I’m Gonna Cut You!

Posted on April 24, 2013 by RedFlair14

Any chef or cook worth their salt will tell you that you absolutely HAVE to have a good quality, sharp “Chef’s” knife to do anything correctly. A Chef’s knife is the classic you always think of when you think of cooking. A slightly curved long blade, at least 8” in length with a comfortable handle. There is a way to hold it to reduce fatigue. There are maintenance tasks you must do to keep your workhorse of a knife in good shape. There are things to look for when purchasing to make sure you are getting what you need, what you want and NOT pay an arm and a leg for something you don’t need or want. And do you really need a whole set? Maybe, maybe not.

I grew up with a butcher in the house so our knives were always sharp, but it is a source of personal embarrassment and frustration to me that I can’t sharpen a damn knife! I am NOT talking about honing a knife to keep it in alignment (honing also helps to keep your knife sharper longer) with a steel, I can do that. My step father never taught me. John tried to teach me, but you know how that goes when one spouse is trying to teach the other ANYTHING. I even paid close attention in school when they taught us how to sharpen our own knives. But still, I can’t get a really good edge on a knife. I must have a learning disability when it comes to this aspect of use and care of my tools. Here is the short answer:
• You are supposed to use several coarseness grades of whet stone and appropriate oil
• Holding the knife at a deep angle and gradually more and more narrow angles, you run the blade, from bolster to tip along the coarsest stone first, working your way to the finest one.
• When you do it correctly, you should be able to slice a piece of paper.

This is a BASIC Chef’s Knife. If you click on the link for “bolster” above all the anatomy is explained.

I have the whetting stones, I have the oil, but apparently I don’t possess the skill set to correctly sharpen my knives! Knife lovers will also tell you to never take them to a grinder and have the blade ground to sharpen it, but most of the Chefs I know do it at least once a year. But if you can’t maintain your blades on your own, what’s a girl to do? I visit Jay’s twice a year and hone my blades in between visits. It’s all I can do.

So now that you know my personal shame and embarrassment, here are some knife tips (and shopping tips) for you to think over:
• You are more likely to cut yourself with a DULL blade than a sharp one. A dull blade won’t “bite” into the food, it will slide off and into your flesh. I am not saying you CAN’T cut yourself with a sharp blade, but it’s more likely to happen with a dull blade. (Moment of Truth: I cut my hand spectacularly while teaching a class to more than 20 co-workers with a very sharp knife. The blade was so sharp, I didn’t even feel the cut. I needed 8 stitches and I have a lovely scar on my left index finger.).
• If you cut lettuce with a stainless steel blade it won’t brown. Downer to stainless knives is that they don’t hold a good edge, so don’t spend a lot of money on them (more than $30 for a large stainless Chef’s knife is crazy) and don’t cut anything like bones with them, they tend to nick easily.
• Your index finger is NOT meant to ride the spine of the knife! It’s meant to grip the blade close to the bolster so you have more control. Watch chefs on TV and LOOK at their hands for a tutorial.
• Each manufacturer has a different handle and blade, so pick up and hold several before you buy. Some stores even have veggies to cut so you can sample the blades. If you have big hands, a thicker handle might be better for you. If you have small hands, a narrower handle will be a better choice.
• Look for knives that are “full tang” – that means the blade is a solid piece all the way through the handle.
• Other than a stainless knife to avoid browning, your knives should be forged steel. Forged steel is heated and cooled and pounded into shape, not stamped out of a sheet of metal. Forged steel is more durable, holds an edge longer, and is less likely to break.
• Personally, I avoid ceramic knives and you should too unless you are a sushi chef. Keep in mind – drop it on the floor once and it shatters and it becomes garbage.
• Like cookware, you DON’T need a set! MOST people only need the following 3 knives:
o Chef’s Knife – 8” minimum blade length
o Paring Knife – 3-4” blade length
o Boning Knife – 6-7” blade length
o Anthony Bourdain has said if his Chef’s knife is sharp enough, he doesn’t even need the paring knife. My knife skills aren’t as good as his…
• Just because it is pretty, doesn’t mean it is the right knife for you. Feel it, hold it, use it. Is it too heavy? Is the grip on the handle too thick?
• Be prepared to spend a few hundred dollars to get the 3 knives mentioned above for GOOD quality. You CAN spend thousands if you are looking at the one of a kind, hand crafted knives. And no, I don’t have any of them.
• If you spend wisely, your knives will last a lifetime. I have a set of Wustof knives that John purchased for me in Europe in 1990. I have only had to replace the knife block and the scissors.
• And speaking of knife blocks: put your knives in, blades UP. Resting on the blade is a good way to dull them!

