Author: emily (Page 14 of 20)

The Weekly Whet: Maple Manhattan

January 7, 2011 / / 0 Comments

It’s not often that I see Manhattans ordered in bars these days, but when I do, it warrants a turn of the head to catch a glimpse of the person making the request. I’m always hoping it will be a dapper, young man, with classic rat-pack style. Unfortunately, when I turn around, my Michael Buble look-alike is never there.

We are in the thick of the (insert your favorite flavor here)-tini  generation. While the classic gin martini has largely been replaced by fruitier, vodka-based versions, it still exists in name and spirit. Perhaps it is time to re-vamp the Manhattan as well. Keeping the season in mind, this week, I bring you the recipe for a Maple Manhattan–because nothing says ‘winter’ like flannel clothing and warm maple syrup.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Bourbon
  • ¼ oz Sweet Vermouth
  • Dash of Bitters
  • ¼ oz Maple Syrup
  • 1 Maraschino Cherry Garnish

Place all ingredients except for the cherry garnish in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for at least 20 seconds, then strain into a glass (preferably a martini or high-ball glass). Garnish with cherry and enjoy.

 

Dining on a Dime: The Roadrunner Restaurant and Bar

January 6, 2011 / / 0 Comments

Sometimes I forget that we live in what used to be “the old west.” New, gorgeous restaurants seem to be opening each week featuring frou-frou drinks and trendy food. While I enjoy the “latest and greatest” as much as the next person, it can become a bit exhausting. So much effort goes into dressing up, applying make-up, fussing with hair, and finding a place to park where my dirty, old car won’t be such an eyesore.

As the newest member of the DOD cast, Abbie, and I tried to come up with our next destination for Dining on a Dime, we decided that it must meet the following criteria: 1.) The prevailing demographic must believe in belt buckles and cowboy boots, and 2.) A BMW should look out of place in the parking lot.

Well, we had to head up to New River to find it, but the Roadrunner Restaurant and Bar turned out to be the diamond (of the rough) that we were looking for.

Don’t expect a hostess to seat you—this is the kind of place where you belly up to the bar or seat yourself at a table. Abbie and I chose a high-top under an assortment of neon beer signs. Before we knew it, our friendly server and bartender was sliding menus under our noses and taking our drink orders. Inspired by the weathered wood and rough-riding atmosphere, I ordered a Jack and Coke, and Abbie went for the Coke straight-up (she’s very hardcore). With our whistles whetted, we were ready to order some hearty grub.

Every item on the menu looked delicious (no rabbit food here!). Abbie chose the breaded tenderloin sandwich, and I got my barbecue fix with the pulled chicken sandwich. These sandwiches were HUGE. And darn good! Even though he was jumping between the bar and the restaurant, our waiter kept our water glasses full and the napkins a-comin’! By the time we finished our meal and got our bill, we couldn’t believe how well we’d done: Two beverages and two giant meals cost us just under $22. You can’t do that well at some fast food joints!

As we walked out of the restaurant and said our goodbyes for the night, we couldn’t help but pat ourselves on the back; we dined for under $30 AND we avoided getting into a bar fight!

Click here to see more Dining on a Dime features

Islands R Moi

January 5, 2011 / / 0 Comments

by Peggy Markel

My mother had a poster on the back of the bathroom door when I was young, of a woman foraging through a brass market. “Majorca” (the Americanized spelling) was written on it. Although the name confused me, I remember letting it roll around my tongue. I loved the sound of it. Some years later, I learned of its origin in the Balearic Sea. Now, I was headed there, at the invitation of a friend. Mediterranean islands float my boat, but these islands are not off the coast of Italy; instead they lie off of the coast of Spain in a neighboring sea.

Pleasantly surprised, the food on Mallorca is super. I won’t say superb, as it would give the wrong impression. There is an attention to the food that is most definitely “Mallorquin” and distinguishes itself from mainland Spain.  Everything is most definitely local. When they say “lechona”, they mean the suckling pig from the farmer down the road. Tender, juicy, and dripping with crackling fat, the tradition is to dip it in aioli, a garlicky, olive oil-based mayonnaise. I knew I was in trouble. 5 days on this island would be all I could take.

The covered marketplace near our neighborhood of Santa Catalina in Palma, offered an array of local fare. There were three stalls that stood out and grabbed me instantly. The first was the corner café for ‘caffé con leche’. It was a long, narrow bar that barely left room for the barista, yet small wooden tables were still crowded inside. It strikes me how we love to be in the thick of things. Men were already drinking at 9 in the morning. A couple was exchanging intimate stories while stirring spoonfuls of sugar into their coffee, while my friend and I, bellied up to the bar. Old bars tell stories and bartenders know exactly what you want if you come a second time. They place things in front of you without asking. You don’t challenge their intuition, you gesture thanks with a nod.  Old men inevitably stand around with a cane, a hat and a dangling cigarette. Their clothes are still from the 50’s.

