Behind the Scenes at Vegas Uncork’d

Posted on May 14, 2012 by LeAnne Notabartolo

I love a Foodie event as much as the next person, and once a year I get the opp to work one of the BIGGEST in my city. Let me tell you it is VERY different than simply putting on a cocktail dress and attending one!

A few years ago I was contacted by an old friend from High School who wanted me to work with him when he came to town for Bon Appetit’s Vegas Uncork’d. Initially I demurred and said that my skill set wasn’t what Tim thought it was, and then, after much persuasion, I relented and participated. And I have been doing so each year for T.W. Garner – the makers of Texas Pete Hot Sauce.

When you walk into an event like this and see all the uber-cool Chefs and sample all their food, did you ever stop to wonder what goes into it? Well, let me fill you in on a LITTLE bit of what I saw.

Weeks, in some cases MONTHS, before the event, chefs start working on their sampling menu. Should they showcase something on the regular menu? Feature a potential NEW item to get customer reactions? Create something exclusive for this event? In the case of Texas Pete (TXP from here on out), because there is no brick and mortar location here in Vegas, whatever we make is to showcase the sauces and it changes every year.

Because TXP travels in from Winston-Salem, NC, there are a LOT of logistics that go into making the whole scene happen. Product, banners, logo merchandise and specific food items need to be shipped in. This year pork bellies from Newman Farm arrived for braising (previous years included Wagyu beef, Newman Farm pork tenderloin and edible flowers), chef’s jackets with embroidered logos and cases of sauces arrived. The biggest challenge is that because TXP doesn’t have a restaurant here, we work as guests in a local hotel kitchen, and sometimes the shipped in products don’t end up where they are s’posed to go. There is undoubtedly confusion on the part of the shippers AND the receivers and the packages get misdirected. A few things did NOT arrive and there was last minute knees bent running about to fix the problems.

This year we had the pleasure of working with Caesar’s team and Chef Scott Green. They were incredibly accommodating and it was even better that the event was held AT Caesar’s and we didn’t have to transport all the goods from another property the night of the event as we have done in the past (major pain in the ass). We did, however, walk MILES of underground tunnels to get from the loading docks to the kitchens to the pool area (where the event was held) and back. (Moment of Truth – I lost 5 lbs this week because of all the walking, “weight” lifting and lack of time to eat). I worked in the kitchens and tunnels and I worked in the booth helping to put out Chef Tim’s creations.

I have no horse in this race so why do I do it? I can promise you that it isn’t the money. It’s mainly for the challenge I guess. I LIKE problem solving. I like being behind the scenes, knowing that I helped pull together a good event and seeing all the insider stuff. For those of you that don’t know, I am NOT a CHEF (I am a really good cook) and I work from home. Each year after this event it takes me 3 days to recover from the week of 16 hour days. I am physically and mentally exhausted. Is it because I don’t work full time that I don’t have the stamina to do this on an extended basis? Am I a wimp, a whiner, a cry baby? Yeah, maybe a little…I think next year I may just put on the cocktail dress and attend rather than work it…nah, just kidding. One thing I know for sure is that I DON’T want to be a Chef. They work too hard.

Biggest downer? My apron was stolen/lost at the Grand Tasting and my phone with all my cool pics on it is now GONE, along with everyone’s contact info. So there’s only one pic and I am not in it! If TXP shares the photos with me, I will post them in an addendum blog.

Left to right – Chef Larry McFadden, Chef Tim Grandinetti, and Chef Nate Duensing – I am their cohort in crime for this event.

This week’s Food Memories include some great bites at The Grand Tasting, Saturday Night Truck Stop at Tommy Rockers and Mother’s Day Brunch at Simon complete with a Bloody Mary bar.

Because I failed to get cocktail sauce for my shrimp, I added them to my Texas Pete spiked Bloody Mary. Oh, and BTW, Chef Kerry Simon tweeted Texas Pete Garlic Hot Sauce as his hot sauce of the week.

