The Intentional Tourist

Posted on November 13, 2012 by RedFlair14

When we go on vacation each of us makes an itinerary. Some people have very detailed ones, while others have loosely scheduled events or a list of things to do or places to see. John and I learned years ago that I am more of a “fly by the seat of my pants” kind of tourist and he needs a day by day itinerary. When we go on vacation, once the destination is chosen, I will give him a list of things/places I’d like to experience, and he takes care of the rest. It works out great for us. He feels like he is in control and I feel like I am going with the flow.

When you live in a tourist city, like Vegas, San Francisco, New York, New Orleans, what do you do? Do you ever really take time to be a tourist in your own city, or do you eschew all of that unless friends or family come into town? Have you ever acted like a tourist in your own city for more than an afternoon? When Jack was younger, if he had the day off from school, he and I would go play tourist in Vegas for the day. See the Lions at MGM (gone now), drink all the different Coke products from around the world (gone now), visit the Bellagio and check out the conservatory’s seasonal floral display, and all the other free and cheap things we could fit into one day. But until recently I have never had the opportunity to really play tourist in my own town.

A couple of weeks ago, John’s pro org came to town for their fall conference. Because he is the President, he was required to be on premises for the whole thing and consequently we had a suite for the duration. We stayed at Caesar’s Palace, and while we didn’t have the Hangover Suite, the one we had was pretty sweet (no pun intended). We “moved in” and as he did all the official stuff he HAD to do, I took a more relaxed approach and walked my city’s main thoroughfare at odd times, acted like a tourist and showed a friend a good time. They also gave us access to the Diamond Level stuff, including free snacks (they sucked, except for the cheese straws) and cocktails in the Diamond Lounge, which I was happy to take advantage of as often as possible. In the evenings we had scheduled events to attend together, but the days were mine to enjoy as I wished, so enjoy them I did.

Did you know walking on The Strip early in the morning in search of breakfast is really nice? There is almost no one around; no crowds and the city looks freshly scrubbed (except for the call service flyers on the ground). I had always believed my favorite time on the strip was dusk when it is dark enough to enjoy all the neon, but light enough to see everything else. I think I have a new favorite – early morning (before 10 a.m.).

I also learned that finding a simple, cheap breakfast (Moment of Truth – breakfast is EASY – it should be cheap) in the heart of The Strip is damn near impossible, but I did eat a few good things and I had some tasty Bloody Marys (love the one at Michel Richard’s Central and the one at Serendipity). While the choices for lunch are vast and impressive, I found while acting as a tourist I didn’t really want lunch, I was more content to wait for happy hour or dinner time. Because neither Friend Dena nor I gamble much, we relegated ourselves to shopping, drinking, chatting and eating. Days consisted of looking for shoes and snacking our way up the strip.

Here’s a partial list of tasty things I ate and drank:
• The Bloody Marys mentioned above
• Gougeres or Cheese Puffs at Michel Richard Central
• Excellent Cask Beer & good charcuterie (Sierra Nevada Torpedo) at Public House
• Creamy, delicious oysters at PJ Clarke’s during Happy Hour (great deal!)
• A fried poached egg (yes, really) on a nontraditional Benedict at Serendipity
• Delicious sushi at Sushi Roku with friends – I think the camaraderie at the table made the meal even more enjoyable!

I encourage you to make a tourist out of yourself in YOUR city, however humble, and check out what visitors see.

Food memories this past week consist of a fun Election Night Soup Buffet with friends, and plenty of fresh fruits and veggies (trying to lose some tonnage).

Ricotta Donuts at Public House

Truth on a beer glass

Dena & I at PJ Clarke’s

Those lovely oysters mentioned above

Until next time, go out and make your OWN Food Memories.

Election Day and FOOD!

Posted on November 6, 2012 by RedFlair14

I promise to almost NEVER get political in my food blog, but this is an important day.

Your vote today could have a massive impact on Farm Bills, the SNAP Program (formerly Food Stamps), free and reduced priced lunches for kids and so much food for many in need. Make sure you get out and ROCK THE VOTE!

President Barack Obama brewed beer in the White House. He brewed two types using the honey from the White House Apiary. One is called White House Honey Porter and hubby John lovingly recreated it (thanks to the Freedom of Information Act) for tonight. We have invited anyone who shows up with an “I VOTED” sticker to enjoy a pint on us. If you know where we live – come on over!

Also in preparation for this evening I have created a soup buffet to celebrate and recognize what makes us Americans a true melting pot. Here’s what’s on the menu:
• Curried Roasted Butternut Squash Soup – representing the Native Americans (squash) and our immigrant ancestors from the Far East.
• Potato Soup – representing my Irish ancestors and those who lived through the Potato Famine and emigrated here. (House smoked bacon on the side)
• Elk and Barley Soup – representing the hunters and trappers who fed their families in the quest for a New World. (Moment of Truth – I hope this one comes out tasty – I have never attempted it before).
• Cream of Mushroom Soup – just because it is my favorite.
• Grandma Nettie’s Chicken Salad – just because I needed to have something in reference to family.
There will be plenty for everyone and if you live in Vegas and know where we live, come on over or call for details. We’d love to have you.

