after you have used them; not only is it gross, but the chemicals found in manicure ingredients are also toxic. (Tips on how to give yourself a pedicure)

4. Quick-Fix Frosting
Say you just baked a cake and you ran out of frosting and icing. While a cake tastes terrific even without icing or frosting, it just isn’t the same. If you ran out of icing ingredients, or if you do not know how to make icing, then you can use marshmallows to make a frosting that not only looks great, but tastes very good too.
•Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil.
•Place an aluminum mixing bowl on top of the pot of water to make a double boiler. The double boiler set-up ensures that the molten marshmallows do not boil.
•Melt marshmallows on the mixing bowl. Use a whisk to whip up the molten marshmallows. The whisk introduces air to the mixture, which prevents it from burning and adds an airy, fluffy texture to the frosting.
•Add a few tablespoonfuls of corn syrup or water to the mixture if it’s too thic
Slather on the mixture to make your cakes look tastefully yummy and decadent.

5. Edible Glue
If you do confectioneries like wedding cakes, you may want to think about using molten marshmallows as a good way to glue cake parts together (Learn The Guide To Wedding Cakes). The gelatin and sugar in marshmallows form a very strong, cohesive bond with many other sweet treats like candy canes, caramel nests, and sugar ribbons. Another advantage to marshmallow glue is that you can use it as long as it’s in liquid form, although the strength of the bond is reduced when the glue starts to coagulate and harden.
Marshmallows are a great addition to your sugar bowl. Sugar granules sometimes clump up because of excess moisture and humidity. If you find that your sugar bowl has too many lumps in it, you can put one or two marshmallows with your sugar. Marshmallows act like a desiccant, and absorb excess moisture that cause sugar granules to clump together. You don’t have to worry about the sugar tasting different, because marshmallows are made up of the same sugars that you use at home.

6. Sugar Softener
Marshmallows are a great addition to your sugar bowl. Sugar granules sometimes clump up because of excess moisture and humidity. If you find that your sugar bowl has too many lumps in it, you can put one or two marshmallows with your sugar. Marshmallows act like a desiccant, and absorb excess moisture that cause sugar granules to clump together. You don’t have to worry about the sugar tasting different, because marshmallows are made up of the same sugars that you use at home.

7. Cake Decoration
Birthday candles sometimes leave a trail of wax that makes its way to the cake. While some party supply stores carry candles with edible wax, they don’t really taste good and may even cause indigestion. To prevent wax from trickling down to the cake, you can stick the candles on marshmallows. The marshmallows will prevent the wax from making its way to the cake, protecting the icing and the pastry. Multi-colored marshmallows also add a very fresh and festive look to your cake.

Marshmallows are not only tasty, but they are very useful around the home. With a bit of creativity, you can use marshmallows for everything from pin cushions and even as ingredients for your favorite dishes.

* 4th Annual Boca Burger Battle A Grilling Affair!

Jeff Eats just heard about the fourth installment of this “event”…

Although I did not attend 1-2 or 3…the “hearsay” I’ve heard was not too good! Not enough food, not enough beer, confused staff, lousy entertainment…Like I said, HEARSAY!

If this “thing” still interests you- don’t be in a rush to buy tickets…based on Boca Battle’s track-record, it will be discounting those $78 VIP/$58 GA tickets-as the event gets closer. Not positive on when/where, but think GROUPON or LivingSocial and you’ll probably be on the right page!

By the way, one year- there was so much rain at the Boca Battle, that if they had been there- even Noah’s Ark passengers would have had a rough ride…so if you’re REALLY SMART (assuming you want to go)- wait to the day of the event to see-what the weather looks-like, before buying-in!

You can follow the 4th Annual Boca Battle at bocaburgerbattle.com.

* 31st Annual Pompano Beach Seafood Festival.

Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats have been to “this” one many-many times.

Jeff Eats’ pre-event bitch last year (Jeff Eats 4/21/14 ) was with the… Adult- $15 daily admission-price. My “thoughts”- a couple had to spend $30 just to get in and if they had 2- teenage kids, $60 without even having made a move! You guys can do the “math” on more or less kids etc…so on and so forth.

Other than the 2015’s dates- Jeff Eats has no other details on admission/entertainment schedule.

Hopefully, this year the cost to get “in” is less…because the Pompano Beach Festival really is a lot of fun!

* Holy Ship!

If you don’t know what Holy Ship is, or who Baauer or Jack Beats are- don’t sweat it! Every generation had “its” music- and this is what Generation Y and Generation X are partying to!

Just between you and me, to this very day, I don’t get Tony Bennett!

* 2015 Seminole Tribal Fair And Pow Wow.

Not so sure about the alligator rassling part of this thing- but I do know that Johnny Lang puts on a great show!

***** Gilbert’s 17th Street Grill.

Recent e-mail from reader Mel B.

Need a really good burger joint in Fort Lauderdale. I live at _______________, Fort Lauderdale. Something close by would be much appreciated.
—–

Mel B:

This is a no brainer!

Checkout Jeff Eats’ 6/24/2009 write-up on Gilbert’s 17th Street Grill. Maybe a 10 minute drive from your home.

Hope this helps and thanks for reading…

Posted June 24, 2009
***** Gilbert’s 17th Street Grill, 1821 Cordova Road, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316 (954) 768-8990.

