Call me Ms. Beauregarde

As I've mentioned before, we get a crop share through Kretschmann Farms. Two weeks ago, a pint of organic blueberries came with the veggies for the week. They weren't from Kretschmann Farms directly, but from Hunter Farms in Fariview, PA. I am usually not too excited about blueberries, and after tasting these I realized that what I had been eating was nothing like the real deal. I usually buy my fruit at a supermarket (I know, I know...), a farm stand along the road on the way home from work, or occasionally from the farmer's market. Still, I have never tasted anything like these. Never. They were tart, sweet, juicy, and plump. We made it through the pint before we went to bed the night we got it. So, when the opportunity presented itself to buy a flat of these blueberries and get them delivered with next week's vegetables, we jumped on it. Note: the flat cost $50. I probably haven't spent $50 on fruit in a week, let alone on one type of fruit in a day. But, I was excited about the prospect of having so many delicious berries in our house at once. My neighbor agreed to split the flat with me, making it more manageable. So, when my veggie pick up day rolled around, I was ready with recipes and ingredients for all sorts of blueberry recipes. Here were some of my trials and triumphs:

Blueberry Clafouti

This custard-y, pancake-y treat was our favorite. I poured some blueberries into a greased cast iron skillet (usually preserved for my husband to cook with, as it is "his" pan that he "allowed" me to use for this recipe) and poured a batter of eggs, flour, cinnamon, sugar, milk, and vanilla over it before baking it for about 40 minutes. I burnt my tongue twice tasting it before it cooled because it looked so tempting. I knew it was going to burn, but I tried it anyway. That's beauty. Once I got over it, I remembered to sprinkle some sugar on top (recipe called for powdered but I messed up and used sanding sugar - which actually worked really well) and tried it again. It was amazing! The blueberries were tart and burst in your mouth, and the custard pancake was brown on top and thick and creamy in the middle. The crunch from the sugar was perfect. I had since had some chilled, and it rocked too. This will definitely be made again at our house. Triumph.

Blueberry and Mascarpone Turnovers

This was more a trial and tragedy and less a triumph for me. The Giada De Laurentis recipe was easy enough - pie dough filled with fresh blueberry syrup and mascarpone cheese, and fried. Yes, FRIED. This had my name all over it. Like a homemade, fried toaster strudel. The picture above shows the minutes before it all went awry. So, I rolled, filled, and refrigerated, per the recipe. Heated the oil. Dropped the pie in the oil, and waited the obligatory 1 to 1 1/2 minutes before turning over. However, when I tried to turn them over, they weren't there. The dough, my grandma's recipe made mostly from lard, turned back into grease when placed into the hot oil. I was left with blueberry mush to stir around the pan, delaying the inevitable of admitting my defeat. In the end, I baked the last two and they were pretty good. Not fired goodness, but pretty good.

Fresh Blueberry Sauce

I used an Ina Garten recipe, combining fresh orange and lemon juice, sugar, blueberries, cornstarch, and lemon zest. It was a fast, easy recipe and was delicious. We tried it over ice cream and with goat cheese on bread. Hoping to try some on ricotta pancakes soon. Triumph.

Blueberry Muffins

Part triumph, part tragedy. The recipe was a triumph. I found it in the Post Gazette last year as a strawberry muffin recipe. It had lots of heavy cream - great way to start a muffin recipe. My execution was a tragedy. (Are you getting the idea that I am a sub par baker?) I didn't grease the pan enough, and I undercooked the muffins. The overall taste was great, but the look and texture (due to the lack of complete cooking) wasn't.

Bourdain in the 'Burgh

My husband and I bought tickets to see Anthony Bourdain speak at Heinz Hall on June 14. We are pretty regimented on the weeknights, and Mondays are usually especially structured, as we are just getting back into the work week routine. I know, I know...loosen up. Well, that was part of the impetus behind going to listen to Bourdain speak. Besides a strong affinity for his writings and TV show ("No Reservations") we have been making a conscious effort to get out more this summer and to enjoy all the city has to offer.
So, Monday June 14 rolls around and we rush home from work, hop in the car together, and head downtown. We were hoping to grab something to eat before the lecture. Surprisingly, so were all of the other Bourdain followers. This left us with a 45 minute wait at each of the restaurants we checked, a time frame we couldn't work with and still make the lecture. So, there we were, traipsing around downtown looking for a bar to grab a drink before the show. We were pleasantly surprised at how busy the city was, but getting to the point of pissy-ness (yes, that is the technical term) from the lack of food or beverage in our systems, the long walks in our work shoes, and the blazing heat and suffocating humidity. We stumbled into Braddock, the bar in the lobby of the Renaissance, just as my husband's blistered feet were starting to bleed and my curly hair was frizzing beyond control. The bar was crowded but not packed. So, I practically crawled to an opening between two stools at the bar and waited to get the attention of the bartender. My husband, who is usually quick to tell me what he wants to drink, looked pretty dumbfounded when I turned back to ask his bevy choice of the day. I was having none of this, as the aforementioned factors were still in existence and as I still didn't have and food or drink in hand. With some attitude, I asked my husband what he'd like, and he stumbled over the word "beer" (a word he first spoke at age 5) as he gestured to my left. Still oblivious, I ordered our drinks from the bartender and paid. As I turned around to hand my husband his drink, I figured out what the issue was. Sitting in the bar stool next to me was Anthony Bourdain. He was all by his lonesome - no agent, no bodyguard - drinking beer. I was thinking of striking up a conversation or at least telling him that we were on our way to his lecture. Before I got the words out, a young couple pushed me aside and demanded a picture with him. An older woman was waiting behind them with a book for him to sign, and a guy on the other side of the bar sent him a beer. In true Bourdain form, he looked thoroughly uncomfortable with the attention and pretty annoyed at the situation. I chose to stay out of the way and we got a table at the bar and watched the situation continue in the same fashion until he left, on foot, presumably to go the couple of blocks to Heinz Hall and prepare for the lecture.
After we got there ourselves, he took the stage in the same fashion he left us - beer in hand. His lecture was entertaining, somewhat informative, and seemed to be well received. Until, that is, someone from the crowd asked him when he was going to film a show in Pittsburgh and he blew it off, referencing something about not having an indigenous food. Can you say french fries and slaw on a sandwich, Tony? And what the hell does Cleveland have that is indigenous? Otherwise, the lecture went smoothly and covered subjects from Food Network personalities and being a respectful traveler to problems with the food industry and being a father. Taking the under, I lost a bet to my husband, who set the over/under for f-bombs at 20. But, I laughed most of the way through the lectureand brushed shoulders with the man himself. And though I lost a little respect for him in the response to that audience member's question, I was particularly impressed with a point he made late in the lecture. It went something like this: the best dinners are not the ones at the fabulous restaurants that you have to plan for far in advance to get reservations, but the ones that come spontaneously and are had with the ones you love. I would have to agree that drinking at the bar, big hair and sore feet, and snacking on goldfish the bartender was kind enough to share, was one of the better food experiences I've had in a while.

Mushroom Dinner at Vivo - it is taking all I have to avoid a "funghi" / "fun guy" pun