Not my fave, but it’s really pretty:

This is the one I have, but mine is 20 years old and made in Germany:

Ethical Consumption

Posted on April 16, 2013 by RedFlair14

Friend Dani has a very precocious daughter named Piper and before she was 10 she decided, on her own, that eating animals was mean and that we shouldn’t do it. Up until that point she had been an omnivore like the rest of her family. She told me she didn’t think that killing a living thing to eat is a fair choice. I reminded her that plants and vegetables were living things too, and she amended her statement to say killing animals to eat wasn’t fair. The entire family decided to follow Piper’s lead and now CHOOSE not to eat animal flesh with the exception of fish. And now Piper is preparing for a class presentation of her choosing on Ethical Eating.

Ethical Eating? What does that mean for Pete’s sake? Do I have to give up foods I love to be an ethical diner? Does it mean that I have to become a vegetarian, or worse yet, a vegan? Do I have to eat only organic produce? What about free range chickens and cage free eggs? Farm raised fish versus wild caught? Can I do that and STILL stay within my budget (we all know that organic, cage free, free range, etc. cost more than double in some cases)?
It is a varied and vast topic, and Dani and I delved into it while cooking up a MOSTLY meatless meal (John and I are omnivores), bringing Piper into it for her thoughts as well. Basically, the short answer is this: know where your food comes from and make choices about what you eat that follow your moral compass. If you are an animal rights activist that means one thing. If you are concerned about our waterways, it means something else. If the thought of pesticides and herbicides makes you cringe, like Rachel Carson, then your choices will be entirely different. Of course some people would think any of that makes one a “food snob” and maybe it does. Does choosing to eat based on your beliefs make you a food snob? Does selecting only the best choices you can afford and not settling for second best make you a snob? If you answered YES, then yes, ethical eating makes you a food snob. If you answered NO, then you know what a true food snob is.

So here is a breakdown of SOME of the ways you can choose to eat ethically:
• Vegetarian and Vegan – Vegetarians eat no FLESH of animals and Vegans eat no animal products at all (including honey, eggs and dairy). Some choose this option for animal rights (killing something to eat it is abhorrent to them), others choose it for health reasons and still others object to the practices of mass producing meat. While it is becoming much more widespread, it is not an option for me as my favorites would be removed from my diet.
• Choosing Organic – Organic gardening and farming means raising food products without pesticides or herbicides, no GMO feed for the animals, and no hormones or antibiotics in meat and dairy. This is a good jumping off point if you are just starting to think about your food. These options DO cost more because the grocers and retailers know they can get the price – supply and demand.
• Eat Local – harder for us here in the desert, but in other parts of the country this should be a no brainer! Choose produce, and meat products when possible, that are from your area. Typically that means within a 100 mile radius. Farmers’ Markets are great places to shop this way. Be aware! Farmers’ Markets tend to be pricier. This is an ethical choice for a few reasons – supporting family owned farms AND less petroleum used in the transportation to market, and many family farms are organic. If you have a local “pick your own” farm, go and do that!
• Seafood Watch – This is a great resource for choosing sustainable, healthy choices for fish and shellfish. Many species are “over-fished” leading to depletion in numbers and consequently having a massive impact on the natural water ecosystems. You would think farm raised fish is a good choice, but that is NOT necessarily the case. Look for stores and restaurants with the Seafood Watch sign. These places will have ONLY “good choices” so you will know that everything you buy meets the Seafood Watch guidelines. Thank you Rick Moonen for the education!
• Snout to Tail Dining – for ages when an animal was slaughtered, EVERYTHING on it was used, from its hide to bones to organs and fat, not only the meat (Hello!? Native Americans?). In the 20th century we removed ourselves from this way of eating as we grew more prosperous and commercial “factory” farming became the norm. There is a movement to go BACK to the old ways. Several Chefs have gotten on board with Snout to Tail and I had the good fortune to eat in one of those restaurants in San Francisco. Many people won’t eat organ meat (liver or kidney for example), but is killing an animal JUST for the musculature ethical? Folks following the Snout to Tail model don’t think so and use or consume as much of the animal as possible. Try a crispy fried pig’s ear as a gateway food.

This is a pulled pork and crispy fried pig’s ear sandwich with pig brain mayo. Along side are curried macarons filled with foie gras mousse. Thanks to The Vegas Foodie for the photo. Created by Chef Brian Howard of Comme Ca at the Cosmopolitan for a food truck event.

