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The Incredible Edible Egg

Posted on by RedFlair14

Lately I have been obsessed with eggs and anything that goes with them. I have literally gone thru almost 5 dozen eggs in the past 3 weeks with quiches, salads, baking. I am not sure if it has to do with a rite of spring, but it seems that eggs are all I am interested in right now.

The thing about cooking eggs is that everyone THINKS it is supposed to be fast and done! Alas, they are wrong. Eggs are supposed to be cooked low and slow – like good BBQ Brisket. And I guess that in comparison to some other things eggs are really a “fast food”. If you cook scrambled eggs too fast they brown and get tough, fried eggs cooked on high become rubbery and hard boiled eggs get that icky green rim around the edge of the yolk. But poached eggs are my main obsession right now.

For years I have been trying to make the perfect poached egg. It seems so simple. How hard could it be? You crack an egg into hot water and wait, right? WRONG! I watched “how to” videos online, listened to Bobby Flay on his brunch show, took Garde Manger class and still I was over cooking the yolk. I wanted a lovely, runny yolk with a tender white. I finally threw out everything I had learned and started with the basics and NOW I can proudly say that I can make the perfect poached egg!

I know a poached egg doesn’t sound that exciting, but what you DO with that egg makes all the difference. Chef Brian Howard at Comme Ca does a beautiful salad of bitter greens and other tasty comestibles topped with a poached egg that becomes incorporated into the dressing, once the yolk is pierced and the salad is tossed. Eggs Benedict? Hello? My favorite thing is Linguini Carbonara – yes, I’ll give you the recipe at the end. I am so enamored of this that I have eaten it 4 times in the past 3 weeks, and I am probably going to eat it again today to take video for this blog…I know. Gluttony is one of the 7 deadly sins. I know there are several versions of Carbonara and I am not saying mine is authentic, it’s just the one I like (you’ll notice there are no peas in mine). To make matters even more decadent I have been using my own house cured and smoked bacon. Yes, I really cure and smoke my own bacon.

Here are a couple of tips about eggs:
• When poaching, or for just about any use, get the freshest possible – check the dates in the grocer’s case. When poaching and frying they will spread out a whole lot less and the yolks will sit up and be beautiful.
• When hard boiling, the older the egg, the easier it is to peel because an air pocket develops between the white (albumen), the inner membrane and the shell. If you think about it, buy the eggs at least a few days in advance or take your eggs out of the fridge the day before and let them sit on the counter over night. Put eggs in COLD water, bring to a slow boil, remove from heat, cover and let sit for 13-15 minutes depending on how many eggs are in the pan and if the eggs were room temp or cold to start with. Drain and rinse immediately with cold water or shock them with ice water.

There are no pics this week – just a short video. I ate the Carbonara before I remembered to take the pics….story of my life. In such hurry to eat that I forget about art!

So here is a primer on how to make the perfect poached egg:

You’ll need a slotted spoon, a skillet or deep sauté pan, FRESH eggs and a little white vinegar.

Poaching Eggs – a video how to – Click HERE to see the video – the clicking you hear in the back is my dog (sorry – forgot to put them out) and Thanks to Friend Lynn who ran the camera in exchange for eating the Carbonara.

To make my Carbonara:

Heat heavily salted water (it should taste like the ocean) to a boil and prepare to cook pasta according to pkg directions (use about ½ lb). Cook the pasta, drain and set aside.

You should begin poaching your eggs when you drop the pasta into the water.

Cut 3 slices of bacon crosswise into lardons and cook in a large sauté pan until almost crisp. Add about ½ – ¾ cup of heavy cream and a generous handful (about ½ cup) of grated parmesan cheese (don’t use the stuff in the green can – grate it yourself). Add cooked pasta and stir until coated. At this point you can add a little additional cream if you think it is a too dry (how saucy do you want it?).

Portion the pasta into 2 bowls and make a small well in the center of the pasta. Carefully place the poached egg in the well.

To enjoy, break the yolk and stir the egg into the pasta and you will see the sauce thicken and taken on a more luscious texture. Top with extra cheese and crushed red pepper if desired!

My Food Memories for the week are checking out a new burger place with Friend Lynn (not worth mentioning), Sushi lunch with the Main Squeeze, catering a lunch for some business associates and playing with my new made to order rolling pins.

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

Food on the GO!

Posted on by RedFlair14

Now I know there have been TONS of articles about food trucks and the new “pop up” culture they are creating, but I have a personal link to food trucks that few of you know about.

Food trucks have forever been a mainstay of NYC (think pretzels, “dirty water” hot dogs, felafel, coffee, etc.) and construction sites. Most workers who don’t bring their own lunch have a short time span in which to eat and need it fast and dirty, so to speak. And in the construction business they are frequently either too filthy to eat IN anywhere or there is nothing nearby. But did you know in 1992 that I worked on a “lunch truck” aka “roach coach”?

Years ago, before Jack was born, from 1986 – 1992 to be exact (yes, the dark ages before the internet and the blogosphere), I waited tables. I was a very good waitress. I was so good that I was able to pay for my wedding in CASH – nothing was financed. My very last waitressing job was in northern Maine at a place which shall remain nameless. While the Chef was a very talented Johnson & Wales graduate, he also had an ego the size of Canada and an attitude as mean as a pit viper. It was one of the WORST places I ever worked, mainly because the Chef had NO accountability because his parents owned the restaurant. Get the picture? It was so bad that it soured me forever on walking in those shoes ever again.