I had the opportunity to prepare a meal in the kitchen of Vivo restaurant (Bellevue, PA - see 2/1/09 posting) with chef/owner Sam DiBatista and chef Daniel Aguera (www.dinnerwithdaniel.com). The theme was mushrooms, and the menu centered on some beautiful mushrooms (royal trumpets, maitake, beech, and pompom) provided by Wild Purveyors. The event was $60 a head and included two appetizers, two main courses, a dessert, and an awesome experience. The event was BYOB.
I'll get back to the food in a few lines, but allow me to digress and discuss the experience in whole. I had never been in a professional kitchen, and I expected it to be sterile and overbearing. To the contrary, the kitchen at Vivo is warm and inspiring. Some of the walls are painted a deep rust color, and there are fun articles and interesting "fortunes" from cookies on one of the walls. It felt like someone had pimped my grandma's kitchen - all the warmth of her kitchen, and all the perks and quality of a professional kitchen. The fact that Sam, his wife and co-owner, and his daughter were all in the kitchen for this event surely added to the inviting feel.
The chefs themselves added to the experience as well. They were friendly, funny, informative, and very excited about what they were cooking. It was nice to see that excitement, considering both of them have been in the business for so long and considering that they were sharing the kitchen with 16 strangers for the night.
The experience was also supplemented by the presence of Cavin and Tom of Wild Purveyors. They spoke a bit about the mushrooms they provided and answered any and all fungi-related questions.
Ok, back to the food....When the cooking began, it was laid back yet efficient, and the appetizers were under way in no time. In no way do I consider myself an aficionado of culinary anything, but I know my way around a kitchen and I like to eat good food. I don't shy away from odd ingredients. Having said that, when Chef Sam asked us (I brought a like-minded friend to enjoy the experience and to act as a DD if need be) to clean the fiddle-head ferns, I was a bit overwhelmed. As in A) What is a fiddle head fern? and B) How do I clean it? I still don't know what it is, but to clean it you snap the end off and remove the dirt as best you can. It tasted like a cross between an asparagus and a green bean, and it was delicious and sweet. It was incorporated into a mixture of grilled maitake (my favorite of the night for their hearty goodness) and roasted garlic scape vinaigrette (prepared by chef Daniel and soooo good) and served on endive. The other appetizer was sautéed royal trumpet mushrooms on grilled bread with raclette. Both were wonderful.
The main courses were a grilled bison slider with gorgonzola and a sautéed pom pom and a dish that was called dumplings with beech mushrooms. The slider was good, but I lost the taste of the pom pom in the gorgonzola. The "dumplings", however, were something very special. They started off easily enough with flour, water, and salt. Chef Sam added the mixture to water boiling in a risotto pan. I thought he was going to drain the water later or fish the pasta out with a strainer. But, he cooked the flour mixture in the water like he would risotto, and in the end the consistency was that of risotto - creamy. Unbelievably so considering the fact that he didn't add any cheese. He stirred in some marinara and served the mushrooms on top. It was a peasant dish my grandmother would be proud of, and I loved every bite of it.
The dessert was a white truffle panna cotta prepared by Chef Daniel. The truffle was not provided by Wild Purveyors, but by what I assume to have been an illegal and or expensive act. I don't care about the who or how - that mushroom dessert was incredible. The truffle was especially delicate for what a strong and distinct flavor it is. The panna cotta smooth and silky and delicious, and was complemented with a toffee-like drizzle of hardened caramel. Or something like that. I lost focus once I spooned into the panna cotta, and I like to avoid speaking about caramels and toffees, as they, along with mayonnaise, are my culinary white whales.
All in all, it was a fun and informative night with great food and people. Check out Vivo's Facebook or MySpace page for future "Cooking with the Chef" events, and to see pictures of this event.

What's better than ice cream in the summer? Frozen custard! Yes m'am, add egg yolk and at least 10% milkfat to your average ice cream, and frozen custard you have. I have had an affinity for this frozen treat since I was a child. My family spent summers in Conneaut Lake, PA, and we traveled often to Hanks Frozen Custard in Meadville. I spent my college years at Allegheny College, so I got to continue the tradition into my adulthood. While I still get to Hanks whenever I get a chance (as in, whenever I am within 30 miles or so), I like to have my fix at some local locations as well. But, let's start with the real deal.
Hanks Frozen Custard - Meadville, PA
Hanks in Meadville has been open since 1952, or so the website says. It offers chocolate, vanilla, and light vanilla daily, and an additional flavor every day. The flavor schedule is available on the website (http://www.hanksfrozencustard.com/flavor-schedule)and boasts some favorites like peanut butter and black raspberry. Hanks still uses the old electro freeze machines. These machines are a must if you want a real custard experience. I can't say much about the rest of the menu - I haven't had anything besides the custard. My mom, for some unknown, incomprehensible reason, got the sherbet once and enjoyed it. But, I wouldn't recommend it. Why miss out on the good stuff?
Hanks Frozen Custard and Mexican Food- New Brighton, PA
The original Hanks, this location was opened by a family member of the Meadville Hanks, though no familial relation exists today. This Hanks offers chocolate and vanilla daily, as well as a rotation of seven flavors, including strawberry and pistachio. The custard here is not made in the electro freeze machine, but is still pretty good. Less buttery and smooth, and a little heavier, but good. Haven't had a chance to try the Mexican food yet, but plan to soon. Will update.
J & T - Ellwood City, PA
J&T offers custard, hard ice cream, soft serve, and sherbet, as well as some grilled and fried foods. The custard is made in the electro freeze machines, and is awesome. They offer vanilla and chocolate custard daily, as well as a special flavor daily. They also blend some of the fresh-made flavors with other ingredients and offer them frozen. One of my favorites is chocolate almond. Overall, some very good custard.
Young's Custard Stand - Zelienople, PA
Youngs is on the vanilla and chocolate plus one flavor bandwagon. Their flavors change weekly, not daily, and include pistachio, a personal favorite of mine. Electro freeze machines are in use. Young's custard is unbelievably creamy and light, and is flavored a little more sophisticated than the other custards I have tried - in a less is more way. It also tasted fresher than the other custards I've tried, though I may have just hit it on the right day. Young's serves burgers and dogs too. But, again, I had no room for any non-custard treats. The stand itself sits in the country in a large parking lot. There are some benches and picnic tables set up, and a line usually winds around the corner. Well worth the drive and the wait.
Forbush's - New Castle, PA
Why does life get in the way of eating? I hate to do this to you, but I have yet to try this place. I don't want to fail to mention it, as it is often spoken of in the same vein as J&T. But, I can't say anything good or bad about it. I can only promise to get there, asap, and update shortly thereafter. The things I do for research...

Breaking (Easter) Bread

As the holiday is fast approaching, I can't miss an opportunity to post something about Easter Bread. I have a love of the many varieties of flavored breads that fall into this category. Most importantly, my mom and my grandma each make their own version of Easter Bread. My mom's bread is light, anise flavored bread that is braided and iced with a sweet, thin icing. It is best right from the oven or the same day it is baked, as it tends to get dry and the icing gritty if it isn't eaten soon after baking. My grandma's (my mom's mom's) is heavier, also anise flavored, and has gold raisins in the dough. It is best from the oven or toasted for days after. It also makes for a great bread pudding.
There is an ongoing battle of sorts between my mom and gram as to whose bread is the family favorite. Problem is: the breads are so different. Which is the favorite is a matter of preference for type of bread, not bread baker. Though you can't convince my mom or grandma of that. Just today, my grandma called me on my lunch break and told me that the Easter bread was coming out of the oven and that I should come have a slice for lunch. Nothing like a thick slice of bread and butter for a healthy lunch, eh? So as to not offend grandma, I put aside my yogurt and honey lunch snack for some bread. And it was great. To my surprise, my mom called me as I was leaving work and told me that she had just made some Easter bread, that it was coming out of the oven, and that there was a loaf with my name on it should I want it. Should I want it? Do I want to be written out of my mom's will? To break her heart? To fall to the bottom of her ladder of love? She knew I was at Grandma's for lunch today, there was no way I was getting out of some after work bread as well. (Note to self: this is why my two-a-days at the gym have been of little affect lately...)Inheritance aside, I was happy to get some of my mom's hot Easter bread as well. It too was wonderful in its own distinct way.
And here's the rub of this post - the many varieties of Easter bread local to my hometown and I assume on a wider basis. Many of the Italian ladies in my hometown make Easter Bread and share it with other bread-makers as a calling card of sorts. I have had heavy, booze-filled breads, delicate anise seed bread knots, lemon bread filled with ricotta, and a lot of things in between. This year alone, I have had bread braided, in knots, in round and rectangular loafs, iced, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and baked with a hard boiled egg inside. Whatever the variety, whatever the case, I am thankful for the time and love that goes into making this holiday treat as well as the generosity of the bread maker in sharing it. Happy Easter!

Bona Terra - Sharpsburg

I have been meaning to go to Bona Terra for some time now. But, whenever we feel like inspired local food (which is pretty often) we usually head to Legume. We finally made it to Sharpsburg to try out this often-hyped restaurant and we are convinced that it is basically worth the hype.
Bona Terra is BYOB with a daily changing menu. It focuses on local, seasonal food. Unlike Legume (take note, Chef Dick) Bona Terra doesn't post their menu daily. Instead, you find three sample menus on their website. That leaves overly anxious diners to wait until they get to the restaurant that night to see the menu. Gasp! The menu offered five hot appetizers, three salads, a cheese plate, and six dinner entrees. We went with the waitress' recommendation of the dumplings for an appetizer, though the cracker dusted oysters and the roasted quail sounded good too. The dumplings were made with homemade dough, filled with pork shoulder, and served in spicy broth. They were delicate and quite good. We also had a salad, which was one of our favorite parts of the meal. The salad was served with tender greens, candied walnuts, chevre, and a citrus vinaigrette. It was wonderful! Each component was special on its own, and the combination was perfect. We had the striped bass over lentils and the duck breast with basmati rice for our entrees. Both were excellent - the bass was crispy and browned on the skin side and perfectly cooked otherwise. The lentils were mild and weren't overcooked. The duck was another crispy skinned protein, and was very tender. In between courses, the chef served a mango sorbet (housemade, aggressive and delicious) and a tomato soup with crispy proscuitto (smooth and buttery). We were pleasantly surprised when the waitress asked about dessert, as we hadn't seen any leave the kitchen to that point. The desserts included a lemon tart, an offering of sorbets, and a homemade chocolate cake. We opted for the chocolate cake, which was fabulous. It was dense and rich. And it was served with homemade chocolate peanut butter cup icing. Along with the salad, it was the standout of the night. Oh, and I don't want to forget the bread - housemade herbed ciabatta hot from the oven, served with herbed butter. Sooooo good. So, while I am partial to Legume (are you getting that feeling yet?), and while it remains my go-to for creative local food, there is room in my rotation for Bona Terra as well. Just not as often as Legume...

