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I Have a Dirty Little Secret

Posted on by RedFlair14

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Girls’ Night Out at Comme Ca with Chef Brian Howard

Grilled Squid in ink sauce

Panna Cotta at Due Forni

Jenna’s salmon at RM Seafood

The gang at Public House

Jenna and Brother JJ

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

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

I’m Gonna Hit You with a Frying Pan

Posted on by RedFlair14

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sam’s lovely Tea Party inspired Birthday cake.

Smoked Salmon with fried capers and creme fraiche on flat bread at RM Seafood

Restaurant Week Thank You note

Eggs Florentine “Benedict” at Bellavia in Flagstaff.

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

All Access Passes

Posted on by RedFlair14

One of the things about living in a “food” town is that you have great food. EVERYWHERE! Each NYC neighborhood and borough has amazing ethnic cuisine and the same is true for LA and Chicago. What makes Vegas so different? Access to the Chefs of course!

As often as I have been to San Francisco, NYC, LA, and Chicago I have never seen any of the resident celeb chefs. And believe me, I look. (Moment of Truth – Some people are Rock Star Groupies, I am kinda a Chef Groupie. It’s a little embarrassing to admit it and it almost makes me sound stalkerish…but I really admire them and what they do.) I have even gone so far as to ask a few of them if I can cook in the kitchen with them and film it for this blog. More on that if it happens!

I know for a fact that it is common to see Emeril Lagasse enter Emeril’s in New Orleans. When we were visiting that city we saw him arrive to work and casually chat with folks walking by and even pose for a pic or two. That is not the case everywhere you go. Mostly you don’t see the celebrity Chefs in big food cities, unless you are in their resto when they are there and they tour the floor. Here in Vegas the Chefs are just regular people, with a fat dash of celebrity to be sure, but they are just regular people. Don’t get me wrong, I am sure that Chefs are just regular people in other cities too, but I don’t see it. Here the Chefs are out and about. Smiling and posing for pics and making themselves available to their fans. And not just at the BIG Foodie events.

One of the coolest things for me is to go to an event, no matter when or where it is and see local celeb (or soon to be celeb) Chefs just hanging out and being part of the scene. They chat up everyone, and not just about food and not just industry workers. For example, The Saturday Night truck Stop. And before you start in, I know I have written about this before. If you are ever in Vegas on a Saturday night, and it is late (after 11:30 pm), I encourage you to get your butt over to Tommy Rocker’s if you are a foodie. Especially if they are having a Back of the House Brawl (BOH Brawl). There you will find several fab food trucks circled up like wagons on a bygone wagon trail, ready to serve you some awesome food. On a BOH Brawl night, a couple of Strip Chefs will face off, Chopped style, and vie to win a PBR Trophy and raise money for Three Square Food Bank, my fave charity. What could be better? A bar to get frosty adult bevs, great food, fun people and fun people watching. PLUS, the chance to get to meet and talk with some really cool Chefs doing some amazing things here in Vegas.

To prove how much of a Chef Groupie I am, here are a few pics of some locals and not so locals that truly were fun to meet. I am hoping to add Chris Cosentino to this collection in late September when I go to San Francisco.
Goofing off in the kitchen with Rick Moonen for Friend Sam’s Bday party a couple of years ago.

With Kerry Simon at KGB at Harrah’s

Hubert Keller at Vegas Uncork’d last year.

This week’s Food Memories are cooking soft food for son Jack who had his wisdom teeth pulled, hanging out in bars with friends and further planning on my 25th Anniversary Party (can you believe someone quoted me $2000 for dessert?!)

And here is the Winner from this week’s BOH Brawl, with the coveted PBR Trophy, Chris Starkus!

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

Reading is FUNdamental

Posted on by RedFlair14

In the summer I find myself reading more than usual. Maybe it’s because all of my fave shows are on hiatus. Maybe it’s because summer reading is a routine I fell into as a young person, but whatever the reason I will typically finish 12 books or so across the length of the summer. I have passed that this summer. I am really enjoying reading outside on my deck in the super heated air, smelling the herbs in the garden and dipping into the pool when I get too warm.