There was a lot of construction going on in the area and Chef D decided that going out to the remote construction sites was a great idea for business. They already owned a “roach coach” so it was just a matter of making that HUGE construction site one of the stops. He quickly learned that he couldn’t do it alone, so he asked me to ride along. Once on site it became abundantly clear WHY he wanted me there. And it wasn’t for my math skills, selling skills or sparkling personality. I was thin and curvy, I wore tight pants and I was pretty easy on the eyes for a bunch of guys at a construction site. I was MOBBED the minute I stepped out of the truck. Luckily for me I could add up their orders in my head and being a born salesperson, smiled at each “diner” like they were the biggest sale of the day. I was there because if they had to wait in line, they might as well wait in line for chick to take care of them. And I will admit that having 100 guys fawning over you is a big ego booster (Moment of Truth – I knew it wasn’t me, it was all Chef D’s food).

The interesting thing is that Chef D brought GREAT food to these guys. All prepared and ready to grab and go. Of course there were the expected items – soda, chips, sandwiches, baked goods, etc., but there was also Chicken Parmigiana with pasta, Seafood Newburg, Pot Roast and mashed potatoes, Chef Salads, Enchiladas, and a dozen other main dishes packed into round foil containers with see thru plastic lids. This was SO FAR from anything I had ever seen on a lunch truck ANYWHERE. We sold out every day.

Flash forward to 2012 – twenty years changes a lot of things. The Food Truck culture has expanded to so much more than hot dogs in NYC and sandwiches on construction sites. I doubt Chef D even saw this coming (hell, even the Food Network jumped on the bandwagon). I am quite sure he didn’t know he was on the cutting edge of something spectacular. I know it wouldn’t have changed his approach on how to do it. He felt that people wanted to “grab and go”, so everything arrived on site ready to be eaten; there was nothing cooked to order on his truck. He may have evolved to incorporate that aspect had the restaurant and the business survived. I never thought I would see people LINED UP and waiting for food from a truck like I did on that construction site in 1992, yet here it is again. This new breed of diner is waiting for the orders to be made FRESH and they are happy to do it. And BTW – it’s FUN! You get to meet and interact with people from all walks of life and basically just chill out!

This past weekend I FINALLY made it to the Saturday Night Truckstop at Tommy Rocker’s here in Vegas. FYI ya’ll, it’s in the middle of the night. I decided to go because it was a fundraiser for the Silverado High School Culinary TEAM. They want to travel to a competition in Baltimore and this was a fun way to raise cash. The best part was that there was a competition between 2 well known “Strip” Chefs and if you ate both dishes you got a vote. I was chowing down on first rate food at 1 a.m. from a lunch truck! Sadly, the Chef with the best dish IMHO didn’t win, but I was lucky to get to eat BOTH and have a great time. A quick salute to friend Al Mancini for being one of the celebrity judges (who came to a draw BTW – so the crowd votes were the ones that counted) and for donating 60% of the sales of his collaboration book “Eating Las Vegas” to the cause.

My Food Memories this week are botching a batch of gnocchi for the first time EVER, planting my garden (San Marzano tomatoes here I come), watching my oyster mushrooms grow in my kitchen, dining out after the first ever Las Vegas Cash Mob, and eating first rate food in the middle of the night in a parking lot of a bar!

The ridiculously delish offering from Chef Brian Howard (Comme Ca) – curried macarons with foie gras mousse and a PORK-tacular sandwich! This should have won! Photo courtesy of my friend, The Vegas Foodie. Thanks a MILLION!

Friends from Texas, Aaron and April at the Saturday Night Truckstop

Chef Sean Griffin (Prime) in the Lola D’s Kitchen Truck with Lola!

The Oyster Mushrooms growing in my kitchen from a super easy kit from Back to the Roots

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

Eating on the Cheap in NYC

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Many Thanks to all the NEW people who clicked in last week to read about the wedding and repeated thanks to those of you who stick with me each week!!

When most Foodies go to NYC they have a list of places they want to visit that they have read about or seen on TV. Typically those places are high end, tough to get reservations for and over the top on service and flavor. And while I would have loved to go to Eric Ripert’s Le Bernardin, Marcus Samuelsson’s Red Rooster and Jonathan Waxman’s Barbuto, this trip was about eating the classics, drinking beer and hanging out with old friends. We decided this trip was all about Cheap Eats for us. We knew, since we were attending wedding festivities, that we’d get quality food and wanted to have fun eating the grub from our youth outside of the nuptial celebrations.

Our first morning we decided to eat in a REAL diner. Open 24 hours, with breakfast served all day and a beautiful rotating case full of delicious looking desserts. John’s breakfast of ham steak and eggs was perfect. I wish I could say the same for mine. Over cooked scrambled eggs (they were brown-ish) are not my idea of a good thing.

