Category Archives: Lifestyle

Vegas Uncork’d – Labor I Love

Posted on by RedFlair14

So here is the thing – Putting on a HUGE event like Vegas Uncork’d is a massive undertaking and I am only involved with ONE booth. There are dozens, all jockeying for position. All wanting a porter, supplies, assistance, and to be recognized. I can’t imagine putting the whole thing together, and yet I am doing just that in September, but that is for another posting. Everyone thinks their booth is the most important and they are ALL fantastic and require attention to detail, staffing, organization and problem solving. That’s where I come in.

I freelance for Texas Pete Hot Sauce and when they come to town I work my ass off. I LOVE it! I am challenged, I flex my skills (not in the kitchen) and I trouble shoot and solve problems. It makes me happy, but it also makes me exhausted, but I can’t figure out why. In my past I worked 70 hour work weeks, on my feet constantly and always running. Yes, I am older now, but I refuse to believe that is the reason I am so tired. Could it be that I am working at this level only do a few times a year? That it is more mental exhaustion than physical? I keep examining myself over this. I may have an answer: I am on such an adrenaline high that my body crashes after all is said and done. Yeah, let’s go with that.

The most exciting things about these foodie events like Uncork’d are the opportunities to mingle with Chefs, have pics taken with them and get autographed cookbooks for my collection. I have to say without reservation that Hubert Keller and his wife Chantal and THE nicest people I have ever met at one of these events. They are so welcoming to EVERYONE and are just a delight to be around.

More events on the horizon, including DISH for Three Square Food Bank. Of course I welcome these challenges and can’t wait to try all of the food!

Enjoy these few pics from Uncork’d while I continue to recover (only kidding – I am all recovered and have already been to the east coast and back!).
Friend Lynn and I with Charlie Palmer

My new signed book for my collection…Yippee!

With Chef Julian Serrano at the Block Party at The Bellagio

Lynn and I in the Patron Sponsored photo booth at The Block Party at The Bellagio

The entire TEAM with Chef Michel Richard – photo courtesy of Cory Fields – Fields Photography Click HERE to see more great pics from Cory

Do You Speak French?

Posted on by RedFlair14

Yeah – I know I am a week late, and for the record I am several dollars short because I just finished my expense report from Vegas Uncork’d. So that’s why I am late, I was just flat out exhausted and had to play catch up on my OTHER stuff for a few days. I will say I LOVE working Uncork’d – it’s fun, fast paced, and allows me to use a skill set I have developed over the years (mainly being bossy and problem solving). This year I was even able to use some local talent to help the event along for Texas Pete. Many thanks to John Courtney, Mike Klinger and Cutthroat Culinary Christian Dolias for stepping up! I SO appreciate it. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Speaking of John, a few months ago he introduced me to his terribly French boss, Chef Eric Lhuillier,¬ and I have been enchanted ever since. Eric is the Executive Chef at Pinot Brasserie in the Venetian/Palazzo Restaurant Row. If you have been following along you all know I love the “Frenchies” – Hubert, Michel, Guy, Joel…you get the picture. I think I know why. Upon meeting French librarian Mrs. Wintje in elementary school, I immediately wanted to go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower (something I have yet to do). I took my first French lessons from her. I wanted to eat French food, and wear French clothes. I wanted a black beret, a striped boat neck shirt, and a scarf tied around my neck. I wanted to smoke Gauloises and wear heavy eyeliner which I imagined to be tres chic. I thought if you were French, there were no problems, because French people weren’t poor and they didn’t have problems, or if they did have problems, they didn’t seem to care, shrugging with Gallic indifference. Or maybe I would have had the same problems, but it wouldn’t seem so tragic because they were French problems. I basically drove my mother crazy. KNOWING that someday I would get to Paris, I took French for 4 years. I was never fluent mind you, but I understood well enough and I could get my point across and read a menu. Chatting with Eric has brought back SOME of my French, although it is pathetic, so I am trying to find a tactful way to MAKE him speak to me so I can get better. I listen to myself speaking French and all I can think about are those horrible caricatures of bumpkins trying to be Continental and saying, “mercy buttercup silver plate” instead of “Merci, beaucoup, s’il vous plait”. And for the record, I love to listen to Eric and the other Frenchies speak.