Dear Jesus, Please Help As I Prepare For Lent

As Lent is fast approaching, I find myself thinking not only about the spiritual ways to ready myself for the season, but also the gastronomical ways to do so. Before I get myself into a tizzy thinking about all of the awesome Lenten fish specials I want to partake in (view last February's post for more information) I need to concentrate on some pre-Lenten indulgences. Some of my favorite edible immoderations include:

Paczki - Oakmont Bakery, Oakmont, PA
I am a newcomer to the paczki. I happened into the Oakmont Bakery two years ago the Friday before Ash Wednesday five minutes before close. Somehow, though faced with the sheer terror of having to choose a treat from the vast, seemingly endless cases of dessert heaven, in a very short period of time (this decision would normally take me several recon missions on the internet prior to the visit as well as a good half hour research in the bakery), I did not crumble. I did not turn around and leave, I did not ask for whatever the counter woman recommended or what I know to be safe. I pointed to the round doughnut-looking dessert that I couldn't pronounce and I asked for one of each filling. Those fillings included prune, custard, Pittsburgh cream, lemon, raspberry, apple, and peach. Sweet success. These Polish dessert treats are similar to filled doughnuts, but with more filling and lighter dough. They are also smaller than most filled doughnuts, making them easier to try one of each!


Glazed Cinnamon Rolls- Oram's, Beaver Falls
If you haven't had one of these, go now. But if now is a Saturday after 11, don't go now, as they will likely be out of their famous glazed cinnamon rolls. Don't get me wrong, every doughnut at Oram's is special in it's own right, and an indulgence all the same. This includes some of my other favorites there, like the coconut crusted glazed doughnut and the custard filled chocolate buttercream topped doughnut. But, for all out indulgence, the glazed cinnamon rolls are unbeatable. They are the size of a small frisbee, are light (as impossible as that seems, being as they are a frisbee-sized doughnut), and are glazed with a thin, sweet icing. They are more doughnut than cinnamon roll, and are sinfully wonderful. Get extras, share with your closest friends, then go to confession. And bring them. You'll all need 40 days of fasting after this, but it will help get you through.

Davio - Beechview
Anything here is indulgent. Before your appetizers come, you get fresh baked breads, a gorgonzola spread, dipping oil, and a white bean spread. And this is just the beginning. The lobster bisque, served in a bowl big enough to feed the table, is heavy on the heavy cream as well as the lobster. Don't plan on touching the bread if you order this as anything besides your main meal, as there will be no room left in your belly. The double veal chop is easily two inches thick and can be ordered topped with lump crab meat. Along these lines, the lobster pasta is angel hair served in a lobster cream sauce with chunks of tail and claw meat throughout. Though you won't have room for dessert, one bite of the Russian sable cake (chocolate, flourless) is rich enough to make the cast of Jersey Shore blush. For those avoiding the temptation, you are out of luck. A cookie plate is complimentary after dinner, and is full of amazingly decadent cookies, often including macaroons and biscotti. Confession required again ladies and gents, and I don't mean the confession during mass where the Priest forgives the congregation in one pass of the hand. You need to sit face to face with the Padre and repent if you want to get in the pearly gates after this one.
FYI: This one is heavy on the wallet, too.

smoked mussel and scallop pasta - Seviche, Pittsburgh
For a small plate to make the list, you know it must be over the top in all of the right ways. Think Isaac Mizrahi as opposed to Joan Rivers. This pasta is not on the menu but came as part of a tasting. It is linguini with smoked mussels and smoked scallops in a cream sauce. I am not a huge fan of smoked fish, but this dish was to die for. The creamy sauce with the tender pasta was an amazing compliment to the smoky but not overpowering mussles and scallops. Mwah!

Beef and Bean Nachos - El Campesino, McKnight (or any of the other locations)
Pile of homemade tortilla chips? Check. Pound of sauteed, not too lean beef? Check. Refried beans? Check. Queso? Hell yeah. Check. Checkmark broiled to browned, toasted perfection while you are at it.

Wings Galore - Beyond the Basics

From little known places to non-traditional preparations and sauces, these wings will have you taking a happy break from the usual:

Franklin Park Inn - Franklin Park
Otherwise known for mediocre, faux Mexican cuisine, the grilled wings at the Franklin Park Inn are worth the trip there. They take at least 20 minutes to prepare and are served chargrilled. There is no choice of sauce - they are prepared in a buffalo/tobasco sauce, and are ususaly very spicy. They aren't "saucy" wings, but they are packed with flavor. I think they are marinated prio to cooking and basted throughout the grilling process, but that is purely speculation on my part. (Read: I have tried to reproduce these several times, with the help of my grillmaster husband, and have failed. I would consider doing bad things for this recipe...)

RPMs Wings and Things Bridgeville PA
Not known for quality food or even wings, RPM's serves a hidden gem: the Black and Gold wings. I support our sports teams (even the Pirates) as much as the next Pittsburger, but I support my tastebuds even more. So, take comfort in the fact that I in no way allowed the marketing genius to affect my love of these wings. The "black" aspect is a Cajun sasoning coating the wings, and the "gold" is a honey sauce drizzled over the wings. The Cajun isn't very spicy, and the sauce isn't very sweet. The combination is amazing. I don't usually like other honey wings (like honey mustard) but these don't fit into that category for me. The sauce is thick, like a glaze more than a sauce, and it is used sparingly. The wings take 20-25 minuites to prepare. Salty, midly spicy, and a little sweet...what more can you ask for? Note: RPM's is not for the faint of heart. It still permits smoking and is more a shot and a beer bar than it is a restaurant. I love the place, but I wouldn't take my grandma there. Actually, I would, because she has tatoos, extra ear-piercings, and tells joke that would make Dice Clay blush, but I wouldn't take most grandmas I know there. You get the point...

Pittsburgh Bottleshop Cafe - Bridgeville, PA
The wings at the Bottleshop are served with a choice of the usual sauces, and are not too aggressively spiced. I like my wings crispy, what most people would consider extra crispy. I don't have to ask for them "well done" here, as they are always served as such. Bonus: great beer selection in both draft and bottle. Wing night is Monday: 40 cent wings.

Wings, Suds, and Spuds - Moon Twp.
Wings here are best when requested well done. They are served with an abundance of sauce, but it is good sauce. You get to choose a sauce and order the amount of heat you want as well. I much appreciate that aspect, because I like things hotter than most. Another plus here are the fresh cut curly fries.

Zooky's Sports Tavern - New Brighton
I don't know for sure, but I think the wings served here are fresh wings. If not, they are the freshest tasting frozen wings I've had. Whatever the case, they are great. They can be ordered extra crispy, but be prerared to wait an additional 5 minutes to the usual 20 the wings take to be prepared. There are more sauces to choose from than most places I've been, including oddities like old bay and lemon parmesean. I opt for the more traditional, and usually end up liking the hot the best.

The Oak Grove Bar - Ellwood City
The Oak Grove is a small bar in Ellwood that serves wonderful whole wings. The wings are well done and unless you order a "dry" flavor, the wings are served with plenty of sauce. I have developed a love for the buffalo ranch flavor - dry ranch seasonings added to the buffalo sauce. Other favorites include the buffalo, dry Cajun, and garlic (think melted butter and sauteed, diced garlic).

It's Not How Many Karats, But How Many Cookies

Well, maybe it's both. But, I thought this article was interesting nonetheless. It was printed in the New York Times on December 15, 2009, and written by Ron Lieber. I can't figure out how to post a link, so the entire article is below:


The Wedding? I'm Here For The Cookies
LIKE brides and bridegrooms the world over, the ones in this city and nearby towns bask in the glory of the white dress, the big kiss and the first dance.