If you are from NY, you know there is no better pizza in the world outside of Italy. Even a “bad” slice is better than most pizza you get elsewhere in the country. Now before you Chicagoans get your panties in a twist, I enjoy Chicago style pies as well, but there is something nostalgic and perfect about a NY slice at a hole in the wall joint. This trip we went to “Original Famous Ray’s” on 54th & 7th TWICE. And employee Mike made the trip PERFECT. The place was packed and seating was at a premium with a huge group of High Schoolers and other people jostling for position. Some of the things we heard come out of Mike’s mouth were these:
• “Did I tell you to sit there? No! You sit over here, this table has your name on it.”
• “You wanna sit here? Fine. There’s only 2 of you, I’ll need the other half of this table” (this was said to us and we ended up sitting with a gal from Atlanta much to our delight).
• “Move all the way in – sit next to the wall – leave the end open so other people can sit with you.”
• “YOU! (pointing) Sit over here and bring 3 of your friends.”
He was hilarious! Needless to say I was openly laughing, feeling like I got a meal and a show minutes from Broadway. And he informed me if I needed work done on my computer he could do it by remote access, “I don’t care if you are in Bulgaria. I can fix it.”

Another thing we HAD to have was a decent bagel. Like my Mother, I am convinced that the secret to a great bagel is the water in NYC and the greater metro area. It doesn’t matter how closely a recipe is followed, if you aren’t using the right water it won’t taste like a REAL bagel. There are places here in Vegas that make bagels, but only a few make the ever elusive salt bagel. Imagine all the salty goodness of a pretzel, but a bagel, not a pretzel. And the ones here in Vegas aren’t QUITE right, they only put salt on the top, it’s supposed to be top AND bottom! Yeah, I had that for breakfast 2 days in a row (with lox cream cheese), and on one occassion I split a knish with John too. I haven’t had a knish in YEARS – literally. John says you know you got a good bagel when it is so chewy and thick that your jaw hurts half way through the bagel. Our jaws ached.

My bagel in the foreground and the 1/2 knish in the back

And of course there was the beer and bar food (steamed mussels in garlic and wine, Korean BBQ wings, burgers, etc). We drank locally brewed whenever possible. We particularly liked Captain Lawrence (of course we kept calling it Walter Lawrence). We truly loved Valhalla in Hell’s Kitchen. As John, Geoff and Tim were the fallen warriors, I was a Valkyrie.

The “show” taps at House of Brews on 51st St.

The taps at Valhalla

Three perfectly poured libations at Valhalla

When we make our triumphant return in June, with Jack, we’ll be going to Barbuto for Jonathan Waxman’s perfect roasted chicken. We’ll be choosing more upscale eateries since son Jack is a foodie, and has been since he was 5 and wanted to eat his first raw oyster (Moment of Truth: we made him wait until he was 12 and he had his first at the Acme Oyster House in New Orleans). We may even make it to Red Rooster to enjoy more of Marcus Samuelsson’s food. Details to be determined and of course YOU will all hear about it.

This week’s Food Memories are eating with son Jack who was home on his first Spring Break, an impromptu BBQ at Friend Becky’s house, and a lovely Pork Pie I made using a recipe from Canadian Sugar Shack Au Pied du Cochon.

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

Love & Marriage – the Wedding of Dear Friends

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

I spent the weekend in New York City to attend a wedding and those travels will be recounted in two parts – the fab cheap eats are next week!

When you go to a wedding what is it that you look forward to the most? The bride’s dress? The cake? The appetizers? The Cocktail Hour? The kiss? All of those are fantastic, but for me the best part is usually the appetizers and cocktail hour. This weekend I went to a wedding reception (the ceremony was a private affair – a la “Sex in the City”) and it was one huge cocktail party! I loved everything I ate from the truffled mushroom puffs to the broiled shrimp and everything in between. I wasn’t surprised that the food was so terrific since the married couple is incredibly stylish and both love good food.

I was delighted when they let me cook

Bobby and I met in High School and I met his partner Chris in 2010 when I went back east for a High School reunion. Bobby and I lost touch and got back together with one another a few years ago. I adore him and was thrilled to be invited to the “Schoolhouse” – literally a renovated and expanded one room school house in upstate New York. After the 3 hour ride in the car from midtown Manhattan to the “Schoolhouse”, I knew why Bobby had fallen for Chris. He’s smart, funny, sexy, and has a great sense of who he is and his sense of humor is spot on (and all of those things are true for Bobby too!)! I was delighted when they let me cook (and make cocktails) for them and we had so much fun in the kitchen! Bobby loves to cook and keeps everything light, fresh and simple. Chris was thrilled with the simple grilled dinner we tossed together and we all lounged and enjoyed each other’s company at their “Schoolhouse” (Moment of Truth – the coolest thing for me was signing the guest book immediately after Jane Krakowski from 30 Rock and Ally McBeal)!

Each wedding is different. Think of all the ones you’ve attended.

Dining with friends is one of the best things about weddings – whether it is a sit down dinner, or a buffet, or a fab cocktail reception – the camaraderie of those you know and the community building with those you don’t yet know is magical. Think about all the different kinds of weddings you have attended. Each is different and all are wonderful in their own way. Something about celebrating together makes the food taste better I think. Friday evening we met with other out of town wedding guests and had a fun celebration in the theatre district. Lots of moving around the table, laughing and sampling each other’s food went on. And to see everyone smiling and enjoying each other was truly a blessing and I was so happy to be there and meet some of the people I had heard about.

Cajun Seafood Pot Pie with cornbread topping was a risky choice that paid off – very tasty!

John and I at Angus McIndoe’s

The High Schoolers – just call us The Bridesmaids – NOT!

The High Schoolers with the Grooms!

