Cooking Together – Therapy I Can Enjoy

Posted on May 23, 2017 by LeAnne Notabartolo

I know some of you do not enjoy cooking, and that’s ok. But what if I told you it is like therapy when you do it with friends? I personally love cooking. I don’t enjoy it for myself; I am happy with something grabbed out of the fridge if I am eating alone. I am happiest when cooking for, and with, a crowd. Maybe that’s why for almost 20 years I did live cooking demos as a job. It could explain why I love what I do now (managing culinary events and tradeshows). Perhaps that’s why I have always wanted my own food show.

Friend John M and I have often joked that we should have our own TV show about cooking together. We both love cooking and love doing it together. And more times than not, we end up laughing our asses off. Each of us enjoys cooking alone, but when we cook together, the enjoyment is amplified. We smile more, relax more, and the act of cooking together ratchets up the enjoyment of the meal itself. Sadly we don’t always MAKE TIME to have this happen, but that has changed.

Friends cooking together is more than “many hands make light work”. It’s fun therapy anyone can get behind.

Friend Gemini is going through a rough time physically and LOVES to cook. We have tried to get our schedules to synch up to enjoy cooking together for ages and we finally made that happen. Cooking with Gemini was born! It started with inviting Gemini and her guy John to my house to cook. Then we invited a few other couples where at least one member of the duo loves to cook. I literally had a house full of Johns, as every single man in attendance was named John! Toss in Friend Janet who loves cooking and has some chops, and Friend Lynn and we have a winner. Moment of Truth – Lynn HATES to cook, but she is HELL on clean up and she took all of the pics, so that is her contribution. We intentionally chose menu items that we had never tried before, or wanted to learn from someone else. We decided on fish baked in a salt crust, which none of us had ever tried to do, and fresh gnocchi. Gnocchi is a personal favorite of mine and I coached everyone through that process. Some prep was done ahead of time, but the idea was to do as much as possible together.

All the tension melted away

At first there was a little tentativeness on everyone’s part. For me, I am very comfortable being bossy, but I don’t USUALLY like to boss my friends around. I needed to get over that and take charge of the flow. For others, they felt in some way like they didn’t want to step out of bounds in my kitchen, or get in someone else’s way. All the tension and tentativeness melted away gradually while we made gnocchi with truffles and garlic and amberjack baked in a salt crust. We laughed while we drank wine and stood shoulder to shoulder to roll gnocchi. Everyone who wanted to “get their hands dirty” was given a job and of course there was shock and a learning curve involved. Especially when we went to crust the fish and realized it hadn’t been gutted…my fault. The Hubs was appalled I didn’t learn to do that in culinary school (they were always cleaned for us). Thank goodness for former Boy Scout John M! He coached me through the process, and it was easier than I imagined with his guidance. A salad of blanched veggies with hearts of palm and sun dried tomatoes rounded out the meal.

Gutted Amberjack stuffed with lemons getting ready for the salt crust.

Hand rolled gnocchi. The lines in this case come from a gnocchi board available at Sur la Table (link above)

Food is so much more than fuel

Most of the folks in attendance knew at least one person other than The Hubs and me, but no one knew everyone. Politics were left at the door. We talked about food, booze, books, movies, games, ourselves and our lives. We got to know one another on a deeper, more intimate level and everyone left relaxed. As if they had gone to a therapy session with a masseuse or a shrink. We had such a good time; we decided to make a monthly event of it. Our next event will be Cajun/Creole themed. It was decided that sticking with one base idea and working off that premise would make a more cohesive evening, food wise. We also decided to keep it small and intimate and only the folks invited to the first one will be invited to future events to grow and nurture these new friendships, to foster the love of cooking and to keep it manageable for everyone to be able to participate. For each attendee, food is so much more than fuel. We all LOVE food, appreciate the details and effort that go into the prep, and revel in the outcome. And doing it all together made it so much more than just a shared meal.

Friend John M removes the skin after the salt crust has been cracked off.

The gnocchi were finished in olive oil with black truffles that came from Try the World in my “Italy box” and fresh garlic

To finish off the meal, Gemini brought a gorgeous flourless chocolate cake with chocolate ganache. She garnished with candied flowers and freshly whipped cream and plated it a la minute.

Flourless chocolate cake with ganache and candied flowers

If you are in need of self-care, try cooking with friends. Set up your own cooking supper club. You’ll end up feeding more than your body; you’ll feed your soul and your mind too. Watch for future pics of “Cooking with Gemini” on my Facebook page and Instagram.