But then, a large number of them happily cede the spotlight to a cookie. Or a few thousand of them.

For as long as anyone here can remember, wedding receptions in Pittsburgh have featured cookie tables, laden with dozens of homemade old-fashioned offerings like lady locks, pizzelles and buckeyes. For weeks ahead — sometimes months — mothers and aunts and grandmas and in-laws hunker down in the kitchen baking and freezing. Then, on the big day, hungry guests ravage the buffet, piling plates high and packing more in takeout containers so they can have them for breakfast the next day.

No one knows for sure who started the tradition, or why it hasn’t exactly taken hold outside this region. Many people credit Italian and Eastern European immigrants who wanted to bring a bit of the Old Country to the big day in the New World. Given that many of them were already well practiced at laying out a Christmas spread, baking 8 to 10 times as many treats for a few hundred special friends and relatives may not have seemed like such a stretch.

But even amid the increasing professionalization of the wedding, with florists mimicking slick arrangements ripped from Martha Stewart’s magazines and wedding planners scheduling each event down to the minute, the descendants of those Pittsburgh settlers continue to haul their homemade cookies into the fanciest hotels and wedding venues around the city. For many families today, it would be bordering on sacrilege to do without the table.

So on a rainy Saturday in early autumn, Laura Gerrero, her mother, her mother-in-law and two aunts gathered to bake in preparation for Ms. Gerrero’s wedding to Luke Wiehagen. Her mother, Pat, used to make apple and cherry pies for local stores, and her aunt Elaine Ford had recently overseen the creation of over 6,000 cookies for the 180 guests at her own daughter’s wedding.

And presiding over the initial steering-committee meeting was Laura herself, a 26-year-old retail manager. The bride (and the bridegroom, if he’s interested) can veto recipe selections. Ms. Gerrero is not a huge fan of liquor or certain fruits in her sweets, so the peach cookies and rum balls fell off the list.

Some family recipes were a must, however, like peanut butter blossoms, Italian wedding cookies and biscotti. They use a biscotti recipe that Laura’s great aunt, Genevieve Raczkowski, had painstakingly recorded decades ago in her own mother’s kitchen. “She got her board that she used to make spaghetti and noodles, and she would say ‘This much flour,’ ” said Ms. Raczkowski, 74, recalling the unmeasured mountains of ingredients that would grow on the work surface. “I had to pour the flour back into cups. Twenty-four cups of flour. Eighteen eggs. So then I had to cut the recipes.”

Pizzelles, a waffle-like Italian cookie, are also essentially mandatory. The Gerrero wedding was to feature both chocolate and anise pizzelles, made two at a time on an electric press manufactured specifically for this confection.

The work spread over every inch of Pat Gerrero’s kitchen and dining room, as the women filled the lady locks — log-shaped shells — with cream, pressed out spritz butter cookies, and kept an eye on the pizzelle iron. They pored over the working list of cookies. The range of flavors was important, they explained, but so was appearance. They soon realized there were no squares, so lemon bars were added.

Even as the number of cookies grew, there was never any question about whether to skimp on more traditional wedding sweets. “We’re having wedding cake, served with ice cream,” said Pat Gerrero. “My family believes in a little bit of dinner and a lot of dessert. Which is actually an Irish thing. They love sweets.”

They’re clearly not alone in that, for the debate over which immigrant group deserves credit for coming up with the cookie table continues unabated. “I hear the Italians, the Eastern Europeans, but I wouldn’t say that to a Greek person, because I don’t think they would buy it,” said Laura Magone, a filmmaker from Pittsburgh who is working on a documentary about the tradition. “Part of the reason I wanted to do it was because it captures the rich ethnic heritage this area has.”

Pittsburgh doesn’t have an ironclad claim to the cookie table; there are some people in Youngstown, Ohio, who believe it started there. So the tale of the table may be more legend than documented history.

“One theory goes that it got a jump start during the Depression, when elaborate wedding cakes were not as common,” said Andrew Masich, the president and chief executive officer of the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh. “Cookies filled in the need because so many people could contribute, so the expense didn’t fall on one family. But even that is not certain.”

Not every community adopted the tradition, either. Rabbis around town, for instance, note that they rarely see cookie tables. Assimilation, too, has taken its toll, with some families writing off the table as too ethnic or somehow common.

But that’s not how the Gerreros saw it. Pat, the mother of the bride, comes from one of the city’s well-known families, the Rooneys, who own a controlling stake in the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. “Without a cookie table, there might have been a revolt,” she said.

So the family was left instead to debate the finer points of cookie table etiquette. For instance, just how encouraging should the hosts be of those who want to pack a few dozen for later?

A generation ago, grown-ups would discreetly slip a few cookies from a plate into a purse. The younger set didn’t bother to hide what they were doing. “When I was a kid, you’d get whatever paper napkins you could,” said Ms. Magone, the filmmaker. “Or if you could find a paper plate, that was gold.”

As guests became more shameless, bringing in their own Baggies, host families adapted. The Gerreros decided to supply Chinese-food takeout boxes.

Another key question involves whether the cookies should be on display when the party starts or saved for a big reveal. The problem with the former approach: it may encourage people to move shamelessly from the canapés straight to dessert. Children, in particular, have made a ritual of this.

The bride’s sister, Nina Gerrero, thinks hosts ought to be tolerant of the behavior. “Eating cookies before you’re really supposed to is one of the most fun parts of a wedding,” she said. “I don’t consider it a dessert, though. The cake is the dessert, and the cookies are out there all day. That’s how it is on the holidays, too.” At her sister’s wedding, alas, the cookies were not to appear until the dinner hour.

Finally, there is the bake-or-buy question. Some families cater the whole thing (and lie about it to the guests), while others will turn to professionals only for more labor-intensive cookies like pizzelles or lady locks.

“They give us the recipe, and we make it just like grandma did,” said Sandi Heil, owner of the Pittsburgh Cookie Company in Midway, Pa., who’s catered about 400 weddings while also helping customers with Christmas and other more-everyday needs. “So they can still have grandma’s cookies, and grandma doesn’t have to kill herself making a hundred dozen.”

Wedding regulars in Pittsburgh have an eye for such things and whisper to other guests about it. But there was no such talk when Laura Gerrero’s wedding weekend arrived. On Friday, the various friends and relatives who had been baking pulled their cookies from tins and freezers around town and brought them to LeMont, her wedding site. There, a staff member spends much of Friday coordinating cookie arrivals, set-up and storage.

On Saturday, Ms. Gerreros’s wedding planner, Simone Hudson, and her assistant spent about 90 minutes arranging the 2,000 or so cookies in various tiers. The florist came over to dress things up a bit. Then, they draped tablecloths over the 12-foot display to make sure no one nibbled or knocked anything over.

After dinner was served, the covers came off and word spread among the 166 guests that the moment had arrived. Everyone lined up, and many grazed with the approach of an epicurean anthropologist. “People always talk about the new kind of cookie that they’ve never seen before,” said Nina, the bride’s sister. “My aunts and that generation of women, they say `Did you see that peach cookie?’ And everyone is freaking out.”

“I look for color,” said Scott Gibbons, a Pittsburgh area native who now lives in Cincinnati but was back in the city for the Gerrero wedding. He piled his plate with at least half of the 26 offerings. “I look for unique colors that should not belong in a cookie. And if they’re soft. And chocolate and peanut butter. This is what makes or breaks the wedding. If it wasn’t here, I’d leave.”

Given that the die-hards come to eat and pack more for later, the host family always frets. “The biggest fear is that you’ll run out of cookies,” said Ms. Ford, Laura’s aunt.

Instead, at the Gerrero wedding there was a different problem. So many people wanted to take the leftovers home that the family ran out of boxes.