First off I want you to know that I almost exclusively read from the same genres when I am not perusing cookbooks. I USUALLY read horror fiction, crime fiction or urban fantasy. I do have faves that are NOT in those categories (Moment of Truth – my fave books of all time are The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas). Yesterday I noticed something interesting about the characters, not necessarily the books or authors, that I like the best. The authors write them eating and/or cooking.

There are several series out there about chefs who solve crime or caterers who get into mishaps with the events. There is even one series out there where the author includes the recipes from the story as an addendum at the end. Almost all of the books in my genres have the leads drinking something (wine, booze, blood, etc.). But my faves are the characters who cook and eat because it is part of being human. And I love reading about WHAT they are eating or cooking. The food is rarely integral to the stories, but it makes a more round backdrop for me. A few of my faves:
• Lawrence Sanders’ “Archy Mc Nally” books – our intrepid protagonist regularly goes into a local dive and drinks and eats himself into oblivion
• Lawrence Sanders’ “Deadly Sins” books – Captain Ed Delaney makes a mean sandwich
• Jennifer Estep’s “Elemental Assassin” series – Gin Blanco is a lot like me (no, I am not an assassin) in that she takes college cooking classes for personal enjoyment, not to pursue a degree. She also runs a BBQ joint as her “cover”.

I get inspired to try new things by reading what fictional characters are making in their kitchens. Silly? Perhaps. But I can only read so many cooking mags and watch so much cooking TV before I start to feel inadequate, or jealous or both (jealous of the travel sections and the fact that I don’t have my own show). These characters are in the kitchen because it is part of normal life, not because their life revolves around food. Just like the rest of us. It makes them seem more true, more real, and just fuller.

Here is a partial list of what I have read so far this summer, but they don’t all have good food scenes:
• Jennifer Estep’s series above
• Chloe Neill – Biting Cold
• Laurell K Hamilton – Kiss the Dead
• Jaye Wells’ entire Sabina Kane series
• Vicki Pettersson’s newest book – The Taken (with a great shout out to Frankie’s Tiki Room)
• And 10 others…

My Food Memories this week include a birthday dinner for Friend Sami, a visit from High School Friend Dave and his LA Posse (so much fun in the pool!), and a spicy Chicken Paprikash with my 2 favorite guys.

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

Hair of the Dog

Posted on by RedFlair14

It was suggested to me that I write about Bloody Marys so here you go.

All of us (over 21), at one time or another, have been in the need for some “hair of the dog”. A little worse for wear after a night on the town and for me the magical cure is a Bloody Mary. There is something alchemical about the tomato, spices and booze that just straightens me right out. (Moment of Truth – it probably has more to do with the tomato juice than the booze.)

There is some debate as to how, where and when the Mary was invented, and even some debate on whether the original spirit of choice is actually vodka. Some sources say the original spirit is gin – and the cocktail is good both ways. Here is what I DO know from research, the drink can be as individual as you are.

In an effort to learn as much as possible about this manna from heaven, I did a little research and invited some friends over to do a sampling and have a “round table” discussion about what makes a good cocktail, where to find it and what are the perfect garnishes. We did a blind (for them) tasting of Mr. & Mrs. T’s, Zing Zang, and Demitri’s Bloody Mary Seasoning, along with the classic Mr. Boston Bartender’s Guide version (although I DID add horseradish to the original). We tasted each base in its “virgin” state for comparison and then added vodka to our favorite. For all of the cocktails we used Ketel One Vodka. Here is what we learned:
• No one liked the “original”; it was too bland
• No one liked the smell of the Mr. & Mrs. T’s, although we did like the deep rich color
• Everyone liked Zing Zang, although I can’t drink it. It has MSG in it and I am allergic. It was, as advertised, zingy with a citrusy pucker to it.
• Demetri’s was the hands down winner; although we had to increase the ratio from 2 oz to 1 qt to 3 oz to 1 qt. (Demitri’s comes in a liquid form that you add to tomato juice.) We found the suggested blend too bland for us, but once it was increased we all agreed that was the winner and that was the only pitcher empty at the end of brunch.