Hi. My Name Is LeAnne and I Am a LeCreuset Addict

Posted on April 12, 2017 by LeAnne Notabartolo

There should be a meeting I can go to. It has become clear that I have a cookware problem and its name is LeCreuset! I am not sure what it is about that gorgeous enameled cast iron cookware that makes my pulse race, but I love it. I remember “finding” it for the first time at the LeCreuest outlet in San Marcos, Texas in 1996 right about the time I started to get “serious” about my cooking. The Hubs was in med school and the only thing I could afford in the store was a silicone spatula. Not to be deterred, I visited that store often and touched and looked at all of the “Flame” colored cookware, wanting each and every piece. Having only watched Julia Child in black and white, I didn’t realize until years later that LeCreuset was her cookware choice as well. Once I learned THAT tidbit, my cravings became insatiable.

Make no mistake, there can be no substitute

I don’t know if it is the variety of beautiful colors, or the curve of the three lines as they encircle the lids, or the name itself if you say it the RIGHT way – it is le crewSAY not lah crooSET – but I just love it. I love the way it looks. I love the weight of it. The way it performs is brilliant and I have never been disappointed with any of my purchases. And make no mistake, there can be no substitute. It must be French and it must be this brand. Others are equally gorgeous, but as is often said, there is no love like your first love. None of my pieces match and that is intentional. I love the mix of colors and shapes and I have no need to own a matched set of anything. Each piece was bought on sale, either because the store was going out of business, the color was being retired (like the kiwi, fennel and cobalt) or the store opted not to carry my beloved brand any longer. And it’s not like they sit there collecting dust. I USE them. All the time!

A couple of years ago, we remodeled our kitchen, putting in extra cabinets and super cool rolling drawers for my cookware. Upon completion of the installation, the Hubs said, “Now you have enough cabinets to hold everything”. Well, that worked for a while. As I moved items into the kitchen from the OTHER places in the house where they were stored, the cabinets began filling up faster than either of us thought was possible. Now they are completely full and the new law of the land is that I can’t bring any more kitchen stuff into the house unless I get rid of something of equal size/shape/space allowance to make way for the new item. Notice the verbiage. I can’t bring any more into the house…he said nothing about buying new items, just that I can’t bring them in the house. Getting rid of a wooden spoon to make space for a stock pot isn’t gonna cut it. This is a problem.

I always start in the clearance section

In January Mom came to visit and we made a trip to SoCal. On the way back, we stopped at the Williams-Sonoma outlet in Primm. Big Mistake. John thinks I should be banned for life from that store AND Sur la Table. I can’t leave those stores without some cool shit tucked into my reusable shopping bags. I simply cannot do it. It’s almost as if it’s programmed into my DNA or subconscious or something. For the record, I always start in the clearance section of any store. On the latest trip I found a gorgeous LeCreuset forest green enameled cast iron Dutch oven, for 75% off. Of course I couldn’t resist!

“Is there any particular reason why there is a LeCreuset box in the back of the car?”

True to my word, I didn’t bring the new Dutch oven in the house, knowing the agreement of removing something before I could bring it into the kitchen. I left it in the back of my SUV, never telling John about the purchase. A few weeks after the purchase, John saw it in the back and said, “Is there any particular reason why there is a LeCreuset box in the back of the car?” I told him about my purchase and sticking to the agreement we made, He grunted and said that he really meant I wasn’t supposed to BUY anything for the kitchen until I got rid of some stuff. I gently reminded him that wasn’t what he said.

Still it sits in the back of my car. And it is a signature piece autographed by Chuck Williams which I didn’t even know until I was loading this pic!

Here we are, coming up to Easter in mid-April and it is still in the back of the car!

I have given away, to a friend in need, a box and a bag full of kitchen stuff, but can’t make space for the pot where it belongs in the kitchen. The Offspring says emptying the dishwasher or putting away any of the hand washed items is like playing “Kitchen Tetris”. I keep rearranging things hoping to magically cull some space. It’s not working. I will have to get rid of SOMETHING, but I am not ready to part with anything…yet. Truth be told, when The Offspring moves out into his own apartment (after paying down his student loan debt), some of my cookware will go with him. You know I have doubles of LOTS of things, including, but not limited to two 7¼ quart oval LeCreuset Dutch ovens. Keep in mind that the above pic is ONLY my LeCreuset. It doesn’t show the stainless, non-stick and classic unglazed cast iron pieces… He’s going to be the only single guy I know in his age bracket with decent cookware that is not a culinary professional.

Whoever said, “There’s no such thing as too much of a good thing,” is a liar. It is possible to have too much of a good thing when it comes to cookware. And for now, it seems I do have too much of a good thing…and the box is still in the car.

Here it sits in the back of the car, along with my eco-friendly shopping bags, waiting to come in the house.

Pet Peeves – 2017 – AKA Shit That Pisses me Off

Posted on March 8, 2017 by LeAnne Notabartolo

Ah Facebook, you little darling you! I was reminded through the “Memories” pop up that it’s time for my annual Pet Peeves blog. You know, the one time of year that I bitch, whine, complain and use plenty of foul language. (Consider yourself warned if you are easily offended.) If I am going to be honest, it is probably my favorite blog of the year to write. Be prepared for foul language. I expect you to snicker, smirk, and comment on your own pet peeves. And BTW – if you like the piece, share it to make the world a better place for ME (kidding, not kidding). Share, comment, spread the love and if you aren’t subscribed, what the hell are you waiting for? It’s FREE, I don’t share your info and you only hear from me once a week.

