Best Week Ever!

Ok, maybe not best week ever, but this past week has been the best week of 2013.  Do you ever have a good feeling on Sunday that the upcoming week will be a really good one?  Typically, I am always optimistic about the upcoming week or just a new day in general.  However, there was a point on Sunday where I just had a really good feeling something big was going to happen.

One of my favorites from the Stella & Dot spring line!

My week began in the early hours of Sunday when the Notre Dame men's basketball team beat Louisville in 5/OT.  I know, very minor, but I love a close game especially when my team wins.  After maybe 5 or so hours of sleep, I met up with some of the #dirtyrunners for a Sunday morning run.  I will admit, my training for the Cleveland Marathon, has been a bit off, but I felt great after finishing my long run despite falling way behind everyone else for the last few group miles and adding a few more to bring me up to where I should be for training.

Cleveland Rocks!!

While warming up from a chilly run, I set up a Facebook page for one of my latest ventures, becoming  a Stella & Dot stylist!  My good friend Julie has been one and after many conversations, and a little convincing, I signed on!  Afterwards, Brad and I headed to the Great Big Home + Garden Show.  Overall, my favorite part was the garden displays which captured U.S Landmarks.  Some really captured every detail such as the one modeled after Augusta.  As a baseball fan, I was slightly disappointed with the interpretation of Wrigley Field.  They missed the ivy covered wall and to me, it looked like any other baseball field.  After admiring the gardens and deciding we one day will be hot tub owners, we headed to Fat Heads for lunch and beer sampling.  Food wise, I recommend the smokey wings, which are whole chicken wings, rubbed, grilled, then sauced just as I like to make them in the summer.

An ivy-less Wrigley

Augusta.  Felt like we were at the Masters

For the most part, the remainder of the week was somewhat normal.  Brad and I had a wonderful Valentine's Day dinner at The Black Pig where I enjoyed roasted duck and he enjoyed the Ohio Beef entree of steak and short rib, or as Ron Swanson would say, "Turf and Turf".  After dinner, we headed to Great Lakes for dessert.  Aside from tapping the Alberta Clipper, they were offering a tasting of Alberta Clipper, Edmund Fitzgerald, Blackout Stout, and Woodtooth Porter along with a red velvet cupcake, Edmund Fitz ice cream in a chocolate shot glass, and a chocolate covered ginger snap.  In other words, a plate of my favorite treats!!

The way to my heart!

While all the above would make for a pretty awesome, yet normal, week for me, what made this the best week of 2013 so far was a phone call I received on Wednesday morning.  I WAS OFFERED AND I ACCEPTED A LABORATORY CONSULTANT POSITION!!!  I finally found a job that will fit my background, personality, and career aspirations.  Here's to new beginnings on March 4th!!

Celebratory bubbles

**Disclaimer: I was given 2 tickets to the Great Big Home + Garden Show.  All opinions are 100% my own.**

Cooking for a Cause

Perhaps you are wondering what to give that cook/food lover in your life for Christmas.  There are the obvious choices of fun kitchen gadgets, restaurant gift cards, and foodie friendly gift baskets.  Have you ever considered a cooking class??

Maybe you are wondering how to incorporate raw foods or vegan dishes into your diet.  Or maybe you want to learn to cook some of your favorite steakhouse meals.  

So what am I getting at here?  Beginning in January, The Chubby Cook will be offering a variety of cooking classes ranging from raw foods to "Basics of Braising" to  "Learn to Bake with the Pie Lady".  There is something for everyone.  I just may take the pie one myself (who's joining me??).  Classes are $65 and can fit into anyone's schedule.  The complete schedule and how to sign up can be found here.  Also, The Chubby Cook has agreed to donate 40% of the cost of the cooking class to my Liver Life Challenge fundraising goal for any January class.  When you check out, enter the code: ALF2012 by "gift certificates and coupon codes".  Not only will you be giving a great gift to a loved one (or yourself) but you will be helping the over 30 million Americans and their families who are battling liver diseases.

From The Chubby Cook's facebook page

Please remember you can also donate here until January 31, 2012.

Until next time...follow your heart, fulfill your hunger!

***Disclaimer:  I responded to a posting by The Chubby Cook in regards to fundraising with cooking classes.  I was invited to a media preview back in the spring to see what The Chubby Cook was all about.  I am participating in Liver Life Challenge by choice.  All opinions are 100% my own***

Mangia! Mangia! NEO Food Tour through Little Italy

When Amanda from Clue into Cleveland reached out to me a few weeks ago about going on the next NEO Food Tour through Little Italy, I wasted no time getting a ticket.  Little Italy is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Cleveland and the opportunity to eat at four different places in one visit was not one to turn down.  Little Italy has a certain charm about it that draws both Italian and non-Italian Clevelanders back again and again.  From cute little art galleries to the history and tradition to of course the FOOD I cannot say enough good things about Little Italy.  Our walking tour through Little Italy was the perfect way to learn about this historic neighborhood with four different food stops along the way.