Ravioli Lessons Learned

As with most others, part of my family's Christmas traditions center around the food we eat to celebrate the holiday. With that being the measuring stick, I went on a ravioli bender unparalleled in previous years. I made raviolis three different times the week before Christmas - once with a friend, so that we could have some to give for Christmas gifts, once with my extended family, so that we could have them to eat for Christmas dinner, and once with my husband's extended family, so that they could have them to eat for Christmas Eve dinner. I paid closer attention to the process this year with the intent of this post in mind. Here are some lessons I learned:
1. The quality of the ingredients does matter. At a basic level,I knew this was the case. But, I had the opportunity to taste the difference within a few days of using the different quality ingredients, and to reflect on that difference immediately after tasting it. For example, on one occasion, homemade breadcrumbs were used in the filling, and I could feel and taste the difference. The filling was firmer with the homemade breadcrumb, and the taste difference was more a lack of taste. I could taste the bread in the other (non-homemade) fillings, and that is not what it is meant for. The cheese and other ingredients should shine. The crumbs are meant for texture, not taste. Another example came when my friend managed to get us some homemade ricotta (from some guy in Altoona, PA) and I decided that, done properly, the plain cheese filling, as opposed to the veal and spinach or the sausage and cheese we also traditionally make, are my favorite.
2. Neither of my grandma's are totally right about the dough recipe. (If you know my grandmas, please do not tell them I said this, and please do not print this and show it to them, as I plan to lie through my teeth if ever questioned about it.) My mom's mom uses two eggs to every one cup of flour, and my dad's mom uses one egg to every one cup of flour. The former is too wet to hold up to the filling, and the latter too dry. I basically split the difference, erring a little more on the dry side.
3. Low boil = less broken raviolis.
4. Raisin raviolis are wonderful. I don't particularly care for raisins, usually opting to leave them out of recipes or substitute. But, my neighbor, whom I trust when it comes to food issues, insisted that I try a filling with ricotta and raisins. That was basically the only instruction he gave me, and my friend and I ran with it. We added some Parmesan, eggs, a bit of sugar (less than 1/4 c for 3 lbs ricotta), and some nutmeg. We even ate them with tomato sauce, as instructed. They were fabulous! The raisins were a pleasant surprise in an otherwise mundane ravioli. And, the sugar and nutmeg didn't bother me when paired with the sauce. Who knew?
5. Eat them fresh! They are quite good when boiled from frozen, but they are unparalleled with taken from the ravioli form to the water.

Here is my basic recipe (revised...sorry Grandmas)

dough:
1.25 eggs to every 1 cup flour
dash salt
olive oil, if needed to moisten

basic cheese filling:
ricotta
grated Parm/Romano
breadcrumb
egg yolks
parsley
fresh ground pepper
Base the amounts on the lbs of ricotta you start with, using the following ratios:
lbs ricotta to grated cheese 2:1
lbs ricotta to breadcrumb 2:1
lbs ricotta to egg yolk 1:1
parsley and pepper to taste

We have tried lots of other filling combinations, with honorable mentions going to seafood and sun dried tomato. But, we always make a ground veal and spinach filling (those ingredients mixed with enough of the above ricotta filling to bind) and a ground sausage filling (same method as the veal and spinach) as they have proven to be crowd pleasers time and time again.

I need to recover from this over-1,000-made ravioli bender. While I avoid the process, I wish you happy ravioli-ing

15090, A Melting Pot Of Sorts

Ethnic food in certain suburbs of Pittsburgh can be hard to come by. If you know much about Wexford, you probably wouldn't think of it as a gastronomic melting pot. Look closer, and you'll find some descent ethnic fare.

The Thai Place
Pine Tree Shoppes
Sister restaurant of the Shadyside and Fox Chapel Thai Place, The Thai Place in Wexford has wonderful, authentic food. The steamed dumplings are homemade and are not to be missed. They are filled with ground chicken, are light and balanced, and always served piping hot. The Pad-Se-Ew, Chile Fried Rice, and Crispy Duck are some of my favorites. Depending on which chef you get, the spice level can be aggressively wonderful if you ask for a 7 or better out of ten. (My husband and I have been trying to "one up" each other in this category for years. We started at a 5and have lately been ordering a 9 or 10. I think we both secretly prefer a 7/8, but we have our pride to consider, of course.) Dinner can get pricey, and the staff seemed offended one time when we arrived to dine within an hour and a half of closing time, but other than that The Thai Place is highly recommended.

Ichiban
Village At Pine
One in the chain of Ichiban restaurants, the Wexford location joins the Waterworks, Cranberry, and Robinson locations. There are hibachi tables as well as a sushi bar, a drink bar, and non-hibachi tables. The sushi is fresh and wonderful. Some of the rolls are a bit overdone (lots of heavy sauces) but many simple, wonderful rolls are available along with other sushi dishes. The miso soup is very good as well. The drink list is fun and lengthy, and the wine list is descent. The restaurant is closed at odd times between lunch and dinner, so be sure to call ahead if you want to go around then.

My Big Fat Greet Gyro
Pine Tree Shoppes
My Big Fat Greek Gyro, though cheesily-named, serves fresh, tasty Greek fare. The food comes fast and hot and is pretty authentic. The gyros are solid, and the stuffed grape leaves are some of the best I have had. Can't speak much to the non-Greek fare on the menu, and there is lots of it, but the Greek food is very good.

Azzeria
Village At Pine
With the original on Banksville Road, the Wexford Azzeria is the second location. Azzeria serves breakfast, lunch/dinner, and dessert. They woodfire many ingredients and dishes (even LaPrima coffee beans) and serve great food. The pizzas are available in wheat and white crusts, and both are very good. The pizzas aren't actually woodfired at this location - that is done at the Banksville location and the crusts are flash frozen and delivered to the Wexford location. However, the are surprisingly fresh. The pizzas are available in white, red, and vodka sauce options, and a plethora of ingredients, many woodfired at the Wexford location, are available as toppings. We love the greens and beans pizza. Other than a few overly oily pizzas, we have yet to dislike anything about the pizzas there. Pizzas are available by the slice or the pie. Azzeria also offers paninis and salads, as well as homemade soups. I will have to do a post on Azzeria at some time in the future, because there is a lot to talk about, but for now, it suffices to say go there - eat the woodfired wings (which taste more like roasted chicken), the pizza, or a breakfast panini. If you are lucky enough to be there on a day when chili is one of the special soups, order some for there and some to bring home. Don't miss the gelato for a real treat. FYI - Azzeria is BYOB.

Patron
Perry Highway
Patron is a Mexican restaurant on Perry Highway. I have to admit, I am partial to El Campesino, so I didn't give this place much of a chance at first. Then I heard about Monday night taco night. Patron serves beef or chicken tacos on Monday night for $.95. They are hearty tacos - filled with meat (the beef has just enough fat and is ground thin, the chicken is mostly white meat and is shredded, served with stewed tomatoes and onions), shredded queso, and shredded lettuce. The shells are crispy and fresh - so good! Salsa and chips come with the meal as well. The salsa is inconsistent but usually wonderful. Occasionally, someone I am with on a Monday will order something other than a taco (if you can believe it), and when they do their meal is also very good. I have tried the fajitas Azteca (pork chunks, chorizo, chicken, and steak) and they are an interesting, tasty twist on the ordinary fajita.

Adding to the Melting Pot are Mama Lucia's (Village At Pine), China House (Pine Tree Shoppes), and Pierogies by Forgotten Taste (Perry Highway).

Chili and Cheese

What a blessed combination. Best showcased, in my opinion, on a hot dog. Some of my favorite places to get a chili and cheese dog are:
Red Hot Restaurant
219 6th Street
Ellwood City, PA

Red Hot is a small, not too clean, diner-like restaurant in Ellwood City. The staff can be indifferent, at best. But, the chili and cheese anything are fantastic. The chili is spicy but not overpowering, and the beef is finely ground and not too greasy. The cheese used, whether on a dog, burger, or fries, is sliced American. No room temp bottles of squeeze cheese here - take note, Brighton Hot Dog Shop. The dogs are run of the mill pork dogs, and the buns are steamed, I think. The combination of all is not to be missed. Also not to be missed are the chili and cheese fries. They are fresh cut fries, covered with American cheese slices, ladled with hot chili. So very good. I am a big fan of the (surprise!) chili and cheeseburger as well. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The prices are Red Hot are another attraction. We got a large chili cheese fry (which filled two large square to-go Styrofoam containers), 3 chili cheeseburgers, and 8 chili cheese hot dogs (yes, there were other people besides the two of us eating) for under $20. Quarts and pints of the chili are available as well. Additional bonus: Cherokee Red available by the can.

Eddie's Footlong Hot dogs
16306 Conneaut Lake Road
Meadville, PA
Eddie's has been serving footlong hot dogs since 1947. I have been enjoying them, with chili and cheese, since I can remember. Eddie's chili (aka sauce at Eddie's) is, appropriately, saucy. It is mild so far as spice goes. The cheese is shredded cheddar and adds a nice bit of sharpness to to the chili. The dogs are Smith's, made in Erie, PA. I try to eat local whenever I can, so the fact that the dogs are made and the company is headquartered 20 miles to the north is a big plus for me. The fact that they are wonderful is more important, though.
The only seating available is outdoor : picnic tables. Eddie's is open seasonally, so be sure to call ahead and make sure they haven't closed for the winter.
(If you are at Eddie's, you need to go right down the road to Hank's Custard Stand and get dessert - custard, specifically. Maybe the best I have ever had.)

