In the year 1800, the explorers and naturalists Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland departed inland from the Venezuelan coast for a world little known to European eyes. The pair covered 1,725 miles of wilderness in four months, traversing the uncharted waters of the Orinoco River to what would eventually be the Rio Negro and through the discovery of the Casiquiare canal into the neighboring waterways of the Brazilian Amazon, uncovering new species of plant and animal life, documenting their observations and laying the foundation for the future of botanical geography. The Smithsonian Institution continues that mission today with an ongoing 20-year project to explore the botanical diversity of the Guyana Shield in South America, gathering botanists and taxonomists from around the world to assist in the effort, including Selby Gardens Director of Botany Bruce Holst.

Comprising Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and portions of Venezuela, eastern Colombia and northern Brazil, the Guyana Shield holds the distinction of being rich in biodiversity, but relatively untouched—one of the last pristine forest regions in South America, according to Holst—and unexplored, covered alternately with rain forest and great flat-topped tepuis. “Because of the variety of habitats, you get a tremendous biodiversity,” says Holst. “But it’s so poorly known, biologically, so this project is really making a huge contribution to our knowledge of life on Earth, basically.”

Unlike Humboldt and Bonpland, Holst doesn’t have to go to the Amazon, instead he’s spending the first two weeks of this September at the National Museum of Natural History, where hundreds of dried and pressed specimens collected from the Guyana Shield have been sent for classification and comparison against the Museum’s collection. The specimens are housed much like those in the Selby Gardens Herbarium, he says, except there are near four million encompassing the entire fourth and fifth floors of the museum. It’s a painstaking process—comparing specimens to those held in the Smithsonian’s collection and cross-referencing defining characteristics—but the results are priceless.

“Naming plants and classifying them for science really provides the backbone of our knowledge of plant diversity and distribution,” Holst says. “That’s the key information that conservationists use, land use planners—anybody working in a natural system needs to know what’s there, how many and what’s it called.” So far Holst has already documented as many as 20 new species on his trip, he says, and will bring a few back on loan from the Smithsonian for further study when he returns. 

Pictured: Bruce Holst. Photo courtesy of Selby Gardens.

Kacey's Seafood proves that you don't have to be overlooking the water to experience succulent seafood. A bit off the beaten path, but ideal for those who work or live on the east side of town, the hole-in-the-wall diner serves up consistently solid salty fare, with a menu steeped in classic ocean-side dishes—think fried clams, lobster rolls and fish tacos. No need to look at the menu—head straight for the coconut fried shrimp basket: the mega pink crustaceans are battered in just the right amount of coconut crisp, golden brown and steaming fresh. All the baskets come with a healthy portion of hush puppies, or fried balls of cornmeal—orbs of comforting pillowy corn cake hidden within a deep-fried crunchy crust. And don't hesitate to dunk both the shrimp and the pups in the orange horseradish sauce (or ask for a side of dill-heavy tartar).  

Kacey's Seafood, 4904 Fruitville Rd., Sarasota, 941-378-3644.

Ideal for a family gathering, Chef Jay Norris at Jack Dusty Restaurant in the Ritz Carlton prepares an organic chicken dinner seared to perfection topped with corn, roasted red pepper relish and a warm saffron potato salad. Citrusy and savory, the best part of this dish is the honey glaze drizzled over the chicken.

Ingredients: 1 airline chicken breast (sous vide); 1 oz. honey (to finish the chicken).

Relish: 1 red bell pepper (roasted and skinned with seeds removed); ½ roasted fresh corn cob; 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro; 1 tsp. white balsamic vinegar; 1 tsp. lemon zest; olive oil; salt; pepper.

Potato salad: 8 oz. potato, cubed in ½ in. cubes; 1 tsp. saffron; 8 cloves garlic, roasted; 1 cup oil; 1 egg yolk; 1 tsp. chopped chives; 1 lemon; salt; pepper.

Season chicken and sear on high until crispy. Place in oven at 350 degrees to finish for approximately 8 to 12 minutes. In a bowl, mix julienned pepper and corn off the cob, cilantro, zest and vinegar. Season to taste. Glaze finished chicken with honey and top with relish.

To make the potato salad, puree garlic and whisk egg yolk. Combine and drizzle in oil a little at a time while whisking to emulsify for an aoli. Adjust taste with lemon juice and salt and pepper. Boil potatoes in salted water until tender and toss in aioli and add chives.  

Jack Dusty, 1111 Ritz Carlton Dr., 941-309-2266.

Kevin Cooper will take over as president and CEO of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce on October 7, less than a year after leaving a vice president post directing community investment at Gulf Coast Community Foundation. We spoke with Cooper about what drew him back to the business organization and what his plans are from here. 

What led you to apply for this job? I had gotten a phone call from one of the members of the search committee, who asked me to sit down and have a discussion. I just asked a lot of questions about the vision the board had for the Chamber and the role itself, and that piqued my interest. We started talking about the future of this community, the strength of business groups within it and where they saw the horizon, and that got me excited. 

Is there any sort of immediate change we can expect from the Chamber once you start? From a specific standpoint, it’s hard to say before you sit in the desk and before you meet with leaders and make sure things are rolling in the direction the community wants to head in. The good thing is you have Steve [Queior], a CEO stepping down after a long time and who left the Chamber in a better position than he found it. It’s a membership owned and operated organization, and the best ones of those carry forward how the members want to see it. I need to just get in touch wth them, get their pulse and carry the flag.

You were vice president of public policy at the Chamber before. Can we expect a strong policy focus going forward? I think it always has been that. For me, its divesting time between both the membership experience side and the public policy community-building side of the house. I have an interest in both of those things. I have a big picture policy-type of view, but I know it’s the day-to-day experience of members that drives the bus. I can’t say it will be more policy driven than in the past, but my hope is with my public policy background, anything we do weigh in on is done to a standard one expects to be top notch.

Last year you left the Chamber to become director of community investment for Gulf Coast Community Foundation. What did you learn there? Anyone who knows Gulf Coast knows it is one of most professional organizations in the region, if not the state. The way they operate is a sight to see, and it helped refine my thinking in the way of operations, management and what a board and membership can expect to see from how they operate. Continuing at the Chamber, I see ways to leverage organizations to create change. 

Priscilla Frye was recently hired as director of real estate and market development for Goodwill Manasota. Frye’s role will be to work closely with Goodwill Manasota team members, real estate developers, Mission Development Services (MDS) partners and others to further the mission of Goodwill Manasota. With a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida, Frye brings as extensive background in corporate real estate management.  

Goodwill Manasota

Keller Williams Realty has added Michael Hughes and Stephen Frederico to the team as real estate agents. Hughes has practiced real estate in Austin, TX for four years and Frederico is originally from Rochester, NY and has previously served in the United States Marine Corps.  

Keller Williams