Our evening began on the corner of Murray Hill and Mayfield at one of my personal favorites La Dolce Vita.  La Dolce's owner, Terry Tarintino, would be our guide to the night.  Once our group assembled, we were seated on the back patio to enjoy "una creazione molto particolare culinaria" according to our menu.  We were presented with a beautiful caprese accompanied by a pour of La Lave, a white Terry discovered while in Key West.  I love a nice caprese to start a multi-course Italian meal.  The combination of the freshness of the ingredients, the unique and refreshing wine, and the warm weather set the tone for a great evening.  The slightly sweet tomato and the creamy mozzarella blended nicely together while the basil and olive oil added a nice flavor.  While enjoying this creation, Terry gave us a little history of the building.  Originally, La Dolce Vita was the neighborhood pharmacy.  Now it reminds me of what I would picture to be a small bistro on the Italian countryside (I have never been to Italy, so I would not know).

Our next stop was slightly uphill (Murray Hill) to the newly opened Murray Hill Market.  We were greeted by owner Michele Iacobelli-Buckholtz who told us she opened the market after her child went off to school at NYU.  She was impressed with all of the small family owned markets in Greenwich Village and wanted to bring that home to Cleveland.  The shelves are stocked with the usual market fair intertwined with specialty and imported items.  Murray Hill Market also offers a deli counter and fresh local produce.  Here, Michele prepared for us a wonderful spread of cured meats, fresh parmigiano-reggiano cheese, prosciutto wrapped figs (my personal favorite at this stop), and turkey on pepper jack drizzled with cranberry mayonnaise.  Upon exploring the store further, I found another delicious surprise, Murray Hill Market sells every variety of Jeni's Ice Cream.  Between the deli counter, the fresh daily specials, and Jeni's,  I know I will be back very soon to the market.

While walking to our next stop, Terry told us when he was growing up in Little Italy, family owned markets were everywhere throughout the neighborhood.  Many of the houses were built over a small storefront.  He pointed out where his uncle's hardware store used to he (Now Il Bacio), and where his grandfather lived (and had a dice game) all along the way to Michaelangelo's for our entree course.  Upon entering, Terry mentioned it used to be a privet club and has the most unique urban patio in the neighborhood.  Waiting for us was a large table in the dining room off of the bar.  Sitting down, I felt as if I were a guest at a family dinner hosted by Italian friends.  We were served a three cheese tortellini with parmasan, and prosciutto with peas.  I would hope this dish is on the menu next time I visit Michalangelo's.  The tortellini was cooked to perfection and the parmasan pulled the proscuitto and peas into the pasta component.  Also, we were served a gnocchi in the house Bolognse.  I would recommend the gnocchi for a future visit.  They were not overly chewy or heavy like some gnocchi tend to be.  However, the house Bolognese had both duck and veal in it.  I would have much rather preferred a simple marinara (which was served to the vegetarians in our group) since I do not like veal.  I sampled a little bit and it was just not working.  For those who enjoy veal, try the house Bolognse at Michaelangelo's and let me know your thoughts!

Before heading back downhill for our dessert, Terry showed us this unique patio complete with bocci ball courts.  It has a beautiful view of the RTA tracks, the Case Western campus, and University Hospital.  Along the walk down Murray Hill, Terry would smile and wave at the neighbors while saying a friendly "hello".  This really gave me a wonderful impression of the sense of family and community in Little Italy.  Some of the places and faces may have changed over the years, but the warmth of neighbors and tradition are still strongly felt.  Our final stop was another of my Little Italy favorites, Trattoria on the Hill.  After being lead to the back patio, we were served two different crustinis, one eggplant and the other white bean and tuna, we cleansed our palates and satisfied out sweet tooth with raspberry and lemon sorbets.  Upon leaving with full stomachs, we were given two mini cannoli from Corbo's.  These may or may not have made it to my car.  Afterall, for me, a meal in Little Italy is not complete without a cannoli.

NEO Food Tours have many exciting culinary adventures planned throughout the summer.  Their next neighborhood food tour will be on June 22 in Tremont (my other favorite food neighborhood).  Tickets will go fast and are quite limited.  Pat Johnson and Todd Gauman are hoping their tours and expeditions will develop a relationship between the community and the food.  They hit a home run with Terry Tarintino as our guide through Little Italy.  I could listen to him tell stories and the history of the neighborhood all day, maybe on the patio with a glass of wine and cannoli.  You really could sense his love and pride for his neighborhood and the food we all know and love.

