Buffett Jimmy - Margaritaville, the cookbook: relaxed recipes for a taste of paradise

FOREWORD BY JIMMY BUFFETT

Food photography by Beatriz da Costa
Lifestyle photography by Ryan Joseph of Ryan Joseph Photographs

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The next best thing to eating a great meal is reading about one and thumbing through pictures of well-prepared food! I probably have as many cookbooks as I have travel guides stuck away on my bookshelves. At times, Catholic guilt comes upon me (clean up before the maid gets here), and I will launch into a semi-scorched-earth reconnoitering of my office, just coiled to grab useless and discarded things that have collected from my travels. In that process, though, my cookbooks get a hall pass.

Carlo Sernaglias book will have a prime spot in my collection because I know the story behind his success. Like any journey you undertake to truly master something, the adventure can be long and failure a part of the process. I have shared many stories over many meals with Carlo. Italy to South Florida via Venezuela is almost a Columbus comparison, but there is a slight difference. The Admiral of the Oceans wasnt quite sure where he landed. Carlo was. He arrived in Caracas, a lawyer by trade, but a nomad at heart. It didnt take him long to realize that being a legal beagle was not his calling. So off he sailed to the island of Los Roques, where he of course ran into a runaway Sicilian architect. And over a couple of Pampero rums, the Italians figured it all out (or so they thought!): Lets open the only classy restaurant on the island and make a fortune! It didnt work. But that did not stop Carlo. William Faulkner said, You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore. So after three years of adventure (and political turmoil) our sailor landed on yet another foreign shore. Good-bye Venezuela Hello South Florida!

It did not take Carlo long to reinvent himself on a new beach, from hotel chef to private chef to Margaritaville. Running that kind of gauntlet requires trust in the universe, and Carlos passion, persistence, and pure joy rewarded him, and us. His passion for making great meals for appreciative diners is authentic, infectious, and inspiring. Nothing illustrates this more than his amazing perception of how to creatively deal with the lionfish problem in our coastal waters. Be sure and read that part of the story!

So enjoy digesting this book; theres a lot more in it than just recipes. You will learn how to make Lionfish Carpaccio, Cuban Meat Loaf Survival Sandwiches, and Paella del Mar, but more important, you will have an invaluable recipe as to how to live life.

JIMMY BUFFETT

More than forty years after it began, MARGARITAVILLE, a synonym for paradise, is still all about kicking back and having a great time. And food is at the center of that feeling. Its about time we put all of our favorite recipes in one place, dont you think? Welcome to our cookbook.

Lets go back to the beginning. Margaritaville has been a state of mind since 1977. What started as a song, the one we all know and cant stop humming for days after we hear it, has steadily evolved into a company and a community that evoke a distinctly magical, supremely relaxed feeling. Now, for the first time ever, we are excited to invite you into Margaritaville through our cookbook. Weve filled these pages with our favorite recipes and the stories behind them.

This book is all about the laid-back attitude, undeniably good food and drinks, and all-around lifestyle Margaritaville offers. Its organized into eight chapters (Breakfast; Appetizers; Salads and Soups; Burgers, Sandwiches & Hot Dogs; Main Dishes; Side Dishes; Desserts; and Drinks) that take you through the course of the day and beyond. The recipes have a ton of variety since they reflect the fun places we all love to eat. From food thats prepared on the beach to meals to enjoy while tailgating, youll get everything from our greatest hits (like Floribbean roots, and youll see so many recipes influenced by Key West, where we started, and New Orleans and the Caribbean, where we landed next.

All the recipes emphasize simple techniques and high-quality ingredients. We brought on bestselling cookbook author Julia Turshen to make sure the recipes are easy to follow. The recipes include wonderful, thoughtful details like serving ever-so-spicy Peppadew peppers with crispy fried calamari to easily provide a bit of spark (head over for the recipe).

The recipes reflect our regional and international range. Wherever we open a new location, our goal is to operate as respectful guests looking to celebrate local culture and not impose upon it. Our menus and memories have come to include a wonderful variety of items that make the book rich with influences and stories (Jerk Chicken from Jamaica ). The recipes and stories make it easy to escape without ever leaving your home.

The book is especially useful if you enjoy entertaining (think: a clambake that you can either do on the beach or just in a large pot in your kitchen over ) for some really fun ideas, including complete menus.

When we set out to create this book, our goal was to provide not only everything you expect from us, but even more. We hope you enjoy reading it and cooking from it as much as we enjoyed making it. Fins up!

Its in the tropics somewhere between the Port of Indecision and Southwest of Disorder, but no parallels of latitude or longitude mark the spot exactly. You dont have to be a navigator to get there. Palm trees provide the camouflage. Ocean breezes bring the seaplanes and sailboats, tourists and travelers. Passports are not required. Island music rules. No waiting on lines for anything. There is a beach and a thatched roof bar perched on the edge of a turquoise sea where you can always find a barstool. There are lots of lies and loads of stories. Its a comical concoction that blends together like tequila, salt, and limes. Where is Margaritaville? Its in your mind.