The Giftmas Guide 2021

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

It’s Giftmas again and time for the Holiday Gift List. A few of these will be repeats because they have either updated their products or now offer free shipping or just because I love them and think if you missed it the first time, a gentle reminder will help. And it’s just in time for the first night of Chanukah and Cyber Monday. And everything on the list is under $100

Plymouth Artisan Cheese

What I love about Plymouth Artisan Cheese is that it is small batch, family owned, and the product is great. Based in Vermont, they only use local dairies for their milk, so purchasing from them is supporting more than one independent business. They now offer free shipping on orders $65 and above. My faves are the Hunter and the East Meadow and the gift set comes in this awesome crate!

Assorted Cheese Box – you choose which flavors to include – $98 and free shipping – Image from their website above

My Favorite Uni-tasker

Like Alton Brown, I can’t stand a tool that only has one use…but I make an exception for this one. If you have watched any of my cooking demos, you will have seen me use this and it’s in the top drawer in my kitchen because I reach for it ALL THE TIME. It makes fast work out of several cloves of garlic, dishwasher safe, and a breeze to use, even if you have arthritis. Under $12 and comes with a few other useless tools, this garlic rocker is a fab stocking stuffer.

Garlic Rocker $12 on Amazon – images from the listing linked above

The Vermont Country Store

There is so much to love about this catalog/online store! First of all it’s family owned & operated. They carry gorgeous wreaths and garland from hand tipped Vermont trees. And OH! the weird stuff you thought they didn’t make any more. Hard to find nostalgic items, like ribbon candy that no one eats, it just looks pretty. But these are two items in my kitchen that everyone on your gift list should have.

Toaster Tongs

One of John’s clients happily gifted us a set of these toaster tongs that he hand made and I LOVE them. Because not everyone has access to someone who works with wood on their friend list, I went in search of them for you. The little magnet that helps it stay RIGHT where you need them is the perfect touch.

Maple toaster tongs – image from the link above $13 – Vermont Country Store

Butter Bell

I have had one of these for years and I have gifted them to folks as well. One of the things about eating toast is that the hard butter always tears it up, or when making grilled cheese, you want spreadable butter to coat the outside of the sandWISH, right? This little doohickey keeps the butter at room temp and safe from bacteria with a water seal. Buy two, one to keep and one to give away.

French Butter Crock $30 – image from the link above – Vermont Country Store

Instant Read Thermometer

It doesn’t matter what you are cooking, sometimes you just need to know the exact temp. Roasting that holiday bird? The correct temp is 165 F in the thickest part of the thigh. Making fudge? The correct temp is 115 (the soft ball stage). It’s so much better to know exactly than have to guess. This tool from The Pampered Chef will handle it for you. It’s digital, easy to use and compact in your drawers. And you support an independent sales consultant when you click the link above.

Instant-Read Food Thermometer
Pampered Chef Instant Read Thermometer $51 – photo from the link above.

Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day

Let’s face facts, NO ONE (except Friend Karen B) likes to do dishes. But what if it at least smelled great while you were doing them? This product line is the answer. Yes, they are a little more expensive, but I think the scents alone are worth it. They have fantastic seasonal scents like this Orange Clove, Apple Cider, Snowdrop, and others that are just the pick me up you need when you have to tackle a sink full of dishes. $4 at Target. And try their hand soap and room fresheners too!

Mrs. Meyer’s Orange Clove Dish Soap

Anything from Blue Q

If you know me at all, you know I love a snarky dish towel, a funky apron, or anything that truly shows my personality in the kitchen. This apron does it for me! In fact, just about anything from Blue Q makes a great gift. I crack up when I get one as a gift. Here’s a bonus – free shipping on orders $40 or more and they frequently have “free stuff” they toss into your order. Little magical surprises you didn’t know you needed!

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Fuck Off Apron –
Image from Blue Q $35

Mexican Hot Chocolate

If you have never had this treat, you don’t know what you are missing! Just trust me on this one. There are loads of options out there, but this one is as pretty as it is functional and it arrives in a sturdy box that you can wrap and give as a gift immediately. Bespoke Post has all sorts of gifts geared for men, but I find just as much cool stuff on the site for me. (Disclosure – this is my referral link to Bespoke Post, so I get a bonus if you join up).

Image from Bespoke Post – Mexican Hot Chocolate set $45

My Cookbook Choice This Year

Friend Christine gave me this as a gift and I love it. Six Seasons focuses on produce, but there is plenty in there for the omnivores in your life as well. This is perfect for folks who get veggies from a co-op when everything is seasonal and they don’t know what to do with some of the stuff they get. My fave dish in there is the pumpkin bolognese (pg 384). This book is based, and laid out, with the seasons and it will definitely challenge the cook in your life to include, try, or adopt new favorite veggie forward recipes. And while you are at it, buy from your local bookstore and support a small business. This is the link is to MY local – The Writer’s Block, and they ship!

Six Seasons

What you can get ME…

So here’s the thing, like everyone else, I like to be liked. to show me how much you like me, follow me on Instagram or Facebook and subscribe to this blog (scroll to the bottom and put your address in – no, I don’t share your info!) and my YouTube page so you don’t miss a spoonful! When you choose to subscribe, you’ll only hear from me when there is new content on either site.

Farm to Table

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Farm to Table has become a big bullshit buzz phrase over the last half dozen years in the culinary world. I started this piece a while ago and sat on it because I wasn’t sure how to write it without sounding like a pity party or an asshole. I’ve now decided I don’t care if I sound like either of those things. Read on…

Oh the People You Meet

Not too long ago, I had a very brief conversation with a man who tried to tell me that “The foodie movement really started in Napa”. I patted him on the shoulder and said, “Nice try buddy, but New York’s food scene has been killing it for ages.” He looked outraged and exclaimed, “But Chez Panisse!” I kinda rolled my eyes at him and said, “Well that’s a whole ‘nother story.”