Until next time...follow your heart, fulfill your hunger!

A Palate of Spring Flavors

One thing I have come to love about Cleveland bloggers is the sense of community and friendship.  Through reading each others blogs and tweeting back and forth, we develop new friendships and sometimes strengthen existing ones.  After a month or so of tweets, emails, and schedule coordinating, I joined my longtime friend CLEgal, and two "blends" Alicia and Brad for dinner at Palate along with our significant others.

Chicken liver pate and The Chancellor

Duck confit and pork belly

Since opening in late December 2010, Palate has been near the top of my "Restaurants I must try" list.  I have read great reviews of Jeff Jarrett's culinary creations and knew I must experience them for myself.  What was even more exciting about our visit this past weekend was the opportunity to try Palate's new spring menu which was released earlier last week.  One great thing I must say about Cleveland chefs in general is their dedication to using the freshest seasonal ingredients available.  After a round of drinks, we decided to order a few small plates to share.  We ordered the chicken liver pate, wild mushroom bread pudding, braised pork belly, and duck confit.  The pate was the best for a group to share and the presentation was only a preview for some of Chef Jarrett's other unique platings.  The pate itself had a nice smooth texture and a savory flavor which paired well with the sweetness of the black currant jam served with it.  While I am usually not a huge bread pudding fan for dessert, the wild mushroom bread pudding was excellent.  I love mushrooms and there was nothing bland or dry about this bread pudding.  My favorite of the four small plates was the duck confit in a hoisin glaze plated on top of Asian slaw with peanut sauce.  I am beginning to wonder if I have extra umami taste receptors since I love almost all Asian inspired flavors.  The duck was so tender it practically fell off the bone and the slaw had that perfect balance of sweet and savory I have come to love from Asian style food.  Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to sample the pork belly (I think I was too distracted with the duck and bread pudding) but the few fingerling potatoes and mushrooms served with the pork pleased my palate.      

Pancetta wrapped pheasant

For my entree, I went with the pancetta wrapped pheasant breast with zucchini and bacon ragout, oyster mushrooms, and french onion puree.  The deciding factor for me was I never had pheasant and I always love to try something new.  To describe pheasant, I would say it is somewhere between chicken and turkey.  Mine was very moist and flavorful and the french onion puree really brought out the natural flavors of the bird.  The pancetta added a nice subtle crunch to the dish while the zucchini and oyster mushrooms emphasized the idea of a spring garden inspired dish.  My only complaint on the dish was a clove of garlic that made its way under one of the breast pieces.  Overall, I would order this again and recommend it to an undecided diner.  My boyfriend ordered the flat-iron steak with mac and cheese and brown roasted cauliflower.  He said it was an enjoyable dish but found the steak sauce a bit on the salty side.  Also, he was more impressed with the flavors of the cauliflower (and I will agree since I had a taste) in comparison to the mac and cheese.  After dinner, Chef Jarrett came to our table.  We all had a great time chatting with the chef about the menu, Michael Symon's visit to Palate, and local restaurants in general.  He also is very involved with Dinner in the Dark, an event which I plan on attending in the future.

I also had two of the featured libations.  The bacon melonball martini was a fun liquid play on prosciutto wrapped cantaloup.  It's electric green appearance is pleasing to the eye while the sweet smoky flavors from Midori and bacon infused vodka are pleasing to the palate.  While I did enjoy this drink, I loved the cucumber loco which is Palate's take on a cucumber margarita.  Maybe it was the cool and refreshing flavors or maybe it was the fact I love anything with Patron.  Another thing I must note would be Chef Jarrett's Iron Chef-esque plating designs.  Even though no one at our table ordered one, our server showed us the spring garden salad which is served in a small metal bucket.  I also marveled at CLEgal and CLEguy's dirty bon bons which were served in a terra cotta flower pot garnished with a gummi work and fondant flower.  Overall, Palate is a much needed addition to the Strongsville restaurant scene which is dominated by familiar chains.  I would highly recommend visiting Palate next time you are looking for a great dining experience.

Until next time...follow your heart, fulfill your hunger!

Valentine's Day Part 2: Washington Place Bistro

I last left you with our couple's culinary adventure wondering where dinner last Friday evening would take us.  If you follow me on Twitter or "LIKE" me on Facebook you may know the conclusion to my Valentine's Day celebration.