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

Who Are You?

Posted on May 8, 2012 by RedFlair14

When you read the title you can hear either Roger Daltry or Alice’s Hookah Smoking Caterpillar ask the question. But I still want to know the answer. I can tell a lot about a person by dining with them, either at home or in public, but in public gives me WAY more information.

Dining out with people gives me a chance to see how they interact with the service industry, watch their table manners and view their food choices. Below are a few of my observations:

• If you quibble about the check when dining with a group of FRIENDS I have to wonder, “Are you petty in other areas of your life?” When eating with people who are s’posed to be your FRIENDS just split the check evenly. Chances are you will eat out with them again and it will all even out in the wash. If I go out to eat with a friend who dissects the check, I never go out to eat with them again. It doesn’t mean our friendship is over. I just can’t eat in a restaurant with them. And friend Sam has an additional rule – the designated driver doesn’t pay for valet or parking – keep it in mind!
• Are you nasty to wait staff? Are you a cheap tipper? This irritates me to no end, especially in high end restaurants. Wait persons work this job for a number of reasons, the biggest one is that the pay is generally good, but it isn’t an easy job. FYI – in many cases wait staff gets paid BELOW minimum wage because they are expected to earn tips. They also have to claim on their taxes 8% of their check total (minimum) regardless of what you tip them. I will admit I have lost my cool with a few waitresses in my time, but it was usually about crappy service on their part, or downright rudeness from them, but I always tip at LEAST 15% (even if the service is crappy) because I have walked MILES in those shoes. Be nice to your waiter and chances are you will get GREAT service.
• Do you send food back to the kitchen for minor things? I will send back overcooked food, or an order that is wrong, but that is about it. My sister Nancy will never send anything back because she is afraid the chef/cook will “spit in her food” if she does. If you are just being pedantic about the food, I am lead to believe that you are a pain in the ass in the rest of your life’s pursuits as well.
• Do you take risks with your dining choices? Are you willing to try new things? Are you happy to try the “tasting menu” even if you aren’t sure of all the items on it? Then you are someone I want to eat with! Recently we went out for John’s birthday to Michael Mina’s Seablue (pics below). We wanted a “tasting menu” but one wasn’t offered. When we mentioned this to the waiter he said they would create one for us, asked about food allergies, how much we wanted to spend and set to work. We had no idea what would come out of the kitchen and we were thrilled! By doing this we knew we’d get whatever the chef in house was BEST at creating and everything would be exceptional and it was! (Moment of Truth – this was one of THE most fun dinners we have had since each course was a surprise!) Everything brought to us was on the menu, so we were able to look at the description after it was delivered, but it was liberating to not have to make the choices.
• Does your napkin immediately go into your lap? If you meet my nephew Jeremy someday, ask him about this.

One of my most favorite Food Memories is dining in Florida with Hubby and some business associates of his at one of Emeril’s restaurants. The guys all let me order for them! They put their trust in me and let me choose. What fun! Interestingly I ordered EXACTLY what they would have ordered for themselves. One of the guys, after I placed his order, told the waiter to cook his meat medium well (ick). I pulled the waiter aside and told him to cook that meat “chef’s choice” and Robert didn’t know the difference because it was SO delicious! They all took chances, no quibbling about the check, laughed and had a great time and were obscenely nice to the staff. A great meal all the way around!

Watch the people you normally dine with. Do they have any “tells” about their personalities? Feel free to comment here and share what you notice.

This week’s Food Memories are a great birthday dinner with my beloved, helping tourists find good places to eat in our city, eating in Flagstaff with son Jack, and take out Chinese!

Seafood Tower for 2

Steak Tartar with poached quail egg

Beautiful Rib Eye and Mediterranean Sea Bass

Next Week? Vegas Uncork’d! Until then, go out and make your OWN Food Memories.

Challenge Me!