My hackles raised because I had lived the farm to table life, and it isn’t all pretty pictures and photo spreads in magazines. I eyed this guy up and down, took in his brand name, designer clothing, and without getting into an in-depth conversation with this guy (whom I did not know), I was able to GUESS a few things about him (judge-y much? YUP!). I am guessing this guy has always lived in a city or suburbs, nowhere near a farm, or farmers, or a rural community of any kind. If he honestly thought Alice Waters invented farm to table cooking, that would be my guess. I am guessing he grew up privileged in one fashion or another. It would also be my guess that he never grew his own tomatoes, or anything else for that matter. I would further guess he was repulsed by the smell of manure and had never visited a “U-Pick” farm and odds were 50-50 that he even knew what one was.

Alice Waters Just Made Farm to Table Chic

What I really wanted to tell this guy was that farmers and the rural poor around the globe have been cooking farm to table for centuries. When Chez Panisse opened in 1971, I was in first grade, living on Long Island. In 1973 we moved “to the country”, upstate New York. and THAT is where I learned about farm to table cooking. People who didn’t know there was any other way have been doing just that for their entire lives. It wasn’t trendy, it was just the way to eat. Alice Waters did a lot of good things in opening the eyes of city-folk to farm fresh food, but in NO WAY did she invent farm to table cooking. Alice Waters just made it chic…and expensive…and over the top.

The Business of Growing Food

Photo by Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash

The town where I grew up had some terrific home cooks who worked wonders with whatever was in season. They cooked everything fresh from the farm during the season. As the summer turned into fall, the canning and freezing began so they would have home grown vegetables and fruit for the colder months. We knew people who had commercial farms, orchards, and dairies. It was not uncommon to see a large family, or blended family, or extended family in the business of growing food. We grew our own and picked our own from commercial farms to sustain our family, we never grew enough to make a profit on it. In high school I made friends with a set of identical twins (yes, I can still tell them apart). Their family owned a dairy and potato farm. And yes, they had milk and potatoes at every damn meal. Because that is what they had plenty of at all times. I’ve always wondered if the fruit growers had fruit at every meal and do those now adults love or hate what their families grew.

What the Country Folks Do

As I reflect further on this incredibly brief convo with this unknown man, I think about my friend Kim and the book she is writing. She is writing a book about poverty and food insecurity in America. Where I grew up there were two classes of people – the Haves and the Have Nots – we were decidedly the latter. We lived in the country, about 5 miles from the center of town. While we were poor, we rarely went without food during the warm months. My stepfather was a butcher and got meat at cost. We had chickens, so breakfast for dinner was common because we had eggs. We grew our own tomatoes, squash, and other vegetables. Our 20-acre property was bracketed by fruit orchards where we would cross the property line and “snitch apples”. Never enough to cause them loss, but enough for us to eat and the owners knew about it, saying better us eat them than the birds. Everyone who lived out by me canned, froze food or made their own jam. My mom’s grape jelly was SO good that it has ruined me for store bought grape jelly for the rest of my life. I don’t know what the people “in town” did, but I hope some of them, if they read this, take the time to comment and let me know.

The August 2021 issue of Bon Appetit magazine has a “day in the city” piece for a few different cities. The idea is a local foodie, chef, food writer, takes the “reader” where the locals eat in their city. My hometown was one of those cities. I nearly choked on my tea. I can promise you, that town was NOTHING like that when I was growing up.

Cover photo – Photo by Peter Wendt on Unsplash

I Have Become a Movie Character

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

I have become a movie character, or at least an amalgam of characters. If you are a cinephile, you can thank me later for all the movie references.

And WHAT a Character!

One day while breezing into my local bar, whipping off my sunglasses and surveying the room looking for my peeps, I was compared to Miranda Priestly – the character based on Anna Wintour. And I wasn’t offended. Calm, collected, and confident on the outside, using bitchiness to camouflage the raging mess on the inside. The tables have turned. I have now become Myrna Loy. Not the fun, cool Nora Charles version everyone wants to be friends with from the “Thin Man” films.

Myrna Loy & William Powell from the Thin Man

But the slightly neurotic, persnickety Muriel Blanding…and my husband is becoming the Cary Grant character from that film. Someone compared us to Shelly Long and Tom Hanks in The Money Pit, but let’s face it, Grant and Loy did it first and did it better.

Why Can’t ANYTHING be Simple?

Each time we tackle a project in the house, it leads to 3 others that must be completed before we can move on and do the initial project. And each complication adds a week or more to our timeline. Here’s an example – My original goal was to have the kitchen complete by 1 October. When I had the original measurements for the cabinets done, that was a realistic goal. Here’s the hold up: an ugly drop ceiling had to be removed and the actual measurements needed to include the additional 14 inches I was gaining. Once the hideous soffit was removed, we found out WHY there was a drop ceiling. To accommodate the plumbing for the master bath. A call to the plumber to raise the pipes to allow the raise of the ceiling and we have a one-week delay.…

We Are on Our Way

The measurements have been done and the cabinets and pulls have been ordered and now there is an 8 week wait…with all the delays and supply chain difficulties that are acting like gum in the gears, it is now looking more like 15 November. And that doesn’t include the gas line and stove…but that is another whole story in and of itself.

Have I mentioned that I am NOT patient? I am almost Veruca Salt (original Willy Wonka) level impatient without the brattiness. Well, most of the time I am not bratty. When I finally decide on something, I want it NOW. Not 3 weeks from now, but today; tomorrow at the latest.