In 1988 I moved to Madrid and I lived in Spain for more than 3 years. When the locals spoke to me, because French was the only foreign language I knew, I expected them, in some small childish part of my brain, to be speaking in French. Of course I was completely affronted when they didn’t understand me, and utterly confused when I didn’t understand them. I was forced to learn Spanish on top of my already floundering French, and now listening to someone speak a Romance Language is confusing for me. I HEAR what they are saying and in what language they are saying it, and most times I can decipher it, but I invariably revert back to Spanish when trying to answer because I don’t have as much experience speaking any other. Compound that with my normal hearing difficulties and I have a real problem. I normally have to read people’s lips if I am in a loud environment, but when someone is not speaking English as their first language, I find myself nodding along sometimes and agreeing with everything they say, simply because I can’t understand them (Moment of Truth – I sometimes wonder if they KNOW I am agreeing so as not to admit to my complete lack of understanding and I wonder if they make up nonsense stuff just to test me). That’s how it is with Eric, unless I have been drinking…then my brain stops trying so hard and I am able to HEAR AND SPEAK in broken French, enough to the point that I am understood – or at least I THINK I am understood. I thought it was just me, but my husband and my son say the same is true for them with a foreign language.

So Eric invited me and friends Lynn and Laurie to come have soft shelled crabs for lunch one day at Pinot Brasserie. I, of course, was late and upon my arrival I was told there were no crabs. I made a big show of being so disappointed I would just as soon go home for lunch – I think we all knew I was kidding. At least I hope Eric knew I was kidding, because he proceeded to spoil the 3 of us for lunch and I pray it wasn’t out of guilt over not having the promised crabs.

Enjoy the pics below – and for goodness sake if you are in the Venetian/Palazzo go and have at least the charcuterie and the cheese. BOTH are magnifique!

The Charcuterie and Cheese

Friends Laurie, Lynn and I with Chef Eric

A lovely Salade Nicoise

Elevated Melon and Prosciutto with compressed melon and Midori

I am not sure who told Eric that Maccarons are my fave dessert, but these lovelies were filled with sorbet!

Pet Skeeves

Posted on by RedFlair14

I already did a blog on pet peeves when dining out, this is a short follow up.

We all have things that gross us out about food, or as I like to call it – skeeve out. For some people it is the way food looks or smells, but for me it is something else entirely. As I was reading a write up in Bon Appetit mag about hotel bars I realized that I have a REAL problem with food in bars, namely the “bar snacks”.

This is what bar snacks SHOULD look like

Here’s the thing: If a charming bartender puts a fresh bowl of popcorn, nuts, pretzels, etc. in front of me, I will happily enjoy them. And by fresh I mean I SAW the edibles come from the container into my bowl, not from another bowl into my bowl. If anyone I don’t know puts their hands in that bowl, I am done eating. I have utmost respect for bartenders. I trust the bar tender has clean hands; their hands are in water all of the time. I mostly like other bar flys, however I know there are some disgusting people out there who don’t wash their hands after using the restroom (I know – really nasty). How do I know that the person sharing that bowl of pretzels with me has washed their hands? I am not risking giardia or other illness on their cleanliness. Don’t talk to me about shell on nuts like pistachios and peanuts either. Pistachios have part of the nut “touchable” and I can’t stand peanuts.

Crazy? Perhaps. I just don’t like to eat food other people have touched if I am not sure their hands are clean. I shocked Friend Lynn when I told her if I am at a party the same rules apply. If I know everyone there, fine. If there are a bunch of people I don’t know, and one of them chooses not to use the tongs and sticks their hands into the veggie tray, popcorn, potato chips etc. I won’t eat that item. She laughed and thought I was kidding until she saw my face. She and I have been to several parties together and she never noticed that. Of course, now she will be on the lookout. I KNOW I am not the only one with this particular pet skeeve. I personally know someone (who shall remain nameless) that buys foldable bamboo tongs as host gifts for friends when she notices that they don’t have enough serving utensils at parties and people are putting their hands into the food. I know you read this blog weekly – you can out yourself.