Posted on May 1, 2012 by RedFlair14

I have always loved to eat, and I learned to cook to support that habit. I’ve picked up tips & tricksfrom lots of sources; parents, step parents, old bosses, friends…Like most people who love to cook I started in my youth. For most of us, we learn to cook what we like to eat so we can cook it whenever we want. For kids that means making baked goods. In Jr. High Home Economics, they didn’t teach much more than baked goods in the cooking segment (Moment of Truth – sewing is the only class I have ever completely FAILED. I still can’t sew and I have to hire people to replace a button). As I aged and my life changed, I developed ways to impress dates by feeding them; spaghetti and meat sauce was a triumph. As a married woman putting dinner on the table every night was a personal victory. I really didn’t know how to make that many dishes, but we had to eat every night, so I learned. Not everything was a success, and my poor hubby has had to eat a lot of “dogs”. I am a firm believer in the adage “if you can read, you can cook.”

One of our wedding gifts was this cookbook. You’ll notice I have 2 copies, I asked John to get me another copy since the pages were falling out of my original. This was my first cookbook as a married person, and I now have well over 100, but no where near as many as my friend Pam.

I have a competitive nature…I can’t help it. After I had mastered basic dinner, I decided that I needed to be a better cook than any of my friends. I wanted to be the best at SOMETHING. Lord knows I can’t sing, play an instrument, sew or play sports better than anyone else, so I set out to be the best cook. I went to Basic Cookery at the local Community College’s Culinary Program, and I learned that I had been holding the knife wrong for 30 years. At that point it became my mission, as the oldest person in the class, to be # 1 in the class (I succeeded…).

So, in short cooking inspired me to reach beyond myself, to try new things and get competitive. What started out as a way to feed myself and then impress people and then feed myself again became a mild obsession. Now? Now? I find things to challenge me to beat myself. That’s why I started smoking my own bacon. That’s why I learned how to roll my own sushi. That is why I learned to make my own pancetta. That is why this weekend I made my first batch of spicy Italian sausage. It came out great!

What’s next on the challenge list? Who knows? It will definitely be something that maybe scares me, none of my other friends do and something I LOVE to eat. Maybe pates, terrines or sweetbreads…

This week’s Food Memories include my spicy sausage, The First Ever Vegas Foodie Fest (the best thing I ate all day was Truffled Mac & Cheese with Venison), brunch buffet with my main squeeze and the first corn on the cob of the season.

Food from Mangia Mangia – the profiteroles were comped. Lobster Ravioli, Spinach Ravioli and a Chicken Parm sandwich.

Me and that amazing Venison Mac & Cheese from the Vizzi Truck out of LA.

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

Earth Day and William Shakespeare

Posted on April 25, 2012 by LeAnne Notabartolo

As I do every year on the 23rd of April, I remember my fave English teacher from High School – Frank Sullivan – and I revel in the way he taught me to LOVE Shakespeare. In case you were wondering, Shakespeare died on his birthday, April 23rd. (Another author who died April 23rd is Miguel de Cervantes from Alcala, Spain – we saw his home when we lived in Spain. Sully introduced me to him too – via Man of LaMancha). Thanks Sully!

Sunday was Earth Day and like any eco-minded citizen I was thinking of how what I do has an impact on Mother Earth. (Moment of truth – I hate it when people use “impact” as a verb.) Recently while traveling I had some food trash to toss and I was searching for a bin while waiting in line. One of my fellow travelers pointed out a recycling bin to me and I explained that it was TRASH, not recyclables. He went on a tirade about how he didn’t see the point in recycling because it didn’t make anything “cheaper”. In a controlled voice (difficult for me, let me assure you), I explained that recycling wasn’t about making things cheaper it was about not turning our planet into a gigantic landfill of steaming trash. Because he was truly ignorant and unwilling to learn, I recited the line about teaching a pig to sing in my head and turned my back on him.