Friend Dani suggested that the reason we didn’t like the original was that our tastes are more extreme than when the drink was first created. We enjoy more spice and seasoning now than we did in the early part of the 20th century, so what may have been a spicy sensation THEN is just boring now.

As for garnishes, the classic is a celery stalk, but we all agreed (except friend Lynn) that more is better! Friend Laurie loves olives with hers, and I tend to agree. Other options are large caper berries (my personal fave), pickled string beans, pickled okra, cornichons, pickled asparagus, pearl onions…basically make a salad out of it! While horseradish is NOT one of the original ingredients we all agreed that it is a requirement when mixing your own. Friend Lynn added it to all of the bases for consistency’s sake! The one thing I forgot on our “research” day was to rim the glasses – typically you use celery salt, but spicy salt or herb and spice blends are really popular and add a bit extra punch. Oh, and I also found pepperoni straws online – yes, really! They are like Slim Jims with a hole thru the center. Super good fun!

Once our drinks were assembled, we sat for brunch (a hash brown crusted scrambled egg pizza) and chatted about where to get a good Mary. Any good bartender or mixologist in Vegas can make you a decent Mary, but I was more interested in the off the wall places to get one. Friend Lill’s comments were added in abstentia since she couldn’t be there to aid in the research and she loves a good Mary.
• Rumor has it The Double Down makes them with bacon flavored vodka – no I am not kidding
• The Bunkhouse (one of the oldest free standing bars in Vegas) makes a respectable one on the cheap!
• While none of us like the food at Hash House A Go-Go, we all agreed the Mary there is a winner, and almost reason enough to go there just for that.
• Both Mon Ami Gabi and Simon at Palms Place have Bloody Mary Bars on Sunday brunch. They mix vodka and tomato juice for you and you season and garnish as you please. I prefer Simon’s because their variety of hot sauces is a vast array from mild to volcanic. The fact that it is all you can drink is a bonus. The only way Simon’s could be better is if they had caper berries in addition to the other garnishes.
• According to Seven Magazine (see page 36), the best Mary in Vegas is at Bar + Bistro (headed by friend Beni Velazquez). I can’t comment since I haven’t had it, but theirs is more of a Bloody Caesar. A Caesar is mixed with Clamato instead of tomato juice and apparently Beni’s has minced clams in it! (Tip from Sister Nancy – when making a Bloody Caesar rim the glass with Old Bay Seasoning.) More research? A resounding YES!
A Bloody Mary on board the Victoria Clipper – a traveling companion suggested this topic

Bloody Caesar and beer at Canoe brewing in Victoria

My esteemed panel – L- R Friends Lynn, Dani and Laurie (Dani is not a double fisted drinker – she is holding mine!)

Enjoy your week and remember to mix up a batch of these for your weekend. The web abounds with plenty of recipes, but if you find a premix you like, go with that. Feel free to leave comments with your fave ideas on Bloody Marys – where to get a good one, what you like to garnish with, etc. There may be more research needed 😉

Food Memories this week include recreating the fab fig and goat cheese flatbread pizza I enjoyed in Seattle, Friday brunch with friends for research, ripening peaches from my back yard and digging in the herb garden.
The fig and goat cheese pizza with prosciutto – delish!

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

Emerald City – Part 2 – the Rest of the Story – the Happy Accidents

Posted on by RedFlair14

Sorry if I am boring you, but we are back on the Seattle trip again this week. Seriously, if you haven’t been there, you NEED to go. The food scene is wide and deep and there is so much to choose from that in a 5 day trip I gathered enough info to hopefully keep you entertained for another week.