I am NOT the most ethical eater, but I DO make choices that fit with my life and my moral compass about the foods I eat and buy. I use bones, tendons and feet in addition to meat when I make stock. The result is a thicker, richer, silkier stock and I participated in an ethical choice. I pick my own at a local farm, buy produce from a co-op and choose organic when possible and not outrageously overpriced. When buying fish, I use the Seafood Watch app for my phone (I used to carry a card…). And occasionally I will even do a Meatless Monday (it usually turns into MOSTLY Meatless Monday because I love bacon). The one thing I can’t/won’t do is go Vegetarian. I’d be miserable and if you are miserable about what you are NOT eating, is that an ethical choice?

It’s no secret that I believe as a member at the top of the food chain, I should be able to eat anything I want, up to and including foie gras, much to the shame of Californians and animal rights activists everywhere. But I KNOW where my food comes from. DO YOU? I grew up on a farm in upstate New York. I planted and picked strawberries, zucchini and tomatoes. I fished, raised chickens, collected eggs, plucked chickens, and participated in the butchering of meat, both farm raised and wild game (Moment of Truth – I can freezer wrap a butchered, average sized deer in 15 minutes). I know how to grind meat and stuff sausage into casings. If you don’t know where your food comes from, there are PLENTY of sources out there for you to watch and read. I challenge you to do a little research and find out exactly how your food is produced. Where did it come from? How does it make it to your table?

Beware, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing…and it might change the way you eat forever.

To Judge or Be Judged

Posted on April 9, 2013 by RedFlair14

This past weekend I was asked to be a judge for a cooking competition. So here is the format:
*Each Saturday Night at Tommy Rocker’s in Vegas, Food Trucks show up and provide late night snacks, for a fee of course, to the bar patrons AND to the service industry workers just getting off shift
*Two “Strip” Chefs come out and choose a truck to work from and then get a mystery basket (a la Chopped) and have to make a dish using ALL of the secret ingredients and anything they can find on the truck they chose.
*There is always a raffle for charity – this week was Three Square Food Bank
*There is no prize money or award…except bragging rights on the part of the Chef and the ever popular PBR Trophy.
*Each winning Chef is allowed to decorate the trophy is some fashion or other with something that represents them
*The PBR Trophy is going into its second season, so a new one was awarded this weekend. The first one had SO much adornment it threatened to topple over.

I have been attending these events for a year. Read previous blog here. They are late at night (Moment of Truth – I am a serious night owl, married to an early bird and Mom calls me a “Dirty Stay Out”). I always have a great time. The food from the trucks is always fun, the vibe is like a party of old friends getting together in someone’s back yard and I always run into people I know. I never go alone, Friend Lynn always goes with me, and Hubby joined us this time after a Disco Nap.

Frequently, I had half joked that no one ever asks me to be a judge. How hard could it be? Sit down and eat the food and decide which one you like better. I was thrilled and flattered when Jolene (AKA Sloppi Jo) asked me. I wasn’t at all nervous going into it, even when John questioned me in the car on the drive down, but as I sat at the bar-like table I started to second guess myself. Am I qualified to do this? What if I hurt someone’s feelings? What if I like (or dislike) both dishes equally, how do I decide? Sitting on an all female panel with Sue Mancini and Nicole Brisson (Exec Chef at Carnevino) I really started to doubt myself. Sue’s hubby does this for a living and Nicole is a culinary pro and dynamo and a past competitor for the PBR trophy herself. What the hell was I thinking? Holy Bat Shit Batman! Al hovered in the background like a nervous, soon to be Dad, Lynn and John snapped the pics for this blog and as everyone stared at us, I got more and more uptight. Al Mancini very sagely saying, “Welcome to my world” from behind me with food writer Jim Begley sitting behind me…yeah, no pressure at all!

Sue and I are “professional” eaters, but Nicole is a Chef. Would we see things the same or disagree? I needn’t have worried. I found myself in agreement with Sue and Nicole, even though we all said things differently. We were unanimous in our choice of winner. What was really cool for me was listening to Nicole say what I was thinking, but using completely different verbiage and thought processes. Sue and I have eaten together enough that we speak a similar language. I got it right! I was thinking like a CHEF! Hot DAMN!

So here was what was in the Mystery Basket:
New Zealand Lamb Chops
Red Miso Paste
Golden Beets
Peanut M&M’s
Texas Pete Original Hot Sauce

And here are the pics:

Taking it all very seriously, even though it is s’posed to be all in good fun. Left to Right – Nicole Brisson, Sue Mancini and me.