Why am I telling you this?  Because at the end of it all, becoming a movie character has built some character. I am learning to be more flexible (not my strong suit). I am learning to go with the flow more. Side note: On vacation I am usually really flexible and willing to just roll with whatever looks like fun, but in day-to-day life? Not so much.

And through all of this, I am cooking. While it might sound fun to dine out every night, when you actually ENJOY cooking and your kitchen is your happy place, it’s really not. As I type, my mom is visiting, and I am cooking for her. I am trying out new recipes, shopping in the local ethnic markets and learning new things. Joyfully cooking in my hot mess of a kitchen with holes in the walls, bare board flooring and no cabinets. And a god-awful electric stove. “It builds character”, I keep telling myself. At this point I think it is more fun to BE a character.

Shameless plug – if you haven’t already – please take the time to SUBSCRIBE to the blog AND to the YouTube channel. And follow along on Facebook and Instagram to see what I am eating and cooking NOW.

I’ve Moved and How it Changes the Way I Cook

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

If you have been following along via my last post, or Instagram or Facebook, you know I have moved. And while I don’t WANT to make this blog about home renovations, for now, it will include the trials and tribulations of how having moved has an impact on my kitchen time. My kitchen is my happy place. On most days, I would rather spend time there than anywhere else…even in this “Welcome to the Gates of Hell” weather we have been having. Renovations haven’t changed that, I just had to alter my approach to things. For now, bread making is suspended. Anything I make must be uncomplicated, no new challenges, and it MUST bring me comfort.

My cookbook club chose Repertoire by Jessica Battilana as our book to work from for the time being. This dish was stellar and perfect comfort food for the Hubs and I in the midst of chaos. You can order your copy here from
The Writer’s Block

Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome

As I type, I have moved everything out of my kitchen for the massive tear out. I am sitting in what will be my breakfast room, completely surrounded by my kitchen stuff. The only cabinet left in the kitchen is the one supporting my sink. The walls in the kitchen are partially torn out and we can see the original walls from 1939. I was sharing this info with Friend Natasha, and she said, “So, what are you doing for eating now?” I have grills, the stove is still hooked up, I have my portable burners, I have running water and an InstantPot, so I am rolling with the punches and following the old military adage – Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome. We are eating anything that can be created with the above appliances, and of course supporting our local restos by dining in and take out.

I’ve Moved this Shit Four Times Already!

By the time this renovation is complete I will have touched every single item in my kitchen at least 6 times (packing it from there to here; unpacking it here; putting it in the cabinets here; moving it out of the cabinets onto temp shelving and then having to move the temp shelving to another room, and so on). It’s really making me wonder, “HOW MUCH stuff does one human need in their kitchen?” Having sold cookware for 17 years, I have quite the collection of kitchen ware. And I am not kidding when I tell you that I have at least a dozen skillets and fry pans, not including my cast iron. Then came my LeCreuset addiction which added even more. We moved, in part, to downsize. In my effort to downsize, however, the one category I am having difficulty reducing is my kitchen gear. If I give something away, what will happen when I need it?! Having moved every fucking item in my kitchen four times in less than three months, I am ready to part with some stuff. But which stuff? Who do I gift it to? And no, none of the LeCreuset is going anywhere!

I Cleaned When I Moved! Isn’t that Enough?

When we moved from the Big House, I scrubbed so it would be nice for the family taking possession. That’s the military wife in me. With each of our PCS moves, the house had to be spick & span before we could check out. When we moved into this house, it was filthy, so I scrubbed again. I am at the point in renovations where I have stopped cleaning. There is a film of plaster dust on everything and while it triggers my minor OCD, I have decided it is futile to clean daily right now.

What the Hell is in My Mouth?!

Every time I turn around, I find pieces of dry wall (sheetrock) lying about. I must clean everything before I cook anything and clean everything after I cook. The dust is literally on every surface of my house, including my cookware and plates because everything is on open shelving for the time being. NO matter how well you “tape off” a room, the dust finds a way to out-maneuver you. Whenever I get grit in my mouth, I wonder, “Is it spices I didn’t grind finely enough? Sand? Sheetrock?” Who the fuck knows at this point?! And frankly right now, I just don’t give a damn.

Shameless plug: If I have invited you on Facebook and you haven’t accepted, why not? They changed the platform and I don’t know who is along for the ride. Be sure to follow along on Instagram for the most recent pics and SUBSCRIBE to this blog by entering your email address and joining the mailing list. You will hear from me Tuesday nights at 8 pm PT when I choose to write something, and no, I don’t share your info.

*To purchase the cover photo in a poster – visit Red Bubble

10 Years of Sharing This Blog

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Moment of Truth – I started writing this blog on the actual anniversary (6 June) and I am just now getting around to publishing it…yeah, it’s like that.

About a dozen years ago I met author Vicki Pettersson completely by chance at Borders bookstore. I was buying her newly released first book and she was at the checkout as well. She shared with me that I was the first reader she ever saw buy her book. Kind of like a musician hearing their song on the radio for the first time. I am not sure who was giddier, me or her. As luck would have it, I learned that she came into my life at just the right time. After several meetings I mentioned that I was thinking of starting a blog, but I was worried that I didn’t have anything of value to say or share. She looked me square in the face and said, “Does that stop anyone else? You have a voice. Use it!” So, 10 years ago last month, this blog was born. Thank you, Vicki, for the kick in the pants.