Basilone's
708 Roemer Blvd
Farrell, PA

MARGIE DOG - that's what you need to eat here. It is a chili cheese dog with sliced hot pepper rings. I was in a food coma when I ate this dog, so I can't be sure of the details. But, what I can remember of the dog, besides the overall heavenly deliciousness, is the tangy heat the peppers added to the dog. The chili is chunky with beans and and the cheese is shredded cheddar. The buns are buttered and grilled. Can't say much about the dog itself - I don't remember. I am going to be diligent in getting back there soon and trying another Margie Dog, this time paying attention to the dog itself. It's a sacrifice I am willing to make.

Another sacrifice I am willing to make is a trip to D's Six Pax and Dogz in Regent Square for one of their chili dogs. I hope to do so soon and get back to you. I ate a Legume recently and wanted to try a dog after, but I didn't have the room. It's tough getting old.

Omakase at Umi: Money Well Spent

Umi
5849 Ellsworth Avenue
Shadyside

We had the chance to do experience the omakase at Umi in Shadyside. My sister and brother in law bought us gift cards for Christmas, and two of them were for Big Burrito restaurants. After 9 months of debating where to use them, we decided on Umi, and on the tasting.

After climbing three sets of narrow, steep stairs (note to self: do NOT drink too much alcohol and fall down these stairs), we arrived in the tiny restaurant upstairs of Soba, another Big Burrito restaurant. We were seated at our table, and our waiter, Drew arrived shortly thereafter. We were struggling with our drink order, and Drew recommended a bottle of Sake that was reasonably priced ($22) and would pair well with the meal and our taste (we like our wines on the dryer side.)

While we were waiting for our first course, Drew brought a bowl of edamame for us to nibble on while we waited. He apologized for the wait, which we had not realized had been, as we were busy watching a table of four try to get into their seats at the in-floor seating. (Note to self: do NOT drink too much alcohol and attempt to climb into one of those tables.)

The omakase started, and the first course was a toro tartare. It was presented beautifully – in a small ramekin on top of a banana leaf on a bed of crushed ice. The tartare was chopped with wasabi and onion, there was a wasabi soy sauce on the bottom and some sturgeon caviar on the top. It was amazing – spicy but balanced, hearty but light.

Round 2 was sawara (Spanish mackerel) seared in hot sesame oil. There were four, thin pieces on each of our plates. The searing was the most delicate I have seen – the fish was so thin, but the outsides were seared without browning and the inside was raw. It was served with a delicate ponzu (citrus based) sauce and some chives.

Next came the new style fluke sashimi. Sashimi is thin, raw fish. The fluke was prepared as such, and was served with a soy-based sauce and Japanese ginger. It was tender and wonderful.

Round 4 was served the same style as the fluke, but with white tuna instead. Drew promised it would be more tender and buttery than the last dishes, and he is a man of his word. Like buttah! It was served with a dot of wasabi on top. The wasabi was not a hot as some I am used too, but the milder version did well to not overpower the fish.

Next up: tempura rock shrimp. My past experiences with rock shrimp left me concerned about this dish, but apparently I had been served the spam of the rock shrimp world and Umi introduced me to prosciutto di parma. The shrimp itself was meaty in texture but delicate in flavor. It was lightly tempura dipped and fried. Under the shrimp was a thin soy-based sauce, and coated onto the shrimp was a thicker, spicy orange sauce. This was the classiest (and more impressively the most delicious) form of buffalo shrimp I have ever tasted. This dish was such a contrast to the fresh, simple courses that preceded, but it was just as unique and wonderful.

Black cod with miso was the next dish. It was marinated in miso and oven roasted. The skin was crispy and delicious and the meat was tender. There was a miso glaze on the bottom that was sweet but not overpowering. We both loved this course.

The next course was the sushi course. Not to be confused with sashimi, sushi is vinegar rice topped with fish. The rice was less dense than other sushi rice I have had. We received a piece of toro, snapper, salmon, tuna, and sawara, each with its own sauce. The toro and tuna were served with a light soy, the snapper with mint (yes, mint, and it was perfect), the salmon with tomato and sour cream, and the sawara with sesame.

At this point in the meal, we got a little panicky. My husband had told Drew that we were “in his hands” when he asked if we had any special requests for the omakase. We hadn’t expected to get so many courses, and the menu had set the omakase price at “$75 and up”. The table next to us, who arrived after us, also ordered the omakase, and they had gone from what had been our second course to the cod. As my husband and I were trying to figure out exactly how many more courses we had and how much more money that might mean, we heard the waiter explain to them that their raw dishes were delayed because Sidney Crosby had been at the sushi bar, which seats six, and had ordered some extra courses which were putting the sushi chef behind. The table beside us was going to get their cooked courses while the sushi chef caught up, then return to their raw courses. We, on the other had, were going to be able to exhale and to stop worrying about how many dishes we had to clean to pay off our “in your hands” statement.

Dessert arrived next. Drew explained it as a monkfish liver frozen pate, then smirked as he set it down and awaited our response. We dug in, not thinking entirely about what he had said, and he explained that he was kidding – dessert was a frozen cashew mousse with a chocolate ganache icing. I am not a dessert connoisseur, and I wasn’t expecting to love this course anywhere near what I had the last seven. I was pleasantly surprised. The mousse was light and slightly sweet, the icing was dense and rich, and the mango and raspberry sauces were tart. The combination was wonderful.

Our bill came to $184 ($75 each for the tasting and $22 for the wine, plus tax). I am not going to try to convince anyone that this was a bargain meal by any means. I am also not ignorant of the fact that we had received a generous gift card to help us with this meal, and that we had been watching our food budget in preparation for the meal. Having said that, I do want to suggest that this was a “good deal” in relative terms. The fish was the most fresh available in Pittsburgh (flown in daily) and was expertly prepared (Mr. Shu is well renown). The courses, ordered separately from the menu, would well exceed the $75 price. The wine was good and moderately priced. The meal took us about an hour and a half to eat, and it was such great food that we spent most of that time staring at each other with “I can’t believe how F-ing great this is” grins on our faces. We were full when we left. In our books, it was money well spent.

A Morning at the Market, A Weekend of Joy

So, we went to the Farmers' Market at the Firehouse in the Strip District (http://www.slowfoodpgh.com/farmers.html)and we got a little carried away. Between the goodies we got there and the vegetables we got from our crop share through Kretschmann Farm (http://www.kretschmannfarm.com/) - which is awesome, by the way - we made some wonderful meals.
One of the vendors at the market had rabbit. We had never had rabbit, and we were feeling adventuresome, so we bought a whole, quartered rabbit. It came frozen. My husband was expecting (and hoping) for dark, gamey meat. To our surprise, it looked very white. We decided to do some research, and found out that rabbit is an all white meat that’s lower in cholesterol than chicken or turkey (164 mg of cholesterol in rabbit vs. 220 mg in chicken), has just 795 calories per pound (chicken has 810 calories per pound), and has the highest percentage of protein and the lowest percentage of fat of any meat. In short, meat doesn’t get any healthier. We found a recipe in "The Silver Spoon" for stewed rabbit with some tomatoes and white wine. We browned the rabbit in some oil first, then added the liquid and spices like you would do with chicken. We served it with some bread from Mediterra (also purchased at the market - by far the best bread in the 'burgh), and it was fabulous.
We served the rabbit with a roasted beet salad with olive croutons. The beets and greens were from Kretschmann Farm, and the cheese was purchased from the market. The beets were amazing - simply roasted, cooled, and tossed with the other ingredients. So good! The croutons were made using the olive bread from Mediterra (again, from the market) and were the perfect compliment to the salad. This recipe was definitely a keeper!
With Saturday dinner under our belt, we began planning our Sunday meal. We have yet to master a whole roasted chicken. We bought a whole chicken at the market from Liberty Farms. It was definitely more expensive than any chicken I've ever bought (it was around $20 for a 6-7 lb chicken) but it was so worth it. The chicken are free range, organic chicken. That translated into a more flavorful chicken with lots of natural juices to make some sauce to serve the chicken with. It was juicy, tender, and delicious. By the way, pan juice into sauce was the key to making this chicken wonderful. (Sidenote: we also purchased some fresh chicken livers - one of my husband's favorite snacks. I floured and fried them, and he raved so much that I had to taste them. They were by far the most edible livers I have ever tried. That is a compliment coming from me. The typical strong, harsh flavor was a mild, slight hint. Also, the texture was smoother than any others I have had. If you are a chicken liver lover, try these!)
We served the chicken with a lemon kale soup. The kale was again from our crop share. This soup was amazing - bursting with fresh, lemon flavor that played so well off of the kale and sausage - which we bought at Parma - so good. The recipe was included in the weekly email I receive from Kretchmann farm, so I don't know where it originated. But, it was so good, I feel compelled to share:

Lemon Kale Soup: Cut up half pound sausage links into rounds. Saute in olive oil in pot adding 1 c. chopped onion near the end. Add 5 c. water, 2 c. broth, and 1 c. wine and bring to boil. Add half cup quinoa or brown rice, 1 bunch chopped kale, one third c. lemon juice 1 tbs. lemon zest and 1 c. precooked chick peas and pepper to taste. Simmer 30 min until quinoa is cooked.