The food, with Jolene Manina’s hand and Jolene at the mic announcing the winner:

The Competitors:
On the Right – winner Chef Chris Palmeri of Naked City Pizza
On the Left – Chef Todd Williams of Caesar’s Palace

Now before the competition started, someone brought Balut to the table. Yeah, um, no! I said, “If it is one of the mystery ingredients, I WILL eat it, but I am NOT volunteering.” Al kept saying, “I’ll do it if you will.” After watching Cutthroat Culinary Christian Dolias spit it out? I don’t F-ing think so. If you don’t know what balut is, be sure to click the link above to learn more.

These are braver souls than I! Christian is the one in the black hat and T.

Next week – Ethical Eating. What does it mean to you?

Endings and Beginnings

Posted on April 2, 2013 by RedFlair14

The thing about Vegas, and I guess most major cities in the country, is that something good is always closing and something new is always opening. The other thing about Vegas is that no matter how long you live here, you can’t possibly get to every great dining option in the city, there are simply too many. This is the case with Michael Mina’s Nobhill Tavern at the MGM Grand.

This past Saturday was the final dinner service at Nobhill Tavern, but my first experience there. John and I were lucky enough to be asked to attend with some friends. It was an exceptional meal made all the better by the camaraderie around the table. In attendance were Al Mancini and his lovely wife Sue, three Chefs – Cutthroat Culinary Christian Dolias and his fab wife Jesikuh, Chefs Eric Lhuillier and John Courtney of Pinot Brasserie – and Chef John’s family. And that was just our table, the restaurant was packed with folks getting in their final Nobhill fix.

For me, the most fun thing about the food was that the menu was a recreation of the one offered when Nobhill Tavern first opened in Vegas AND because there were so many people at our table we were able to sample literally everything on said menu. DELISH! Not all of my pics came out great, so if you want other views, please click here to go directly to Al’s blog about the event. I sampled everything and I have to say, Sue’s lamb dish was the star of the evening, even though the presentation of the Lobster Pot Pie was stellar in and of itself (again, see Al’s blog for the best pics of that presentation).

And about beginnings…I eagerly await the opening of Michael Mina’s Pub 1842. If the food at Nobhill Tavern and the other Michael Mina properties around Vegas are any indication, it will be amazing. And to be completely honest, I love anything with the word PUB in it (with a few noted exceptions). As soon as it is open, I will happily check it out and hope to see our wonderful host from Nobhill Tavern, Ed Tracy (who was also our host at Seablue) again.

Enjoy the pictures, and don’t hate me because I ate so well.
The Fondue

The Charcuterie

Beef Carpaccio

The Lobster Pot Pie

The Lamb

Petaluma Chicken Breast with Foie Gras

Kurobuta Pork Chop

Beef Wellington with lobster creamed spinach (yes, really)

Sweet and Salty dessert offering. It was as delicious as it was beautiful

Drinking in the kitchen with the Chefs – this was a sublime opportunity and it was absolutely delicious. It was the perfect end to a perfect meal

Helping Out by Dining Out

Posted on March 20, 2013 by RedFlair14

This past week was celebrated by dining out…a LOT. March 8th – 15th was the Spring version of Las Vegas Restaurant Week (you will want to bookmark or “PIN” this site so you can access the fall offerings). If you were a lucky tourist you had PLENTY of great restaurants participating – over 80 participating restaurants both on and off The Strip. Special Prix Fixe menus were created and when purchased, up to $6 of the menu price was donated to Three Square Food Bank. In essence, Help Out, Dine Out.

I managed to eat at Due Forni, Embers, Cantina Laredo, Gordon Ramsay BurGR , Elements and rm Seafood for a special two chef, all star experience. I didn’t eat out EVERY meal that week, but I gave it the full court press!

If you have been following along, you know that I love to eat, and I love to eat a lot of different things. My family will tell you that fish is my fave. When I was a kid, we didn’t have a lot of money and when we infrequently went out to eat I was told, “Order something you can’t get at home.” Mom rarely cooked fish, so I always ordered fish. Gram and I had that in common; when out to eat, order the fish. Needless to say I was excited about the special Three Square Fundraiser Dinner Rick Moonen had cooked up (haha) with Michelin Starred former protégé Matt Accarrino of SPQR in San Francisco. It was dubbed a Shellfish Lover’s Paradise and it truly was.

