LIFE

Have you tried ... Green Turtle’s holiday menu?

MARIA SONNENBERG
FOR FLORIDA TODAY
Green Turtle executive chef Ercan Ekinci is ready for the holidays with turkey and his “perfect” pies.

Chef Ercan Ekinci got an early Christmas present when Green Turtle Market was selected to receive the Boar’s Head Deli of Distinction Award.

“Only three delis in Florida receive this award,” said Ekinci, executive chef and partner at the Indian Harbour Beach market and restaurant.

Green Turtle is a bustling place these days as November kicks off the busy holiday season.

“We could not be more excited to see what the season has to offer,” Ekinci said.

Customers can find out what the Turtle has in store for the coming weeks on Nov. 5, when a free holiday kickoff features samplings of the store’s entire Thanksgiving menu, including roasted turkey breast, orange glazed ham, chorizo sausage and wild rice apple stuffing, cornbread sage Italian sausage stuffing, apricot, cranberry and chestnut stuffing and bakery treats, among others.

Even pictures of Green Turtle’s pumpkin pie will leave your mouth watering.

“Make sure you come hungry to this event,” Ekinci said.

Ekinci has added plenty of new goodies to the holiday menu, as well as to the store itself. The heady aromas of cinnamon, white chocolate peppermint and pumpkin spice fills the air, thanks to the new expresso bar installed just in time for the time of good cheer.

Grapevine Café’s spiffy new Tuscany-inspired copper and leather menu covers will also be filled with seasonally inspired surprises. The new café menu will be effective in the next couple of weeks and the store’s holiday menu will be released the first week in November.

As if the holiday kick-off party wasn’t enough to get the seasonal juices flowing, here is Chef’s Ercan’s Perfect Pie Crust recipe. It all starts with the crust, you know.

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“Perhaps the most important building block in apple pie is the crust,” Ekinci said. “Handle the dough with care and respect.”

For perfect apple pie, Ekinci says mealy pie dough is a great choice because it is sturdier and resists sogginess better than flaky dough.

“When preparing mealy dough, the fat is blended until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal,” he said.

Although butter contributes a delicious flavor, it is harder to use than other fats because of its lower melting point and its tendency to become brittle when chilled. Vegetable shortening produces a good crust, but there’s not much flavor contribution. Ekinci recommends a combination of butter and shortening as a perfect compromise.

Forget the fancy machinery, because hand mixing works best for small quantities of dough. Get in touch with the dough, says Ekinci. Run your fingertips through the flour, butter and shortening to achieve the perfect texture. The dough should feel the same as your earlobe. Don’t overmix.

“Overmixing develops too much gluten and an elastic dough that’s difficult to use,” said Ekinci, who also strongly recommends refrigerating dough after mixing.

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Ingredients for two nine-inch pie shells:

• 4 ounces unsalted butter

• 4 ounces vegetable shortening

• 10 ounces all-purpose flour

• 2 ounces ice water

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Procedure:

1. Sift flour into a large bowl.

2. Cut the fat into the flour.

3. Dissolve salt and sugar with ice water; add the mixture to the flour mixing gently until the dough holds together. Do not overmix.

4. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly before use.

5. When ready to use, roll out the chilled dough on a lightly-floured board about half an inch thick. Place pie dough in pie dish. Dock the dough with fork. Cover the dough with parchment paper. Fill the pan with dry rice or beans. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove weights and paper. Brush the baked crust with egg wash, and then return crust to the oven. Bake until golden brown 10 to 15 minutes.

6. Now add your favorite filling. Add a top crust and begin into waves lapping the sides of the pie. Brush lightly with egg yolks and dust with sugar. Bake until golden brown. Enjoy!

Join the party

Green Turtle’s Holiday Kick-Off Party runs from 1 to 5 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 5. No reservations are required to attend the free event.

Green Turtle is at 855 E. Eau Gallie Blvd., Indian Harbour Beach. For more information, call 321-773-2001 or visit greenturtlemarket.com.