On March 9th my dear friend was able to marry his beloved thanks to changes in the laws in the state of New York. Bobby and Chris have been together for 10 years. To put that in perspective for you:
• John and I knew each other less than one year when we wed, and we never lived together before marrying – we have been married for almost 25 years
• Over 50% of premarital cohabitating couples split up within 5 years
They have weathered the tough times together and FINALLY they can legally be married. I couldn’t possibly be happier for them.

Congrats Bobby and Chris – much love to you!

My Food Memories this week are all wedding related and NYC related – cocktails with Jane Krakowski, wedding cupcakes, lunch with Sarah and Geoffrey (and the BEST BLT ever), snacks with Tim, and wonderful cocktail hour food at the reception. I promise more Food memories of NYC next week.

Sarah and Geoffrey with us at Alice’s Tea Cup.

With old friend Tim (Click his name to see him in his new commercial)  at House of Brews

Yes. That’s really Jane Krakowski at pal Bobby’s wedding!

Two old MARRIED couples!

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

My Mom & San Diego

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

This past week I went to San Diego to spend some time with my Mom who was visiting from Florida, and my Aunt (really an older cousin) who is re-habbing from surgery. Of course I ate out and some was good and some not so good.

If Mom and I are together, we get a little nostalgic about NY food. We talk about good deli, good Chinese and good pizza. And let’s not forget the desserts! Since Mom and I no longer have access to the staples we were brought up on, we frequently search and find suitable replacements. Sometimes the searches are longer and more arduous than others. It’s almost become a game for us; kind of a badge of honor if we can find what we are really craving. Well Cousin John did right by us on this trip! We went to dinner with John and Kayla and had the best deli experience I have had in YEARS at D.Z. Akins. Like any self respecting deli on the east coast, there was a crock of good pickles on the table to start off with. The sandwich I ordered was so big, I could only finish half of it and the chopped chicken liver took me right back to NY! There will be a do-over in my future. The only disappointment here was that the bakery counter looked better than it tasted. I was so excited about the “black & whites” and they weren’t fresh and neither were the Linzer tarts (Moment of Truth – Linzer Tarts are my second favorite cookie in all creation and I never make them because they are a pain in the ass.)
This is Pastrami, Swiss and Roast Beef on Sourdough. There are FRIES on the other side of the plate, but the sandwich was so large that it was a barrier to seeing anything else.

Whenever I go to San Diego, there is one place that I HAVE to visit. I MUST go to Point Loma Seafood whenever I am in town and I took Mom with me this time. They have the BEST fried calamari sandwich ever! It is actually a huge calamari steak, cut into strips and flash fried so it isn’t greasy or tough, served on untoasted, thick sliced sourdough bread. It’s really delish! The first time I went there was in April 1987 with my dear, departed Uncle Bruce. He wasn’t s’posed to be eating anything fried, so he said, “You will not discuss this lunch with anyone.” And we proceeded to have fries, fried calamari sandwiches and ice cold beer. I never told anyone about that “secret” lunch until he passed away 3 years ago, but each time I went to San Diego, I went to Point Loma and thought of him. No, there is no photo of the food, I ate it too fast! Usually I take an ice chest, make Point Loma my final stop in town, and bring home fresh fish. This time I forgot the cooler, so it was sandwiches only. Sometimes the Food Memories are so good that it makes you think the food was actually better than it was. That is not the case with Point Loma. Over the past 25 years I have gone there and eaten numerous times and I am never disappointed. It’s always wonderful, fresh and fun. It’s pandemonium when you go to order, it’s a free for all at the counter and you better know what you want before you get up there!

Time with my family is a rare thing. None of them live here in Vegas – including my only child – so when we get together we do the things we like to do best. Sister Nancy and I eat and drink our way around town. Mom and I find the foods we are craving. Sister in Law Gretchen and I cook together, and when Dad comes, I show off my Big Green Egg BBQ. Because I don’t get to see the extended family as much as I would like, I encourage you to spend as much time with your loved ones as humanly possible. Eat together, create Food Memories and laugh!
The gang at Point Loma in October 2006. A few years before Uncle Bruce passed.

This week’s Food Memories include a sushi dinner for Goddess Lill’s birthday, the “deli experience” with family in San Diego, Point Loma Seafood and briefing Rick Moonen and RM Seafood on Restaurant Week which starts today! If you live in Vegas, or are visiting this week, be sure to check out this website and choose to dine from THESE special menus. Part of your purchase price will be donated to Three Square Food Bank to feed the hungry.

Las Vegas Restaurant Week

Until Next Week, go out and make your OWN Food Memories!

My Heroes Have Always Been Chefs

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Yeah, I know the real lyrics to the song, but it wouldn’t be true for me.

For many people, back stage passes at a concert or all area passes on a movie set are the coolest thing imaginable. They dream of meeting their fave celeb or rock star and having a few words and hopefully a photo taken. Not me. For me, the coolest thing ever would be to meet Chefs, cook with them in their kitchen or go out to eat with them. I dream of traveling with Anthony Bourdain (Moment of Truth – he scares me a little – and so does Octavia, his wife) or Andrew Zimmern and eating everything they do and not being a wuss about anything (I draw the line at bugs). I dream of getting invited into Hubert Keller or Thomas Keller’s kitchens and learning from them while we handle sharp knives together. Sadly, this has yet to happen. The closest I ever got to any of that is meeting Culinary Giants, chatting for a few minutes and having my photo taken with them. Oddly enough, I have worked in the kitchen with Rick Moonen, twice. Yes, I was afraid – he’s intense (Hello, Pot? This is Kettle.) – but we both had a few beers and we were both relaxed enough to tolerate each other’s idiosyncrasies.