Best of all was the fact that we had wonderful dining companions at our table. Brian Burton, CEO of Three Square and his friend Tiffany and an effervescent young couple (Aggies both) from Houston, Tyson and Hailey (you can read her blog and see her pics of her trip to Vegas and the great meal we shared here). For once I am thrilled with nearly all of my pics!

Smoked Salmon consommé vegetable crostini, seaweed pearls and house smoked roe by Matt Accarrino

Glazed Kusshi Oyster topped with caviar with edible seaweed garnish by Rick Moonen

“Lasagna di Granchio” 24 layers of fava bean pesto, pasta, peas shoots and black truffle by Matt Accarrino

Seared Scallop with Spicy Green Papaya Salad by Rick Moonen

Beef Belly with lobster, mushroom budino di pane (bread pudding), asparagus and smoked leek by Matt Accarrino

Green Tea and White Chocolate Panna Cotta with pineapple, macadamia and passion fruit by Rick Moonen

And of course – here is the obligatory pic of the Chefs and me for my “Collection”

Even better than Restaurant Week was the fact that Jack was able to come home a day early and surprise us with an extra day to share with him while on Spring Break. He was able to join us for dinner at Elements with The Hillhouses and Friend Shannon.

My Sister is Jealous and I Know It

Posted on March 12, 2013 by RedFlair14

One of the best things about living in Vegas is that it has become a “dining destination” city over the past 10 years. People come here with dining agendas and a list of places they want to try out. They read food mags, reviews, check the internet and do the research to make sure they are making the most of their dining hours. True foodies have eschewed the buffets and are willing to shell out some serious dollars to be pampered and have a spectacular dining experience. The image of Vegas being a city of excess is still alive and well, but it is mostly not for true food lovers.

A plethora of celeb chefs have restaurants here, and for the most part they are pretty decent (think Bobby Flay, Rick Moonen, Emeril Lagasse, Guy Savoy, Hubert Keller, etc). I feel that JUST because a celeb’s name is on the door is NOT a reason to go anywhere, but when I hear about decent food, celeb or not, I have to go. In fact, if I hear super-hyped food is NOT decent, I still have to go to see if I concur. And if there are mixed reviews, all the more reason for me to show up and dine. Whether a well known name is on the door or not! I am NOT considered a pro by anyone in any area of the food realm, but I know what I like and WHY I like it.

So, let’s talk about my Sister Nancy’s favorite celeb chef, Gordon Ramsay. He’s mean as hell on TV and I can’t even bear to watch his shows due in part to the way he talks to and treats people. I found it very difficult to justify spending any cash in any of his places until I learned that he is REALLY a nice guy and that the “Screaming Gordon” is a TV persona only. He has three places here in Vegas and I have eaten at two of them and sampled from the third. When he opened Gordon Ramsay Steak, Vegas Uncork’d was hot on the heels of the opening and he had a presence at the event. He served Beef Wellington, and while the beef itself was good, the pastry crust was a gummy mess and the mushroom duxelles was tasteless, so I couldn’t figure out why Nancy was so enthralled with this guy.

After mixed reviews from food writers and diners alike, Friend Lynn and I went to Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill. Other than a nice chatty bartender (which, if you have been following along, you know I adore) we were wholly underwhelmed. Everything was just OK – nothing spectacular. Everything was adequate, but not outstanding. Still, I was left wondering what all the hype was about. Why do people revere and love this guy? I couldn’t figure it out.

That changed last week when Friend Al Mancini invited me to check out Gordon Ramsay BurGR with him. Now of course, as I have mentioned before, eating with Al is not like eating with just anyone else. He is a local food writer and host of a soon to be aired Travel Channel Show (All Forked Up), so people in the industry know who he is. I chuckled to myself when I told the hostess I was meet my friend Al and they visibly became giddy and nearly tripped over themselves to take care of me (Moment of Truth – I was early for the first time in my life). We have exemplary service and tasted some really good things. NOW I know why Nancy likes this guy Gordon!

To be fair, we ordered MORE than we could possibly eat because we wanted to try several things on the menu, in fact the manager told us to order one of everything (we did NOT). So here are the pics from the big lunch and my comments are the captions for each item. I can safely say this – I would go back there just to eat that hot dog again. It was so pretty on the plate, and spicy and beefy and it really made my mouth happy. I went in excited about a great burger with clever toppings and came out in love with a Sabrett hot dog. Go figure! BONUS: Gordon Ramsay BurGR is one of more than 80 participating restaurants in our semi annual Restaurant Week Three Suare Food Bank Fundraiser. For more info and a complete list of participating restos click here.

