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!

Tuesday's Tidbits

Welcome to the second helping of Tuesday's Tidbits.  Hope you are staying warm and safe on this snowy/chilly/icy day in Cleveland.  Even though the weather outside may be frightful, there are plenty of delicious events coming up around Northeastern Ohio.

For starters, Cleveland's favorite food truck Dim and Den Sum will be offering in home and private cooking classes.  Visit their website for more information.

Tomorrow evening, Bistro on Lincoln Park will be holding a Winter Wine Tasting event.  $40 gives you a five course prix fixe dinner each carefully paired with a glass of wine.  Reservations recommended.

Staying in Tremont, Parallax will be starting sushi and wine classes on February 21.  Learn how to roll sushi and the best wine parings.  Contact Parallax to reserve a spot.

As if Dante could not get any better, look for the opening of Ginko, a sushi restaurant beneath Dante to be opening soon.

Last thought on sushi, Chef Matthew Mytro, who prepared the tantalizing food served at last Wednesday's "Aphrodisiacs" will be holding his next "Naked Sushi" on March 24 at Suite Six.

Speaking of the Emerging Chefs, their next event will be held on February 23.  "Sacrilicious" will feature the food of Chef Jeff Fisher of Touch Supper Club in a very unique venue.

For all of you craft beer lovers out there,Great Lakes Brewing Company tapped a brewpub exclusive Big Black Smoke porter this week.  Looking ahead, The IX Center Beerfest will be held May 13-14.  Check out the event's website or this great post from Cleveland Food and Brews Reviews.

February also brings a new Sandwich of the Month to Melt.  This month's "The Dude Abides Melt" was inspired by the movie "The Big Lebowski".  If you are more of a Molly Ringwald and Emilio Estivez fan, Melt will be offering "The Brat Pack Breakfast Club Melt" this weekend only to compliment their screening of the movie at Cedar Lee.

With all that being said, hopefully everyone is making their Valentine's Day plans for that special someone in your life.  Cleveland has so many great, romantic places and they will fill up quickly around February 14.  Some of those places will be featured on HIC next week.  Don't forget to stop at Malley's or Lilly Handmade Chocolates to get some sweets for your sweet.

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.

For the Holidays, You Can't Beat Home Sweet Home!

Merry Christmas Week all!  Hopefully, the tree is trimmed, gifts are bought and maybe wrapped, and your holiday food plans are coming together.  Christmas is a season rich in family traditions, and my family is no exception.  My family's ethnic background is Hungarian and Slovak.  Our main Christmas meal is on Christmas Eve before heading to Midnight (ok, 10 p.m.) Mass at St. John's Cathedral.  I would have to describe the meal itself as a nice blend of both old and new traditions.  The menu changes slightly with each year by taking a bit of the old and adding in something new.  Dinner starts with a traditional bowl of mushroom soup, which is made from dried mushrooms and sauerkraut juice.        

Nana would be so proud we are carrying on this tradition, despite the jokes and comments from the sour taste.  To counter the sour soup, we have the oplatky wafer with honey on it.  Oplatky are Christmas wafers usually with an image of the Nativity on them.  They are very similar to the Communion wafers used during Catholic Mass.  We also have shrimp cocktail with our homemade "octopus sauce".  Octopus sauce has nothing to do with octopus, it is just a name I came up with as a little girl for the shrimp cocktail sauce Nana made for Christmas Eve.  We have shrimp because Christmas Eve was my late Uncle Jack's birthday.  Growing up, Nana would prepare whatever my mom and uncle wanted for their birthdays, but Uncle Jack had limited options since Catholics would not have meat on Christmas.  
The main dish is always some form of breaded fish.  In past Christmases, Nana would deep fry ocean perch, however our new tradition is making an oven-fried tilapia, coated in panko and herbs.  I am looking forward to going to the West Side Market with my brother Friday morning to get the fish.  We also would have homemade french fries, cole-slaw, and bobalky which are little bread balls cooked in either sauerkraut or honey and poppyseed.  For dessert we have Christmas cookies and Malley's chocolates.  Overall, that is my traditional Cleveland Christmas, and I would not trade it for anything, even and Italian Christmas Eve with the seven fishes.

One of many things I love about Cleveland is how we exemplify the idea of a Melting Pot.  At Christmas and many other holidays, age old traditions are celebrated and made new again.  And now I will take this moment to ask you: What are your family Christmas/holiday traditions?

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

Pot Luck = Jackpot!