Chef Rick Moonen and I with Friend Becky. Getting the dinner prepped for Friend Sam’s Bday Party. And Yes, I had been “goosed” right when this pic was taken!

Growing up I always wanted to be where the food was, and I still do. I wanted to know how it was made, where it came from (and that is a WHOLE different blog) and who did the cooking. As a kid, I thought anyone who did the cooking was a CHEF. Of course now I know better, and while I am a really good cook, I am not a CHEF. I haven’t earned that title in any way, and I am a little ashamed/embarrassed/humbled when people call me that, even though they mean it as a compliment. I haven’t worked professionally in the field, I haven’t completed school, and I have no idea how to run a whole staff of people. THAT is what a chef does. It is so much more than just the cooking part. I have been influenced by many really great cooks throughout my life, both men and women, some who really are chefs and others who just touched my life with their food. They all inspire me and I am grateful for their presence in my life!

High school buddy, Chef Tim Grandinetti (in the toque – Chef and operator of the soon to open Spring House in Winston Salem) and Chef Nathan Duensing – Exec Sous Chef at the Michigan Ave Marriott Hotel – at The Texas Pete booth at Vegas Uncork’d 2010

With Chef Kerry Simon at KGB in Harrah’s for Hunger Action Month Kickoff Party

The Silver Fox, Chef Hubert Keller at Vegas Uncork’d 2011

Chef Beni Velazquez from Bar + Bistro at the Shuck & Swallow Oyster event at First Food & Bar (watch for him on Food Network soon!)

The charming and lovely Chef Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods – one of THE nicest guys I have ever met!

So this week is more of a photo blog, of me, the people who inspire me and make me happy with their work in the kitchen and of course what I made for Valentine’s Day! It was not meant to be a retrospective on my hair, but yes, I do realize that my hair is different in every pic. And for those of you who are curious, I made Lobster Thermidor for VDay!

This week’s Food Memories are a wonderful Thai lunch with Friend Dani at Le Thai (downtown), Fancy dinner at home with the love of my life for VDay, Sushi at RM Seafood and getting to meet Andrew Zimmern.

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

Ode to Joy

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

First off I want to thank you all for continuing to read and share my musings. Each week the number of people I reach is bigger and bigger. THANK YOU! You have no idea how much that excites me. Did you know you can SUBSCRIBE to my blog so you never miss it? Well you can!

As Valentine’s Day approaches I am researching and seeking out a special meal for my beloved. I know, you are asking yourself, “Why don’t they just go out to eat?” Well, here’s the answer.

Several years ago while living in San Antonio, John planned a special V-Day evening out for us. He arranged a sitter, made dinner and hotel reservations on the Riverwalk and even sought out entertainment options for the evening. He did all of this WELL in advance, and NOTHING went as planned! The hotel was fine, but the restaurant in the hotel where he had made the dinner reservations had changed its set up and it was NOT what we were expecting, so we went somewhere else. As was to be expected, we had to wait 2 hours for a table because we didn’t have reservations, but we drank and snacked at the bar while we waited. After dinner we took a cab to see a drag show (Moment of Truth – I LOVE a good drag show), only to find out that the regular show was cancelled because of V-Day – I guess the Girls were all getting their happy love on. We won’t even go into what happened at the hotel upon our return, let’s just say rude neighbors, and leave it at that. We can chuckle about it now, but at the time, it wasn’t funny because John really did try to pull out all the stops.

Some people call New Year’s Eve “Amateur Night”, but John and I think of Valentine’s Day as the REAL Amateur Night. This is the night where folks who almost NEVER go out to eat, decide to try out their dining chops and make my evening miserable. When I was a waitress, I knew I would get screwed on tips because infrequent diners always thought 10% was acceptable (probably because they spent more than expected on dinner and that was what was left). And of course there is always the one person who snaps his fingers at you and shouts, “Garçon!”, like he is in some movie. and for the record folks, I have never yet met a waitperson who likes being “snapped” at. As a fellow diner I receive poor service because I tend to be polite (having walked in those shoes) and sometimes the “squeaky wheels” get the grease in the form of service and attention just to shut them up. All that said, I now cook at home for my loves.

When I do V-Day, I go BIG! I try things I have never tried before. I stretch that ever growing comfort zone. I spend the entire day shopping, crafting and tasting. I use expensive ingredients. I set a lovely table, complete with flowers and I pull out all my culinary tricks. And sometimes I try to make it a favorite of the men in my house, but also something I love as well. A past breakfast has included pannetone French toast stuffed with almond paste. Dinners have been a mixed grill, stuffed colossal shrimp (I know it’s an oxymoron), my very own “redneck” Chateaubriand and on and on. This is my first Vday alone with my hubby in 18 years. With Jack in college our eating has changed a bit. This year I am doing something I have NEVER attempted. Good or bad, you will hear about it after the event. I won’t tell you what it is, because I want it to be a surprise for John and yes, he does read and share this every week. I will give you a couple of hints:
• It’s “old school” to quote chef and friend Beni Velazquez
• It involves food from the sea
• It costs a small fortune when eaten out because it is labor intensive
Feel free to comment with your guesses! I will only publish WRONG answers so it is still a surprise for John and you’ll help him weed through guesses.