Top of the Pet Peeves list – People who bicker over the check

If you are out to eat with friends, you are probably going to do it again, just split the check evenly; it will all come out in the wash eventually. Friend Lebette calls it a “combat split” and I love that phrase. To be honest, women are guilty of this more often than men. I have been on the receiving end of a check where a bottle of wine was ordered, I didn’t drink any (you all know that!) and still I kicked in an equal share. If you like these people well enough to dine with them, just split the fucking check! Caveat – if it’s a one-time thing, or a business lunch, ask for separate checks at the beginning of the meal so you don’t harass the wait staff.

My “Bar Fail” pet peeves are the same as last year. You can read them here. However, I have started to point out the lack of hooks under the bar as a “fail” to bartenders and managers that I personally know. Miraculously, hooks have appeared!

Step to the Side

Lack of Situational Awareness – For the record, we are all guilty of this every once in a while, especially if we have been imbibing. DO NOT stop at the bottom of the escalator blocking the traffic behind you from disembarking; step to the side. DO NOT stop in the middle of the walkway to have a conversation; step to the side. DO NOT crawl up my ass at the checkout, the ATM or anywhere frankly; give me arm’s length distance. DO “stand right, walk left” when on escalators and moving sidewalks.

People who use the handicap accessible stalls in the restroom when they don’t NEED it really piss me off. Friend Bailey is in a wheelchair and NEEDS that stall. Old broads with walkers NEED that stall. Be fucking grateful that you DON’T, and walk the extra couple of feet. If there is a lineup for the restroom, all bets are off. And it super-duper sends me into fucking orbit when I see kids do it. Their parents must be morons too. Mom always said, “You are fully able bodied, use the regular stall. I don’t care if the handicapped one is bigger!”

And while we are on the subject of restroom pet peeves– ladies, please keep in mind that a public restroom isn’t your personal vanity station. Do your fucking makeup at home. No one wants to look at your hair in the sink, watch you put on false eyelashes or do anything more than touch up your lipstick. Piss, wash your hands and get out of the damn way. Others are waiting (lack of situational awareness again) for you to move your ass. And for fuck’s sake, stop taking bathroom selfies! No one wants to see that shit either!

If you own a dog and walk it in a public place, pick up your dog’s shit! Please, for the rest of us that use that trail, sidewalk or park, be polite. No one wants to step in or smell that.

Corporate Greed

I REALLY despise that the casinos have started to charge for parking here in Vegas. It was always one of the coolest perks to living here. Even the valet at the Caesar’s mall is charging. Ok,let me get this straight – so I’m going to spend money in your establishment and you want me to pay to park my vehicle too? Fuck you! I will spend my money someplace else. I find this annoying in the extreme when I am staying at the fucking hotel for a staycation or a conference. I do not mind paying to park on the city streets with a meter (I do mind it when the meter doesn’t work and I get a ticket). It’s the consistent greed of big business that really yanks my chain. Aren’t the gamblers losing enough money to suit you? Now you want to put your hands twice into the pockets of locals dining at one of your restos or paying to see a show? Fuck you again. And Disney? Six Flags? You are on this shit list too!

If I am in a designated smoking area, do not ask me to put out my butt, move away from you or wave your hand in front of your face to move the smoke or affect a fake cough. YOU walked into this area knowing there would be smoking. And smokers, be respectful of non-smoking areas.

And a short list of pet peeves that needs no explanation:

Cheating spouses who blame their partner for their own running around.
Men who wear hats (other than a yarmulke) at the table.
Vegans who tell you that you suck because you eat animal products.
People who try to get me to eat at vegan restos. I am not their target demographic.
Fake food and food pretending to be something other than what it is. e.g. Cauliflower “rice”. Vegan “meat”.
Phony people.
Slut shaming.
Body image shaming.
Litterbugs.

Don’t be that person

And finally, I can’t stand drunk drivers. It’s fine to get drunk. It is fine to drive. Just don’t do them together. Recently a 16 year old lost his life on the way to school in my ‘hood because some ass was drunk at 6:30 in the morning. Don’t be that person. Call a cab or use Lyft or get a hotel room. All of them are cheaper than the alternative. You could be saving your own life AND the life of someone else.

Holiday Foodie Gift Guide – 2016

Posted on November 30, 2016 by LeAnne Notabartolo

It’s Giving Tuesday (I didn’t know that was a real thing) and it’s that time of year again. You know, the “What do I get for <fill in the blank>?” time of year. We all struggle with that one, so here’s my annual Holiday Gift Guide for all the foodies on your list.