I Over-Shared…a lot

In 10 years’ time I have shared a lot. I’ve shared recipes (that link will take you to the recipe archive on the site with ALL the recipes). My travels to Europe, Egypt, and many other places have been shared in words and photos, and sometimes a video or two. Sometimes when I share that kind of stuff, I feel I am bragging. Like, “Hey! Look what I am doing/eating/experiencing that you aren’t.” And then someone will thank me for sharing and I feel validated and less like a douchey braggart. Upon the death of Anthony Bourdain, I shared my own personal struggles with depression and suicidal thoughts. In 10 years, I may have over shared. I started out just talking about food, and inadvertently ended up sharing parts of my life, and heart, and soul with all of you, because my life revolves around food. The making of it, the eating of it, the sharing of it, and so on. To those of you who have been following along since the beginning, I thank you for sticking with me. To those who EVER read my words, I am truly grateful.

10 Years? Time Means Nothing

When I first started, my intention was to write something weekly. And for a while I did that, but even someone who talks as much as I do runs out of valuable things to say after 10 years. I didn’t want to blather on about nothing, and sometimes silence is golden. Moment of Truth: I have had writer’s block (or content fatigue or thought constipation – take your pick) since my Dad died, so the golden silence stretched into months at a time. I wanted this content to be more than masturbatory self-promotion, I wanted you to really enjoy reading it. It’s hard to come up with fresh, valid content ALL. THE. FUCKING. TIME.

And Then COVID Happened

Sister Nancy inspired me to do a set of online cooking classes during the shutdown after I told her about the SecretBurger cook along events that were going on here in Vegas. For a while that was exciting, and now those live cooking classes with my sister have dried up too, for a variety of reasons (primarily the one below). I didn’t want to regurgitate the same shit you see from everyone else, and I truly felt (feel) I have nothing original to say or share right now…but wait, let me catch you up!

But Wait! There’s More…

Earlier this year, I finally convinced my husband to sell The Big House and downsize to something smaller. We moved downtown to a pre-war home that needs a LOT of TLC. I could bore you with details, but let’s just say that I have spent the equivalent of a micro-nation’s GDP on plumbing since moving into this lovely storybook looking house. I have thought of documenting, in words and pics, the process of the remodel, but there are literally hundreds of blogs about that if you are truly interested. We are really enjoying living downtown and walking to many of our fave dining and drinking establishments. One of the reasons the cooking classes have dried up is that my kitchen is a fucking nightmare, complete with electric stove, exposed MDF cabinets with the laminate peeling off the edges, and crowded counters.  The only things I love in my kitchen right now are my new fridge and my Boos block commercial worktable that I have repurposed as an island. Once the kitchen remodel is complete, the classes will resume. I promise.

My Boos Block in the kitchen before any remodeling takes place. Notice the exposed MDF on the cheap ass cabinets. And my gorgeous new Samsung Fridge. The only two things in this pic that are staying are the fridge and the Boos block. The kitchen will be gutted – including that horrendous ceiling!

When you reach middle age, 10 years flies by in the blink of an eye. Some days it feels like I just started this writing project. But more than that, relationships change. My relationship with writing has changed. My relationships with people, places, and things have changed. The way I respond to events is different now, in part to aging. An event that in my teen years would have caused a messy snot filled girl cry, did not bother me at all recently. I seriously have no fucks left to give for bull shit. I have no space or time for people who irritate me like a rash. There is no room in my head space for those who make me feel shitty in any way.

Things Change…

The passing of 10 years has put me fully into middle age and heading toward senior citizenship. I find myself now, oddly, at a point in my life when I see old friends after a long absence, I ask about their health. Yes, really.  A dear friend of mine from high school blew through town recently on a road trip. We hadn’t seen each other in nearly 2 years (thanks COVID), but I know he has a heart condition and worries about his blood sugar. After a huge hug (he said it was the first hug in over a year), the first questions out of my mouth were, “How’s your heart?” and “How’s your blood sugar.” And it wasn’t weird. For us. For now. It just is who we are in middle age.

The bottom line is this, what started out as a way to communicate my love for food, has morphed into something else across 10 years. I do hope you keep reading, sharing, and enjoying this small bit of myself. To be fair, I share more on Instagram, so if you consistently want to see what I am doing, you should follow me there!

The Best of 2020 – Yes. There Was SOME Good

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

This Best of 2020 blog was started in January, then I had a bout of depression, and then we decided to move in February and now, while I have a few quiet minutes I am finishing it. Enjoy and apologies for the tardiness.

Fuck 2020. Yes. We’ve all said it. The entire year was a complete shit show of monumental proportions. There were many disappointments, hardships, and losses of all kinds. Even though they suck, hardships allow for growth in my experience. We all learned to rethink our priorities in several areas. Learning who and what I can, and should, live without was liberating in a way. I eliminated toxic people, situations, and yes, even some foods that I found I could and should live without. My mental and physical health became more of a priority. I normally love to shop in person, but I learned to be a better online shopper and I tried produce delivery services to avoid going into the grocery store as frequently (the delivery services were hit or miss, so I still ended up in the store). I was outraged on behalf of my friends in the small business community when they were held to crippling standards that the big businesses here in Vegas were not expected to follow as stringently. Supporting locally owned businesses became even more of an imperative for our family. I wept for and with friends for many reasons. We all did.

2020 Had it All…NOT!

There was a lot missing in 2020. Celebrations. Dinner Parties. Trips and vacations of all kinds. And even though I was annoyed by virtually ALL of it, I found myself willingly and gracefully falling into the dreaded “new normal” – a phrase I despise BTW – of COVID dictated frameworks. Checklist before I leave the house – phone, purse, mask – CHECK! Who knew a mask could become a fashion accessory? One more place to wear sequins, glitter, and rhinestones! Who knew Stephen King’s The Stand would resonate so profoundly with me every time someone sneezed or coughed in my general vicinity?