Most importantly – let’s not forget our Suffragettes. They paved the way for me and several generations of women to be allowed to participate in the formation of our government. Don’t take their sacrifices for granted.

No pics this week, but enjoy this video from 70’s TV. A generation of Americans enjoyed and learned from these cartoons!

Food Memories this week include beer and oysters with Friend Dena, delicious gougeres at Central, and hanging out with friends over cocktails, beer and food during John’s Conference for his professional organization. Pics from these events will show next week.

Until next week, go out and make your OWN Food Memories! And don’t forget to vote!

Drink Around

Posted on October 23, 2012 by RedFlair14

This past week friend Al Mancini wrote a piece about the “dine around” culture here in Vegas. He interviewed me and quoted me for it. Needless to say I was flattered. Just as that hit the web, I realized we were getting ready to attend a similar but different kind of event. This one involved beer. Instead of DINING around, you DRINK around.

Twice a year, here in Vegas, Motley Brews hosts a beer drinkers’ heaven event. The spring event was in Tivoli Village and the fall event was at the Government Center and boy did we have a good time! The idea is to introduce beer lovers to new, hard to find, or up and coming breweries and/or beers. Of course there are perennial favorites mixed in along with the unknown. All told there were over 100 different beers and if you had VIP tix like we did, there was a selection of mead and a couple of distinctive beers available in the VIP tent.

All the food in the VIP tent was from Todd English and was basically good, but not outstanding. I think the biggest problem is that they sell too many VIP tix (they are only $10 more) so there is always a queue for anything in that area and the staff managing the food was unprepared for the onslaught. Still, I was glad it was there. You simply CANNOT enjoy that much beer with no food. Also on site were Haulin’ Balls (one of my faves – Moment of Truth – I managed to sneak in one of their lamb meatball sandwiches while John was gallivanting with friends) and a couple of other food vendors offering freshly fried potato curls, pretzels, BBQ, dogs and burgers for an additional fee. While I always enjoy this type of event, I think my snobbery got the best of me on Saturday. What exactly is the point of offering a VIP ticket and selling so many of them? We did receive early admission to the venue, we did have snacks, but to my point of view, there should have been fewer tickets sold at a higher dollar value. I hate to line up for ANYTHING, especially food and drinks, and because there were so many VIP’s I waited for everything in the VIP tent. Also, there were no goodie bags. Charge me more, give me a goodie bag and have me not wait in line…that would make me happy. But, if I had to be perfectly honest about it, the extra ten bucks was well spent. I’d still have been happier to pay more and have less people crowded into the VIP area, but that’s just me.

But let’s get back to the beer…when you arrive at these events you are given a little 3 oz. plastic cup that you take to the various stations and they partially fill it for you. At first you are thinking to yourself, “Gee, I am a grown ass woman, I need a bigger cup, or they need to fill this puppy up!” After several samples, you understand the small cup size and the partial fill. Like a wine tasting, there are rinsing stations to clean out your cup so as not to mingle flavors. That’s especially important when moving from a stout to an IPA or a cider.

New favorite that I tried that day? Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer. Absolutely refreshing and I can’t wait to try it in a Moscow Mule! Ya hear that Ma? I should have it ready when you get here! Also loved Moylan’s Hopsickle Imperial IPA and I think I may have to visit their brewery restaurant if I can find Larkspur, CA – Thanks Tracy! I was so busy having a good time that I didn’t take too many pics…

Food Memories this week include John and Friend Dani getting into a little water fight while waiting to be seated at a sushi joint (I thought they would toss us out), working on a food map of the Fremont Street area, and dining on leftovers.

Until next week, go out and make your OWN Food Memories!

In Queso of Emergency, I Pray to Cheeses – Blue Cheese Walnut Spread

Posted on October 15, 2012 by RedFlair14

We are getting to the time of year where entertaining is a MUST and for some people it is a chore. Frankly, I enjoy it. Nothing, well almost nothing, makes me happier than having a group of my peeps hanging out at the house, eating, drinking, playing games or just chatting. And then of course there are the invitations you receive throughout the holiday season. As soon as you make or accept an invitation, the thought creeps into your head, “What will I make?” Don’t worry, Aunt LeAnne has an answer for you and it will only take a few minutes. Cheese!