When the Baricelli Inn in Little Italy closed, I was quite sad since I knew I would never eat at one of my "must eat here" restaurants.  I would run past the the inn this past summer into fall while training for the Columbus Half-Marathon and wonder what was going on inside.  Soon, a sign was posted it was going to become Washington Place Bistro and Inn.  Since opening it's doors in December, 2010, I have read nothing but rave reviews from my fellow food bloggers (Alicia, Brad, and Katrina namely).  Scott Kuhn's new establishment in Little Italy quickly topped my "must eat here" list and I kept mentioning the restaurant to my boyfriend.  Usually, I let him pick where we are going for special occasion dinners since we both love the Cleveland restaurant scene.  Since we began dating back in fall 2009, we try to make it a point to go somewhere where one or both of us have never been.  When we were discussing Valentine's Day plans,    I said that I really wanted to go to Washington Place and now I am sharing our fabulous dinner with you.

Scott Kuhn broke away from the neighborhood standard of really good Italian food by offering "Classic American Cuisine, featuring produce from local growers, hand-cut steaks, fresh seafood, house-made soups and grilled sandwiches."  Washington Place is open for lunch and dinner along with a 7-room inn.  Once a month, they also offer wine dinners which I hope to attend in the very near future.  Also, they run other promotions such as their lunch club and 2 for $40 Wednesday night.  Our waitress made it a point to stress Kuhn's use of local ingredients such as veggies from The Chef's Garden and pasta from Ohio City Pasta. 

Once we were seated, we offered two types of bread.  One, was a cheddar bread made with Great Lakes Dortmunder, the other a peasant bread.  Of the two, my favorite was the beer bread.  As much as I love cheddar, the bread was not overwhelmingly cheesy.  The peasant bread was very simple and I loved the crispy crust.  A great opening while we selected our wine (a 2004 Niner Syrah) and decided on our appetizer, the oxtail pierogies.    


As any other Clevelander, I love a good pierogi, my personal favorite being potato cheddar.  I also am not a big red meat person, so I figured this would be an adventure in itself with the oxtail.  I figured since it was in the ragout I could easily eat around it.  We were presented with two perfect looking pierogies filled with truffled potato (you had me at truffle).  To my liking, the oxtail in the ragout was mainly on one pierogi while the other had a bit more of the horseradish creme fraiche.  However, being the curious foodie I am, I did try a bit of the oxtail and it was quite good.  Not overly gamey and very tender.  The pierogi itself was amazing.  The outside was perfectly cooked, not too doughy, yet a slight crisp in the center.  The truffle added a great "something extra" to the creamy potato filling.    Usually, I am not one for sour cream on my pierogies, but I may be attempting to make my own horseradish creme fraiche to go with them in the future.  A little of the creme fraiche really complimented the truffle potato.  For an appetizer, it was the perfect portion for two.  My palate was now ready for what was to come next.

Since I have been studying the menu for quite sometime, I knew exactly what I wanted for my entree.  As I probably have mentioned at some point, I love seafood, specifically scallops.  They are probably one of my "go to" dishes.  The entree menu had something for everyone from a few seafood dishes, steaks, and even a vegetarian option.  Aside from my love of scallops, the fact that they were served over a butternut squash risotto made my decision that much easier.   I had 5 pnice sized dayboat scallops arranged in a star around the risotto.  There were also four pearl onions on each corner of the plate.  The presentation alone already made me happy.  The scallops were cooked to perfection.  Scallops can easily be over or undercooked leading to bad texture and consistency.  Around the plate, there was a drizzle of apple cider demi which really brought out the natural sweetness of the scallop.  I could have easily ate all five, but wanted to save room for dessert.  Now on to the risotto.  I like a risotto with a smooth texture and a flavor that will compliment the other components of the dish.  The butternut squash seemed like it was made to go with the scallops.  Texture-wise, I have nothing but praise for the risotto.  Silky and smooth, just how I like it.  My boyfriend went with the 14 oz. ribeye, which he also enjoyed.  

Since we both decided to leave room for a dessert to share, we decided to go with housemade chocolate brownie.  For me, a perfect meal ends with a little something chocolate.  I also was excited to finally try Jeni's Ice Cream, even though it was not one of their eclectic flavors like Queen City Cayenne.  This dessert will please any chocolate lover.  The cool sweet ice cream is a great contrast to the warm brownie drizzled with a bittersweet chocolate.  The brownie itself melted in my mouth with every satisfying chocolate filled bite.  It was worth saving two scallops and some risotto for lunch (which was still awesome) on Saturday.  


I cannot wait for my next visit to Washington Place Bistro.  For anyone who has yet to go, just do it!!  I left very pleased with my ridiculously high expectations met above and beyond.  The overall atmosphere of the restaurant is cozy yet chic.  We were seated in the sunroom which hopefully will be opened in the warmer months.  I noticed a room off to the size that would be perfect for a gathering of 15-20 friends that had a little fireplace in it.  My favorite part was how open the kitchen was to the rest of the restaurant.  I loved walking past it on our way to our table watching the chefs prepare their masterpieces.  It was the perfect ending to our perfect Valentine's Day celebrations.    