2020 was not a year of eating dangerously. It was not a year of new restaurants tried. And yet, 2020 did yield some surprisingly happy things. It had its charms in new and unusual ways. Many rediscovered the joy of takeout and learned about food delivery services (and their usury practices and fees).  Some of us learned to cook new things at home. Hello, Sourdough anyone? Many of us pushed beyond our normal kitchen/culinary comfort zones in 2020. I know I did. I am not usually a “joiner”, but I joined a cookbook club and made some new “e-friends” who are VASTLY different than I. Being involved with this community renewed my passion for feeding those in need.

With all the trials and tribulations of 2020, here is my list of the Best of 2020:

Please Send Noodles – My Cookbook Club

Helmed by James Beard Award Winner Kim Foster, this book club is unlike any other I have belonged to before. Every other week I join a Zoom meeting with anyone else who is interested. We choose a cookbook, and for a month or so, cook from it learning new techniques, recipes, and more about ourselves. Cookbook authors have joined us for private cooking classes and Q & A sessions that were informative and fun. We also do a once a month “community cook” where we band together to feed those less fortunate than ourselves. This group was a balm to my ragged soul in 2020. I thank dear friend Gemini for inviting me, and I thank each active member for contributing and helping me see more of myself.

SecretBurger.com Cook-along Events

When the pandemic forced our local restaurants to close their doors, Jolene Mannina got creative as only she can do! Working with locally owned restaurants, she created limited edition cooking classes with the chefs. Instead of straight up take out, you picked up a pre-measured and prepped box of ingredients, and at a specified time, logged into FB and cooked along with the chef. BRILLIANT! A private cooking class with a local chef? SIGN ME UP! I was able to enjoy some of my fave dishes, like James Trees’ cacio e pepe. I learned his tricks to make it at home, and support locally as well. As much as I enjoyed all the meals cooked with the chefs, Nina Manchev from Forte Tapas is the best teacher on camera IMHO. Restaurants are now open again with limited seating, but Secret Burger is still doing amazing things. Click the link to find out more about upcoming events. Out of towners – this is your ticket to eating like a local…just sayin’.

Quarantine Kitchen with Nancy

Jolene’s cooking events encourage me to stretch my skill set a bit and I started doing online cooking with and for my sister Nancy. About once a month we select a recipe that she wants to learn how to make and I cook it LIVE on Facebook. This is one of the best of 2020 because it allowed me to stay more connected to my sister and out of town friends and I was able to do it through my love language of food. You can see all of the Quarantine Kitchen Videos on my YouTube Channel. While you’re there, take a sec and subscribe so you never miss a video class! If you want to know when the next one will be, be sure to “like” Good for Spooning on Facebook. It’s been a minute since we cooked together and it’s gonna be an even longer minute because I am moving and remodeling a kitchen (more on that soon).

My Sourdough Bread Adventures

From my previous blog you know that I learned to work with sourdough, and it truly is one of the best things from 2020. It’s not just the gorgeous boules that I have been turning out. I’ve branched into English Muffins and baguettes. I do love carbs and this is just a new way for me to love them.

Holiday Gift Guide – 2020 The COVID Edition

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

The Holiday Season is going to be very different this year. Thinking of having a Holiday open house? Fuggetaboutit. Holiday office party? Nixed. Traveling to be with family? Do it at your own peril. I am expecting the remainder of 2020 to be more of the same. Because many people are staying home as much as possible, all but one of the following gifts can be ordered and shipped, so you can shop in your PJ’s.

Let’s be honest 2020 has sucked

A. LOT. It has been one stress inducing thing after another. To help blow away the Holiday Blues that COVID has brought, this is my annual Holiday Gift List, just in time for Cyber Monday. This year, nothing on the list is a splurge. Every item is under $75 each. In fact, you could buy one of everything on this list for under $200. Because we have all been cooking at home more than in the past, this year’s list features the things that I have found useful, entertaining, been obsessed with, or would like to have for myself again. When possible I have shared links to small stores, local stores, or the manufacturers rather than the “big box” retailers. COVID has hit the small business owners harder than ever, support them when you can.

This Cookbook

Right now I am obsessed with Chinese cooking. In particular, THIS book, all about wok cooking. There is something totally meditative about the required prep work that makes this style of cooking great for tuning out stress and tuning into the here and now for me. The author was kind enough to get on a Zoom call with my cookbook club and she is just as amazing as the book itself. The recipes themselves cook up FAST – most in under 10 minutes – the prep is the step that takes the time. Bonus – true wok cooking uses very little oil, so it’s a healthier option in many ways. $35 – available at The Writer’s Block (they ship too).

Stir Frying to the Sky’s Edge – my fave cookbook purchased all year

Now that you have the book…

To make the above book the perfect gift, pick up this wok set. It has everything you need to get started. It’s the perfect gift for the budding cook, a cook dipping their toes into Chinese cooking waters (like me), or the experienced cook who needs an upgrade. I am obsessed with this pan. I am using it as much as possible to get a great seasoning on it (think cast iron). Of course, the woks are available individually as well. Per Grace Young‘s recommendation, get the flat bottomed vs. the round bottomed. I also suggest you add the flax seed oil to your order for seasoning. BONUS – the carbon steel woks are made in the USA! The wok comes with complete instructions for seasoning like a pro. $60 (HOLIDAY SPECIAL) – The Wok Shop, San Francisco.

The kit makes a great “get started now!” Holiday gift, but if you’re buying for someone who already has decent cookware, just pick up the wok itself. Photo from The Wok Shop

Grow Your Own Holiday Magic

For the cook you know that has a green thumb OR wants to try their hand at something new, get a mushroom growing kit. I was gifted one years ago by Friend Rev Kane (Ministry of Happiness) and I LOVED it! ‘Shrooms are easy to grow and if there are kids in the house, they’ll get a kick out of it too. Try Sundown Mushrooms right here in the Vegas valley to support a small company. Various varieties at $33 with free shipping.

