Maybe I have too much time on my hands, though I can't see how that's true with my hectic schedule.

Maybe I am just naturally curious.

But I somehow got it in my head that I needed to "invent" a cocktail using the strangest possble ingredient I could think of. I chose beets. But you know what? Beet cocktails are not strange at all, in fact they are quite trendy. Just surf the web if you don't believe me. I did.

Mark Bittman featured a beet cocktail in his column. It's a version of a gin and tonic blushed red with a beet infused simple syrup served in a salt-rimmed glass. The whole concept did not really appeal to me. I am a G&T purist. But I did like his frozen beet stem as a swizzle stick!

Master Mixologist Michael Cecconi has one he calls a Root Cause. It's a beety-based riff on an a whiskey Manhattan. Clever and very intriguing...

I found a recipe for a Spiced Beet Cocktail in Bridget Albert's book Market Fresh Mixology. How does a Beet Mojito sound to you? Well that's already been done too by Chef Katsuya Fukushima at Café Atlàntico, in D.C.

I have been experimenting with grilling fruit. I have tried, to varying degrees of success, several types. Figs are good. Stone fruits take to the flame very well. I particularly like peaches.

But just for the record strawberries and cherries are poor choices on the grill. Grapes have not been my best effort either, but I have not given up on that idea just yet.

In fact, I am convinced that slow roasted grapes are indeed an excellent idea. I am imaging a deeply smoky, wine flavored grape. I’d like to keep its skin intact so that when you bite into it, just like a nice slow-roasted cherry tomato, you’d get a jammy explosion of deeply intense grape flavors. Almost like a syrah. I just need to master the technique.

So for this weeks Market Matters at the Hollywood Farmers Market. That’s where my brain has been. Grilling something unexpected.

Feeling glum?

Well there is no better spirit than rum to lift your "spirits". It can bring a little sunshine to that dark mood of yours.

Now, I have spent quite a bit of time in the Caribbean. So I know a thing or two about rum. First off it's not just for coke. Rum is very versatile. People don't really believe me when I say that, but it's true.

It's made from cane sugar and is the drink of the islands. It comes in many shades, from clear to almost black. Each offering something special. This chromatic diversity is a big part of its versatility, because the color affects flavor. It makes rum work in so many situations.

The color depends on the aging process and how caramelized the cane is during processing. Rum has a complex nose and is usually described as having fruity aromas.  There should be a good balance between alcohol, sugar and spice. The flavors often run the gamut. White rums can be soft and floral. The golden hues bring honey and vanilla to the mouth, with a nice balance of tropical fruit flavors like banana and orange. The very dark rums can taste like roasted toffee. Good rum should be smooth and soft. Like velvet. Which means tropical Technicolor machinations are not the only mix that works. In fact some rums should be sipped and given the same respect as a fine cognac.

On Monday, my last full day in Florida, I took a “Greg Day”.

Some people go to a spa on the days they decide to check out. Golf is popular. Reading books, taking a hike in the woods or sleeping in all make the list.

For me a typical “Greg Day” would revolve around food. Eating food. Cooking food. Talking about the food you are going to eat and cook while you are eating and cooking the food you are actually eating and cooking. This is relaxing to me.

But on this “Greg Day” I was still wired-off from the food I love. Though I could tell my broken jaw had pretty much healed. It’s funny how your body sends signals. The signal I was getting was clear: BROKEN JAW IS ALL BETTER PLEASE REMOVE BOLTS!

But I was in Florida and my doctor is in California. The bolts were not going anywhere…