Unless you are lactose intolerant or you are a vegan, chances are you like cheese. I have known only two people in my whole life that didn’t like cheese, and even then they liked melted mozzarella on pizza or a parmigiana dish. We have all been to parties where the host puts out a “cheese plate” and more often than not it is crappy little cubes or slices of yellow cheddar, white cheese and maybe some pepper Jack. But there is SOOO much more out there! There are literally hundreds of different kinds of cheese from all corners of the world. Nearly every culture has some sort of cheese. And you are in luck because October is American Cheese Month! (Meaning cheese made in America – not Kraft singles.)

For years, most Americans had only mass produced cheeses to choose from, but that is changing all over the country. You can find artisanal (small farms, small batches, crafted by hand) cheese in a myriad of shops in just about every city, and definitely in the country areas. Go to a large farmer’s market and if you are lucky you will find a good cheese monger hawking wares generally from their own farm. Here in the USA we can find cheese made from cow, goat, buffalo, or sheep milk, but there are also horse and camel cheeses (I have never had any of those to the best of my knowledge).

Here are some cheese facts and tips on serving:
• Nearly all cheeses taste better at room temp. When purchasing, ask the seller about the ideal serving temp.
• Blue cheeses (Bleu, Roquefort, etc.) really do have a live mold in them. Because of this, make sure you wrap them completely in waxed paper, or formaticum. The mold spores can and will spread onto anything they come in contact with. (Moment of Truth – I LOVE Bleu Cheese and I am allergic to mold so I have to take an antihistamine before I eat it.)
• Cheese is a living thing. Much like yogurt, it has active cultures and bacteria in it to help give it the special cheesy taste we all love. Make sure you don’t cut off its oxygen. Wrap it in waxed paper or formaticum and place it in a zip lock bag, partially sealed. This will keep it breathing AND prevent it from drying out. Because tape won’t stick to either type of paper, I use a rubber band to keep the paper closed.
• As much as some cheeses have strong odors, cheese, especially milder flavored ones, can also absorb other odors, so don’t store them with onions or anything strong smelling.
• Semi soft cheeses (like mozzarella and Monterey Jack) grate better when chilled. Hard cheeses (like Parm, Romano and Grana Padana) grate more easily when room temp.
• To create a nice offering, mix up the cheeses. Choose one soft (Brie, Camembert, Cambazola), one sharp cheese, one semi soft and a “variety” cheese (one with fruit or herbs in it or something completely different you have never had before). Of course the more people in attendance the more varieties you want to have on the board. Bring crackers, bread or crostini along and don’t forget fruit! Dried fruit and nuts are great with cheese as well as fresh apples, pears, grapes and some stone fruits. Also consider some low sugar fruit preserves – apricot, raspberry and plum are fab choices as long as they aren’t too sweet and the fruit flavors really shine thru.
• Never “cut the cheese” on a cheese board, let the guests do it themselves.
• Wine isn’t the only beverage that goes great with cheese; some beers are MADE for the pairing. Experiment on your own.
• When dining out, some places offer cheese plates. Be like the French and try it for dessert instead of that ice cream sundae. If you are lucky, you can find a place that offers locally made cheeses, or groups them by type of milk used. Have fun and be fearless!

Here are some great online resources to help you expand your love of cheese:
Cheese.com
I Love Cheese
American Cheese Society
American Cheese Month

And here is the recipe I promised. This should only take you about 20 minutes to put together, including the prepping of the fruit. It’s not fancy, but it tastes great and it is a nice change from the ever present Velveeta with tomatoes and green chiles.

Aunt LeAnne’s Bleu Cheese Spread

1 – 8oz brick cream cheese, softened to room temp
4 oz bleu cheese crumbles – choose the one you would like melted on a burger. For this recipe, the stronger the better in my opinion.
4 oz shredded mozzarella – about 1 cup
Freshly ground black pepper
½ – ¾ C coarsely chopped walnuts

Combine all ingredients except nuts. Mix well. Put into a 3 cup cocotte, casserole dish or ramekin. Bake in oven at 350 until cheese is melted and starts to bubble around edges about 10 minutes (or pop into the microwave for 4 minutes). In a small dry skillet or sauté pan, toast nuts JUST until fragrant and beginning to change color. Remove cheese from oven and top with the nuts.

Serve with sliced apples and/or pears. It’s fine with crackers, but best with fruit. Tip: to keep fruit from browning after being cut, dunk it in Sprite, 7-up or other citrus soda and pat dry with paper towels.

Cheese plate of locally produced cheeses at Pike brewing in Seattle

The display case at Beecher’s in Seattle

This week’s Food Memories are a lovely braised lamb dish that tasted even better the 2nd day, an eggplant recipe that I actually LOVE (again, it tasted better the 2nd day), food truck shenanigans with Lynn and Chris, and delicious pozole made by my main squeeze with me as the prep monkey.

Until next week, go out and make your OWN Food Memories.