The Kale Caesar Salad was Kale in name only. Hardly enough kale to matter, but the dressing was really good and not too heavy handed!

The Onion Rings were a little greasy for me, but tasty nonetheless and came in this lovely cone with Parmesan “snow”

The Jalepeno Poppers come with a little surprise. One of the peppers is unseeded thus making it spicier than the rest. REALLY good stuff.

This is the aforementioned Chili Dog. Even a close up.

The Brittania Burger had gooey melted cheddar and a surprising condiment – Major Grey Mango Chutney. Don’t knock it ’til you try it.

The Uber Cheese Burger is loaded up with three different cheeses that seem like too much of a good thing.

And finally dessert…Chef Ramsay has a version of Sticky Toffee Pudding on all of his menus. This one is done in Push Up Pop style layered with peanut butter ice cream (not my fave) and the shake was Caramel Pudding and Chocolate, no I am not kidding. Downer here? The whipped cream wasn’t the best.

So Nancy, I promise I will take you here when you come out to visit the next time…

What’s All the Fuss About?

Posted on March 5, 2013 by RedFlair14

This is the 3rd time I have tried to write this blog! Either I am too stupid to remember to hit “save” or my computer is resetting to an earlier location when it services itself and reboots every Thursday morning. That being said…Sorry there was no blog last week. Being sick blows, but since no one pays me to write this, I figured I could take a week off to recuperate. Thanks for sticking with me.

Moment of Truth – sometimes I just have to admit I am a little jealous of Henderson. Counting Town Square (which is MUCH closer to H-son than to me), they have 2 Whole Foods, 3 shopping malls, 2 Trader Joe’s and countless Mom & Pop dining choices that are good, or at least decent. They even have a slew of chains (not that I am advocating eating at “big box” chain restaurants, but even Chili’s closed up by me…I live in a restaurant desert). Yet, I am not sure if it is jealousy or just simple pragmatism, I still won’t drive there just to eat or shop when there are closer options. Do I want to go to Bread & Butter? YES! Did I want to hit up Meat + Three before they shut their doors? YES! But they were in H-son dammit! I need a REASON (party with friends, visit with clients, spend time with my buds from Boulder City, etc.) to drive 45 minutes, and shopping and dining are not good enough reasons. John loves Khoury’s but won’t go there just to go there, he only visits on the days he works in H-son.

So let’s talk about Settebello. On Valentine’s Day I had the occasion to be in H-son. Darling Hubby bought me a gift that I had to pick out – a new Boston Terrorist puppy. Her name is Cannoli BTW, and the white marking on her forehead looks like a Chef’s knife. John suggested since we were going to be down there, we should go to Settebello and see what all the fuss is about.

It’s cute. The pizza was good (not NY style, but Italian style) and the service was great. If, and when, I am in Henderson I will go back there. Will I make a trip JUST to eat there? No. Why? Dollar for dollar and mile for mile, Due Forni makes better pizza. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the pizza at Settebello (oh and it’s a small chain BTW) and maybe I will like them more once the location in Summerlin is open, but I REALLY like the pizza at Due Forni. They both have their fancy schmancy ovens and they both make similar styles of pizza (like I said, not NY style, but authentic Italian style), but as I stated before, driving 45 minutes for a pizza seems ridiculous to me when I think of pizza as fast food. Would I go back to Settebello? Sure! In fact, I would have gone there this past weekend for a friend’s b-day party if John wasn’t exhausted from a cross country business trip, but there again – that’s a REASON to go. The pizza is not enough, for me the salted caramel budino was better than the pie.

So I am left wondering what all the fuss is about. Good pizza, not great pizza, is not enough to create all this stir. Did we get less than exemplary pies? Am I being a jealous bitch because once again H-son has some place decent to eat? Was I just crabby because I was too hungry when I walked in? If I was paid to be a food writer, I would go there at least three separate times before writing anything, but I am not paid. Still, what’s all the fuss about? Folks go on and on about Settebello, but Due Forni has better pizza. Why? Feel free to comment!

Next week, my thoughts on dining with Friend Al Mancini and Gordon Ramsay Burgr.

Did You REALLY Have to Bring Them with You?