This variety is called Blue Oyster, but there are others available. Photo from Sundown Mushrooms website

Small Batches and Limited Editions

I am a sucker for anything that is “small batch”, “limited edition”, “only available for a limited time” and so on. These sauces by Artful Saucier make the perfect Holiday gift for that saucy as hell friend or family member. Made with love by dear Friend Gemini, each is a complete and total flavor bomb. Available online only at this time and a great way to support a small business. Starting at $10. Sign up for the newsletter so you know when new batches are available and when there is a sale!

A sampling of the small batch sauces available from Artful Saucier. Photo from their website.

And THIS Holiday Ornament Sums it Up

A little humor goes a long way in 2020. Especially when it is spot on AND is decorative. Find this ornament and others like it on Etsy. I seriously think everyone on my Holiday gift list may be getting one of these. #Fuck2020

Photo from the linked seller’s site on Etsy

Everyone Needs this…Yes, REALLY

The Hubs found this by accident one day while on a mission to Total Wine after we had come back from a European River Cruise. It is perfect in tea, coffee, or hot chocolate, and utterly delicious on ice cream. Of course this is not for the kids, or anyone who abstains from alcohol. This is one of those things you MUST buy when you see it in the store because they don’t ship it, and it is in limited quantities. When you see it, buy 2. One for you, one for a friend. If you have ever had a Stroopwaffel, you KNOW how delish they are, so wrap your head around your fave hot beverage tasting like all of that goodness…yeah, that. If you have never had a Stroopwaffel, it’s everything you ever dreamed of in a waffle, a cookie, and caramel rolled into one delightful mouthful. Van Meers Stroopwaffel liqueur $13 from Total Wine.

Photo from Total Wine website.

The Holiday Gift that Keeps on Giving

December 1st is Giving Tuesday – Make a donation to your loved one’s favorite charity in their name. My suggestion is to always choose something local to their community or a local chapter of a national organization.

What to Get Me

In case you didn’t know, I started teaching my sister Nancy to cook via online videos. One camera, one take, no editing. Some are better than others, quality wise, as you can guess. As a gift to me, subscribe to my YouTube channel (and watch the cooking videos) and/or my blog (there’s a place for your address at the bottom, and NO I don’t share your info). Follow me on Instagram and Facebook. And once you do, comment and interact with me. It makes my day so much more interesting than just seeing “likes”.

The COVID Times – What I’ve Learned

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Yeah – I get it. COVID has made this summer suck. Vacations cancelled. Weddings Cancelled. Graduations cancelled. Everything cancelled. Thanks COVID! The opportunities to share and celebrate with friends and family and enjoy your “normal” activities were severely reduced. I get it. I feel it too. BUT I learned a lot about myself and others through COVID mandated social distancing, small gatherings, cancellations, and closures. As a social person by nature who feeds off excitement and activity, isolation is literally my worst nightmare. Being cut off from everyone and everything was nearly trauma inducing for me in April. Then I got my head screwed on straight.

I took this time of isolation to learn and observe.

Skills

Baking

For more than 25 years I have tried to make sourdough bread. I’ve killed starters, made shitty versions of sourdough, and thought I was a lost cause. Then Friend Gemini gave me some of her starter. I thought, “I have nowhere to go and nothing to do. This is the perfect time to try again.” So, like most of the country, I started baking again. Using a book gifted to me by Friend Chris M, I began. First with no success, then with moderate success, and now a few months into attempts, I am having fairly good results. I finally learned a lot of what I was doing wrong with sourdough. My problems were multifold. Firstly, I didn’t know all of the “tricks”. I thought all sourdough was supposed to have that tang like “San Francisco Sourdough” NOPE! I wasn’t following the directions precisely because I thought I knew how to make bread. Being impatient, I was trying to rush the process. Lastly, I was treating sourdough like other breads, thinking it could be done in one day. NOPE! Sourdough takes way more time than I realized. It takes 3 fucking days! COVID taught me to slow down.  

 I also learned how to finally make great Cacio e Pepe – read about it here.

Initial and later attempts at creating artisan sourdough. Both are with spent grain from the Hubs’ brewing

Sewing

I have always been in awe of Martha Stewart – that bitch can do anything! So, I decided I wanted to learn to sew. I had made crafts before, but now I wanted to sew garments. Well, of course no one is teaching classes right now, so it was up to me to teach myself. Thankfully, Friend Jeanie is a master seamstress, so I could call her and ask for advice. Friend Janet has been sewing for years and taught me some tricks too. And even though I had bought fabric and patterns, the mere idea of creating a garment made me break out in a cold sweat. “I have nowhere to go and nothing to do. This is the perfect time to try again.” So I did. I have made 3 dresses! I made a bunch of masks from scrap fabric that I had laying around from craft projects – those were easy. My problems with sewing in the past have been multifold as well. I am impatient…again…and want the results YESTERDAY! Because the crafts came together so easily and quickly, I thought garments would as well. NOPE! I didn’t know all the lingo or how to read a pattern. And being a novice, I was choosing patterns and fabrics “out of my weight class”. COVID taught me to slow down.

Teaching

Sister Nancy wanted me to teach her how to cook online through live videos. I was hesitant to try, but jumped into it because I love my sister. I learned A LOT doing this for/with her. There is a LOT that goes into a live demo, and I knew some of that having done over 1000 in my lifetime, but this was different. I had to look at a camera, talk to a virtual audience, and describe things more fully than if people were there in person. I learned how to “go live” on Facebook and how to transfer the videos over to YouTube. You can watch all the recipes on my YouTube channel*. What I also learned is that while I don’t think I am fast…I kinda am. And when teaching others via live video, it was hard for some folks to keep up. COVID taught me to slow down.