When we travel for work, we always try to sneak in a little fun too. The bonus on this trip is that we have friends who live up there and we were able to see ALL of them on one trip. And this trip was FULL of Happy Accidents (from now on called HA).

After a fantastic night of dining and drinking with friends Byron and Christine, we headed to the docks early the next morning to catch the Victoria Clipper to go to British Columbia. John was a little worse for wear having indulged at Pike’s, Elysian, Quinn’s and Tavern Law. HA #1 – we met a retired couple on the boat who loved travel and dining as much as we do. They informed us that the Chihuly Museum and restaurant were now open, so our plan for Monday was changed (Moment of Truth – John was supposed to work on Monday, but pushed those tasks to Tuesday so he could museum hop with me!). Bloody Marys were ordered and it was suggested to me that I do a whole blog on them…hmmm. Tasty future topic with fun research on the horizon!

Victoria, British Columbia is astoundingly beautiful and we were so lucky to have ex-pat Las Vegas friends, Diane and Mary, to show us around. After 3 brewery restaurants and a quick trip to their “house in the woods” we were well lubricated and laughing and delighted we had made the journey. Don’t ask me anything about Victoria, we were there to spend time with friends, not sight see, and what I saw was lovely, but I was more interested in the time we spent with them. I will admit, however, to be very happy to live in the USA where beer and liquor are CONSIDERABLY more affordable ($26 Canadian for a 12 pack of Corona – yes, Corona!) Of course when in Canada, you must eat Poutine – it IS the national dish of Canada (at least that is what I kept telling myself). I had a great one with pulled pork.
Poutine!

Drinking with our buds, Diane and Mary!

As stated before, John skipped out on the tasks he had to do to museum hop with me, so we headed in a vaguely Space Needle direction having learned that the Chihuly Garden was directly in its slim shadow. Because it was early, breakfast was on the agenda and after passing up Top Pot Donuts, we found a quirky little bar/café called 5 Point Café – HA #2. The waiter looked like D-Day from Animal House and our food was diner perfect!

HA #3 – As we made our way to the Chihuly Museum, we found the Experience Music Project (EMP)! I knew it was in Seattle, but I didn’t realize we were literally going to trip over it! WOW! Great music, musical instrument, and artist exhibits in addition to Sci-Fi icons and horror movies. A perfectly HA!

Chihuly’s Museum was more than I could have hoped for or imagined, and the restaurant on site, Collections, was charming and entertaining as well. Each table top had a sunken shadow box of treats to look at, and all the visible areas were covered different collections of items from Dale Chihuly’s past.

Then of course there was HA #4 that I gushed about last week.

And of course the Pike Place Market! HA #5 – Finally after repeated trips to the Market I got to see the guys throw a fish! They did it just for me, they usually only toss the fish when someone is purchasing, so it was a rare treat and they even let me film it. To see the video go to my FB page Good for Spooning.
Cheese counter at Beecher’s Cheese makers!

Enjoy these pics and make time to go to Seattle! It is a food lover’s paradise and there is so much to see and do.
Curried Beef Buns at Mee Sum Pastry – another HA! Totally Cheap eats at $2.50!

Charcuterie at Elysian

Oysters at Elliott’s

My Food Memories this week are Girls Night Happy Hour and dinner with friend Lynn, junk food with my favorite kid, and testing out some new recipes in preparation for late summer visitors.

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

We’re Off to See The Wizard

Posted on by RedFlair14

For those of you who don’t know, Seattle is called the Emerald City. Seattle has great food, sights, shopping and lovely scenery. Recently John and I made our second trip up and it was a trip full of happy accidents. One of those happy accidents was coming in contact with Tom Douglas’ Restaurants. I am now convinced that Tom Douglas IS The Wizard!!! And he is now on the “boyfriend” list.

