What can you say about Farm Table Cucina just above Local Market in downtown St. Pete’s Sundial Center?

It’s a foodie’s dream spot, but not so upper atmosphere cool you’d hesitate to ask how to pronounce a type of cheese you are looking to try.

Executive Pastry Chef Kate Bates uses the touches of Locale Market in her creation.

Buttermilk Panna Cotta

Ingredients

3 sheets gelatin
(If using powdered gelatin, substitute 1 Tbsp. powdered and bloom in 1⁄2 C cold cream.
Mixture will dissolve in the Cup of heated cream)
4 oz cold water
(leave out of recipe if using powdered gelatin)
1 1⁄2 C Cream
1⁄3 C Sugar
1⁄2 C Buttermilk
Pinch of salt
2 Tsp Vanilla Paste

Directions

Bloom Gelatin in cold water.
Heat cream, sugar and vanilla. paste until sugar is dissolved.
Remove gelatin from water and add to cream mixture.
Heat until gelatin is dissolved.
Let cool.
Whisk in buttermilk and salt.

Strawberry Conserve

Ingredients

16 oz Strawberries quartered 1⁄2 C Sugar
1⁄4 C Chai Tea
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
Pinch of Salt
Crushed Amaretti Cookies Chocolate Shavings

Directions

Heat strawberries and sugar slowly.
Add lemon juice.
Add chai tea - you can put it in cheesecloth and let it infuse your conserve as you keep on low for about 40 minutes.
Let’s cool.
Put cookies in bag and crush with rolling pin.

Using a wine glass, later the strawberry conserve, add Panna Cotta and the cookie crumbles.
Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to Panna Cotta gets firm.
Repeat layering.

Top dessert with cut strawberries, chocolate shavings and maybe even candied ginger pieces!

Why candied ginger?


Chef Bates used a chai tea with a ginger background to flavor the conserve.

So the candied ginger is a reflection of the tea.