What I RE-Learned About Myself

  • I really like to read trashy novels – not romances, just stuff that I don’t have to think too hard about
  • Cooking is comfort for me
  • I love to travel…and I get cranky when I can’t “get away” for a few days
  • Planning anything (travel, parties, get-togethers, etc.) makes me happy and gives me something to look forward to doing.
  • When I don’t have anything to look forward to, depression sets in
  • Depression BLOWS!

What I Observed About Myself:

  • I have far more patience with myself than I realized – sewing illustrated that for me
  • I have far less patience for other people’s bullshit than I ever dreamed possible
  • Never underestimate the power of a good hug.
  • I never realized how spoiled I truly am.
  • If I put my mind to it, I can do nearly anything
  • I am more of an introvert than I thought
  • Masks hide my resting bitch face
  • I enjoy peace & quiet with no one talking to me
  • I don’t enjoy gardening as much as I used to
  • Don’t take the company of others for granted

What I Learned About Others

  • No matter what you do, someone will always be there to criticize you
  • Tempers become VERY short, when people are cooped up
  • People really don’t understand science
  • Isolation makes everyone react differently
  • Isolation allowed people’s true colors to shine through. Some good. Some not so good.
    • “When someone shows you who they are believe them”
  • Some people can’t read a “one way” sign
  • A person can remain calm, PEOPLE panic

*(shameless plug – subscribe to my YouTube channel, linked above, so you get all the video content. When new videos are posted, you’ll get notified so you can watch them whenever it’s convenient for you). Even better – if you want to cook along live with me when the videos are created, you can follow me on Facebook at Good for Spooning. Same handle on Instagram to see everything I am eating!

Food in the COVID Times

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

Why do we go out to eat? We have food at home! I know how to cook. If the size of my ass is any indication, I am pretty good at. So why do we go out to eat? I’ll tell you…

I Can Do Anything for 30 Days!

When this pandemic and self-quarantine situation started, I said – out loud mind you – “As long as I can get fresh produce, I have enough meat to last us at least 3 weeks.” I knew we wouldn’t be dining out, so I took stock of the chest freezer and did quick nonsense mental math about food to meal ratios and figured I was good. I knew we wouldn’t starve. I thought without dining out at least twice a week we’d save some cash. This was looking pretty good. I can do anything for 30 days! I’ve got this! Then 30 days stretched into 60 days. And even though I love to cook, I grew tired of cooking my own food. I really missed dining out.

And then came the ennui associated with being alone…All. Of. The. Time…and the boredom eating…and the crying. Thanks COVID, now I am a blubbering mess with tighter jeans and a freezer full of meat. Why the hell was I crying? I’ll tell you why – I was lonely. I missed my friends. And I missed the social interaction of eating with other people.

Balm For My Tortured Soul

Truthfully, with the closures of all the places we enjoy eating, and most of them not offering take-out, I honestly thought I’d be making all of my own food. And I did. I tried new things, learned a few vegetarian recipes (My son’s GF is a vegetarian and they join us for dinner each Sunday), and I cooked nearly every day. I made bread. I tackled things I don’t normally make, and we ate well. Trying new things aside, I quickly found myself bored with my own food. Secretburger.com saved me from kitchen boredom. The cooking kits and “cook along” events with some of my favorite independent restaurants here in town were a balm for my tortured soul. I was able to “dine out” even though I had to cook it myself, but I got restaurant quality ingredients and expert instruction from the chef/owner of the resto, and we ate good food. Why did I love this so much? I’ll tell you why – it was like getting a one on one master class for the price of ingredients and my food boredom was cured, if only for one meal.

I Love to Be Pampered

I learned things, or remembered things I had forgotten, during this. James Beard Award Nominee (Best Chef Southwest) Chef James Trees deserves 1000 thanks for sharing his technique on how to make the perfect cacio e pepe. It only has like four ingredients and you’d think that would make it easy. And you’d be wrong. It’s one of my favorite dishes and mine was good, but not great. I couldn’t figure out why it always tasted better when I ordered in Esther’s Kitchen. I thought I was using all the same ingredients. Maybe it was one of those “it always tastes better when someone else makes it” things? NOPE! There is a technique to it that I wasn’t doing. You can watch the video HERE and I’ll let you figure out which step(s) I was skipping or skimping. Thank you, James, now mine is great too! But knowing how to make it won’t stop me from ordering it when I go out to eat, and do you know why? I’ll tell you why – there is something intimate and pampering about eating your favorite dish that someone else has made for you.

At Long Last, Food IN a Restaurant

Finally the restaurants slowly began opening. My very first meal outside my home was with pal Antonio Nunez at his The Stove for brunch. I sat alone at a high topped table and visited with Antonio between his duties as chef/owner. It was glorious. I’ll tell you why – it was the first meal in over two months that I didn’t have to cook or clean up after. Not doing dishes is another reason why we like to go out to eat.

Corned Beef Hash & Eggs at The Stove in Henderson, NV
Perfectly runny eggs-over-easy top a mound of house made corned beef. Instead of cubed meat, it is shredded and wickedly tender. It was perfect for my first meal outside my home.

Friday night we went to Sparrow + Wolf for their third anniversary dinner. As always, Chef Brian Howard made me happy with his food. As always John Anthony and the front of the house made me happy with their service and attention to detail. Most important of all, we were with friends celebrating a birthday. We celebrate with food, whether it is at home or in a restaurant. We laughed, drank champagne, and left happy and full of food that we didn’t have to create. And we felt good about ourselves for doing it. I’ll tell you why – many of our friends (actual friends, not Facebook friends) are in the restaurant community. They have been out of work for months and we were thrilled to be able to support them upon reopening.