The other stalls are no less intriguing. One couple sells dried local figs, soaked in anise liquor, wild fennel, and honey from the shop owner’s bees. We ate our weight in them, before coming face to face with a lady in a sweet apron making doughnuts. If I told you that I don’t make a habit of eating such things, you wouldn’t believe me. I don’t. But here, it’s a must. It’s what they eat and have eaten for ages. We are privileged to visit the other side of the world and be in their cities and homes. And it’s a good excuse to eat succulent and fattening food. We all know that when we travel, calories don’t compute the same. 

October rain came and fall descended on the sunny island. Three sweaters and a scarf sufficed to take a drive to the Santa Maria del Cami for the open-air Sunday market. The market and the Cathedral with the blue dome draw an impressive Sunday crowd. Festive red pepper ristras decorated a house along the road between the two. I bought natural sponges and dark beeswax candles. We didn’t buy Jamon or cheese–or bread for that matter. We had been eating ‘pombolly’ (bread with garlic and tomato rubbed into it), jamon, and cheese at every meal. Besides, we were driving to the hills to eat wood-fired oven-roasted lamb at Es Verger, a family-run farmhouse restaurant.

A soft, terraced hill of gnarled olive trees and brush came alive with a bit of moisture. The road made switchbacks almost to the top. The smell of sheep permeated the air. We could even hear the bells. A crowd of people were gathered around the door of what looked like an old general store; sheep

looked on from a neighboring stall. Inside, a 10 year old boy was working the cash register for a bustling room that looked like an old barn. Plates of food were being served from pots being pulled in and out of an old wood-fired oven. A grey haired woman the height of my shoulders was in charge, minding a lower oven of coals that kept a bowl of roasted potatoes warm.  At least 200 people were sitting at long tables in various rooms of the barn. We sat up in what must have been the old thrashing room.

Bottles of homemade red wine came to the table along with hand-cured olives with herbs and alli-oli. It was the best and most garlicky aioli to date. I had been avoiding eating too much of the stuff, but this rustic scene inspired me to forget and I got caught up in swathing my bread into it, scooping large heaps onto my bread just like the Mallorquin, with the same passion of screaming for dabloons at Mardi Gras. We were hungry for the roasted lamb and it was taking a while.

When we finally got our plates, we dove in. The wine already has us singing but now, we were full of gusto. Our friend and driver, Tomas, showed us how it was really done. Afterwards, bones were piled high and just like the olden days, we fell onto our stretched-out arms on the table in a veritable food coma. We sobered up with a walk on the “comino del Castillo”. We needed fresh air and the ride down was zig-zaggy and tight.

Paella was no small thing at Club Nautico in Porixol; it was a bit pallid, but tasty enough. Eating it in the sunshine is a must, especially with some nice vino tinto. A strong traditional dish, everyone has their way of preparing it. I find restaurants heavy handed. I prefer to have it in someone’s home. That being said, saffron rice cooked in a seafood broth, topped with shrimp, mussels, clams, and savory chorizo must not be dismissed.

A walk on the beach was in order and it wasn’t just around the bend. Tomas drove us to the southeast of the island to the Solobrar of Campos, where the salt mines are. These salt mines come from 130 reservoirs of saline water that provide a home to a wealth of vegetation, birds and wildlife. The “flor de Sol” delicious and sun-dried, has a particular flavor, no doubt something special from the Balearic Sea.

Further down a small winding road, we arrived at the beach. I couldn’t wait to take off my shoes and take a walk on the cool sand. Summer must be wonderful here in Mallorca.  We drank local beer while the sun went down. A sailboat passed in front of the sinking sun. Our days in Mallorca had come to a bright red ‘round’ end.

Check out more of Peggy’s Travel Journals Click Here

About Peggy Markel

Peggy Markel is the Owner and Operator of Peggy Markel’s Culinary Adventures. In 1993, she started The Ligurian School of Poetic Cooking (1993–2000), with Angelo Cabani, master chef and proprietor of Locanda Miranda in Tellaro, a small village on the Italian Riviera. For the past 17 years Peggy has traversed the Mediterranean and North Africa, from Elban fishing villages and Moroccan markets to the homes of Tuscan artisans and chefs, furthering her own exploration of culture and cuisine. “For me, a connection to real food is a connection to life.” Peggy’s journeys help people explore the cuisines of Tuscany, Sicily, Morocco, Almafi, and India.