Posted on February 19, 2013 by RedFlair14

Remember the saying, “Children should be seen and not heard”? Well I believe that for the most part. I also believe there is a time and a place for kids, and with rare exceptions, Las Vegas’ famous (or infamous) Strip at night is NOT one of those places. Before anyone jumps all over my ass about this topic, I want you to know, YES, I do have a child. It is also a fact among anyone who knows me that I really don’t like kids. I only like MY PEOPLE’s kids (I can use friends Dani, Lillian and Dena as references). It is also a fact that while attending a conference in Anaheim, I once walked into a restaurant in Downtown Disney and told the seating hostess that I wanted to be seated where there were no children. (Moment of Truth – Friends Laurie and Jen nearly choked when I said it, but I meant it.) When we planned our 25th Anniversary Party, we had it in a BAR and the invites said “18 and over welcome” and we had no kids at our wedding. When kids are well behaved in public, I go out of my way to tell the parents how fantastic their behavior is, just like I did this past Valentine’s afternoon at Settebello. That being said, there are just some places kids don’t belong. Why in the name of all that is good in this world would you bring your kids to The Strip at night? You want them to see drunks fighting and puking in the street? You want them to see all the card “flippers” touting strippers and call girls? You want them to see drunk girls falling off their too high heels that they can’t walk in? Why would you bring your kids to an event that is partially sponsored by alcohol and wine companies? I can see bringing kids to a winery or brewery for a tour. It’s a learning experience and they usually have a restaurant. But a tasting event? Really people?

Well, that’s what happened this past weekend. Friend Lillian and I went to the Las Vegas Chocolate Festival & Pastry Show at the Venetian. What a fiasco! This event was so poorly planned and organized that all I want to do is drop F-bombs to describe it, the first one beginning with the word “cluster” and ending with “f***”. First of all, we had “VIP” tickets, but apparently everyone else did too. Continuing, the place was overcrowded, there were no water stations that I could find and no glass rinsing stations. The sampling lines were long, dirty dishes were piled on every flat surface, the music too loud, no non-alcoholic drinks to be had and a charcuterie purveyor that I never did get to sample because the line literally snaked out the door all night long because they were the only savory offering. (As much as you know I love it, what charcuterie has to do with chocolate, pastries and wine, I will never know).

As if that wasn’t enough to turn me off, at an event scheduled for the hours 8 pm until midnight, there were people who thought it was a good idea to bring BABIES to this event. I counted no less than 3 strollers, 3 babies worn in baby carriers, 6 toddlers and several preteens. WHY?! There were at least 6 alcohol vendors giving samples, people drinking to get drunk (as tourists in Vegas are wont to do), and as stated before it was over crowded. Both Lillian and I thought that because there would be a good deal of alcohol, that it was an over 21 crowd only. Had we known, we probably would not have gone and we won’t go again next year if this continues to be the policy. We thought we were being overly harsh with our criticism, until we ran into friends Elly and Frank. They agreed with us (whew!). The only pluses for this event are the following: we didn’t pay full price for our tickets (thank you Groupon) and the money went to St. Jude’s (and don’t tell me that’s why the kids were there).

So let’s talk about the food…completely uninspired! I was nearly bored to tears. I had expected more creative combinations. Several pot de crème offerings, a few mousses, bon bons and “pops” – the apparent trend of the moment. There were some lovely displays and sculptures and the purveyors were very accommodating and exceedingly nice. While everything I had was tasty, it was all very boring. I was hoping for chile infusions, candied ginger, mole, bacon, anything to titillate and make me wonder about flavor pairings. It was all pedestrian crap for the children toting masses. The best things I ate all night were mini-cupcakes from the Goodie Girls and Annette Starbuck (winner of Cupcake Wars 2011 – she was VERY nice BTW). There was a Spiced Red Velvet with cayenne and cinnamon and a Strawberry with Balsamic glaze that were both moist, interesting and delicious. And while I loved the flavors of the Blood Orange and Sage Pesto offerings from B & B, the chocolate base was so thick and rich it was nearly impossible to choke it down.

The best parts of the evening were my time with Lillian and the visit to Public House afterwards where I had a very tasty casked beer and Lillian was happily surprised to learn they have Sailor Jerry in house.

I didn’t take a single photo all night. The credit for this gorgeous pic goes to Cory Fields of Fields Photography. Click HERE to see more photos of the event.

But I’m Not on a Diet…

Posted on February 12, 2013 by RedFlair14

It’s always a challenge for any home cook when there are people in the house observing more than one dietary eating pattern. For example, everyone is a carnivore except one vegetarian (or worse, vegan – no butter or cheese) or vice versa. But what about when one person is following a weight loss reduction plan (like Weight Watchers) and no one else is? Still, it’s a challenge.