Enjoy these pics of our starting dishes and our lovely dessert. To see ALL of the wonderful food, go visit me on Facebook or Instagram.

Perrier Jouet is always a fabulous beginning to anything and Sister Nancy’s favorite dessert is a marvelous way to end a spectacular dinner.

So why do we go out to eat even when we have food at home? We do it for the socialization. We do it to relieve food boredom. We do it to get pampered with our favorite foods. We do it so we don’t have to do the dishes. We do it to support our friends and neighbors and our community. I have a list of places and dishes and cocktails that I can’t wait to revisit. Who wants to go with me?

As I sat down to edit this piece this morning, I realized yesterday was the 9th anniversary of this blog. I know I haven’t written as much as I did when I first started, and I have no more excuses. I am just out of fresh ideas. If you have a topic you’d like me to write about, let me know.

And in celebration of my 9 years of being on the web, I started a YouTube channel with all the Quarantine Kitchen videos from Facebook. Be sure to subscribe so you never miss one even if you can’t watch live. There are other fun nuggets there as well, like sabering a bottle of champagne in Egypt. Go check it out. And subscribe to Good for Spooning on everything, including this blog. Thanks!

Quarantine Kitchen – THIS is a First

Posted on by LeAnne Notabartolo

I blame my sister Nancy. It’s all her fault. For years she has been calling me and saying things like the following:

  • I am trying to make __________. I don’t have ____. What’s a good substitute?
  • What do I NEED to know before I attempt making ______?
  • Why isn’t my ________ ______ing?
  • I have <ingredient X> in the fridge/pantry, what do I do with it?

And so on . . . ad nauseum

After seeing my post about Nina Manchev of Forte Tapas doing a live cooking event in conjunction with SecretBurger.com and how much I loved it, she called me. So I kinda blame Jolene and Nina as well.

YOU should do this!

“I have a great idea! You are such a good teacher. You’ve taught me over the phone! You have done a million live demos. YOU should do this.” Nancy thought it would be more fun to watch someone she knows (a/k/a ME) make something that looks difficult, but with the right instruction and a little interaction and feedback, is fairly uncomplicated. “We” could post the ingredient and equipment lists ahead of time so that we can actually cook together, instead of watching a cooking demo and having to try to recreate it later because (1) she didn’t have the ingredients; (2) the chef goes too fast; (3) the timing is not accurate (the video was edited); and (4) she can’t ask questions. “Let’s do something I don’t know how to make!”

My Mouth Agreed Before My Brain Caught Up

And because I am bored at home, my mouth agreed before my brain could catch up. If this is the only way my friends can visit with me, I thought it would be a good idea… at the time…then Nancy started inviting her friends on FaceBook… and a bunch of people accepted (!)…and then I got nervous. WTF was I thinking?

And thus, Quarantine Kitchen was born (thanks to pal Gemini for that catchy name).

By now, most of us are sick of cooking the same shit…all the time. Few people are willing to test out new recipes under the best of circumstances because they don’t want to waste time on a dish they might hate. Now that we all have plenty of time at home, few people are willing to test recipes for a different reason — screwing up a dish. Or worse, buying all the stuff and never making it, meaning a wasted trip to the grocery store, which has the potential of dire consequences involving death.  

Keeping It Real

To keep it real for what the original intention was, Nancy and I will be picking recipes that we both love which she does not know how to make well. Of course, I’ll be doing most of the “heavy lifting” so to speak, but I told her that if I am doing this, she is doing it with me. The Hubs will be with us monitoring the camera and letting me know your questions in real time and the Offspring may be brought in as well because he loves to cook!

If you read my last blog about being in quarantine, this is a chance for you to learn something new and engage with others in a safe way – social distancing to the MAX here. For me, it’s a way to stretch my comfort zone, connect with some friends and strangers, and do something I love – cooking for others. Remember in the blog that I said I miss cooking for a crowd? Well here is my chance, and as I type there are more of you interested than I thought possible.

Croque Madame was the Star of the Show

Croque Madame at Bouchon, Las Vegas
The Croque Madame at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon, Las Vegas. Photo by me.

Our first dish was Croque Madame. My all-time fave brunch dish. And let me tell you, it sounds way fancier than it is. When was the last time I made if for myself? Exactly never! I order it when I go out for brunch, but who knows when the next time that will fucking happen! Next up? My version of the only thing I will eat from Olive Garden – that Sausage and Kale soup.

Go to Good for Spooning on Facebook, check out the ingredient and equipment lists (most of which you probably already have on hand). (Truthfully, it is not quite as long as it looks at first glance. Don’t be scared! I added EVERY DAMN THING you need and a description of it in case you need to sub an item.

I Will Try to Answer ALL of your Questions

During the events I will answer questions as we go along, so don’t be afraid to chime in. The Hubs will read the questions to me so I can answer them. At the end of the demo, I’ll ask you to make suggestions for dishes you’d like to see. I can’t promise that I’ll do them, Nancy must want to learn the recipe since this is her damn idea.

It had been more than 5 years since I had done a live demo. And while I have done more than 1000 of them in my lifetime, I have only ever recorded a couple of them. If you are going to critique, please do so, but please be kind. I am sure I will suck in the beginning, but I am also sure I will get better. A little warning – it may end up being like “Auntie Fee” peppered with foul language, but I hope the recipes won’t be quite as disastrous.  

Can’t wait to see you and cook with you on Saturday!

Cover Photo by
Photo by Becca Tapert on Unsplash