I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do. Edward Everett Hale

Therein lies the truth to everything, but in my mind particularly to Earth Day. So here, in addition to recycling, is what I do to make a small difference:
– I have used canvas sacks for my groceries since 1988 – once again I was fashionable before it was cool. I now have too many bags – John says I need to get rid of some and pass them on to other eco-minded people. Call me if you want to own one of my collection.
– Our herb/veggie garden is organic. It’s not only about keeping chemicals off our food, it’s about not killing bees and not putting crap into our VERY shallow water table here in the desert.
– Support local Farmers, Co-Ops and Farmers’ Markets – I pick my own at Gilcrease, shop the Farmers’ Markets when I can get there (great for interesting, uncommon stuff, but WAY more expensive. Be prepared for a little sticker shock), and I recently started using Bountiful Baskets check them out! Not only are you supporting and encouraging local business, but locally produced food you buy doesn’t have to be flown in!
– I began composting – I know according to my HOA that I am not supposed to. But mine is contained, has no odor and my neighbors don’t even know I have it because it is well maintained. You can buy a bin at Costco or other retailer, here’s a pic of the one I use, and set it up in your back yard and get your own heap going.
– I buy sustainably caught, raised, and procured meat and fish when possible. Check out Monterey Aquarium’s Seafood Watch info on Sustainable Seafood. There’s even an app for your phone so you can check on the go! Thanks Rick Moonen for the education! Also check out Blue Oasis Shrimp (available at Albertson’s across the Vegas Valley) – grown in a sustainable facility in the desert believe it or not! No freezing, no jet fuel used for delivery, cleanly raised organic shrimp!
– I drive a car big enough for my purposes that gets at least 25 MPG on the highway.
– I support environmental charities like The Arbor Day Foundation.

To celebrate Earth Day this year, I made a Mainly Meatless dinner (of course there was bacon) of great seasonal veggies and falafel for dinner. The Meatless Monday movement has taken hold, but I don’t participate. I eat whatever strikes my fancy and if Veggie Night is Thursday instead of Monday, so what?

I challenge you to look at how you shop, eat, garden, recycle and see if you can make a small (or big) change that will make you feel like you are contributing to the GREEN solution.
This is what part of my garden looks like today. You see strawberries, mint, thyme, marjoram, mint and a tomato plant in the pot.

This week’s Food Memories are eating fiddle head ferns for the first time in more than 15 years (LOVE them), finding a vintage copy (older than I am!) of Larousse Gastronomique during a Cash Mob outing to Dead Poets Books, sushi and beer with the Bells, A fun Beer Festival at Tivoli Village, my first trip to the Downtown Farmers Market, and harvesting my own leeks! This weekend you can find me at the Foodie Fest at the Silverton. A portion of the proceeds will be going to my pet charity – Three Square Food Bank. Hope to see you there!

John at the Beer Fest

Everything’s Bigger in Texas – Including My Appetite

Posted on April 19, 2012 by RedFlair14

My blog is late this week because I just returned from San Antonio (SATX) late last night.

I took a week to visit friends, eat my way thru the city and spend some time doing the job that actually pays me (believe it or not – no one pays me to write this blog – I do it for fun – hehe). The fun thing was hanging out with my friends and returning to the places I frequented when I lived there. I skipped the Alamo because I had been there numerous times and I know there is no basement where Pee Wee’s bike could be hidden.

Sometimes when you are away from a place for a while, you romanticize the experiences and foods that made it so special. Either because you had a good time or because you were with dear friends, you mis-remember the experience. I was really afraid that would happen on this trip. Thankfully that was only true for ONE of the places I visited. On the whole, everything was just as good as I remembered. (Moment of truth – I don’t think I ate any veggies while I was gone except for a salad…)

As soon as I got off the plane and retrieved my rental car I went straight to Lulu’s. They make the best chicken fried steak. Light and crispy on the outside (breaded on premises, the cubed steak does not arrive frozen and pre-breaded), moist and tender on the inside. The biggest failing here? The sides don’t live up to the standard of the steak. And of course this is the home of the 3lb cinnamon rolls (I avoided that too). And the fried food didn’t stop there…I pretty much ate everything fried I could get my hands on. I’d lay even odds that Texas has one of the highest heart attack rates in the country!