I did the WW thing (twice) for a year and I lost weight. It is the ONLY sustainable plan that really works if you stick to it. My problem is that I can’t stick to it. I love to cook and I found that my creative cooking was stifled because everything had to be lowered in fat and I am not a fan of “fake” substitutions (i.e. soy cheese, soyriso, fat free products, margarine, etc.) and choosing the real deal is too many “points”. I want the real deal. I want to use butter with reckless abandon and bathe in cream. I want crispy fried chicken and I want to wrap everything in bacon or pancetta. And let’s face facts people, how many salads is one person supposed to be able to consume in their lifetime? I think I have hit my quota. The things I enjoy eating that actually SATISFY me and fill me up “cost” too much on that program. And let’s not even talk about cocktails and beer… Still, I stuck to it, as did John, and we both lost a LOT of weight, nearly 100 lbs between us.

The other option is to work out like a fiend to burn off the foods you eat. I really admire people who convince themselves they like to work out. Good for them! I have only found three exercises that I actually enjoy: swimming laps, dancing and yoga and each presents a different set of problems logistically (Moment of Truth – I just read that sentence and it looked like “…swimming, lap dancing and yoga”).

So here we are three years later having put back on 2/3 of the weight we lost – both of us. What to do? Well, I decided to be happy at my size, for now. I am not on camera, I am not an over 40 model and I can maintain this weight and eat what I like. John however, is unhappy and has decided that “counting points” is the best option for him. So now, I am cooking our only daily meal together as if I am on the plan with him. “No biggie”, you say. “It will be good for you too”, you say. “Just think how healthy you are going to be”, you say. But what about Valentine’s Day?!

Each year on Valentine’s Day I go all out. I stretch my culinary boundaries and make something I have never made before that we don’t order when dining out. Last year it was Lobster Thermidor (the sauce alone in that dish is an entire day’s caloric intake). Attempting to cook lavishly on a calorie budget has me stymied this year, but I am working on it. One thing I have found I LIKE as a sub is almond milk instead of cream in SOME recipes like THIS creamed spinach recipe. I didn’t even notice it was lower in fat and calories because it tasted so good!

Now I am reading cookbooks again, searching the web and looking at some of the Pinterest pages of my friends who love to cook. I am sure I will come up with something healthy that tastes great and satisfies both of us. All bets are off when it comes to dessert though. Just a warning.

Digging in the Dirt

Posted on February 6, 2013 by RedFlair14

As I sit here writing this piece, I REALLY want to be outside. The weather here in Vegas is starting to get spring-like and I feel the need to take advantage of it just in case we get another cold snap. (Moment of Truth – we had a bad cold snap this winter and I had a pipe that actually burst because it froze!) I love to be outdoors and I thoroughly enjoy gardening. If you sneak into my backyard on a nice day, you will likely find me with headphones on, dancing around while I rake, dig or plant. It’s especially vibrant dancing in the spring and fall. Perhaps a throwback to a pagan ritual, perhaps just feeling good to have the sun on my body (don’t worry, I wear protective clothing), perhaps a combination of both.

Growing up in upstate NY, we had a garden. A big garden. We grew LOTS of stuff including the dreaded zucchini. I have one sister who still can’t stand it. Here in Vegas, my yard size dictates what I grow and my garden is more free form. I don’t have neat rows of plantings (odd for someone with a touch of OCD). I don’t have designated spots for certain things. There is a fig tree smack in the middle to provide shade to things that require a little sun protection and I have multiple patches of this and that, mainly herbs, throughout.

As I walked through the yard this morning with my tea, I realized the garden needed an overhaul. It’s a hot mess! I see a great deal of digging, planting, and cutting in my future. John already trimmed the fig and peach trees. Now for me to clear, rake and cut back to allow for new growth. Each year is a time for NEW GROWTH and this spring I am feeling it more than ever.

If you have proper irrigation you can grow almost anything here in the desert, but I try to be respectful of the environment. I only plant things I can eat. I don’t waste water on flowers in general. I use drought tolerant varieties when possible and try to choose plants that love the heat as a rule. If you don’t have the space to literally DIG in the dirt, have you thought about planters? I have grown plenty of great things in planters! Currently there is little growing besides a couple of fall planted crops that will result in harvest soon I hope!

So here’s to the humble gardener (or the farmer as the great Dodge commercial from this last weekend stated). Enjoy these pics.

The ever-invasive mint – no matter how much I remove, there is ALWAYS plenty for Mojitos!