When I fall in love with a Chef’s food I always remember my first experience. It’s like a great kiss, I don’t want to forget it. High School Friend Neil drove into town to meet John and me for dinner, and due to John’s arriving conference colleagues, we needed to stay close to the hotel. Neil suggested Dahlia, about a block from where we were staying. Excellent choice! The food was FABULOUS!! Since Copper River Salmon was in season that was featured on the menu (all over the city) and it was beautiful. I strayed from my “no tongue” comfort zone and had lamb tongue confit and was pleasantly surprised at how tender and flavorful it was. When offered to John, he declined saying he didn’t want to kiss a sheep! As we left the restaurant, I snagged a flyer outlining Tom Douglas’s operations.

Lamb Tongue Confit

I immediately fell in love. There are 12 locations, plus a farm that provides organic produce and herbs to all the locations, taking the farm to table concept to a more personal level. They grow their own, just like farming communities have done for ages. One of the 12 locations is a bakery supplying bread (or in the case of some items, recipes) to all the others. I made it my mission to visit as many of the sites as possible, and I only had 2 days from the dinner at Dahlia to the flight on Thursday afternoon!

Seattle is a great walking town, and I walked everywhere, and thank goodness for that, otherwise I’d have gained 10 lbs instead of the 5 lbs that actually ended up in my jeans. The following morning, after having hit the web and realizing the BBQ rub shop I had seen earlier on the trip was in fact a Tom Douglas enterprise, I headed out to locate it. What I found right next door was Seatown, where I promptly ordered oysters and a Bloody Mary for breakfast. The guy down the bar from me ordered the biscuits and gravy with sausage. GK, the server/barmaid, informed him the sausage was house made and smoked. Upon hearing that, I felt cheated with my oysters, so I had that too. The sausage melted in the mouth and the biscuits were first rate as well. Then it was on to the Rub with Love Shack where 9 rubs were purchased and later shipped home.

I also made a trip to Tom Douglas’ Brave Horse Tavern. Great local beers on tap and the most delicious and beautiful pretzels I have ever seen. A burger so juicy that the juice was LITERALLY dripping off my arm completed that trip. And don’t even get me started on the fries! Crispy outside, tender inside, popping hot and the perfect amount of salt. Special thanks to Drew my bartender!

Without fail, I have to say every single server and employee at the locations mentioned above was happy to be there, helpful and very knowledgeable about the operation, products and company. What a treat! What a joy to hear employees speak glowingly of their boss and owner. Tom Douglas is doing LOTS of things right. The food and the vibe in all the places I visited are fantastic. I didn’t see everything Tom Douglas has to offer, but what I did see was heightened by happy servers and knowledgeable staff members. What I didn’t see/hear were frowns, snarky comments, back biting among the waitstaff or sloppy presentations. Wahoo!

I can’t wait to revisit The Emerald City and hit up more of Tom Douglas’ joints. I think I will need to go on a diet before liftoff…

In addition to the Food Memories listed above I had a great week – house made corned beef hash at a little divey bar/café, dinner and drinks with friends Byron and Christine, brewery visits, eating in a Chihuly inspired restaurant and multiple visits to Pike Place Market. For more info on this Seattle trip, check back next week. There was so much great stuff that I couldn’t put it in one week!

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

Family, Food and Friends

Posted on by RedFlair14

For me there is nothing better than eating with people who love me and whom I love. That’s what dining should be about. This past week I had the great good fortune of eating with people I truly enjoy being with, and I didn’t cook ANYTHING!

My sister in law, Bonnie, and her wife, Gretchen, came in for a few days and we had a great time. We normally stay in to eat and this time we went out. We had Brazilian BBQ for Jack’s 19th birthday and a second memorable dinner was at RM Seafood (that seems to be my happy place these days) with Friend Lynn. Because we are friends of the Moonen family we always feel like family there and the food is ALWAYS great! My sisters in law were here for the entire weekend, but I didn’t cook anything – really! We spent time enjoying each other’s company and dining out. Weird, I know! I even convinced Gretchen to go on a marathon shopping expedition with me (we had pizza and salad for lunch). Usually Gretchen and I like to cook together and this time we just sat by the pool and relaxed. Refreshing!