Oh the joy of freshly breaded and fried Chicken Fried Steak!

If you have never been to SATX – all I can say is that it is against the law to go there and NOT eat Mexican food! There are SO many great family owned places that it is tough to choose. I went to 2 different ones and had enchiladas at both and was deliriously happy both times. One of the COOLEST things about Mexican food in SATX is that all self respecting places make their own tortillas! They all make their own flour tortillas and some even make their own corn tortillas well. And don’t even get me started on tamales. I found it best for my waistline to NOT seek them out on this trip…just sayin’ (but for the record my faves are Delicious Tamales on Nacogdoches).

Shrimp Enchiladas, rice only, no beans

The biggest disappointment was Shilo’s. It is a downtown SATX institution, on street level above the River Walk, and I remembered it being SO much better. It is a German Deli. Yes, the center part of Texas was settled by Germans, so in addition to great Mexican food, you can also get fantastic German food – especially in New Braunfels, but apparently not at Shilo’s anymore. The only things that were good were the JUGS being together for lunch, the pickles and the house made root beer.

The counter at Shilo’s – always packed and always with a barrel of root beer

And speaking of beer…if you are a fan of Shiner Bock, I am about to make you totally jealous! They have a new beer called Wild Hare Pale Ale – with the slogan “hop to it”. Cute right? Tasty, but not as hoppy as I like, but still infinitely drinkable. So far as I know it is only available in Texas at this time.

The icing on the cake was going to HEB Central Market. It puts Whole Foods to shame in a MAJOR way. I know I am paying more than a regular grocery store, but I don’t feel like I have to give a pint of blood or give up my first born when I am shopping there. Don’t bother looking for an HEB grocery unless you live in Texas, they are isolated to the Lone Star State, and IMHO, one of the best grocery chains in the country. Needless to say, I couldn’t bring a whole lot home because I was flying, but I did pick up some coffee for John, handmade soap from Austin, and dark chocolate covered chipotle almonds. Had I means to bring perishables back, I would have come home with sausages, cheeses, chorizo and a bunch of other great stuff. Maybe next time….

So here is the tally for the week:
Chicken Fried Steak – 1
Mexican – 2
Italian – 2
Cajun – 1
Deli – 1
British Pub – 1

My Food Memories from this past week are mostly outlined above, but of special note are lunch and dinner with my JUGS, drinking beer on the porch with buddies Mary and Al (thanks for hosting me), cooking with my sales TEAM, and reacquainting myself with friend Marsha at Pappadeaux.
Marsha and I dining at the bar at Pappadeaux

Fried crawfish and crawfish etoufee with dirty rice, preceded by crawfish bisque – it was a “mudbug fest”! Of course I started eating before I took the pic!

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

You Truly ARE What You Eat

Posted on April 10, 2012 by RedFlair14

There is some truth to the saying, “You are what you eat.” That doesn’t mean if you eat a lot of chicken you are afraid of everything, or that because my nickname in a certain circle is “Sister Flaming Hair, Goddess of the Cheese” that I have a cheesy personality. What it does mean is what you put into your body will affect how you look.