Until next time...follow your heart, fulfill your hunger!        

Valentine's Day Part 1...a Couple's Culinary Adventure

Happy Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week!  Hope everyone made plans to enjoy the events planned around town from tastings, to $30 prix fixe dinners, or $15 prix fixe lunches.  Since last week, I have decided to split my Valentine's Day recap into two separate posts so I can do each one justice and since we had two separate celebrations.  Finally, an advantage to my boyfriend's crazy work schedule.  Last Monday, we stayed in a decided to cook dinner together.  Sunday night was spent making M&M chocolate chip cookies and putting together his gift.  Instead of the traditional box of chocolate, I took a more personal spin on it and went with a box of chocolate stout, which included Southern Tier Choklat and Mokah, a four pack of Brooklyn Chocolate Stout, and (for laughs) Stone Double Bastard.  

LaBella Cupcakes and
HIC cookies

Valentine's Caprese

Monday evening waiting for me, were two La Bella cupcakes, Cookies and Cream and Sealed with a Kiss.  we have ran past LaBella numerous times while training for half-marathons, and I have mentioned it on quite a few occasions.  I decided out menu would be Italian inspired since finding a Vodka Cream sauce recipe.  For starters, we did a simple caprese salad of tomato, mozzarella, and basil drizzled with balsamic and a touch of olive oil.  On the side, we made our own garlic infused butter to put over ciabatta bread, which we lightly toasted.  Now, on to the entree.  The sauce is very simple to make.  First, sauté 2 shallots and garlic both minced.  Once they are carmelized, add in basil and parsley along with fresh black pepper and sea salt.  If you want an extra kick of heat, add crushed red pepper.  Then, add the tomato paste and stir until all of your herbs and aromatics are incorporated.  Now add the vodka.  FYI, we used Three Olives, since it was we had in the liquor cabinet.  Much like cooking with wine, only use a vodka you will drink.  Finally, add heavy whipping cream and bring to a simmer.  We served it over whole grain penne pasta.  For thicker, creamier sauces, I prefer pastas such as penne.      

Penne with Vodka Sauce

The whole meal came together perfectly.  The candles and Frank Sinatra playing in the background were  perfect additions to this romantic meal.  Now, on to the cupcakes.  My boyfriend bought for himself  cookies and cream complete with half of Oreo on the bottom.  My "Sealed with a Kiss" was a chocolate covered strawberry in cupcake form.  The cupcake itself was a very moist and flavorful chocolate cupcake.  The strawberry buttercream on top was the right balance of sweetness and strawberry.  Some buttercreams have tendency to be too sweet, not sweet enough, or too thick.  LaBella found the perfect balance of sweetness with a silky smooth texture I love in a buttercream.  Overall, a perfect night with the perfect Valentine...or so I thought until this past Friday.  Stay tuned for Part 2!!  

Until next time...follow your heart, fulfill your hunger!

Romance in Cleveland

I will admit, I have always liked Valentine's Day.  I never thought of it as "Single's Awareness Day" or some made up Hallmark holiday, even when I did not have a Valentine.  I would look forward to the classroom parties in grade school and had my Snoopy Valentines filled out by February 1.  Even in high school and through college, I would still buy the box of Valentines and pass them out to my friends and, if I really felt daring, my crush of the moment.  Maybe it was just another excuse to eat way more candy and treats then I should, or maybe I am just a hopeless cheesy romantic.  Either way, I am looking forward to another romantic culinary adventure on Feb. 14th with my boyfriend and our dinner at a new Cleveland hot spot next Friday.  With all that said, I hope to inspire you if you are still in need of V-Day plans with my top 5 most romantic Cleveland restaurants.

5: L'Albatros Zach Bruell's French inspired brasserie has provided a modern yet seductive atmosphere on University Circle for almost two years.  There is something to be said for enjoying French cuisine by the fireplace with a bottle of wine in the winter or on the patio in the spring and summer.  I also enjoyed a very romantic birthday dinner here.  For Valentine's Day, Bruell is offering a prix fixe menu at $75/couple along with an aprodisiac salon on February 13.

4: Lago The only Italian restaurant in Tremont offers a wine list and menu to seduce the wine and Italian food lover in all of us.  The booth's offer a cozy, intimate setting to enjoy one of Chef Fabio Salemo's interpretation of Northern Italian cuisine and a bottle of wine from a list that boasts over 100 varieties of Italian wine, many being undiscovered or hard to find.