Last year Sister Nancy gifted me with Try the World and I loved it! You can choose an individual month, or select a gift of the month option for a series of gifts. Each box comes themed by country with products fitting that country’s cuisine and recipe ideas to use them. Gifts start at $39

This pic of their Holiday Box borrowed from Try the World

Here is the perfect gift for the cocktail lovers on your list

I am a fan of “Gift of the Month”, so here is another one for the cocktail lovers on your list. Shaker & Spoon sends everything you need to make great cocktails except the liquor, so you can choose your favorite brand. Each box revolves around one spirit and includes recipe cards, bitters, custom made syrups and produce for garnish. One standard bottle makes 12 cocktails based on the three recipes in each box. Gifts start at $50

Shaker & Spoon sample gift box. Photo by Shaker & Spoon

Make your own Advent Calendar! Do you have a chocoholic, cookie monster, stationery whore, toy hoarder, etc. on your gift list? Create your own unique, customized advent calendar just for them. You’ll need 24 small gifts, numbered stickers and mini bags, boxes or other receptacle to put them all in for gifting. You can pick up an empty wine or beer box at your local liquor store to get you started. 24 beers in a case = 24 openings for your Advent Calendar. If you start today, you still have time to gift this on the first! Prices will vary.

Give a gift from your kitchen

Anything from your kitchen. I LOVE it when people grace me with something homemade. The fact that they took their precious time to create something for me means the world. Gift homemade banana bread or cookies on a fun or quirky thrift shop plate. Last year I made Bloody Mary bags with my own canned Bloody Mary mix and pickled garnishes to go with it. I added a bottle of vodka to finish it off. I think the recipients were pleased. Prices will vary.

Last year’s Bloody Mary Bags. I even made the cute hang tag with my Cricut!

Every cook needs the right apparel and Lost Car Chef does it right! Aprons and Custom made Chef Coats are the perfect gift for the serious cook on your list. Aprons start at $40 and Jackets start at $100. Add your own logo, name, company and other embellishments to make it personal for your Chef or home cook. I own the Lillian jacket and it is my fave of all of my jackets. Smart detailing like magnetic cuff holders on the sleeves and an angled thermometer pocket on the front placket make all the difference in the world. Don’t settle for impostors. Most fun part? They do them in the back of a repurposed food truck that travels around to various locations. For the most up to date info check their website Lost Car Chef Apparel.

The Lillian Jacket – my fave! Photo Courtesy of Lost Car Chef Apparel

The trendy and tough Grenade Apron. Photo courtesy of Lost Car Chef Apparel.

Sister Tina gifted me with a Yeti 30 oz Rambler tumbler this spring and I am officially in love! There are other ones on the market at a lower price point, but I’ll stick with my Yeti thanks. No matter how hot the Las Vegas desert gets, my drink stays cold inside the stainless tumbler while the exterior remains sweat free. In the winter, hot beverages stay truly hot while the outside remains comfortable to your hand. No coozie needed. If you REALLY want to splurge, they also make full sized coolers. Just a note when buying on Amazon – check the ship and arrival dates. Some of their participating merchants TAKE FOREVER to arrive. MY order was place on Nov 11^th and I have yet to receive it…Prices on Amazon start around $30

Rambler – 30 oz stainless steel tumbler

Anthony Bourdain is my spirit animal.

I feel we may have been separated at birth. Of course his new cookbook is on my gift list this year! Appetites is GORGEOUS from the cover art by Ralph Steadman to the photographs and the recipes within. I love the way Bourdain “talks” to you when you read the recipes. You can hear his voice in your head. Filled with tips and tricks and recipes to fit nearly every palate, you won’t be disappointed. Because I bought this for myself AND the hubs bought it for me too, I’ll be giving one away next week. All you have to do is be a subscriber. Not a subscriber? Hit the SIGN ME UP button above on the right to be included in this giveaway. (US and Canada only – winner announced on my FB page and will be contacted by me for shipping info.) Retail value – $37.50

Appetites by Anthony Bourdain. Cover art by Ralph Steadman

It’s On Me digital gift cards are the perfect answer to what to get just about anyone on your list if they live in Vegas, SoCal or New York. Choose from a carefully curated list of locally owned bars, restaurants and merchants, choose your dollar value and send it to any internet enabled mobile device. Android and Apple are both supported, so if the recipient has a phone, VOILA! Holiday Gifts DONE! Check their website often for expanding markets and promos. Be sure to check their blog for new additions and featured merchants.

So there you have it! Gift giving made easy…Enjoy the Holidays! You are welcome to post your cooking, entertaining or dining questions on my Facebook page at any time! To follow along with my dining adventures through the season be sure to follow me on Facebook or Instagram.

Closed for Thanksgiving

Posted on November 22, 2016 by LeAnne Notabartolo

My favorite holiday of the year is Thanksgiving. In 29 years of marriage, John and I have only had Thanksgiving with extended family a handful of times. As a military family, it just wasn’t possible financially or logistically, but that has been changing in the past few years. My cousin Christine and my SILs from San Francisco have made the trip a few times and for me, it makes the holiday all the brighter.