Oh, and a little more personal Valentine’s Day info – we moved into our “forever” house 4 years ago on Valentine’s Day. It was so hectic, it was take-out pizza week surrounded by friends and boxes of belongings. John said, “I forgot to get you a gift. Do you want anything special?” My reply was, “You bought me a house. Don’t you think that is enough?” That same month I met a new friend Kari – she owns and runs Retro Bakery with hubby Brian – check out her blog here

This week’s Food Memories are discovering I love Greek Yogurt with agave syrup, my first experience with Bountiful Baskets Food Co-Op, doing Restaurant Week Briefings for three of my favorite dining establishments, homemade Indian dinner with friends at home and bar dining at rm Seafood with friend Lynn. Note: Lynn and I were hit by a drunk driver on the way home from that dinner – PLEASE PEOPLE – have a Designated Driver when you go out! We are fine, but it could have been SOOOO much worse!
The pick up area for my location for Bountiful Baskets!

The Starkus Brothers at rm Seafood – read a nice write up about them from Seven Magazine here

Lovely Gin based Cocktail at rm Seafood – handcrafted by JR Starkus

New addition to the rm Seafood Menu – Clams Casino – a blast from my past!

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

Part 2 – Oh, SNAP! And a Cheap Recipe

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

If you read my post last Monday, you know that John and I participated, along with several other Las Vegans, in the SNAP Experience to help raise awareness about food insecurity. The reason for this is that the Farm Bill, of which SNAP is a part, is up for a vote. Politicians want to cut that bill in lieu of making other tough choices. Personally, I feel that everyone has the right to EAT and if they are unable to do so, for whatever reason, they need help and education to eat wisely and healthfully.

Because I cook almost everything from scratch and we don’t eat a lot of processed foods, eating the way we normally eat wasn’t TOO big a stretch. I do realize that most people don’t have the time or desire to spend the amount of time I do in the kitchen. And we did run into some personal SNAFU’s – John is a snacker and we just didn’t build money into the budget for that.

The last day was the biggest problem for us. We did fine the first 4 days of the challenge (other than not being able to snack), but the 5th day posed some really tough circumstances that had more to do with our jobs and lives than it did the program. John had a colleague come in to town who wanted to treat him to lunch. John accepted because it was a business lunch and he didn’t pay. I was leaving Friday morning for an out of town business trip (we started the SNAP Experience on Sunday rather than Monday) so I had errands to do. Of course I forgot to pack a lunch and ended up eating out and finding the cheapest option possible (at $8). The lesson here is that if we were SNAP recipients it wouldn’t have mattered that I had a business trip or that I forgot to pack a lunch, I’d still have had to eat and I would still have needed the funds to do it and I maybe wouldn’t have had them.

Here is what I learned this past week on the SNAP Experience:

• John and I are incredibly spoiled and very fortunate to have enough to eat each day
• If it weren’t for store loyalty programs (saved me $16.50) and coupons (saved me $5.00) we wouldn’t have made it thru the week. Smart shopping is not enough
• Planning is key! Even though I didn’t plan for the week, like some participants did, I planned each day because that is the way I shop.
• Protein and Produce are major expenses. We chose protein over produce because for both of us, the protein keeps us fuller longer. Not necessarily the BEST way to eat.
• For 2 adults it was doable, but I can’t imagine having to tell my kid that there was nothing else to eat. Really young kids can’t grasp that if their belly is yelling, “Fill me up!”
• We both lost weight because we weren’t snacking – a good thing.

I received a little grief from someone at the start of this. I was told that participating to raise awareness was noble, but not realistic. Basically this person said that trying to do this for a week was fine and all, but try doing it for a MONTH, or FOREVER. THAT is a real challenge. At the end of the week I was able to go back to my “normal” life. People every day are living with food insecurity and so many people are completely oblivious to the plight. This past week really opened our eyes to things we have begun to take for granted. Yes, our “Experience” ended after 5 days, but I do think I am going to be more aware of what I actually spend on food. And let’s not forget that SNAP monies can’t be used to buy laundry soap, toothpaste, diapers or anything else needed to run a home that is NOT a food product!

Not having to worry about food insecurity is a blessing for my household. I grew up in need and this just reminded me how fortunate I am and strengthened my resolve to keep working with agencies like Three Square and Feeding America to do as much as I can to educate, inspire and motivate people to get involved!

Here is a cheap recipe for you to try. I am quite sure that it isn’t authentic, but it still tastes good and even if you can’t get everything on sale, it’s still “cheap eats”. It serves 4 generously (lots of rice for me thank you very much!) for about $1.25/serving. You can add more veggies if you have them and sub firm tofu for the chicken if you are vegetarian or vegan. You can cook the rice while you are making the curry, and all together it should take you about 30 minutes.

2 cups rice – cooked according to pkg directions ($0.80)
1 small onion – chopped ($0.16)
1 Tbsp vegetable or Olive oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast – ($1.99 on sale)
2 Tbsp Thai red curry paste (found in Asian markets – about $0.50) use less if you want mild, this amount is for mild – medium.
1 – 14 oz can coconut milk ($0.89)
1 pkg – 12 oz- fresh mixed veggies – broccoli, snow peas and carrots ($0.75 on sale)

In a non stick skillet, heat oil until it shimmers and add onion. Cook until the onions start to brown, stirring frequently. Add chicken, continue cooking and stirring until chicken is cooked almost all the way thru. Add curry paste and coconut milk, stirring until the sauce is uniform in color. Add water (or chicken stock) if desired to thin the sauce a little. Bring mixture to a boil. Toss in the veggies, reduce heat, cover the skillet and steam the veggies until desired doneness (for me, about 3 minutes).