I Left My Heart in San Francisco (that would be lamb’s heart)

Posted on October 8, 2012 by RedFlair14

Sorry I didn’t post last week. This is the time of year that I start to get a little scattered. I get a project in my head and it takes over everything else. Last week it was the transformation of my dining room, hot on the heels of returning from San Francisco. The weird thing is I usually just go with the flow about most things, but when I get an idea in my head…look out! Apologies, and I hope this one makes up for the absence of last week.

My sister in law, Bonnie and her wife, Gretchen, live in San Francisco and each year we travel up there and they reciprocate by coming to visit us here. Gretchen and I are cut from the same cloth and both of us love to cook AND EAT! And we enjoy cooking together, so whenever we get together there is plenty of cooking, eating and drinking. The last trip involved oyster shucking, whiskey drinking and discovery of wine that didn’t give me a headache. We always have a great time. This trip was made even better than usual by Top Chef Masters Winner Chef Chris Cosentino.

Chef Chris’ restaurant is Incanto and it is nearly impossible to get reservations on a Friday. I was really disappointed that I couldn’t snag a table at one of the places on my “Places to Visit” Pinterest board. I was, however, delighted to learn they had open seating at the bar. If you know me at all, you know I love to sit and eat at the bar and I love a chatty barkeep. So on a chilly Friday night we trekked to Incanto, hoping to find seats at the bar where I could dine and add to my collection (more on that later).

I wasn’t disappointed! The bar had seating and the full menu was offered, but the COOLEST thing about eating at the bar instead of a table was that Chef Chris himself spent the night chatting at the bar with all of the guests, touching base in his Garde Manger station and checking progress on the line in the kitchen. I am sure that he made the obligatory tour of the dining room, but it must have been pretty brief because it seemed to me he was at the bar the entire evening. The staff was attentive and offered suggestions to us first timers and a good time was had by all. For me the star of the evening was the Lamb Heart Tartare. Of course it was so good and I was so excited that I forgot to take a pic, even though we ordered it twice!

John and Chef Chris at the bar

Five Shades of Hay – John’s lamb dinner. He asked Chef Chris what he was most excited about on the menu and promptly ordered it!

The beautiful Charcuterie Plate – Charcuterie Slut strikes again!

Of course I HAD to have my photo taken with Chef. While taking the pic, John tells Chef, “She collects you guys like trading cards.” At first I was mildly embarrassed, but then just sucked it up. It wouldn’t be so funny if it weren’t partially true. I am a Chef Junkie. I like to meet them, talk to them, find out what makes them excited about food and listen to their stories. John thinks I should find a way to market Chef Trading Cards. They could be sold like baseball cards (Go Yankees!) with a photo of the Chef and a couple of his/her recipes in each pack. Of course they would have to be in oversized 3×5 format to fit into traditional recipe card boxes…hmm. Check out my FB page “Good for Spooning” and see “The Collection” so far.

In addition to a fab dinner at Incanto, we had all sorts of adventures. My first trip to the Ferry Building (where oysters were eaten and salumi was purchased), a visit to John’s Aunt Cathy and her urban apiary, and family dinners of pizza and slow cooked brisket. (Moment of Truth – the brisket and potatoes were so good, I fell into a food coma at around 8:30 in the recliner.)

Charcuterie at Monk’s Kettle

Cathy’s urban apiary – she has several hives. That’s me in the yellow bee keeper hat.

Deviled Eggs at Hogs & Rocks, and yes, those are fried oysters on top!

Clams and oysters on the half shell at the Ferry Building. For the record I only had 1 cherry stone clam for breakfast.

The curing cabinet at Boccalone

We always create Food Memories with Bonnie & Gretchen, and this trip was no exception. In addition to everything above I loved watching nephew Colin chatting in fluent French with the wine purveyor at a wine tasting event.

This past week’s Food Memories included eating at my new dining room table (Another Moment of Truth – this is my first REAL dining room table – all my other tables have been “kitchen” tables), finding an eggplant recipe that I actually loved, Caesar’s Buffet (don’t judge) with High School Friend Suanne, and a surprise visit from my son including Ren Faire Food and Brazilian BBQ.

Until next week, go out and make your OWN Food Memories!

Dining Like a Rock Star

Posted on September 25, 2012 by RedFlair14

Two weeks ago I had the great good fortune of dining with food writer Al Mancini at B & B Ristorante and it was outstanding. Al’s lovely wife Sue was unable to join him for dinner that night, so darling Hubby loaned me to Al for the evening. Needless to say I was flattered and delighted to be able to join him.

For those of you who don’t know, B & B stands for Batali and Bastianich. While admittedly I would love to meet either, or both gents, Joe Bastianich scares the crap out of me. Have you seen Master Chef?! I know everyone is afraid of Gordon Ramsay and his yelling, but the cooler than a cucumber exterior of Chef Bastianich makes me quake. I saw him spit out someone’s food on that show! (Moment of truth – I would cry big wet girly tear drops if I saw someone spit my food out. Even Rick Moonen didn’t spit my food out!)

