Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Old Firehouse Drive Inn & Nostalgia

http://pensacola-fl.blogspot.com/2011/03/old-firehouse-drive-inn-restaurant.html

Growing up in Pensacola in the 50's & 60's...I still have fond memories of the Old Firehouse Drive Inn. Loved their Chief's Salad (a twist on a Chef's Salad). A combination of shredded lettuce, cabbage, meats, cheeses and tossed with a 1000 Island type dressing. SO good with saltines with butter spread on them!

There are numerous restaurants that are still operating that have the same name. Here's a recipe from one of them:

Old Firehouse Restaurant's Hollywood Shrimp
Hollywood shrimp:
Oil, for sautéing
1/2 pound sliced country ham
3 pounds (21 to 25 count per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons minced garlic
8 ounces (2 sticks) butter, melted
Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
In a large lightly oiled skillet, sauté the country ham over medium heat
until crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly,
then slice or chop; the restaurant juliennes the ham.
In a large casserole (about 11 by 15 inches), place the peeled shrimp
in a single layer. Top the shrimp with the minced garlic, country ham
and drizzle with melted butter. Place the casserole in the oven and
cook just until the shrimp are opaque and firm, about 15 to 25 minutes.
Serve the shrimp over the cooked grits.
Grits:
2 cups water
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 cup grits
2 tablespoons heavy cream
In a 3-quart stock pot, combine the water, milk, butter and salt.
Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then stir in the grits. Reduce
the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, following the
package instructions.
Remove from heat, and stir in the cream for added richness.
This makes about 4 cups cooked grits. Serve immediately.
Makes 6-8 Servings

Another favorite was downtown...The Driftwood Restaurant.

http://www.verandaparknews.com/nostalgia.html