And yes, this rule applies to buffets as well. When Jack was little we used to go to buffets here in Vegas quite a bit. It was a great way for him to TRY new things and if he didn’t like them, he didn’t feel badly about not finishing what was on his plate. These days I go to buffets seldom. Usually with visiting friends, when a new one opens (because I HAVE to see it), or for brunch on a Sunday. I won’t go to the Bellagio buffet any more. One afternoon I witnessed a tourist use their hands to grab large handfuls of shrimp from the seafood bar. I informed my server and they shut the whole cold seafood section down and emptied it. Can you imagine if no one had reported it?

I know what you are thinking. “She doesn’t know all of the people making and touching her food when she eats out.” That is true, but I TRUST that the dining establishment has trained their staff on proper hand washing and food handling techniques. In fact, I KNOW in the Las Vegas area if you are going to work in any food handling establishment, including grocery stores, you must have a food handler’s safety card. I have one and so does my son. Come to think about it, I had never really focused on it before I took that class when I was in culinary school.

One of the nicest bar pleasures for me has been when I see the bartender make a special point of creating my “bar snack”. Such was the experience at the Bar American at the Lowe’s Portofino at Universal Studios Orlando. And it was AWESOME! Olives, warm nuts and nice pretzel mix…just for me! No one else was permitted to share mine since each patron or small group of patrons, at the bar got their own! Happy, happy, joy, joy. Frabjuous DAY! Now I am spoiled. I want ALL bartenders to do this for me. Alas, it is not to be…I was handed a recycled bowl of popcorn. Needless to say, I am not touching it.

Bar American at Lowe’s Portofino

Next week? My trip to Zion Mountain Ranch, a surprising gem in the mountains.

Ethical Consumption

Posted on 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.

Did You REALLY Have to Bring Them with You?

Posted on 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 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

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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!

Baby beet plants

Leeks – re-seeded from last year

Cilantro – it re-seeds itself if you don’t collect the coriander from the dried flowers.

Gifting for the Foodie in Your Life

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Do you have a Foodie on your gift list? Do you find that during the holidays and other gift giving times you are at a loss on what to give? I know that it seems that this blog MAY be a bit late, but now that the BIG RUSH is over you have time to plan for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays and any other gift giving opportunities. I am happy to help by providing you with a list of things, small and large, that most Foodies will love. Some of these are for COOKS on your list and others are just for folks who love to eat. Enjoy!
• Maldon Salt – the unique pyramid shape of these crystals make them sought after by chefs, cooks and Foodies far and wide. It isn’t a cooking salt like a good Kosher salt, it is a finishing salt. Maldon adds a beautiful finish to any dish. Just sprinkle and enjoy.

• Truffles (prices vary) – not the chocolate kind, the fungus kind. This is an extravagant gift for someone near and dear to your heart. These are the little darlings that The Truffle Pig from grade school books was seeking out. They are fungi that grow beneath the surface of the earth and are highly prized for their aroma and flavor. A little goes a long way! White truffles are significantly more expensive than black ones. Be sure to include a truffle slicer as well!

• Le Creuset cookware – if you have a budding Julia Child in your midst, a beautiful glazed cast iron Dutch Oven is sure to please! This is one of those investment pieces and again priced for someone near and dear to your heart.

• A GOOD citrus press – Great for lemons and limes, it’s like a giant garlic press for your citrus. Look for one that is NOT plain metal. The plain metal ones can transfer a metallic taste to your juices. Find one that is coated with ceramic, like this one from The Pampered Chef ($19). This is also a fine gift for the cocktail enthusiast on your list.

* A cookbook from their fave Celeb Chef ($15 – $50) – right now, tops on my list is Carnivore by Michael Symon. There is a vast selection to choose from once you do a little research into their likes and dislikes. Wanna make it extra special? Get it autographed by the author! Thanks Jack for my copy of Carnivore!