Back to the dinner…remember a while back I wrote about Secret Food Writers? Al and I discussed that (and lots of other stuff) over dinner. He says those days are long gone. As writers with followings, they are expected to go out on the town AS THEMSELVES to get publicity and a following for the paper with which they are associated. Makes sense from a publisher’s point of view. I have to say that while I understand it, I still KNOW that I don’t get treated the same way when I am out to dinner with John as I did at B & B with Al.

The service at better restos is always good, and you should expect that, and I do. We had a fab server. Knowledgeable and really friendly. We were tossed up on a few things and magically those items arrived on our table without us having ordered them, including the charcuterie selection (Have I mentioned I am a bit of a charcuterie slut?) and really amazing bone marrow ravioli that burst flavor all through your mouth when bitten. Afterward we were given a quick look at the charcuterie aging room. The smell alone was enough to cause my eyes to glaze over and for me to swoon. I can promise you that even with my growing readership, I am not even a blip on the radar of the management of most of the high end restos in town, and I know the little extras and perks were due to Al’s cache, not my sparkling personality. It was a treat to be pampered by the staff and to eat with Al. I would never have gotten a glimpse of the charcuterie room otherwise!

A few words about Al, the first few times I met him (mostly at fundraisers for Three Square), I was more than a little intimidated (I know, shocking that I am ever intimidated). I had read his stuff and liked it, and that made me want to like him and vice versa. If you don’t know him, he has a fantastic Mohawk, funky beard and doesn’t LOOK like what you expect when you think of FOOD WRITER. He looks more like a punk rocker. Thankfully my Mom told me “don’t judge a book by its cover” and I didn’t. After striking up conversations with Al, I found him to be incredibly smart, really funny, and not at all intimidating. Oddly enough, I wasn’t in the least intimidated to meet other food writers in town.

Dominic Scali (The Vegas Foodie), me and Al Mancini from last fall

Here’s to hoping that I soon will have my OWN cache to draw upon…

Until then, enjoy the pics from that meal and you can read Al’s comments here. Now, to be sure, I am not certain if Al’s opinion on the evening was as high as mine, but it’s not JUST the food that makes a great dining experience for me. The ambiance, people and conversation surrounding the meal are what make a good dinner and great dinner.

The Salumi/charcuterie plate. Those lovely little savory beignets in the center cone were perfect for the fatty lardo.

Octopus

Lamb’s Tongue with chanterelles and a poached egg (my fave dish of the night, next to the charcuterie).

Bone Marrow Ravioli

Crab Ravioli with Seppie (squid ink) sauce

Rabbit Porchetta

And a sneak peek into the salumi aging room…

Food Memories THIS week include a recipe tasting event, late night pizza with my main squeeze after seeing Wicked and of course the DISH fundraiser for Three Square (I didn’t take a single pic – I swear).

Next week? San Francisco treats! Go out and make your OWN Food Memories!

Bakers…Start Your Ovens! And yes, there is a recipe.

Posted on September 18, 2012 by RedFlair14

It all starts with the apples. As soon as the harvest begins, people (and I mean me) start thinking about baking. Why? Is it nostalgia since I grew up in the country near an orchard? Is it the cooler temps? Is it some primitive need making me feel like I have to warm the house with the oven running? I don’t know. All I know right now is that I am trying to drop a few pounds and all I want to do is bake. And after the apples will come the pumpkins and all the holiday baking to follow that. At least with the apples and pumpkins I can pretend it is healthy because there is fruit in it…yeah…riiiight!

As I have mentioned before growing up in the country was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing since we had plenty of fresh produce and I learned to do a lot of things I wouldn’t have had we lived in a city. However, for a person destined to live in a city, surrounded by concrete, it was a curse of boredom and ennui, poison ivy and bug bites, isolation from things I loved and desired. Being in the “wilds” is relaxing for some people (and you know who you are), but all I can think about when I am there is, “Why won’t my phone work?” “What is there to do?” “Is there any civilization?” “Is that another F-ing mosquito drinking my blood?!” I feel disconnected from myself. Isolated. I am happy for those folks who love the country and find it peaceful, but I am edgy and uncomfortable whenever I happen to end up there, unless I am cooking. Friends Bobby & Chris have a magnificent country retreat in upstate NY and when I visited they put me to work in the kitchen so I would feel more at home. That trip in 2010 was the first time I EVER felt sane in the country. (Moment of Truth – I miss October in NY for the leaves and the fall smells. It is the only time I really miss the east coast.) Perhaps it was the company. Perhaps the well mixed cocktails. Perhaps it was that I NEEDED to be disconnected. I don’t know, but I plan to go back there and figure it out, as soon as I can manage it. And of course I will cook with my friends.