We also had some Greek lemon potatoes on the side. The potatoes were part of our crop share as well, and they were so tender and new that the skin brushed off with our fingers - no need for a peeler!

We were so happy to have shared so much time together in the kitchen and to make a whole weekend of dinners from food grown locally and fairly. Make a point to check out your local market - who knows what you'll find and what meal it may translate into!

Happy Birthday to Legume

I had the opportunity to dine at Legume (www.legumebistro.com) for the celebration of the restaurant's second birthday on June 28, 2009. It was amazing - fresh, seasonal food, cooked well and seasoned perfectly.

The menu was seven courses:
-American White Sturgeon Caviar with Blini and Butter
-Chilled Beet Soup with Dill, Creme Fraiche, and Croutons
-Seared Scallop with Fava Beans, Jowl Bacon, and Spring Onion Vinaigrette
-Jamison Lamb Rib Chop with Polenta Cake, Peas, and Herbs
-Fresh Fig with Buttermilk-Honey Sorbet and Lavender Shortbread
-Three Cheeses with Apples and Maple Walnuts
-Chocolate Chocolate-Mint Truffle

Besides the indulgent and assumed stars (who doesn't like caviar and butter on a blini?), some of my favorites were sides and sauces. The spring onion vinaigrette was my absolute favorite component of any of the courses. It was delicate and smooth and wonderful! That entire course (the scallop)was my favorite overall, so I may be biased. The polenta cake was another highlight for me. It was crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, and sweet all the way around. The lavender shortbread, which was the size of a quarter, was a bite of heaven - hint of lavender, very short. I wanted more! The cheese course included a cloth bound cheddar by Cabot, a Pleasant Ridge Reserve, and a Couple by Vermont Butter and Cheese Company. They were all special, but the reserve was amazing : sweet and firm with some of those calcium lactate crystals to give it a little crunch at times. Can't say enough about this restaurant and this meal. Here's to many more happy, healthy years!

FYI: Legume is doing some other "special" dinners this summer, including a corn dinner, a tomato dinner, and a lobster dinner.

Go Here Now

Regent Square is where it's at. So long as "it" is fabulous food and drink. This time of year, as warm, sunny days are beginning to be interspersed with the cold, dreary winter days, Regent Square is especially enticing. Most of the restaurants and bars in Regent Square offer outdoor seating, which amounts to tables on the sidewalk. It is wonderful to walk the streets and see what the various restaurant patrons are eating. And the mix of people dining in Regent Square is as diverse as anywhere in the city.
So, go there now, and go often, being sure to hit up some of the following places:
1. Legume: 1113 S. Braddock Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15218
I was so excited to go to this restaurant, I didn't think it would be able to live up to the hype. I had heard so much about their seasonal, local cooking, and I had been reading their kitchen notes (found on their website at www.legumebistro.com)that I was so excited to eat at this restaurant such that anything less than absurdly amazing would be a disappointment. It did not disappoint. Everyone I dined with that night left with a full belly, a smile on their face, and an excitement for local, fresh ingredients. From the duck confit and wheat berry appetizers (the latter being served with homemade ricotta cheese), to the staple chicken cooked under a skillet, the dishes were flawless - perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned, perfectly perfect. Dessert was amazing as well - we especially like the panna cotta served with candied figs. Along with the reasonable prices, the dedication to local ingredients, and the BYOB policy, Legume is a "do NOT miss going to this place" restaurant.
2. The Green Mango: 1109 S Braddock Ave, PA 15218
The Green Mango/Noodle Hut offers some of the best Thai food in Pittsburgh. It has been getting some negative reviews lately from some online review websites, but the food has been spot on each time I have gone. Having said that, I have only been there for dinner, as my job tends to get in the way of my passion for food. Go figure. Anyway, the service has been inconsistent, but nothing that I can't overlook for the quality of the food. I have a hard time not getting the roast duck summer rolls - the best summer rolls I have ever tasted. The noodle dishes are great as well, and the drunken noodles are a personal favorite of mine.
3. D's Six Pax and Dogz:1118 S. Braddock Ave., Regent Square, PA 15218
D's boasts a large selection of import and micro brews, both on tap and by the bottle. Mix-and-match six packs are available to go, which can be especially nice if you are going to one of Regent Square's BYOB restaurants. But, there is no need to leave D's to get good food. D's offers a wide variety of food, but most of the patrons eating at D's every time I have been there have opted for a hot dog (or three). D's hot dogs are all beef and served on steamed poppy seed buns. I have yet to enjoy one, but they look amazing and everyone around me seems to LOVE them.
4. The Map Room: 1126 Braddock Ave., Regent Square, PA 15218
I am not a connoisseur, but my good friend, whose opinion I trust on these issues, tells me that the scotch selection here is amazing.

Old Classics and New Favorites in The Strip

UPDATE 12/27/09: We went to the strip to stock up on some goodies before Christmas, and we were happy to find some new street fare. A stand was set up outside of Reyna's Mexican Groceria (corner of Penn and 21st), and the vendor was offering tacos and burritos. Either could be filled with shredded chicken, steak, shrimp, pork, or veal tongue. We had tacos - chicken for me, veal tongue for my husband - and they were great. The filling and soft corn tortilla were heated on a griddle, and they were piled on top of each other, along with an arsenal of toppings: queso fresco, lime juice, lettuce, salsa, and onion. Additional sauces were available - chipotle and salsa verde. I used the chipotle sauce, and it added some nice heat to the taco. The man behind us got a shrimp taco, and it looked very good. The shrimp was chopped as it was being heated, and rice was an additional topping to the taco. Lucy was no where in sight, so I fear that she really is gone. But, the taco stand offers some hope that my hungry heart will heal.

ORIGINAL POST: For those of you who aren't familiar with Pittsburgh, "The Strip District" is a mile-long stretch of the city full of old industrial warehouses turned into food wholesalers and an eclectic mix of food markets and odd shops. My husband and I go there often, and we are continually drawn to same stores to shop in and foods to snack on. However, on a recent trip, we discovered some new (to us) gems.

The first of many pleasant surprises came as we went to enjoy and old classic. Lucy Nguyen is a Vietnamese street vendor who has been grilling her bahn mi, or Vietnamese hoagies, outside of the My Ngoc restaurant for over a decade. Literally everytime we go to the strip, we make sure to enjoy one of the hoagies. The bahn mi is made on a Breadworks baguette, cut in front of you so that you can watch the knife break through the crusty outside before gliding through the fluffy inside. Lucy then takes marinated and grilled chicken or pork straight from the skewer, cuts it into strips, and places it on the bread. The chicken, which we usually get, is moist and flavorful, and the sandwich would be outstanding even at that point. However, this is when the real fun begins. Lucy tops the chicken or pork with pickled carrots, sliced onions, fresh peppers (chilies and or jalapenos), cucumbers, and chopped cilantro. The cherry on top, so to speak, is a brown sweet and spicy glaze/sauce. The sandwich is bursting with flavor, and the heat from the peppers is perfectly balanced with the sweet of the sauce, the cool of the cilantro and cucumber, and the starch from the bread. As you can probably tell from the description, I get pretty excited about this sandwich. If I were a man, I would say that this sandwich gives me a culinary boner. (Can women have culinary boners? I guess we'll save that for a different blog...)