There are a few friends who I wish would join us for Thanksgiving

We usually have about 20 for Thanksgiving, but last year got out of control. We had 42 people for dinner. Three turkeys and all that goes with it, wine, desserts. Basically The Works. It was too much even for me. I didn’t really get to visit with ANYONE because I was so busy visiting with everyone for a few minutes at a time. We have decided never to repeat that and have trimmed everything back to the 20 again. A few will drop in for drinks and apps and a few will show up for dessert. There are some friends who I wish would join us for the holiday. Several can’t because they host their own “Friendsgiving”, a few can’t because of family obligations and a few won’t because we have a “no football” policy. The TV goes on for the Macy’s Parade and then it is off for the rest of the day. It is all about music and laughter and conversation. IMHO, you can stare at the TV any other day of the year.

Don’t you think EVERYONE should be able to spend Thanksgiving with their loved ones?

Because I feel so strongly about Thanksgiving being a “family” day, whether you spend it with bio-family or chosen family, I encourage you to NOT shop on Thanksgiving. Of course there is the inevitable, “Oh shit! I forgot the cranberries!” “Dammit! I was supposed to bring wine with me!” “For fuck’s sake! Who ate all of the stuff for the antipasto?” And off to the grocery store you must run. I am not talking about that. I am talking about SHOPPING. The so called Black Friday sales start ON Thanksgiving now. WHY? Isn’t spending time with your loved ones more important than the few dollars you save by shopping on Thanksgiving? Don’t you think EVERYONE should be able to spend the day with their loved ones? I do, and that’s why I encourage all of you to stay home. If folks stop showing up, the stores will stay closed and allow their employees to enjoy the day with their peeps before the mad holiday shopping season rush.

To that end, here is a list of retailers honoring family traditions and staying closed on Thanksgiving. Show them a little love this shopping season when you are choosing where to spend your hard earned dollars. For the record, I will be at Dillard’s at 8 am on Friday to show them some love! Thanks to Forbes online for the graphic and info. These are just he national chains and bog box stores. Of course, most of the Mom & Pop shops will be closed and you can show them the love on Small Business Saturday.

So here’s my game plan:

Watch the Macy’s Parade (even though they are open on Thanksgiving) while I am doing prep
Eat, drink and be merry with friends, music, laughter and maybe some games
Black Friday Shopping with my pal Lynn – Dillard’s always has the best handbags on sale!
Shop Local on Saturday
Sleep on Sunday

Years ago, we started “adopting” Airmen from the dorms to our Thanksgiving table and thus the “Island of Lost Toys Thanksgiving” was born. When I look back and think of everyone sitting on the floor, couches and any place they could perch to eat, I chuckle. It was probably one of the craziest ideas I ever had. We didn’t have a table big enough, we only had a four top table and because I have always done Thanksgiving buffet style, that’s where the food went! I know each and every Airman that has joined us has loved it. I know as humble as my home was and is, it is better than any chow hall on the planet, plus there is camaraderie from others they don’t know. If you want to “adopt” a service member to your Thanksgiving celebration, contact your local military installation.

Is Inclusive Tipping Really the Way to Go?

Posted on June 28, 2016 by LeAnne Notabartolo

Living in Vegas I know I have become spoiled in so many ways. Access to dozens of live performances a month. Fantastic restaurants with varied cuisine. And some of the best service the industry has to offer. With a lot of restaurants across the country talking about including the tip in the check, I have to ask, “Is inclusive tipping really the way to go?”

Some restaurants in other cities in the USA are already doing this with success. While it may be a welcome change for the guests and clients, how successful is it for the staff? When I was a server I counted on tips to make my bills. Are they making the same amount? Is their healthcare now included? I know one chef driven small chain IS including benefits for everyone in house – both front and back of the house – and everyone had a salary boost, but I don’t think that is true across the board.

Last week I took a trip to Atlantis resort in the Bahamas and it was wonderful! It was a “girls only” trip and we had a great time. Friend Laurie earned the trip with The Pampered Chef and she asked her pals to go along for the ride. What a ride it was! When you are at Atlantis you are on a separate island from Nassau and need to take a taxi or water taxi to the city. All four of being intrepid travelers, we took water taxis and regular taxis to get over to Nassau and off the Atlantis property for some additional fun. The prices on Paradise Island (Atlantis) are higher than Vegas or Disney (now that’s saying something!) and for convenience we ate some meals at Atlantis and some in Nassau.