In the meantime, I am preparing to bake. I think I will start with this coffee cake. It’s not REALLY a coffee cake (we all know those come from Entenmann’s in a white box with blue lettering and have delish brown sugar crumb on top), but it is a good substitute and it has fruit, so it is healthy…yeah…riiiight! I included the notes I plan to use whenever I get around to writing the dreaded cookbook.

Food Memories this week are a wild bunch – I was delighted to have my first ever dinner with food writer Al Mancini at B&B (delish and fun – more on that another time), cooking for charity, my semi-annual business (yes, I have a job) Open House, and a belated lunch for Friend Lynn’s birthday at Public House.

Lucy Zannon’s Apple Cake

As I’m sure you know, there are hundreds of ways to cook and serve apples, especially in baked goods. My Uncle Nick’s wife Lucy made this for my folks and then shared the recipe with my mom. During apple harvest time in upstate New York the air is scented with the aroma of everyone baking some kind of treat or other.

Mom shared this with me after I went apple picking and realized that I refused to make a dozen apple pies. Once again, my over zealous picking procedures left me with an overabundance of produce. While this is baking it makes the whole house smell great and it is a complete breeze to make.

3 eggs
1 c sugar
1 c oil
2 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 t vanilla
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
2 c sliced, peeled apples – about 2 or 3 medium apples (I like Granny Smith)

Preheat oven to 350. Combine the first 3 ingredients and mix well. Stir together all your dry ingredients and mix into egg mixture. Beat until uniform in color. Stir in apples.

Spray a 13” x 9” baking pan with vegetable spray. Pour batter into pan and bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Baking time can vary depending on how juicy the apples are. Be sure when you test that you don’t hit the apples, or the pick will always come back wet (I did that the first time and over cooked the cake).

Served warm or at room temperature this is wonderful as an accompaniment for coffee, a breakfast treat or a snack. I don’t ice or frost it, but I have decorated it with 10X sugar with the following method. Take a pretty paper doily or paper snowflake, or silicone template you buy and lay it on top of the cake. Place 10X sugar in a sifter and gently sift over the top of the doily. Carefully remove the doily trying not to spill any extra sugar on the cake. The pattern of the doily looks like lace on the cake. You may notice that the sugar is absorbed into the cake after a few hours, so if you are planning to decorate this for a pot luck, do it right before you leave the house, or bring the doily and sugar with you and do the decorating at the party.

And for your viewing pleasure – baked goods

Xmas Cookies

Cinnamon Roll – and yes, there are chocolate chips in there

Uncle Phil’s Cheesecake

Pumpkin Pie

Friends, Old and New

Posted on September 11, 2012 by RedFlair14

Today I am remembering friends old and new. David Graifman was one of those old friends, lost in the WTC. The funniest thing I ever remember him saying was a comment in a heated family debate during the Subway Series of 2000, “Well, at least the Yankees’ fans [John and I] brought beer.” (David was a Mets fan, as is his wife, Cousin Christine, and that whole side of the family). It stopped the debate, we all laughed, and continued to watch the game and enjoy each others’ company. Sometimes that’s all it takes. One line to define a day, a moment, a remembrance.

This past weekend I made my second trip to Columbus, Ohio. Friend Van retired from the military. An old friend, with whom we have great memories, both happy and aggravating. It was our distinct pleasure to be there with Van and Danielle and their 5 kids to watch Van’s life change to civilian status. Of course there was more to it than that! There were plenty of laughs and stories told and things remembered and new friends met. I was charmed and humbled by his emotions following the “official” portion of the ceremony.
Danielle and Van with their twins and us, relaxed after the ceremony.

A total bonus for me was that I learned an old friend lived in Columbus and we were able to have brunch with her on Saturday. I shared with her my need to eat at a locally owned joint and she picked a winner, Explorers Club. Nice pick Lisa! House made sausage and chorizo? Yes please!
Lisa and I outside Explorers Club

House made chorizo gravy and biscuits.

Like most of the nation, today I am remembering the events of 9-11 and the way our world has changed since then. A condition of fearfulness and watchfulness has replaced blissful ignorance. In much the same way that everyone old enough remembers where they were and what they were doing on 11-22-63, my generation will always remember 9-11-01. It is a defining moment in our history as a nation. Take time to remember today. The good and the bad. The old and the new. And most of all remember your friends. As a military family we never know when or where we’ll run into old friends (like Lisa in Columbus), or if we’ll get to see them again. Your friends are your past and your present and your future. For a military family, they stand in for biological family in so many instances. And while you are remembering today, take a moment to thank a service member, a police officer or a fire fighter and remember those who served (like hubby John, and Friend Van) and continue to serve.

Here’s a partial list of old friends remembered today:
David Graifman
Steve Tate
Janet Salazar
The BC
Mary Gloster
David L Turner
Kim Keily
Tom & Sue Reynolds
And so many others…

As I think about my friends, I can’t help but sing the song I learned in Girl Scouts and from my Mom, “Make new friends, but keep the old…” We always sang it in “the round” and didn’t do all of the verses, but the point is, old friends started out as new friends. Keep them all.