• If your Foodie lives in Vegas, a copy of Eating Las Vegas is essential! ($14) It is a list of the 50 essential dining establishments in Vegas. Again, get it autographed if you can. Best part of the book? The “Veto Section”!

* Great smelling hand soap – anything that helps get rid of garlic, onion and other cooking odors is much appreciated! Thanks Dani for the Rosemary Mint soap!

Food Memories this week include a great beer selection in an unlikely place, hot soup to nurse my cold and eating leftovers so I didn’t cook much.

Happy Birthday to me! Today is my birthday and rather than celebrate just the one day, I have changed the name of this month to “LeAnne-uary” and I celebrate from beginning to end! I took a page out of my friend Deb’s book on this one. Her birthday is in “Deb-tober” and whenever we’d go to lunch during that month, she’d tell the wait person, “We’re celebrating my birthday!” They never asked for proof and they always brought a dessert for her. Well, why the hell not? I encourage you to do the same thing.

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

Make Your Own Rules

Posted on by RedFlair14

Happy New Year!

For the past week I have played host to literally 100 people. Several were from out of town and the remaining folks were in town guests. What would prompt ANYONE to host that many people during the holiday season? It was our 25th Wedding Anniversary! And so far as I can tell, a good time was had by all in attendance. If you were unable to make it, you were missed!

When we were married in 1987 there were certain expectations for the ceremony, reception and surrounding events. Customs used to be more rigid, but as times have changed, the expectations have flexed with current mores and customs. Back then in NY, marrying into an Italian family (and custom in my family as well) meant open bar, sit down dinner, dancing and of course the cake. We were told what we HAD to do and what we COULDN’T do. John and I like to push boundaries and step outside of the norm. Even in 1987 I knew what I wanted was not the classic expected or accepted norm. But in an effort to keep everyone happy, I did the expected things. I often felt like my wedding ran away with me instead of the other way around. The one thing we couldn’t do, but wanted to do, was have a rehearsal dinner. We were married on the 26th so everyone was having Xmas dinner with their families. My poor mother in law always wanted to host a rehearsal dinner and never got to do it.

When you plan an event the only thing you want people to remember is that you and they had a good time. If the planning is so stressful that it takes the joy out of it, what’s the point? The day after my wedding John’s Aunt Mary, who hates everyone and everything, said to me, “I have been to my fair share of weddings in my day and that was a FUN wedding. And the food was the best I have ever had at a wedding.” Ok, I guess I did something right! No one knew that because I changed the date, I lost my band, caterer and reception venue and the day of the wedding, the cake almost landed on the floor – yes really. Let’s forget it was so cold and windy that there are pics of me with my head piece flying off my head (Moment of Truth – I wanted to be Sister Bertrille when I was a kid. She could FLY!). A good time was had, people laughed, danced, ate and enjoyed the event.

Flash forward to 2012 and our Silver Anniversary. We have been planning this event since March. I wanted no hiccups. Of course you know that didn’t happen! Let’s just say that all I want people to remember is that they had a great time and so did we. The kicker was this: WE GOT TO MAKE OUR OWN RULES! Unlike when you get married, for a 25th Anniversary Party there are no real guidelines as to what we could or could not do, no rules about what we should or should not do, so we made our plan and allowed it to morph into what suited us NOW. There was no sit down dinner; everything was served tapas style in honor of our newlywed years in Spain. There was no cake, but there were fantastic little desserts you could pick up and walk around with. There was no champagne toast, but there was an open bar. There was dancing and of course a vow renewal. We had a Reggae band, a photo booth, fire dancers and a juggler – yes, really. No one told us we couldn’t have a juggler, so we had a juggler. And the favors were pounded iron bottle openers, custom made for us by an honest to goodness American Blacksmith – yes, really (and don’t ask them to make them for you – they won’t). This 4 day extravaganza reflected who we are NOW, shunning any expected customs.