While Bonnie & Gretchen were here I had to leave to go to LA. High School friend Dave Trudell has a one man show that I needed to go see and this was the ONLY weekend during his original scheduled run that I could go. Of course after the tix were bought and plans made, his run was extended (good for him, bad for my house guests). The show was great and Friend Lynn traveled with me so I didn’t have to make the drive alone. The show was great, but the dining ran a close second in the race for which was the best part of the day.

Lynn and I started with a tremendously bad breakfast with good Bloody Marys. Let’s not go into it, but I will say breakfast orders shouldn’t take 45 minutes and come to the table wrong. Yes, the manager was spoken to (and without profanity believe it or not). We proceeded to the Roosevelt Hotel where a charming bartender, Graham, made us lovely gin cocktails. The conversation from Graham was as good as the cocktails (Moment of Truth – I LOVE a chatty barkeep who is a good conversationalist).

Then it was on to the show. If you are in LA and have the inkling to see a one man show I highly recommend “In Heat in Hollywood”. Brash, funny and at times poignant, Lynn and I loved it. We were welcomed into Dave’s friend group immediately and proceeded to have a great time with the guys eating our way around the theatre’s neighborhood. Snacks at a bar called Rockwell and great Chinese food at Chi Dynasty followed by pie at House of Pies. The laughs and camaraderie were as good as the food.

Isn’t that what dining with friends and/or family supposed to be? Laughter, conversation, and friendship always makes even the worst food (like our breakfast) memorable and worth doing again!

My Food Memories of this past week are outlined above. Enjoy the pics!

Until next time, go out and make your OWN Food Memories. I will be on vacation in Seattle next week, so you won’t get a missive from me. Be patient for the info from The Emerald City.

Summer in the City

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

We all have summertime rituals and mine have changed over the years, depending on my age and location.

When I was young in upstate New York, my mom was the concession manager for the local lake’s food booths. It meant long days spent at the lake, swim lessons with the lifeguards (Moment of Truth – my sisters and I all had crushes on different members of the life guard squad), and all the summertime food you can imagine. If you click on the link, we used to sit up on the grassy area so Mom could see us from the concession windows. I learned to spin cotton candy, work a commercial popcorn machine, and had my hair totally bleached out to strawberry blond by the sun. Of course it was child labor, and I wasn’t paid, but I didn’t care and I only worked at closing or when it was REALLY slow. It was a treat for me. I will never figure out how Mom put up with all those teenagers!

One of the rituals we had was stopping at a farm stand and picking up huge paper bag or burlap sack of corn on the cob and that was dinner. Dripping with butter and eaten off flimsy paper plates -you know, the kind with the dimples around the edges – I didn’t think anything ever had or ever would taste so good! I still believe that. We also had treat nights when a trip to The Country Cone on 9G was in order. And let’s not forget the Friendly’s ice cream sundaes…

In Maine, where I lived for a short while, we waited with baited breath for Memorial Day Weekend when the Houlton Farms ice cream stand would open. There was very little entertainment in northern Maine, so when “The Dairy Bar” opened it was a town event! There was no parking and a line around the block. They had the BEST soft serve ice cream. These days I have to accept Dairy Queen as my only soft serve option. No Carvel. No Houlton Farms…boo hoo for me (and don’t talk to me about Luv-It – it’s too far to drive for a quick cone).

Here in Vegas summer starts early and I get to grill year round. So I can hardly call a cookout a Summertime Ritual. As stated above there is no GOOD soft serve near me, so what is my Summertime Ritual? It’s still corn on the cob! Instead of the burlap sack from a farm stand, I get a whole box from the local grocer and have at it! There is something so summery about eating corn on the cob. I don’t care if it is grilled, boiled or steamed, I just love it! In San Antonio I came to love the way the Mexican street food trucks did it, with a creamy mayo sauce, chile and sometimes queso fresco or cotija.