My Food Memories this week are dining with old friends in new places, checking out the beer and cocktail culture in Columbus and just BEING with my main squeeze.

Until next time – go out and make your OWN Food Memories!

I Have a Dirty Little Secret

Posted on September 4, 2012 by RedFlair14

I hope you all had a Happy Labor Day weekend! Ours was spent with family and friends and the photos are below.

I have a crushingly embarrassing secret. I am a junk food junkie – don’t judge me! I can’t help it, but all the crappy food calls my name just as loudly, if not louder on some days, as fine food from great restaurants. If it is fried, greasy, loaded with chemicals and other crap, I WANT IT! Just think on this for a minute: Twinkies stay fresh for a long time because of all the preservatives and chemicals in them. Imagine how long I can remain fresh by consuming them…jk.

For me it is ridiculously difficult to drive by Popeye’s Chicken and NOT stop. It’s excruciating for me to order the side salad instead of the fries and the smell of tortilla chips frying will send me into a swoon. Fried foods – French Fries especially – are my particular personal demon. Dip almost anything in batter or breading and fry it and you have won me over (Moment of Truth – I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, so things like fried Oreos, fried Twinkies, and the like are easy for me to pass up.).

It is a rare occasion to find an open bag of potato chips in my house. A closed one? Sure! But once that puppy is open, all bets are off. Those crispy little darlings sing to me with a siren’s song and I can’t stop until the bag is empty. The only sure fire way to make sure I don’t eat the chips is to buy BBQ flavor or something equally disgusting, but I can promise you that if they are Salt & Vinegar or any regular salted chip , you’d better keep an eye on them or they will be mine. Most of the time I don’t even realize I am hogging all the chips. It is just mindless eating to silence the siren’s song. Once they are gone, the song stops.

As an exercise in self control I have challenged myself to NOT eat anything fried for the entire month of September. Of course I forgot it was September this past Saturday and before I knew it, there was a piece of fried calamari in my mouth! It just jumped in there, right off the plate! And again on Sunday! I forgot it was already September and had to try Brother JJ’s fried quail. Honestly, I only had one bite because I remembered it was September as I broke through the crispy crunchy shell to get to the delicious meat, but I passed on the poutine with great difficulty. Yesterday at a friend’s house (just so you know, I am having a hard time typing FRIEND instead of FRIED) I immediately went for the chips and dip and I grabbed a chip. It never made it to my mouth because I FINALLY remembered it was September.

I am like an addict trying to wean myself off fried foods. With any luck I will succeed! And if the Waistline Goddess is kind, maybe I’ll drop a few pounds too? Please?

September is Hunger Action Month and last week was Restaurant Week here in Vegas to kick it off. Tons of restos pulled out all the stops to help raise money for our Three Square Food Bank. Of course I am a terrible food writer since I didn’t take pics of all my food (bad girl!!), but in my defense, it was so delicious I didn’t want to waste the time!

Girls’ Night Out at Comme Ca with Chef Brian Howard

Grilled Squid in ink sauce

Panna Cotta at Due Forni

Jenna’s salmon at RM Seafood

The gang at Public House

Jenna and Brother JJ

Food Memories this week include dining with Brother JJ and wife Jenna (a Happy Anniversary trip for them) for the first time in almost 2 years, Girls Night Out for Restaurant Week and dinner, and drinks and conversation with the folks at Marche Bacchus and the Mancinis.

Until next week, go out and make your OWN Food Memories!

I’m Gonna Hit You with a Frying Pan

Posted on August 28, 2012 by RedFlair14

Yesterday was the kick off to Las Vegas’ Restaurant Week and I was so excited I forgot to post this blog.

I have always loved to cook, and through time I have become better and more skilled. I took classes and learned what I had been doing wrong for years (Moment of Truth – the first day of holding a knife in class, Chef Jill Mora told me I wasn’t doing a single thing correctly. I ended up acing that class with the highest marks! Proof that you CAN teach an old dog new tricks). As my skills grew so did my desire for more and better equipment.

Growing up. my family owned a deli, and I know how to use all the pro tools there. We always had good knives in the store and in the house because my step father was a butcher (but according to Chef Jill I didn’t know how to use them). In our kitchen we had SOME really good stuff since my step father was a caterer, but mostly it was average, mid-line cookware and lots of Tupperware.

As some of you know, I have been selling cookware and kitchen tools for more than 14 years. Once I started getting knowledgeable about tools and cookware I started collecting them. I am pretty selective in what I choose and I will hold out for what I REALLY want as opposed to buying something just to have it. I have a severe dislike for most “uni-taskers”, although I do own a couple by virtue of receiving them for free. When it comes to cooking, whether you love it or hate it, the backbones of a good kitchen are knives and cookware (pots and pans).