Wine Tasting Etiquette

January 3, 2011 / / 0 Comments

by Joe LaVilla

Wineries have many different marketing methods to attract consumers, the most personal of which is the tasting room.  It is in this intimate setting that the winery is able to show its true colors while trying to win converts through small tastes and conversation.  Sounds like a harmonious gathering of interested customers, proud winemakers, and their representatives, brought together by the mutual love of wine and celebrating the harvest, right? 

Unfortunately, it can be far from that ideal.

As a sommelier, chef and author, I have hit up lots of tasting rooms.  Some have been spectacular –shining examples of hospitality that have won me over even when I was not the biggest fan of the wine.  Others have lost me as a customer faster than you can say “Next”.  I have also seen my fellow tasters become so obnoxious and demanding that I pity the poor soul behind the bar.  Let’s review the good and the bad from both sides of the bottle.

As the customer:

1. This is not a frat party.  These winemakers toil long and hard to make a product.  The tasting room is not the place to act like you’re at the local Hooters ordering shots for your buddies.  Yes, you are having alcohol, but it is intended for you to try new things and hopefully buy a bottle.  It’s not meant for you to “get your drink on” to the point of becoming a threat to every driver in the parking lot, let alone the road.

2. Pay the fee.  Most wineries charge for tastings.   I don’t know how many people I have heard muttering (or blatantly complaining) about the price.  The winery is not there to give away product for your pleasure; it is a business after all. The staff isn’t working for free, the product must be accounted for, and unless you enjoy a rugged wine-tasting among vines and insects, there are facilities to maintain.  A measly five bucks for a taste of 6 wines (which is cheaper than any by-the-glass fee you would pay in a restaurant by the way) is a reasonable request.  Plus, when you buy a bottle, the wine is usually discounted the amount of the tasting fee.  Buy the one you like and have a souvenir of the trip. It sure beats a key chain. 

3. Try them all (or at least most of them).  The wines are poured in a classic tasting series – white before red, dry before sweet, simple before complex.  It’s poor etiquette to walk in and just demand their high-end, expensive wine to taste.  If you don’t like whites (or reds) at least taste the flight of what you do like.  Seeing the progression of styles will let you experience the progression of complexity and intensity of the wines.  You may even find a less expensive version you could purchase more frequently rather than just the occasional splurge bottle.

For the wineries:

I must admit that I am shocked by the variation in the tasting room procedures of some wineries.  I have been turned off by several well-known, well-respected wineries because of a “less-than-satisfactory” tasting room experience – and that was AFTER I identified myself as a sommelier.  These comments below came from actual experiences when some chef friends and I went on a tasting tour.

1. Don’t make the customer feel like a burden.  Why would a winery put someone on the front line of its tasting bar when that individual doesn’t seem to like people?  At one famous winery in Napa it seemed to be an enormous effort for the pourer to serve the six chefs and sommeliers in my party.  I understand that most people in the tasting room are uneducated (see the customer section above) but to be put out because a group came in to taste your wines?  I’ll spend my money elsewhere.

2. You’re in the hospitality business, be hospitable.  At another well- known winery with a much larger consumer reach, I thought our server was a robot.  The room was not full, yet the drone lacked the ability to make eye contact or give us any information on the wine we were going to taste. In fact, the only thing that interrupted his blank stare into space was the accumulation of empty glasses that signaled that we were ready for the next wine.  What told me he wasn’t a robot? His announcement that followed the last pour:  “I am going on my lunch break.”  He then WALKED AWAY before we had even raised the glasses to our lips. As far as I know, Robots don’t eat lunch.

3. Hello? Is this thing on?  At one tasting room that sampled wines from multiple wineries in the region, I was surprised by how hard it was to have a tasting. As we paced around looking for someone to help us, the two employees behind the counter were so busy checking texts on their cell phones and unpacking supplies that they didn’t notice the five people wanting to taste wine–the only five people in the room. I love that region’s wines and will not avoid buying them, just not from that tasting room.

I have withheld the names of the wineries because I do not want to sour their reputations due to my experiences; even well-oiled machines have the occasional “off-day.” For the same reason, I hesitate to boast about those who showed great hospitality, however I will share a few anonymous examples.

One winery that we visited offered a tasting and tour that required reservations. When we arrived, the tour was booked, but we were told that we would be accommodated if there were any last-minute openings. Although there were no openings, four glasses of wine appeared before us so that we could at least enjoy some of the wine if not the experience.

At a large, well known Canadian winery, I walked into the tasting room and saw at least a dozen tasting stations.  The room was packed, yet our tasting representative was friendly, skillful (juggling several tasters) and informative.  The experience was surprisingly intimate for such a large company and space and it made me want to buy wine there even though I can get it anywhere.

Finally, I share one of my favorites, and not just because I am a chef as well as a sommelier.  This particular winery was known for pairing food bites with their tastings. The chef and the manager both made themselves available to chat which led to a more in-depth discussion on the philosophy of food and wine.