3: Fahrenheit Rocco Whalen's Tremont restaurants provides a dimly lit atmosphere perfect for any couple looking to set the mood.  The food speaks for itself, making it one of my favorite Cleveland restaurants.  Whalen describes the food as "contemporary American regional cuisine".  I describe it as romance for your tastebuds.                              

2: Lola Michael Symon's East 4th establishment can make anyone fall in love.  Dimly lit and intimate tables for two are only the beginning.  The menu boasts some of the Iron Chef's best creations and can satisfy any pallet.  If you are looking for a "wow-factor" date, everything about Lola will fit the bill.  Afterall, the wine list is on an iPad.  Or just order the 6 a.m. special.  Bacon ice cream = food of love!

1. Pier W.  Maybe it is because I love seafood and Pier W sets the standard.  Maybe it is the breathtaking view of Lake Erie and the Cleveland skyline.  Maybe it is the fact that is has been a Cleveland landmark since 1965.  Maybe it is because it was the setting for my perfect Valentine's Day last year.  Whatever it is, Pier W tops my list.  Last year, their special Valentine's Day menu was superb.  This year, they are offering a chocolate bar and V-Day packages starting at $75/couple.

For more Valentine's ideas around Cleveland, check out these posts from fellow bloggers Bite Buff, Poise in Parma, and Why CLE?.  I can only speak from experience with this list, so I must ask you dear readers, What do YOU think the most romantic restaurant in Cleveland is?   

Until next time...follow your heart, fulfill your hunger!

Food to Put You In the Mood

Last Wednesday, I was invited to my first Emerging Chefs event, Aphrodisiacs at the Velvet Tango Room.  VTR provided the perfect setting for an evening of culinary seduction.  The event, which was sold out, was held in the private backroom behind the door with the Russian crest.  On my many visits to VTR, I always wondered what was behind that door.  Guests were only allowed in after saying the secret pass code which was emailed hours prior to the evening.  The room was dimly lit and I found a spot on a love seat by the fire.  Overall, the setting alone was very intimate.

Chef Matthew Mytro of Stove Monkeys prepared a wonderful four course tasting inspired by foods considered to be aphrodisiacs.  Each was paired with a cordial sized VTR cocktail.  Our first course to set the mood was East Coast Oysters with tarragon, a lemon champagne granita, and chocolate bubbles.  The aphrodisiacs featured in this course, oysters, champagne, and chocolate are quite common and well known.  The flavors blended well and it was a perfect teaser course for my pallet.  It was paired perfectly with the Aviation cocktail.

Our next course was ginseng poached duck breast served on a bed of smoked corn polenta with asparagus and drizzled with harisse buerre monte.  The duck melted in my mouth and the drizzle added a little spice which is great especially considering the theme of the evening.  I loved the polenta since it was very flavorful and the corn was a great addition.  Also, anything infused with truffles appeals to me.  I never knew asparagus was considered an aphrodisiac either.  We were served VTR's Manhattan which is the only part I didn't enjoy only because I do not like bourbon.  If I didn't enjoy a Manhattan at VTR, I will probably not enjoy one anywhere.  However, the cherry garnishing the Manhattan was very tasty. 

   





The third course, and my favorite, was Chef Mytro's "Poke a Dot" Scallops with gold and red beets, basil sauce, and caviar.  Scallops are one of my overall favorite dishes.  Chef Mytro cut the center and filled one with a gold beet puree and the other with red beet.  They were served on beets and drizzled with the basil sauce with a small garnish of caviar.  Again, much to my pleasant surprise, basil is an aphrodisiac.  In my personal opinion, this whole course seduced me.  The flavors blended so well together, my mouth is still watering as I write this.  this course again, was perfectly paired with one of my favorite VTR cocktails, "The Lady in White".  However, there was nothing innocent to be said for this course or the cocktail.  I am lusting more!

Our dessert course featured three different mini cupcakes, one banana, one almond-vanilla, and the third, chocolate and coffee.  Each flavor combination was inspired by an aphrodisiac flavor.  Again, I learned banana and almond to be aphrodisiacs.   Cupcakes to me are pure bliss and a very guilty pleasure.  We had a choice for our final cocktail, the sweet "Lady in Red" or the bitter "Negroni".  I chose the sweet "Lady in Red" and it was the perfect finish to my culinary seduction.  However, like any good lover, I left VTR wanting more.  I am planning on attending future events put on by the Emerging Chef and Chef Matthew Mytro.  

Until next time...follow your heart, fulfill your desire hunger.