Tipping is not a city in China

We quickly learned that Tipping is not a city in China, but an included item on your check. When I lived in Europe and traveled outside of the USA it was known that the tip was included in our bill, but it wasn’t a line item on the bill. In the Bahamas 15% is automatically added to your bill as a line item and you can decide whether to tip more. There is a space on your credit card check to allow “additional gratuity”. And our service was spotty at best. At Todd English‘s Olives at the resort (we ate there because we were exhausted and it was close) the only thing that came fast was the check. Having eaten at Todd English restos before, I can promise you he would have been mortified at the service we received. At Murray’s we waited 25 minutes for a table for breakfast and then an additional 20 minutes for water and coffee and another 30 minutes for eggs that were all over cooked and the shittiest corned beef hash I have ever had…EVER. The only edible things were the home fries and the toast. All told it was 2-1/2 hours for BREAKFAST! And the place wasn’t even that busy. And we ended up tipping for crappy service because it was included. On the other hand, in Nassau we ate at Oh Andros and the service was super friendly and a bit slow because the place was PACKED with at least 20 “to –go” orders leaving while we sat there and nibbled on conch fritters. The food was amazing and our server, Shakira, kept checking on us, refilling our drinks and informing us of the status of our food, basically treating us like we were there every weekend (there will be a separate blog about eating on this trip). And yet, at another joint in Nassau the waiter tried to tell us that the tip wasn’t included when it said so right on the menu board. And at a third place, the waiter actually stood there and looked at all of our signed checks to see if we were tipping extra. Like I said, a mixed bag.

“Is inclusive tipping really the way to go?”

If the tip is included on the check, what incentive do servers have, other than pride in their jobs, to provide excellent service? They know they are getting paid no matter what. They know they will probably never see tourists again; it’s not likely that we’ll become regulars. I found in other parts of the world, being a server is a career, not a job, and in those locations the service was always exceptional whether the tip was included or not. Yes, Atlantis and Nassau are tourist destinations with visitors from all over the globe. Well, isn’t Vegas? Isn’t New York? Isn’t Disney? As a server in the USA, it is customary to include a 15% or 20% tip on any party of more than 6 or 8 people, and that is expected nearly universally. Sometimes people tip additionally and sometimes they don’t.

Why was our service so spotty? Was it that I am spoiled? Was it that everyone was on “Island Time”? Was it the fact that the tip was included? Or simply that service is not as important to some people as it is to me? There is no way of knowing. I have often said that I can forgive mediocre food, but I can’t forgive lousy service. If your food is great and your service sucks, chances are I won’t come back. Sadly, when tipping is included in the check, you never know what you are going to get.

Gossip & Secrets

Posted on June 21, 2016 by LeAnne Notabartolo

Here’s a Moment of Truth – I admit that I love gossip and secrets. Not the malicious kind. I don’t have time for that negativity in my life, but I LOVE juicy gossip and secrets about new menus and restos as much as the next gal. As you well know by now, I love food. I love Vegas and I love my culinary community, and I love gossip and secrets about what’s coming next more than I should.

A little birdie told me gossip & secrets

In the past year, several folks in the culinary community have shared secrets with me “off the record” and I dutifully respected their confidence as requested. The only person I share with is The Hubs and he knows to keep his lips zipped too. For example, I knew about Robert Irvine’s announcement before it was made public (but not about the rappelling) because a little birdie told me. I’ve known about Nicole Brisson’s recent promotion to Culinary Director for months. People tell me, and other writers, secrets all the time. Some of us respect the confidence and others don’t. And I have been sitting on a couple of doozies for months; including my recently announced job. And yes, I want you to follow along with that excitement. I have often wondered if the secrets I am told are MEANT to be shared because while I am KEEPING the secret as requested, someone else in the press blabs it…

I don’t have the social media reach to be the one to share a scoop

The sad part about my keeping those secrets is that I have yet to be awarded the honor of breaking a story about anything. Why? I don’t have enough clout is the simple answer. While all of you loyal readers fan my ego and I love it, I simply don’t have the social media reach that is required to be the one to share a scoop. While I do have a LOYAL audience, I simply don’t have a WIDE audience. I would love to dish on everything that I know, but my conscience prevents it because secrets are SECRETS until I am told otherwise. In our family we jokingly call my Aunt Marilyn the CIA because she never shares anything. I have unknowingly become the same way about the juicy bits people confide to me.

Some friends and fans tell me to spill. “Just share it. It’ll get out sooner or later.” My answer is “No!” I feel I have built a solid reputation as an ethical writer in Vegas and I don’t want to jeopardize that intentionally.

Do you want me to share what I know? Here’s how you can get me, and you, the scoop:

Tell your friends about Good for Spooning on social media (and THANK YOU to all of you who regularly do just that! My own sisters don’t even share or post as frequently as some of you…BROAD HINT…!)
Share my Facebook page and encourage your friends to “like” the page in your post.
If you like the blog post of the moment, share it from my Good for Spooning FB page or directly from my website with a link on your FB page (there is even a handy button to do that on the top right of this page).
Repost my stuff on Twitter or Instagram
Post your food porn to my FB page

I would love to be able to post, “Coming Soon…” about a new place that is opening by a well-known local celebrity chef (and yes, there is more than one). I would love to be able to write, “Funding Problems Stall Opening…” (and yes, this is really happening) or “Chef [So and So] moving to…” (it’s ALWAYS happening in Vegas) and be the first to do it.