Tis the season for office holiday parties!  My place of employment is no exception.  Every place seems to have a different take on the workplace celebration ranging from extravagant feast to a simple at home dinner.  Here, we do a pot luck lunch and for the past three years, I have had the joy of organizing it.  Since my place of employment has a very diverse group of people, one could only imagine the variety of dishes brought to a pot luck.  I enjoyed everything from traditional Indian and Korean dishes, to Southern corn bread, and a Russian fruit cake which I was told took about three weeks to prepare.  I have to thank fellow blogger The Daily Balance for my contribution,orange spice holiday cookies.  They turned out AH-MAZ-ING!!!!  Nevertheless, no one leaves hungry from our holiday pot luck.  So now I ask you What is your "go-to" dish for a potluck or are you one to try something different?


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

Raise a Glass of Christmas Cheer!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable fulfilling Thanksgiving shared with great food and loved ones.  I was very pleased with how my feast turned out and will post pictures once I figure out how to add pics to a blog entry (yeah, the joys of being a rookie blogger)  Anyways, Friday and Saturday also had their fill of good food.  There was no better way to finish off a successful Black Friday shopping spree then a BLT and Christmas Ale from B-Spot.  Saturday included a trip and lunch at a true Cleveland food landmark, The West Side Market.  However, my holiday cheer was brought out in full force at the first annual Winter Wine and Ale Fest on Saturday evening.  

This event was held as a part of Downtown's Winterfest which highlighted the lighting of Public Square.  For $40/person, guests were able to sample 20 craft beers or wines of their choice from 19 different Ohio breweries and wineries.  My approach was simple, do not taste anything you already had and know you like.  This provided me the opportunity to sample other brewery's Christmas Ales since every time I go out, I remain loyal to Great Lakes Christmas Ale.  Also, there were appetizers and deserts to enjoy with the winter libations.  While tasting, we were able to rate our drinks on a scale of 1-5 (I did mine as 1 = lowest, and 5 = highest).  Now, I am not going to present everything I rated, just the 4's and 5's  Please keep in mind, these are based on my personal preferences.

Beers:

My overall favorite was the Cleveland Chop House's White Chocolate Brown Ale.  I love a good chocolate stout (I mean, it is a combination of two things I love...beer and chocolate).  I think if I had this as the first brew of the night, the remaining 19 tickets I had would have been used on this beer.  It was not the bitter stout that most people would think of, and there was a chocolate flavor throughout, not just at the end.  Next time I am near by the Chop House, I must stop in for a White Chocolate Brown Ale.

My second favorite is Hoppin' Frog Brewery from Akron's "Frosted Frog".  This is their Christmas ale which features my favorite Christmas flavor, gingerbread.  I would be up for a trip to Akron to sample their other brews.    

Other beers worth mentioning: Cellar Rats "Field Rat Wheat", The Brew Kettle's "Blackjack Porter", and Buckey Brewing Company's "Witless" (maybe I should get some for Thursday's Cavs/Heat game)

And now for wines:

My overall favorite was Firelands' Pinot Grigio.  Would love to enjoy with a pesto dish since I love pinot grigio with pesto.  

For something easy to drink and fruity, I would recommend any of the Virant Frosts (I sampled strawberry and blackberry).  They were a little thicker then most wines, but enjoyable if you are looking for a fruity wine.

I also want to mention the carephilly cheese I enjoyed from Great Lakes Creamery.  If you enjoy parmesan and provalone, I would recommend looking for this particular cheese.  It would be a great addition to your holiday cheese platters.

I am looking forward to many more holiday culinary adventures.  The Christmas cookie list has been started, and the holiday party invitations are starting to pile up.  It truly is the most wonderful time of they year.  With that being said, I am going to start something new on the blog, "Question of the Week".  Feel free to comment below.  

What food/drink really makes it feel alot like Christmas?

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

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my loyal readers!  With it being the BIGGEST food holiday and all, I decided to give you an overview of what I will be prepping and serving tomorrow.  It will be my second year preparing it solo since I used to cook with my grandma.  She is now my personal culinary guardian angel (amongst other guardian angels too).

Roast Turkey (of course).  I don't brine.  I stuff it with citrus, herbs, and butter and cover it with butter soaked cheesecloth.  Now, the most important part to ensure your bird is not dry would be basting.  I may have mentioned in an earlier cooking blog I am not one for timers.  Roasting turkey would be my exception.  I religiously baste every 15 minutes and with everything else going on, I have to set the timer.  I remove the cheesecloth about a half hour prior to dinner to give the bird a nice golden glow.