Culinary adventure #2...Crab Cakes

Happy New Year!!  Hopefully everyone had a wonderful time celebrating the end of 2010 and all that 2011 has in store.  While many of you headed out on New Year's Eve to restaurants, bars, and parties, I for once opted to stay in.   Yes, there were plenty of options in Cleveland we could have chosen from, but  my boyfriend and I decided we would ring in 2011 by doing one of our favorite activities, cooking together.  Maybe it was the fact that both of us have been very overwhelmed between working and the holidays that we needed a night in, just us two.  As I titled this blog, I also realized that I haven't been that great at including things I cook, and I apologize for that.  For our New Year's Eve dinner, we decided on crab cakes, with twice baked potatoes and roasted asparagus with rosemary infused olive oil.  I will take no credit for the asparagus either since all I did was eat and enjoy it.

For my crab cakes, I first caramelized onions with garlic, thyme, rosemary, and basil (all fresh).  Next, I took a pound and a half of lump crab meat and mixed in breadcrumbs, 1 large egg white, a dash of mayo, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and the onion and herb mixture.  After seasoning the mixture with cracked black pepper and sea salt,   I ended up forming 5 large and one baby crab cake.

I refrigerated them for about a half hour while the potatoes and asparagus were cooking.  Meanwhile, we found a recipe for a simple garlic aioli and put our own twist on it.  If I had the link, I would have included it, but since we are both addicted to our smart phones, it is not saved in my email or recipe file.  When the potatoes were fully baked, we halved them, scooped out the insides, mixed in sour cream and cheddar, and popped them back in the oven to twice bake while the crab cakes were cooking.  I cooked the crab cakes in olive oil over medium heat, three at a time.  The first three came out PERFECTLY and I think I jinxed myself there.  The last three all fell apart and ended up looking more like crab cake hash. Finally, with about four and a half hours remaining in 2010, we sat down to enjoy this delicious meal.  It paired really well with our homemade strawberry wine too.

Overall, it was a perfect New Year's Eve proving all you really need is great food, champagne, and someone to enjoy it with.  And since we did not dress up and go out for New Year's Eve, tonight we will be dining at Michaelangelo's in Little Italy.

Until next time...follow your heart, fulfill your hunger.

Bon Appetite a la Bruell!

One of the big names on the Cleveland culinary scene would have to be Zack Bruell.  Owner of four wonderful restaurants, Table 45, Parallax, L'Albatros, and Chinato, Zack offers Clevelanders a variety of food and cooking styles.  In all of my dining adventures at Bruell's restaurants, I have yet to have a less then fabulous meal.  The service and selection also is nothing short of wonderful too.  If I only paid a bit more attention (or joined Twitter sooner) I would have participated in the Tour de Bruell, a promotion running through December 3 to dine at all four restaurants with the chance to win a four course meal for eight people with Zack Bruell.  My most recent dining adventure happened to be at Bruell's French Brasserie on University Circle, L'Albatros.

When going to restaurants, I love to try new things.  I hate falling into the always ordering the same thing rut may tend to fall into when dining out.  Yes, I do have my "stand-by" dishes just in case something does not capture my curiosity and spark my appetite.  When going over the extensive menu at L'Albatros, which has a large variety of poultry, seafood, beef, and vegetarian options, one thing definitely caught my eye, "sauteed skate wing".  Now I like to think I am quite familiar with various poultry and seafood options, however I never heard of skate.  My boyfriend clarified it was a type of sting ray but never tried it himself.  I asked our server, who was very helpful and friendly, about the taste.  She explained it as a very mild seafood almost like a whitefish or shellfish.  That made my decision for me.  I must say, I am very pleased with my adventurous pallet because I LOVED the skate.  It was sauteed in a brown butter sauce and accompanied by zucchini and tomatoes cooked in cheese.  

I must also mention the puree of eggplant, mushroom, and tomato soup that we had was the perfect starter to the meal.  A bit of future advice for those wanting to have soup but not wanting it to fill you up.  Ask if it could be split into two or more portions and share with your table.  Much like Bruell's other restaurants, a basket of bread is not placed on the table, yet brought to you, as needed, to enjoy with the olive oil and herbs.  I also must commend our server too for being very friendly and attentive.  After asking about a huge cheese tray I saw being taken around and mentioning my love of truffle, she brought me what is now my new favorite cheese (I will tweet the name later to ensure proper spelling).  It was very mild had a perfect perfect buttery texture.  I was later told, this particular cheese was brought back to Italy by Marco Polo.

Overall, I would recommend any of Bruell's restaurants for a date night or night out with friends who are in town.  The food and service will exceed any expectations.  Bruell's restaurants, specifically L'Albatros, are worth repeat visits to truely experience all it has to offer.