Serve immediately over hot rice.

This week’s Food Memories are eating on the lean side for the SNAP Experience, dinner at Mohawk Bend with Dave T, Laurie M and Jen R and Dave not removing his hat (from a previous blog, you know this is my biggest pet peeve),

A really good, but over priced Italian dinner with Laurie, Jen and Erin,

Lobster Bisque from that dinner

and perfectly cooked eggs at a diner (you have no idea how rare that is!).

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

Oh, SNAP!

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

I was asked by my food bank, Three Square, to participate in an awareness raising activity. For 5 days I will cook for John and I and spend only what Food Stamp (now called SNAP) recipients get. Hold onto your hats folks – it’s $4.06 per day per person. That’s NOT a lot of groceries people! I agreed to do this to help raise awareness because I know what it is like to worry about food and nutrition. Food writers, critics, politicians, volunteers and local celebrities have all been asked to participate to shed some light on how tough it is to eat HEALTHFULLY on $4/day. We have all been asked to share our thoughts and experiences about the challenge.

John and I are financially able to purchase whatever we want to eat, whenever we want to eat it, and for that I am truly grateful. This was not always the case. I grew up poor, in a rural community. Hand me down clothes, free school lunch, we had eggs for dinner because we had chickens, but we always had fresh produce in the harvest months because we grew our own. Mom canned and made jam (and this past fall, for the very first time, I canned my own tomatoes and the peaches from my tree).

John’s childhood, while having taken place in NYC, was not all that different financially; his family was on the Food Stamp program briefly when he was young as well. Because of my background I get a little antsy if I can see the shelves in my pantry or the fridge. (Moment of truth – Even though it is just the two of us at home now, I still think I don’t have enough food if I can see shelves. This mania kinda drives my husband a little nuts.) Because we know how crucial this issue is, John and I decided to participate as a couple for the SNAP Experience. I honestly feel that by participating in this challenge if I can outrage one person, make one person get involved with their Food Bank, cause one person to get active politically, then I have done my job.

Because John and I DON’T have to worry about a grocery bill, I just buy what I want/need and pay at the checkout; I had to do some research to remind myself how to stretch those grocery dollars. Other than looking at the price of meat to see if it will be cheaper on base (it is most of the time), I almost never look at prices (disgusting, I know). Here are the things I have learned by looking at the ads, coupons and shelf pricing:
• Produce, dairy products and meat are EXPENSIVE! If I bought what I normally buy, there is NO WAY I could eat for $4.06 for one meal let alone the whole day!
• Cereal and milk are off the charts! And I am not talking about Froot Loops here! Good, healthy, whole grain cereals are upwards of $4 a box – there goes my whole day’s allowance! You can get sugary cereals that are NOT the best nutrition choice for about ½ the cost of a whole grain cereal.
• Whole grain, high fiber bread costs 3 times as much as white bread or bread labeled as “whole wheat” that is NOT whole grain.
• Inexpensive foods like pasta, white bread, rice and beans may all be good for you in the short term and in moderation (if you leave out the powdered cheese blue box crap), but in the long term and in large quantity they lead to obesity, diabetes and other health problems. If this is all you can afford to feed your family what waits down the road for you in the health arena? And who is going to pay for it?
• The weekly coupons are mostly for things that aren’t healthy choices (crackers, processed foods, cookies, etc.). Even though they CAN be purchased with SNAP monies, they aren’t good eating choices, but they are CHEAP with the coupons. For many SNAP recipients a full belly is more important than eating wisely, so they are forced to choose poorly because it is the cheapest option.
• Almost no one offers coupons for dairy, meat or produce unless you buy something NOT so good to go with it!

We have been encouraged to use store loyalty programs and any other money saving options we can employ to stretch our dollars. I learned that the Fresh & Easy rewards program has to be converted from “points” to dollars online before you can use the rewards – thanks Lillian for the heads up! I love the weekly Fresh & Easy coupons because they are dollars off your entire purchase so they CAN be used for meat and produce, but they don’t accept manufacturer’s coupons at all. The advertised items on the front of the flyers are called “loss leaders”. The store is HOPING you will go in to buy that one incredible deal and then do the rest of your shopping there. The best way to stretch your buck is to go get those few things and LEAVE, doing the rest of your shopping where the other items you need are on sale.

Next week I will let you all know how I did with this challenge. We started yesterday, even though everyone else is starting today, because I have to travel on Friday for business, and since I will be eating out (no means to cook), it wouldn’t be feasible. As I type I am brining a 12 lb. turkey that I got on sale for $3.66.

This week’s Food Memories are drinks with an old High School Pal at the Cosmopolitan, dinner and great beer with my main squeeze at Public House, working to get the garden ready for planting season, lovely cider and ancho chile glazed game hens (The Splendid Table’s Lynne Rossetto Kasper’s recipe) and shopping the sales for the SNAP Experience.
Suanne and I at the Cosmopolitan

The Glazed Game Hens

The fab beers we tried at Public House

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

I Want a GOOD Pizza, and I Want it DELIVERED!