Let’s take those super skinny women. You know the type, the ones who eat fat free cheese and sour cream, organic soy protein, and no butter ever passes their mouths. They are so thin you could break their collar bone with a good pinch. Perfectly unattractive to me, and they usually look miserable. Now look at a well rounded woman. The type who eats what tastes good, carrying womanly weight, and smiling while she is going about her life. But did you REALLY look at them? Is your perception of what is attractive skewed by main stream media? Is thin always better than thick? Check out their skin, nails and hair. The super skinny people who eat all that fat free crap almost always have shitty looking hair. It looks dry, brittle and thin. Their nails and cuticles are dry and splitting and don’t even get me started on their skin. People carrying a bit more weight usually have fantastic hair. The fact of the matter is that your body NEEDS a certain amount of fat to build keratin, which in turn makes for healthy skin and nails.

Are you old enough to remember THIS? Hanker for a Hunka Cheese

I do admit that when I see a really thin person I have to wonder, “Are they naturally thin, or are they starving their body to look that way?” There are naturally thin people out there. No matter what they eat they always are reed thin, like my friends Geoffrey and Vicki. There are some naturally “thick” people that no matter what they do they will always have curves, like myself. (If you don’t know me personally, I am what is politely called curvaceous, Rubenesque, or well endowed.) Even at my thinnest in high school, I was still curvy with a bubble butt.

Here is the bottom line. THIN IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER THAN THICK! Consider bacon or buttercream, or hotel room walls…..

And before anyone jumps all over me about genetics, yes, that plays a big part too. But you definitely have to admit when you eat well, enjoy your food and feel good about yourself, you look better. I know when I was “dieting” I may have been thinner, but I was miserable. I sat in that room and listened to people talk about how they loved all the premade crap that comes in boxes and bags, and they were losing weight. Awesome for them, but I like REAL food. I felt cheated and frustrated, and I can promise you that it came across in my attitude about everything. You have to find the balance that works for you. I am not saying slather everything with butter, put bacon & cheese on every sandwish (yes, I did really write sandWISH), or top everything with sour cream….well, yeah, I guess I am (hehehe). But I am saying, eat what tastes good and if you can’t pronounce the ingredients (or if you don’t know what they are), you probably shouldn’t be eating it. Fun Fact: did you know that margarine is one molecule away from plastic? And think about this: If they take out the fat, where does the flavor come from? Read the labels.

Here is a little personal info too: several years ago John and I used to eat low fat, fat free and “plastic” food and my cholesterol was 230. I switched to REAL butter, full of fat sour cream and cheeses with no other changes to my intake, my cholesterol dropped to 180 in 1 year. Coincidence? I think not!

I head to San Antonio, TX tomorrow and I am trying to NOT work too much on this trip, so you may or may not get a blog next Monday. When the SATX blog posts, you will see TONS of fun pics including one of Chicken Fried Steak and Cinnamon Rolls from Lulu’s.

This week’s Food Memories are:
Scoping out small, family run joints with Friend Lynn for lunch after the next Las Vegas Cash Mob (* learn more here!)
Saturday Night Truck Stop with the Main Squeeze after a rock show at Diablo’s (John won the raffle at SNTS – dinner for 2 at SeaBlue)
Picking the first strawberries of the spring and watching my garden grow!

Baby Peach – this is one of dozens on our fledgling tree. If they all come to fruition, we’ll have a bumper crop!

The first crop of berries is looking good!

My Main Squeeze and I at Diablo’s – and yes, I am wearing my ‘stache necklace.

John enjoying a prosciutto and manchego grilled cheese at the Saturday Night truck Stop

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

The Incredible Edible Egg

Posted on April 2, 2012 by RedFlair14

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

To make my Carbonara:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Food on the GO!

Posted on March 26, 2012 by RedFlair14

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Eating on the Cheap in NYC

Posted on March 19, 2012 by LeAnne Notabartolo

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The taps at Valhalla

Three perfectly poured libations at Valhalla

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

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

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

Love & Marriage – the Wedding of Dear Friends

Posted on March 13, 2012 by LeAnne Notabartolo

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

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

I was delighted when they let me cook

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

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

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

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

John and I at Angus McIndoe’s

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

The High Schoolers with the Grooms!

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

Congrats Bobby and Chris – much love to you!

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

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