So help me help you get the scoop. Invite, share, post to my page and get your friends involved.

Time Flies – Graduation

Posted on May 28, 2016 by LeAnne Notabartolo

I know I have been a bit lazy lately and I apologize to all of you. Things have been chaotic to say the least, and when I looked at the last time I posted, I couldn’t believe how much time had passed! Time really does fly and a graduation drove it home to me recently.

The Graduate and the proud parents! It seems like yesterday that we were at the Kindergarten Graduation!

My only child’s college graduation from Northern Arizona University (NAU) was May 13th. It seems like just last week I was freaking out about putting him on the school bus to go to kindergarten; like yesterday I was dropping him off for his freshman year at NAU and crying all the way to Kingman after I left him. Where does the time go? When I think of all the meals I have cooked, eaten or participated in over the past few years…then realizing my son will be a teacher helping others just months after he was a student…I just have to pause. And breathe. And relish the fact that he has grown into a fine human.

And when there is a graduation, of course there are celebrations involved!

A fantastic family dinner at Brix in Flagstaff started off the weekend. If you get the chance to dine there, I highly encourage you to make a reservation; they are always packed and the food is great.

Chocolate Pot au Creme as done by Brix in Flagstaff.

Duck breast as done by Brix, Flagstaff

And then there was the party after the ceremony at our home.

Fifty people joined us to celebrate. Thankfully I have talented friends who lovingly helped prepare the meal. Friend and Chef Beni Velazquez shared his paella recipe which I prepped and he prepared in a huge pan in the back yard. Dad manned the Big Green Egg to cook up the chicken. Chef Mike Minor brought some of his kick ass BBQ sauce for the pulled pork sandwiches I prepared. Hubby cooked up a ton of corn on the cob and brewed a special batch of chocolate milk stout, and several friends brought salads to round out the buffet. While I ran around, pal Byron (the gem responsible for my logo) took tons of pics to help us remember the day. Because, as I said, Time Flies and the day was a veritable BLUR!

Dad manning the chicken station, aka the Big Green Egg. He’s still trying to figure out how to steal mine…not happening.

Chef Beni Velazquez at the 3 foot Paella pan in my backyard. Thanks to SIL Gretchen for this pic!

Watching my son being at the “Grown Ups’ Table” with his friends and our family friends was amazing. I know he has been sitting with the Grown Ups for some time, but something about watching him get that diploma and knowing the changes that await him over the next year is astounding.

Add to all of that, my Mom was with me for nearly a month. It went by in the blink of an eye. I don’t get to see her that often or anywhere near as often as I would like, so I truly enjoyed the time with her.

We spent Mother’s Day together for the first time in more than 25 years and celebrated with a brunch at STK.

We spent Mother’s Day together for the first time in more than 25 years!

My fave appetizer right now, steak tartare as done by STK here in Vegas

I know that I lead a strange and wonderful life and I am truly grateful for it. EVERY single day. My biggest challenge is that I need to slow down, enjoy the days more and embrace the weirdness.

There are big changes coming soon and of course I will share all of that here with all of you as they unfold. And I promise to be more consistent at posting this blog.

Pet Peeves – 2016 – AKA Things That Piss Me Off

Posted on March 16, 2016 by LeAnne Notabartolo

Disclaimer: This post is filled with foul language. If your sensibilities are tender, I suggest you take a pass.

Pet Peeves is the one of the few blogs of the year where I bitch, whine and generally complain. I try to keep this a positive space, but I need to vent about this once a year. It’s that one blog post of the year where I let loose and bitch about the little things that annoy me, piss me off or just aggravate me to the point of distraction. Yes, this post will be filled with foul language, and yes, you are supposed to laugh, snicker and get a chuckle out of these. Everyone has Pet Peeves, but I am bold enough to share mine. Share yours in the comments. Share this blog and make the world a better place…for me <snicker>. I frankly don’t care whether you agree with me or not, I just like to get this off my chest once a year. If you see something that I posted in another Pet Peeves post, it’s because it STILL pisses me off.