Got a real good “mom & pop” American-diner joint for you…Gilbert’s 17th Street Grill.

The menu is not large…but has enough soups, salads, burgers, sandwiches, grilled items and desserts…so nobody’s gonna starve. A recent outing netted me a cheeseburger, bbq ribs and a philly cheesesteak sandwich…everything was delicious and priced just right. Nothing fancy here, just real good food. Take a look at the joint’s website www.gilberts17thstgrill.com for menu/prices/details.

Gilbert’s is open Monday-Saturday 11am-9pm. The joint is closed on Sunday.

* Jay & The Americans, Dennis Tufano, The Happenings.

Way back on November 27, 2014 I told you guys about this terrific “oldies” show- set for February 19, 2015 at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers. A copy of that original-story is reprinted down below.

I just wanted to let you know, that just this minute-I checked the box-office and there are a handful of really good seats left.

Jeff Eats has seen all 3- acts and I am telling you- each of them puts on a top-shelf show!

So…if you want to go- it’s definitely time to nail those tickets down

Gonna be a great show!

________
Jay & The Americans/Dennis Tufano/The Happenings (Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall- Fort Myers)
Posted on November 27th, 2014 · Music/Events
* Jay & The American/Dennis Tufano/The Happenings.

This is gonna be a terrific oldies-show. No question in Jeff Eats mind, SRO!

A drop of “history”…my brother-in-law Chuck was The Happenings’ original- manager . Chuck’s the guy that brought the group to- The Tokens who produced The Happenings’ 1966 breakout hit “See You In September” By the way, original lead singer Bobby Miranda still fronts the group and- sounds just like he did back in ’66.

You can tickets/info at poprockdoowopp.com.

* St Coleman 32nd Annual Italian Festival.

Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats have been going to “this one” for years…free admission, great food, great rides, great crafts, great entertainment!

I am telling you, you will have an absolute blast!

Jeff Eats can’t begin to tell you, how many times I actually thought of converting to Catholicism after “doing” a St Coleman Italian Festival…this Coleman “thing” and a good Bingo game- you know- can be very persuasive!

You can checkout entertainment schedules/other info at Italianfest.org.

Just so you know, Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats plan to be there on Sunday, February 22nd.

Benvenuto! Mark your calendar now for one of Florida’s most beloved, delicious, and fun-filled festivals—
the St Coleman Italian Festival . Come and enjoy wonderful food, fabulous rides, games, arts & crafts, and top entertainment.

***** DISH OF THE WEEK (Sunday- 2/1/15.

One of Jeff Eats’ favorite menu items…

MEATBALL EGG ROLL
$1.50

The Boys Farmers Market
14378 Military Trail
Delray Beach
(561) 496-8123
boysfarmersmarket.com
Latest Review: 10/17/14

It’s Super Bowl Sunday and Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats have something like 30 friends coming-over to our house to “watch” the game. To feed the crowd, Mrs. Jeff Eats has ordered all-kinds of stuff from The Boys Farmer Market in Delray Beach. One of the items on Mrs. Jeff Eats’ menu is The Boys’ meatball egg rolls…absolutely delicious.

Trust Jeff Eats on this one, The Boys Farmers Market has everything you need to cater-any-type of event and its prices are as reasonable as can be!

Printed down below is Jeff Eats’ 10/17/14 “Review” on The Boys Farmers Market.
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The Boys Farmers Market (Delray Beach)
Posted on October 17th, 2014 · American BBQ Breakfast Chinese Cuban Delicatessen Delray Beach Desserts Fast Food French Hungarian Irish Italian Japanese Latin Mediterranean/Greek Mexican Pizza Seafood Subs/Salads
***** The Boys Farmers Market.

Jeff Eats first “reviewed” The Boys Farmers Market on 5/6/2009.

That review is reprinted below.

It is now some 5 1/2 years later- and I just wanted to tell -new as well as old- Jeff Eats’ readers that I LOVE this joint-and if you live or work anywhere-near The Boys Farmers Market make it your business to shop there…trust me, you will be thrilled that you did!
*****
May 6, 2009

***** The Boys Farmers Market, 14378 Military Trail, Delray Beach, Florida 33484 (561) 496-8123.

If you can “handle” its parking-lot…with senior citizens “backing in and backing out” non-stop…The Boys Farmers Market is an absolutely great place to shop for fruits, fresh squeezed juices, vegetables, baked goods, cheeses, wines, candies, seafood, meats, coffees and prepared chicken/seafood/meat dishes.

Just guessing here, but The Boys’ probably has something like 30,000 square feet of indoor space jammed with top quality FOOD. All the free samples that you’d like…and everything sold, runs circles around joints like Publix, Winn Dixie and Albertsons, not to mention-probably cheaper.

My family has been shopping at The Boys Farmers Market for years…and I have been amazed by two things…namely, that we have never been involved in a fender-bender in its parking lot & the great stuff that it sells.

The Boys has its own bakery, squeezes its own juices and prepares its own “take out” food. This joint is an absolute-winner. If you live in the Delray Beach area, you probably already know about The Boys…for those of you who don’t, you got to go shopping there…just be careful in the parking lot.

The Boys Farmers Market is open 7 days a week.