So here’s to corn on the cob and the official beginning of summer for me!

Food Memories this week have been slim since we spent time lounging by the pool. Snacks and drinks at RM Seafood, a wedding reception, and steaks on the grill, all with friends from LA top the list.

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

Even as a kid I loved that song by the Lovin’ Spoonful. As a kid growing up in the country I LONGED for summer in the city even though I didn’t understand all the lyrics in the song. I live in a city now and I don’t regret it one bit. I don’t miss the country life, except maybe for the produce.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

First of all, Thank You! to everyone who shared the blog last week – there was a record number of hits. Keep sharing and Thank You again!

I have come to the realization that I am obsessed with anything that is made from reused/recycled flatware, utensils or silverware! And they keep popping up at me, everywhere I turn. It’s kinda like the shopping gods WANT me to find these things! I have no idea WHY, but I think I can remember when it started. Years ago while living in Maine, Friend Beth and I went to a craft fair and I was tickled by these wind chimes. I had to have them. At the time it was a major expense for me, but I splurged and bought them anyway. They have since tarnished and I leave them that way on purpose.

Flash forward several years. A few years ago Friend Dani and I went to an outdoor art fair and I had this keychain custom made. I had the artist (I have woefully forgotten the name) make them for my sales team members that were attending a conference with me. It was homage to “Rock On” – a phrase I use far too frequently.

For Mother’s Day John gave me a “spoon ring”. You older readers are well acquainted with these small affectations that are a throwback to the 70’s. I think everyone had at least one back then. For those of you NOT in the know, a “spoon ring” is the decorative handle of the spoon cut away from the bowl of the spoon and turned into a circle for your finger. I thought it was really cute of him to give me that considering my blog title and Twitter handle.

Now, everywhere I turn I am confronted by artwork, tools, clocks and jewelry made from flatware, utensils and silverware. Is someone trying to tell me something? My fave is the octopus necklace below. How cool is that?!
Available here

I am thinking I need this! Get it here.

John already bought me this bracelet. Purchase here

And how interesting would THIS be on your desk? Shop here

It leaves me wondering who used these tools for their original purpose? How did someone come up with the idea to make use of them in a new way? What would have happened to them if they weren’t reused/recycled? (Moment of Truth – I am not the least bit crafty, in fact I am decoratively impaired and I don’t even accessorize well, but I appreciate and admire crafters and their work.) I am now enthralled with the idea of recycled art and reuses for things. For some time now I have been reusing interesting “craft beer” bottles to hold my olive and grapeseed oil in my kitchen (I just put a re-sealable wine decanter top on them for pouring). That’s about as crafty as I get.

Think about your kitchen. What do you recycle? Do you compost? Are you cleverly reusing something in a way not originally intended? Great! Be sure to comment and share your stories. I love to hear them.

Food Memories this week include making soup for Friend Laurie in my new Blendtec blender, a lovely Ancho Chile and Cider glazed pork loin and a fantastic shrimp boil for Father’s Day with some of our dearest friends.

Changes are coming to this blog – pretty soon I will start sharing recipes I find from different sources that are fantastic, or recipes that I develop. Also, take the time to visit our sponsors if you are so moved.

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

Public Service Announcement – Since 1988 I have been using canvas grocery sacks. I began actively recycling in 1992. I had to rinse, scrape labels off and drive the recyclables to the center and I continue to make attempts to reduce my carbon footprint. Take a stand and if you haven’t already started using your own reusable bags at the store, try it! They are stronger, last longer and you won’t have so many of the little plastic bags floating around your house. It’s a little change that can make a big difference down the line. If this isn’t your thing – try something else to reduce – reuse – or recycle!