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Oddly enough I watched Al Mancini’s chats with John Curtas & the Due Forni guys AFTER I wrote this blog. They mentioned good pizza as an upcoming trend. Apparently NOT in my neighborhood…..

As in many families, pizza is one of the top 5 fave foods of the members of my household. My Dad and Hubby John will cheerfully eat leftover cold pizza from the fridge. And I have eaten pizza everywhere. My Dad is of the opinion that bad pizza is better than NO pizza – I disagree. And for the record, I LOVE anchovies!

In my waitressing days I worked at La Bella Pizzeria, if you are from Hudson, NY, I know you know where this is. And even in the small rural town of Hudson, you could get a decent pizza. I can think of 3 places off the top of my head where the pizza was good, inexpensive and within a 15-20 minute drive of my house and I lived on a country road. Growing up, pizza night was one of two dining extravagances we were able to afford, and we’d go to La Bella’s. It was kinda fast food for us. When I worked a La Bella’s I would bring home a pie on Friday for the family before I went out to my cocktail waitressing gig.

I vividly remember going into a pizza joint while visiting my Dad on Campbell’s Island. We went up crooked steps, in the back door, across cracked linoleum, “Amy” by The Pure Prairie League (I know – WAY random) was playing on the jukebox and the pizza was cut into little squares. This was my first remembered experience with the “incorrectly” cut pizza. It was fantastic! I think I was 14.

I want a good pizza, and I want it delivered to my house, so I can sit on my couch and drink beer and watch TV while I am eating it. If I have to drive to get it, I don’t want to have to drive more than 20 minutes to pick it up or it will be cold by the time I get home. I do NOT want to eat pizza in a “ristorante”, I want it delivered in a white card board box, with red lettering that says, “You’ve tried all the rest, now try the best”. For me pizza is a “fast food” option, not a fine dining choice. I know there are those out there that will disagree with me and I am sure the “ristorante” owners will shake their fists as me, but let’s face it; pizza doesn’t have to cost $25/pie!

This is NOT the correct box….

My neighborhood is a nice place. I love it – far enough from The Strip to not deal with tourists all the time, but just a short drive away. Incidentally I live in a restaurant desert. Hell, even Chili’s closed up here! In the far NW part of the valley we don’t have that many dining options close to home. We have to drive cross-town to get anything decent. I think I have eaten in every restaurant in my area and there are only 2 that I would eagerly go back to, but sometimes I just don’t want to drive and I go local in favor of driving. But the food isn’t that great with two exceptions, and I can’t eat Mexican and cupcakes all the time.

Every time a so called pizza place opens near me, I try it (don’t mention Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Little Caesar’s or Papa John’s – those aren’t pizza any more than Ball Park is a hot dog). I have tried Streets of NY, North End, House of Vino, Giordano’s, etc. and none of them live up to my expectations for very long. (Moment of truth – the pizza at North End isn’t that bad, but there are 2 flaws – the counter gal is extremely rude and they are BoSox fans – hehehe). They all start out pretty good, and then they decide to make changes to feed the masses and that’s when they start to suck. John is more of a snob than I am when it comes to pizza. I just want it good, hot, fast and delivered!

John’s career with the Air Force took us all over the country and I ate reliably good pizza in only 3 major cities – NY, Chicago, and Boston. We even had decent pies in Maine until the family sold the business. I never had a good pizza in Texas. When we lived in Madrid I used to drive to the subway, take a train and then walk for several blocks (one hour each way) if I needed a pizza fix – yes I was desperate! Making pizza in my Spanish oven was NOT an option! I want a pizza and I don’t want to have to make it myself! Currently, when I make pizza, I grill it. That seems to be the only way I can get a hot enough temp to get the crust to perform the way I want. Making pizza is not difficult, and at the prices a decent pizzeria charges these days, it is WAY cheaper, but sometimes I just don’t want to do it.

Apparently in the Vegas Valley, only the people in Henderson or Summerlin are worthy of a decent neighborhood pizza. Sammy’s Woodfired is pretty close to me, but I don’t want “yuppified” pizza, I just want a traditional, New York Style pie (Moment of Truth – I would lovingly accept a GOOD Chicago style or Boston style if it was GREAT!). So, that being said, here is a very short list of decent pizza in Vegas:
• Settebello – I have never been there, but all the pizza fanatics rave about it. Why haven’t I ever been there? I refuse to drive 40 minutes for a pizza, my Madrid excursions aside, I am not that desperate. In fact I rarely go to Henderson at all. I know where my husband’s office is and that’s all I need to know.
• Due Forni – REALLY good pizza, thin crust that is crispy, yet chewy and closer to my house than Henderson. But they don’t deliver and it’s more than 20 minutes.
• Grimaldi’s – the one in Boca is closest to me, and although they are good, they aren’t great. Again, more than 20 minutes and they don’t deliver.
• The Secret Pizza Place in the Cosmopolitan – if I am on The Strip and in need of a snack, this is where I go. I won’t go out of my way to eat here (hello, it’s The Strip), but if I am in the area, I’ll grab a slice.

These pics are from Secret Pizza:

This week’s Food Memories include disappointing food in Palm Springs, my first ever kangaroo burger (it was overcooked – I think I need a do-over), marginal take-out pizza on the couch with my guys and a trip to The Wicked Spoon buffet (also disappointing – but it was what Jack wanted on his last night before returning to college).

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