Cranberry Cornbread Stuffing (I may attempt Michael Symon's cornbread stuffing recipe he tweeted earlier today and just add the cranberries)

Candied yams, complete with brown sugar reduction and marshmallows: Make sure to remember the marshmallows will plump upon roasting.  If you squeeze too many on, you will have one sticky mess to clean up

Sweet potato boats: This is a family recipe not too many people have heard of.  Cook the potatoes then cut in half.  Hollow out and mix the potato with cranberry relish.  Top with walnuts and a brown sugar cinnamon blend.

Homemade cranberry relish grinded with a 100+ year old grinder (one of my favorite kitchen tools for sentimental reasons)

Mashed potatoes, steamed green beans, steamed cauliflower, homemade dinner rolls, gravy

And of couse pumpkin pie (Nana's recipe of course)

To drink: Elena Walch, 2009 Gewurtztraminer (highly recommended for Thanksgiving by Little Italy Wines, one of my favorite wine shops) and of course, Great Lakes Christmas Ale!


So now, all I have to do is prepare this lovely feast, sit down, raise my glass and be thankful.  And I am NOT ashamed to admit I ALWAYS clean my plate on Thanksgiving.

Until then...follow your heart, fulfill your hunger (and gobble till you wobble)

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.

Five Star Dinner of a Five Star Friend

One of my really close friends recently had the pleasure of dining at Northeastern Ohio's  only five-star restaurant, Chez Francois in Vermillion.  I would like to thank her for sharing this experience with me and allowing me to pass it on to you.  So without anymore from me:

Ooh-la-la

I admit it.  I’m a food snob.  So the fact that I hadn’t been to Chez Francois in Vermilion – this region’s only 5-star restaurant – was bothering me.  But Chez Francois isn’t the kind of place you just go to for no good reason.  So, I got myself a new job, which gave people something to celebrate, and landed me a chance to check this place out.

First of all, I know what you’re thinking.  Vermilion?  What’s a 5-star restaurant doing in Vermilion?  Serving amazing food, that’s what.  And there’s a dress code.  This is a place that is truly about the complete dining experience.  It is worth the drive, trust me.  But considering that you do have quite the drive to get there, I would recommend making reservations on the early side.  Service is not at all rushed at Chez Francois, which allows you to linger in the rustic French atmosphere, enjoy your wine, and eat even more delicious fare.

We started our evening with an amuse bouche of English pea puree with crème fraiche.  It was light, fresh, and flavorful.  And it’s the perfect introduction to what Chez Francois does so well – seasonal cooking.  The menu here changes every season, so don’t get too attached to any one dish. 

Our round of appetizers included foie gras, coquilles St. Jacques (scallops, whipped potatoes, and cream sauce), and lobster in puff pastry with black currant sauce.  I highly recommend the foie gras, not just because it’s incredibly good, but it’s incredibly different.  Chez Francois gives you plenty of opportunity to challenge your palette.  This isn’t fusion cooking (not that there’s anything wrong with fusion) – this is straight-up butter, cream, truffles, rich French cooking.  The foie gras was melt-in-your-mouth delicious, served with cinnamon nut bread and a peach glaze and paired with a dessert wine.  The black currant sauce on the lobster puff pastry was divine, even if it somewhat took away from the taste of the lobster itself.

My dinner entrée was beef Wellington – filet wrapped in puff pastry, served with (more) foie gras, shaved truffles, and two different sauces (one mustard, the other similar to a bordelaise).  The beef was superb and perfectly done and the ratio of beef to puff pastry was spot-on (lots of beef, with just enough puff pastry to cover it).  But what took this dish to the next level were the sauces and truffles, giving it an intense earthy, smoky flavor.  The other diners enjoyed veal medallions, lightly breaded and topped with cream sauce and various seafood; veal chop; and lobster ravioli.

Dessert was raspberries Romanoff, with homemade vanilla and chocolate chunk ice cream.  While it was delicious, I found myself having dessert envy over the chocolate molten cake next to me.  Given the choice again, I don’t think I’d pass up the opportunity for one of Chez Francois’ chocolate creations.

Overall, it was a fabulous dining experience – from the food to the atmosphere to the service.  To make your next truly special occasion over-the-top, think about taking a drive out to Vermilion.

As an aside, there is a wine bar located at Chez Francois called Touche.  It’s more casual, but features some of the same appetizers as the restaurant.