We’ll talk about knives another day, but I want to share some things I have learned about cookware. This info is MY personal experience and there is NO science behind it. If you are in the market to purchase cookware and don’t know where to start, here are some questions to ask yourself:
1. What kind of cooking do I MOSTLY do? If you are doing daily cooking for a large family, your needs will be quite different from someone just starting out, or empty nesters. If you entertain often, your needs will be vastly different from someone who grabs the veggie tray at Costco for their get-togethers.
2. Do I use the stove top, oven or BBQ grill most often? In the Latino community, cooking on the stove top is primary, they almost never use their ovens, so their cookware needs may be different than yours if you are baking, roasting or oven braising frequently. If you are cooking outdoors mainly, your indoor cookware needs are much more simple.
3. How advanced a cook am I? If you are a “newbie” in the kitchen, you probably want to opt for less expensive items until you are comfy with what you can and cannot do well. If you are an experienced (or fearless) cook, you may opt for “investment” pieces – things that will serve you for years and take a beating.

I find that most people actually need a combination of different kinds of cookware, but they think (thru marketing ploys) that they must have a set. I personally am a cookware whore – I am not brand loyal. In my cabinets you will find the following brands in a variety of configurations:
• The Pampered Chef (Duh)
• LeCrueset
• Staub
• Revereware
• Lodge Cast Iron
• Calphalon
• All Clad

Here is a breakdown on cookware compositions (in no particular order of favoritism) so you can choose what YOU need, click on the ads to find out more, but they are there so you can get an idea of prices and appearance:
• Cast Iron – it is the granddaddy of basic cookware pieces. It can go on the stove, in the oven, broiler and even onto the grill! Perfect for camping since you can make just about anything in it on an open fire. Requires “seasoning” (follow mfr. directions) and is easy to maintain. Properly maintained, pieces last FOREVER and in some parts of the country are coveted family heirlooms. Available in a variety of shapes, sizes. Pluses – it’s heavy and can stand up to really high temps, generally inexpensive, many lines made in the USA. You can bake AND cook in it. Minus – it’s HEAVY!

• Ceramic Coated Cast Iron – (like LeCreuset & Staub, both made in France) – I wouldn’t put it on the grill personally, but I know people who do. Great for stove to oven recipes (like long oven braises). Always gorgeous, they are perfect for stove to table serving as well. Requires basic maintenance to keep it looking great. Pluses – good enough for Julia Child, makes it good enough for me! Beautiful, durable. Minuses – generally really expensive (consider this an investment piece) and it’s heavy. Look for ones NOT made in China.

• Stainless – There is a lot to be said for stainless! Can go from stove to oven, many brands are dishwasher safe and they can also go in the broiler. Today’s stainless with satin finishes are easier to clean up and maintain than your grandma’s stainless. Look for heavy gauge, 18-10 stainless construction and “tri ply” technology is great too (it means there is stainless inside and out with a core of either aluminum or copper to assist in even heat conductivity). If you have an induction stove top, look for one with an 18-0 exterior (it will be magnetic whereas the 18-10 will not). Pluses – can be used for almost any type of cooking with proper care. Quality product is priced in the “middle” range. Minuses – I hate cooking eggs in it. Can be an “investment” for newbies.

• Non- stick – there are so many out there and they are all basically the same to me. Look for ones with baked on finishes (like DuPont Autograph), if you scratch it, it will not peel. I love it for cooking eggs. Pluses – lower fat cooking, readily available from many mfrs, great for eggs and omelets, typically mid line or inexpensive. Minuses – you can’t SEAR meat in it. Nothing will BROWN. Use only non-stick safe tools and scrubbers. NOT dishwasher or broiler safe in most cases. If it peels or flakes, toss it out. Almost all of them are made in China.

• Nano-Ceramic coated cookware – typically with an aluminum core, making it light weight with excellent heat conductivity. This is the newest stuff out there. It is generally hand wash only and is incredibly SLICK! Reasonably priced and becoming available from a variety of sources. Pluses – you CAN sear and BROWN in a virtually non-stick pan, very light weight (perfect for seniors and anyone with arthritis), reduced fat cooking. Minuses – Light weight – can’t stand up to high temps. Treat it as you would traditional non-stick cookware. No dishwasher, no broiler, “safe” utensils only. Most brands made in China.

Well, there you have it. Do your own research. Borrow pieces from friends to see if you like the way they perform before investing in your own pieces. And don’t worry about getting a SET! Buy only the pieces you are going to use most frequently if you are a newbie. As for me, I am looking for the perfect terrine pan…

This week’s Food Memories are a surprise birthday party for Friend Sam, final summer meals at home with my college student, doing Restaurant Week briefings for participating restaurant staff, meals in Flagstaff while dropping Jack off to school and mentally pepping for “Cooking for Two”.

Sam’s lovely Tea Party inspired Birthday cake.