Some things remain a constant, regardless of time. Old friends meeting new friends. Family reconnecting. Friends meeting family for the first time, all of whom know you differently. Old friends visiting with family. All of these things happened on December 27th and so much more. One other constant is that the hosts don’t get to eat much, or take many pictures. That was true for our wedding as well as the anniversary, so all of the pics you will see were taken by someone else and I thank those of you who shared your photos with us. Oddly there is only one food pic so far, and that is from RM Seafood.

One of our dear friends said that the party had a “circus-like atmosphere”. He said everywhere he looked there was something fun happening. I am taking that as a compliment because I felt like the ring leader in a three ring circus.

My Dad with his daughters and all of our ‘staches…

Mom and her daughters

Hubby with our son

High School friends and one of my sisters on the patio

Dinner with the family at RM Seafood

If no one hemmed you in with THEIR expectations of what was acceptable, how would YOU plan an event? What would you do? Of course you would have food and drink, but would you have odd ball entertainment? Would you bow to expectations or would you let your imagination run free? Would you follow the rules, break the rules or make your own rules?

My wishes for you this New Year are these:
• Choose to MAKE your own rules.
• Step out of your comfort zone and experience something new
• Do something unexpected
• Eat something you have never tried before
• Be happy and healthy

Food Memories this week all centered around the Anniversary Party – Xmas dinner with Dad & Jeanie at Emeril’s Fish House, Chinese food for the family at our home, paella and lechon at Bar + Bistro for 100 friends & family, and dinner at RM Seafood for the immediate family.

Until next week, go out and MAKE your own rules and MAKE your own Food Memories!

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Posted on by RedFlair14

Well…not for everyone. We all feel a little overwhelmed by the holidays. The expectations are high and oftentimes the hype doesn’t live up to the reality. I know people try to plan the “perfect dinner” and there is always something that goes wrong. The gravy is lumpy, Aunt Martha gets drunk, Uncle Seymour starts a fight, etc. I need to remember that! I am a little bit of a control freak – yes I admit it publicly – not about everything mind you. Rest assured if you put me in charge of something YOU ARE PUTTING ME IN CHARGE. I frequently make myself crazy with my attempts to “herd cats” and create perfect events. Guess what? It never is (or will be) perfect and it still manages to be a good time, every time.

To help take some of the stress off you this holiday season I have created a great list for you of what to buy the foodies on your list. Here are a couple of things to remember when shopping:
• We don’t like “Uni-taksers” – things that only do one job – unless they are super cool
• We are called foodies because we like to cook AND eat – gifts of food are good choices
• Always provide a gift receipt just in case we already have what you graciously gave
• Don’t buy a woman anything with an electrical cord attached unless she ASKED for it as a holiday gift.
• If it requires batteries or fuel, be sure to get that too! We’ll want to use it/play with it right away!

Keeping those tips in mind, here are a few great ideas for Holiday Gift Giving for the Foodies on your list:
• Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender – great value for the dollar. I really like this one because the stainless steel head is detachable and can go in the dishwasher (no accidental cross contamination due to improperly cleaned blades). Bonus! It comes in fun colors – mine is lemon yellow.

• Fantastic Charcuterie – look for something locally made if possible. If not, then try any of the myriad of online purveyors. I like Boccalone and Aux Delices des Bois.
• Gift Certificates to locally owned restaurants.
• Organic produce baskets – check with local farmers for the best selection
• Homemade preserves, jams, chutneys, etc. These were some of my fave gifts last year!
• Professional weight baking pans – they DO make a difference

• Grow your own mushroom garden from Back to the Roots – perfect for Foodies of all ages.

• Origin specific food baskets – choose all Spanish, Italian or French food items. Try Fab.com for a good selection.
• A butane torch – get it from the hardware store! It’s cheaper, tougher and will last a lot longer than the foo-foo ones from the kitchen stores. This one is $27 and the one in the kitchen store is $40

• A great, easy to use wine opener – I love the one from The Pampered Chef – it’s so simple a novice can look like a pro!

Happy Shopping!

This week’s Food Memories are a great breakfast with friend Cheryl B at eat downtown – the Shrimp & Grits were really good, burgers and beer with Texas friends Ronnie & Sherry, and pre-shopping Pho with Lynn.

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