I now want to apologize for not updating recently.  As we all know, Thursday is Thanksgiving and I have been a bit busy preparing the menu for the big day.  I am so ready to talk turkey!!  Also, I would like to mention Cakes Plus bakery in Rocky River.  I am a recent winner of one of their Facebook contests and will blog about the Ultimate Brownies I have won once I pick them up.

Until next time...follow your heart, fulfill your hunger.

Cream of the Crop

So I often wondered what it would be like to be a judge on Iron Chef America.  Having some amazing chefs, both the Iron Chef and the challenger, presenting their dishes to me, explaining how they made it and their inspiration for it.  Of course, there would be the evaluation of their use of the secret ingredient.  Well, maybe one day I will be lucky enough to have this experience.  For now, the closest I have gotten is sitting at the Chef's Table at Crop Bistro and Bar in the Warehouse District.

Recently, a friend and I were looking to catch up over dinner.  She suggested Crop since she knows one of the chefs there.  This made me happy since I wanted to go to Crop for some time.  I have heard of some of Chef Steve Shimoler's innovative techniques and Crop's reputation for using the freshest and highest quality ingredients but never experienced it for myself.  I also heard good things about Crop from other foodie friends, so my expectations were quite high.  Crop is tucked away on West 6th next door to the late Dick Jacobs' favorite spot, Johnny's.  Unless you are specifically looking for it, it is easy to pass up.  However, this is all going to change early next year when Crop moves across the Lorain-Carnegie bridge to it's new home on West 25th and Lorain, in an old bank building.  

Since I was a bit early, I had the chance to enjoy a "Spooky Spice" martini and chat a bit with the bartender about the unique martini offerings.  The Spooky Spice was their take on a pumpkin martini and everything a pumpkin martini should be.  I have had my share of pumpkin martini's and this one takes the cake...or pie in this case.  A pumpkin martini should be like drinking spiked pumpkin pie.  Crop's "Spooky Spice" used fresh pumpkin puree shaken with pumpkin liquor and rum.  It was garnished with nutmeg and a cinnamon twist.  Other martini's that caught my eye were the  "Bloody Devil" (pepper infused vodka, and chipotle bloody Mary mix), "Anthony's Caprese Martini" (a caprese salad in a glass), and, not that I would drink it, "The NASCAR" (Wild Turkey, BBQ sauce, peanut butter, and beer...I kid you not).  This also gave me time to take in the intimate, cozy atmosphere which I hope will not be lost once they move to their bigger location.  And now for the food!

If I had to give this a title like an Iron Chef battle, I would call it "Battle Innovation".  Waiting for us, was a basket of buffalo style popcorn.  Think movie-theater meets corner bar.  The popcorn was drizzled with a blend of buffalo seasoning, sriracha sauce (a personal favof mine), bleu cheese, and celery.  Everything came together perfectly.  Now sitting at the chef's table we were able to chat with the chefs as they were cooking.  Even Chef Steve came and talked with us throughout our meal about some of his innovative cooking methods.  One menu item seemed to jump out at me and I had to ask "What is Lobster Latte".  I love lobster and I love latte but how do the two come together?  The name comes from the method used to prepare Chef Steve's interpretation of lobster bisque.  He has discovered a way to use a cappuccino machine to prepare the dish.  The bisque itself is not the thick, creamy bowl of goodness you are used to.  Instead, it is a lighter broth, served with a claw and foam in a latte glass.  A perfect appetizer.  Next, we were served braised pork belly with a tomato based broth.  I will admit, I am not a huge pork person (aside from bacon), but I enjoyed the crispy saltiness of the outside and the middle was so tender, it melted in my mouth.  For my entree, I decided on Crop's interpretation of a soul food classic, chicken and waffles.  I knew I was not going to get the traditional Southern fried chicken on top of a Belgian waffle drenched in maple syrup.  Instead, I was presented with two deep fried chicken breasts on top green beans with bacon, and a rosemary infused waffle on the side.  The plate was drizzled with a maple syrup based reduction to add just the right amount of sweetness to compliment the crispiness of the chicken with the saltiness of the bacon in the green beans.  I also must add, there was enough to share or have for lunch the next day (and yes, the second piece of chicken made a fabulous lunch).  The presentation was visually appealing however, the dish would have scored perfect with me for taste bud appeal.  Another reason I wanted to take the second piece home was I spotted pumpkin strudel on the  dessert menu and just had to have it.  Again, it did not disappoint and met this high expectations of pumpkininess set by the Spooky Spice martini.  If you are looking for a unique experience for date night, or a night out with the girls (or guys even), I would recommend Crop Bistro and Bar.  For a truly memorable experience, make reservations for the Chef's Table.  Either way, come hungry, prepared to share with friends, or take home a doggie bag.

Until next time...follow your heart, fulfill your hunger.