I was so excited to dig into the sandwich that I almost walked right by the bowl of pyramid-shaped-and-banana-leaf-wrapped goodies. Once it registered that there might by something else besides the sandwich to eat, we gave an inquisitive look to each other and to the other vendor standing near Lucy. The other woman, whose name I regretfully did not get (it was hard to effectively communicate with the food in my mouth and the saliva on my chin), told us that the bowl was full of snacks she made, which have pork, beans, and sticky rice inside. As if on cue from a promoter, a woman walked up to the bowl and asked for ten of the pyramids, mentioning that she eats two of them for lunch everyday. She was stocking up for the week. We couldn't resist, so we got two of the surprise pyramids as well. The banana leaves on the outside were tied together with a twine-like leaf, so we snipped the outside leaf and opened the package like the beautiful present that it was. All that was visible once opened was the rice, glossy and tinted green from the leaves. We dug in, and the next thing I remember was looking up at my husband, who had also just finished his pyramid, and seeing that goofy grin that emerges when he eats something that makes him happy. We were sold. Inside the layer rice, which is perfectly sticky but not at all mushy, was a layer of pureed beans we both thought to be garbanzos, then a layer of ground pork. There is a spicy kick from somewhere, and it too is balanced well with the earthiness of the rice. We can't decide if the pyramids are boiled or steamed, but we likened them to a Hue Com Sen. Whatever the case, we were so pleasantly surprised to find this new gem nestled amongst an old staple. If you can make it to the Strip on a Saturday (the only day the pyramids are available, though Lucy is a Monday - Saturday vendor), stop in for one (or more) of each.

Also new to us on our recent visit was the Slow Food (http://www.slowfoodpgh.com)/tasting tent/demonstration at the Farmers' Market. The Farmers' Market (Farmers@Firehouse) always holds some true treats, but this week we were lucky enough to stumble upon Bill Fuller, executive chef of the Big Burrito Group, using ingredients available at the market that day to cook up (and more importantly to hand out samples of) some delicious dishes. Chef Fuller , with the help of a local queen of the foodies, Virginia Phillips, made some amazing frittatas, using some raw milk goat cheese and heirloom peppers from the market. He also sauteed some homemade bacon, cured from a pork belly he got from a local butcher. To be more specific, the bacon was from the belly of a whole pig he got from a local butcher. (Note: the goodness that was the homemade bacon is too much an undertaking at this juncture, and will have to be addressed in a later, pork-inspired posting. For know, just know that it was so amazing that I cannot even begin to describe it.)We also stuck around for some sauteed chanterelles and Swiss chard, again, from the market, and were happy we did. Not only was the demonstration fun and informative, but the food was delicious and inspirational. The Farmers' Market is a definite stop on the list sans samples, but if you are lucky enough to catch one in progress, be sure to stop by, give generously to the donation bucket, and taste some dishes made from the best of the in-season local ingredients.

The third and final exciting find of the day for us was the Greek fare outside of Penn Mac. The food we know and love from Little Athens in Sewickley was suddenly available from a sidewalk vendor in the Strip. Was this some kind of bizarro world? A food-high induced mirage? We knew the answer as soon as the smell hit our noses. We also recognized the street vendors as the owners of the restaurant. This was the real deal, and we were going to have to suck it up and eat some more. As mentioned, we were familiar with the food, and were already big fans. But, seeing them in the middle of the Strip was a little like seeing your kindergarten teacher anywhere outside the classroom. Getting over the shock, we got a custard pastry. I am sure there is a Greek name for it, but I'm not aware of it. If I knew the Greek word for heaven I would just as soon use that to refer to it. Both the dough and the custard were made that morning, and the love and time that I am sure went into it became blatantly obvious once we bit into it. Also available from this vendor were gyros, spanakopita, moussaka, and baklava, all of which were being thoroughly enjoyed by other Strip-goers.

We went home, happy and fat, still reeling from the new goodies our old friend The Strip District had introduced us to that morning.

Reading is fundamental

After I was finally able to drag myself away from reading and re-reading the books of the Twilight series, I had the chance to read some food-related books, and I really enjoyed the following:

Heat - Bill Buford
This book is hilarious. I laughed - loudly and often - while reading this book. It mixes food history with real-life experiences and some serious passion for food. It is well written and a quick read.

Kitchen Confidential - Anthony Bourdain
I can't believe it took me so long to read this book. It is insightful, instructional, and full of the sarcastic humor Anthony is known for. I have the updated version, which includes a forward by Anthony addressing the changes in the food industry and his attitide since the book was originally written.

Alice Waters and Chez Panisse - Thomas McNamee
I have to admit - I didn't know much about Alice Waters before I read this book. Though I am a member of the Slow Food Movement, I was unaware of her part in this movement as well as of the history of Chez Panisse. This book outlines all of the above, and it allows the reader a look into the fascinating personal life of Alice Waters. While it focuses on the birth and beginnings of the restaurant, this book is timely in so many ways. Recipes are scattered throughout the book as well.

Sorry Grandma, Jesus...

Lent is fast approaching. Though I was raised and continue to be Catholic, the first thing I think of when I hear "Lent" is not fasting, prayer, or Easter. It's fish! (Sorry, Grandma. Please keep giving me crucifixes for my house and mantillas for my head.)

It's not my fault. I grew up in a small, predominately Roman-Catholic town. The Italians love to cook, Catholics love to keep tradition, and small towns (at least the one I grew up in) are crowded with bars and diners. This perfect storm meant that the possibilities for fish frys were endless on a Friday night in my hometown, especially if you considered that not only were bars and restaurants frying fish, but churches and volunteer fire departments were as well. My family happily took part in the fruits of such labor.

I love to continue that tradition now that I am grown. While I enjoy a fresh piece of fish grilled or pan-seared, such preparation is a non-Lenten meal for me. Fridays in Lent mean fried fish. Cod or Haddock. Breaded or Battered. Here are some of my favorite places to get it:

1. The Backdoor Tavern, 128 Beaver Street, New Brighton, PA 15066

The Backdoor offers huge portions and small prices. The fish is cod, and it is battered. It isn't greasy or too doughy (the batter is thin), and it is always piping hot when it gets to you. The fish is enough alone for you to make the trip. But, the accompaniments are great as well. The mac-n-cheese is homemade - creamy and flavorful. The beer list is lenghty and includes a great deal of microbrews. Parking is limited, and wait times are considerable. So get there early and post up at the bar until your table is ready.

2. Weisz's Hazel Manor, 215 North St Ellwood City, PA 16117

Weisz's is a hole-in-the-wall neighborhood bar. It has really slow service and gets really crowded on Fridays during Lent. The fish is breaded haddock. It is served skin-on, unless otherwise requested. It is well worth the wait. Fresh haddock, hand breaded after you order it, fried to perfection.

3. Rene's , 1030 5th Ave, East McKeesport, PA

Rene's serves breaded haddock in huge portions. The fish is fresh and served hot. Housemade cocktail and tartar sauces are wonderful.

And oh, what a thought...

Vivo - 565 Lincoln Ave., Bellevue, PA 15202
We received a gift certificate to Vivo recently, and I need to send an extra thank you to the gift-giver, who just so happens to have moved up the ladder of love since our dinner. We had not been there or even hear of the restaurant prior to this visit, and we can't wait to go back. I know it's the thought that counts, but this gift beat out any old candle or random bottle of wine.
The restaurant is cozy and comfortable, and the staff was helpful and friendly without being overwhelming. The food was amazing. We started dinner with two appetizers: a beef carpaccio and sauteed exotic mushrooms with chorizo and goat cheese. The beef is sliced to order and was drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with coarse salt and truffle. The beef was so tender it literally melted in our mouths. It was perfectly seasoned - complimented but not overwhelmed. The mushroom dish was delicious as well, with the star of that dish being the goat cheese. It was fresh and creamy and mild.
The pasta course (which comes with every meal) was served with a house-made sauce which was perfect. The fun of the pasta dish was that it was served with chili oil, which served as a nice addition to the sauce. The pasta itself was not housemade - our only disappointment in the entire meal.
For dinner, we ordered the lamb chops and the scallops. The lamb chops were grilled and served with an amazing honey truffle mustard. It was tender and flavorful. The scallops were the largest I have seen. They were pan seared absolutely perfectly and served over a sweet chili sauce.
The vegetables for that day were cabbage with pears and butternut squash. Vivo serves their vegetables at room temperature, a prospect which was off-putting to hear but surprisingly good to eat. I am not usually a fan of cabbage, but this was some of the most tender and non-bitter cabbage I have had.
Salad was served after dinner and was good but not noteworthy. However, the dessert was certainly something to write home about. We had the homemade "Heath" gelato, and mascarpone cheese with nutella, crushed amaretti cookies, and fresh berries. Both were excellent, but the mascarpone was exceptional. We made it out of there, full and happy, for $110. I think that is a very reasonable price for a five course meal of that caliber!