Noisy eaters. I loathe people who chomp, slurp and chew with their mouths open. I know I am not alone in this one. My sister has the same peeve.
Not following through. If you say you are going to do something, fucking do it!
Bar Fails
- No place to hang my purse. For fuck’s sake, put hooks under the bar! On a true bar stool there is no “back of the chair” to hang your bag and I don’t want it there where it might walk away.
- Not taking care of clients in the order they bellied up to the bar (Tits McGee at my local is famous for only waiting on the men and ignoring the women).
- Local bars with nothing local on tap. With the explosion of local breweries in every corner of the country, you should be able to get something local or regional on tap at your neighborhood bar.
- Crap on tap. If you are going to drink shitty, mass produced beer (BMC – Bud, Miller, Coors), you should have to drink it from a bottle or can and pay the upcharge for that. Bars who take up valuable tap space for crap piss me off too.
- Stop acting like PBR tastes good. You are only drinking it because it is cheap and you are either hipster or you are cheap.
Grammatical and spelling errors by paid journalists. Generally they have an editor or proofreader who should be catching the mistakes. At the very least they have spell check on their word processing software. (I can forgive bloggers on this one.)
I am completely over molecular gastronomy. It’s cool and all, but it is a very expensive way to turn already fabulous ingredients into something utterly ridiculous.
Paying for parking REALLY pisses me off. Basically you are paying to rent a space to put your car when you are already spending money in an establishment. I get paying for city street parking meters and truly have no problem with those, but Disney? Casinos? Six Flags? Hotels when you are a guest? Malls? You have got to be fucking kidding me!
People who complain about politicians but don’t vote. If you don’t vote, you lose your right to complain to me. Shut the Fuck up!
Nitpicking over the check. If you like someone well enough to sit down to eat with them in public, splitting the check evenly should be acceptable. Chances are you are going to eat with them again, so even if you “only had a salad” it will all come out in the wash later.

Please share YOUR pet peeves in the comments section!

War on Thanksgiving – Updated

Posted on November 19, 2015 by LeAnne Notabartolo

I know everyone keeps bitching about a “War on Christmas”, but I can assure you there is not. Even before the Halloween decorations were down, the Christmas stuff started going up. How in the hell is that a war against a holiday? To promote it so vividly and early constitutes an act of war? It has been getting earlier and earlier; in fact I saw the first candies on the shelf when back-to-school stuff was on display. I applaud and honor Nordstrom’s who stated in a press release that their holiday deco wouldn’t be on display until Black Friday. Now don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas. I love Hanukkah, Kwanza, Yule, Festivus, Human Light Day and Saturnalia. I will celebrate anything if you teach me how. The real holiday with a war on is Thanksgiving (here after Tgiving for brevity and because I suck at typing).

Have you ever noticed that the Halloween (Hween) commercials magically morph into Christmas (Xmas) commercials seemingly overnight? Immediately following Hween there are about 2 minutes of specifically Tgiving commercials before we start seeing the Xmas and holiday commercials. It’s almost like folks forget about Tgiving; like it’s an afterthought or “that holiday between Hween and Xmas”. Now true, Tgiving is based on religious separatists being given safe harbor from a completely different culture (Puritans and Native Americans respectively) after a treacherous journey (aka refugees) and taught how to live in their new land. And maybe some folks conveniently forget that, but I don’t. It is a celebration of acceptance, friendship, and abundance. It’s my favorite holiday of the year and there is a war going on people!

I never thought I would be one of those people who would say, “When I was younger…” but I do. When I was younger everything was closed on Tgiving except gas stations, hotels and the grocery store that closed at 2 pm so EVERYONE was able to spend the holiday with their loved ones. Then more than hotel restaurants started being open to accommodate travelers. And now retailers are open. As a former retail employee I can assure you if I had to work on Tgiving I would be livid and in tears at the same time. Why is it that our lowest paid population doesn’t deserve to spend a day off with their loved ones before things get REALLY crazy?

So here, I beg you, DO NOT SHOP ON THANKSGIVING! If the people don’t shop, the retailers won’t be open and EVERYONE gets to spend a day with their loved ones. Stay home, eat seconds and watch f-ball if you must, but don’t go shopping! Don’t skip dessert to spend money. If you HAVE to shop, do it online or Black Friday or Cyber Monday when the sales will be different, but just as good. I can promise you I will be out early on Black Friday with Thursday’s make up on! Do you REALLY NEED those towels that are on sale? Is the small amount of savings worth it to you to have someone work when they SHOULD be home spending it with loved ones? Trust me, retailers will get your money, but you might not get back the time you miss with loved ones. Being a military family, we have spent Tgiving with bio-family 4 times in 28 years. If I could have Tgiving with my Grandmother one more time and sit at the “kids table”, I would skip a LOT.

And if you REALLY want to make a difference in someone’s day, invite a dorm resident from your local military installation to YOUR Tgiving celebration (search “adopt an airman/soldier/sailor and the name of your closest military installation to find out how). They are away from home and the chow hall isn’t as welcoming as YOUR table. FYI – our Island of Lost Toys Tgiving started in JUST that way! And to make a BIGGER impact, donate what you would have spent shopping on Tgiving to your local food bank and help provide meals to people in need in YOUR neighborhood.

These retailers won’t be open on Tgiving – show them some love on Black Friday and be sure to support your LOCAL businesses by shopping with them on Small Business Saturday.

Good For Spooning

Food, Travel, and Cooking

Category Archives: Food for thought