Tasting rooms are wonderful marketing tools that have the power to expand the horizons of patrons if they are reasonably managed. And so, to both wine tasters and pourers, I say “mind your manners.”

Please, and thank you.

For more great Wine Articles click here

To read Joe’s Food Science Articles click here

About Joe LaVilla

Chef LaVilla is the Academic Director for the Culinary Arts programs at the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Phoenix. Besides being a Certified Executive Chef, Chef LaVilla also holds a certification from the International Sommelier Guild (ISG) as a Certified Sommelier. In addition, Chef LaVilla is experienced in food styling, food and wine pairing, the hospitality industry, culinary arts management, and more.

Before joining The Art Institute of Phoenix, LaVilla had been Executive Chef for Tucchetti restaurant in Phoenix. He has worked for Mark Tarbell as well as Wolfgang Puck. His credits include, “Faculty of the Year” award at The Art Institute of Phoenix; finalist in the Arizona Pork Council Taste of Elegance Competition; and author of the textbook “The Handbook of Wine, Beer and Spirits: A Guide to Styles and Service”.

Chef LaVilla received his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Rochester and his Bachelor of Arts degree, Cum Laude, in Chemistry from Cornell University. He also received an associate’s degree in Culinary Arts from the Culinary Institute of America, where he graduated with honors.

Into the Soup’s Hoppin’ John Soup

January 1, 2011 / / 0 Comments

Hoppin’ John is a traditional Southern New Year’s dish that consists of black-eyed peas, rice, collard greens, and ham hocks, along with aromatics and various spices depending on the tastes of the cook. We decided to get a little creative this week by turning this dish into an easy, satisfying soup and we’re glad we did because the results were delicious!

Ingredients:

Garlic, minced                    2 cloves

Jalapeno, minced                1

Onion, chopped                  1

Carrot, chopped                  1

Celery, chopped                  1

Bay Leaf                            1

Cayenne Pepper                  1 tsp

Ham, diced                         1 1/2 Cups

Long Grain Rice                   2/3 C

Chicken Stock                      8 Cups

Black Eyed Peas                  2 Cups (Frozen)

Collard Greens (Shredded)    1/2 Bunch  

Lemon                                1

Scallions and Diced Tomato for garnish

Preparation

1. Film the bottom of a large pot with olive oil

2. Fry the ham over med-high heat until it is brown and crispy. Reduce the heat to medium.

3. Saute onion, celery, and carrot for about 3 minutes on medium heat until translucent and coated in oil.

3. Add the garlic, jalapeno, and bay leaf, and continue to saute for about another minute. Reduce the heat if the garlic sizzles too loudly. Do NOT burn the garlic.

4. Add the collard greens and rice and throughly mix into the sauteed vegetables and ham. The greens should be well coated in oil and beginning to wilt. This should take about 2 minutes.

5. Squeeze the lemon evenly over all ingredients, and add cayenne and salt to taste. REMEMBER: You can always add more salt, so be conservative.

6. Stir in the Black Eyed Peas and saute for about a minute.

7. Now add the stock, bring the soup to a boil, and immediately reduce the soup to a simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.

8. Spoon the soup into bowls and top with scallions and tomatoes

May 2011 be a prosperous and wonderful year for all:-)

 Click Here for More Soups of the Week

The Weekly Whet: Classic Bloody Mary

December 31, 2010 / / 0 Comments

Let’s face it: The holidays are a time of over-indulgence for many people. It’s easy to get caught up in the festivities when you’re surrounded by friends and family members, and then before you know it, you’re a few too many drinks deep, and you can see tomorrow morning’s hangover speeding toward you like a freight train.

While I’d love to tell you that the old English saying, “a hair of the dog that bit you” is true, and a hangover cure is one bloody mary away, it would be scienifically irresponsible for me to do so. What I can tell you is that one bloody mary may give you just enough of a buzz to get you through the dreaded morning-after chore of cleaning empty bottles, cans, and other party-trash (who ordered pizza?)

And so friends, I bring you this recipe for a classic bloody mary with the hope that it might ease you into the New Year.

 Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 ounces vodka
  • 1/2-2/3 cup tomato juice
  • A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
  • Worcestershire sauce to taste
  • Tabasco to taste
  • 1 celery stick for garnish
  • 1 lemon wedge for garnish

 

1.) Combine the vodka, tomato juice,lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, and about 1 cup of ice cubes in a cocktail shaker.

2.) Add a bit of salt and pepper to taste.

3.) Shake the ingredients thoroughly and strain them into a tall glass filled with ice cubes.

4.) Garnish with a celery stick and lemon wedge.

 

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