Reader mail

Happy Friday, foodies!

I'm trying to scoot out early today. Got tickets to see the Phillies tonight. Woo-hoo! You gotta believe. OK, I don't want to jinx the game so I will say no more except I'm definitely getting a beer and a Tony Luke's roast pork sandwich. Maybe a hot dog. Maybe some peanuts....I love Broad Street baseball.

Crabs, sushi grade fish and a BYO in Glen Mills, Pa., are some of the topics for today's Reader Mail. Need a restaurant suggestion this weekend? Read Eric Ruth's three-star (very good) review of Amici's in Landenberg, Pa.

Keep the questions coming. You ask. We answer. Every Friday.

Do you know any stores that sell sushi grade fish in Delaware or Pennsylvania? I'm tempted to try and make sushi at home but want to have a very good grade of fish. Bill Reinhard.

My first stop would be Dawson’s Seafood, 821 N Madison St., Wilmington; (302) 658-4238. Dawson’s sells fish to many area restaurants and I often see chefs shopping there. The fish isn’t in a case. You ask for it and someone goes in the back room and pulls it out and cuts it for you. The market is not in the best neighborhood in Wilmington, but the quality of the seafood is impeccable. (Just so you know, Dawson's doesn't look like a store from the outside and it kind of feels like a secret place.) I just called and spoke to someone at the market. They recommend always calling ahead of time to see what’s available and what is sushi grade. (Sometimes they'll order sushi grade fish and it doesn't come in that way. They won't sell it to you. They're very picky that way. A demand for the highest quality is something you definitely want from a seafood market.) The retail side has limited hours. It’s open Monday through Wednesday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Thursdays and Fridays from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s not open on weekends.
You could also try Hadfield's Seafood, Captain's Catch, 5828 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington; 998-3457; or Feby's Fishery, 3701 Lancaster Pike,(Del. Route 48),Wilmington, 998-9496. Readers, let me know if I'm missing a quality market.


Hi Patricia,
I am looking for a place within 15-20 miles of New Castle County…that is open on Sundays…and serves the BEST Crabs?My 2 daughters and I celebrate an annual tradition of eating crabs together in late Sept...early October. We plan on doing that THIS Sunday, September 30th. The last two years we’ve gone to the Hill Top near Avon Grove, PA, where they had “All You Can Eat” for $23.95 each. I haven’t seen them advertise that this year. So, we’re on the look out for a NEW place and would welcome your suggestions.
Thank you,
Tom Hynson

Hey, Tom. What a fun tradition. I like your thinking. I want to be a member of your family. Also, a smart move. Crabs are fatter and heavier in the fall than the summer. The “BEST” is always a hard question to answer. What is considered the "BEST” to some people may not be the "BEST” for others. One of my favorite places to eat crabs is The Tap Room, 201 Bohemia Ave.,Chesapeake City, Md.; (410) 885-2344/ It’s not too far from Newark, Del. Chesapeake City is a quaint town and I’ve always like the laid back style of the Tap Room. (It’s cash only.) Some places to consider, closer to New Castle County, may be Kathy’s Crab House (formerly Wiso’s Crab House), 107 Fifth St. (Route 9), Delaware City, or Lestardo’s Crab House, Rt. 273 & Prangs Lane, New Castle; (302) 328-5070. Here’s a story I wrote about crab feasting in the fall. It also has a list of some local crabhouses. Always call ahead of time to ask about availability. Get ready to tap those mallets.


Big Fork, Old Ridge Village, DELICIOUS! Give it a try!


Eric Ruth did and wrote a review of Big Fork, U.S. 202 at Ridge Road, Olde Ridge Village Shopping Center, near Chadds Ford, Pa. (610) 358-8008, on Sept. 16, 2006. He gave it a three star (very good) review and wrote "some dishes bring moments so clearly superlative that they could stand up to the best of Philly, or even Manhattan."

Top Chef recap

The final three - Hung, Casey and Dale.
Whaddaya think?
I like, though I think the chefs this week seemed to be losing some steam.
The elimination round was about taking elk - a gamey tasting meat - and make it appealing to a bunch of cowboys. But, really, who are the producers kidding? It was all about impressing Tom and guest judge Eric Ripert. (The Half Moon Restaurant & Saloon in Kennett Square, Pa., serves elk, in case you're interested....)
Chances are good, if you put too many competing tastes on a plate, you're not going to impress a French chef like Ripert. Brian was rightfully 86'ed and a part of me also believes it was because he incorrectly described the taste of one of the cheeses he was serving. Don't mess with a Frenchman when it comes to cheese.
Dale showed his chops. Is he the dark horse in this race?
I'm looking forward to next week when the chefs get to show what they're "all about."
Though, the guest judges are an interesting mix. Todd English, Michele Bernstein and Rocco DiSpirito? What a trio.

Best sandwich in Philly?

The Cheesesteak BLT at Philadelphia's Vesuvio Restaurant & Bar has been selected by NBC's "The Today Show" as the best sandwich in the country.

Vesuvio riffs on the Philly classic by featuring sliced filet mignon topped with provolone, sautéed onions, bacon, lettuce, and tomato on a ciabatta that's slathered with sriracha mayonnaise. It's $11.

The restaurant says it's a healthier option than the traditional cheesesteak - (ha, ha, ha, ha, we'll get ignore that line) - and always a big hit with the restaurant's late night bar crowd. (OK, that I believe.)

It beat out a specialty from Katz's Delicatessen in New York City, a muffaletta from New Orleans and a lobster roll from San Francisco.

Vesuvio is located at 736 S. 8th St. at Fitzwater. For a reservation, call (215) 922-8380 or visit http://www.vesuvio-online.com/.

Apple cider doughnuts

The apple is Mother Nature's last hurrah before winter's frost. And for many, fall apple picking is what food writer Molly O'Neill calls a "ritual of remembering." It's about recalling where our food comes from and reconnecting with the past.
I spent the morning with Evan Milburn of Milburn Orchards in Elkton, Md., and coaxed a few of his apple secrets.
I also tried to sweet talk Milburn into giving up his recipe for his famous apple cider doughnuts.

That Evan is one smart cookie. He wasn't biting.
But he graciously let me watch the early morning doughnut making process. The doughnuts are made with Milburn's own homemade cider, which is pressed from the orchard's sweet and tart apples.

The aroma of frying doughnuts is what dreams are made of.
If you never had an warm, cinnamon-sugar coated apple cider doughnut from Milburn's - and believe me, you won't be able to stop at just one - you don't know what you're missing.

Go. Right now. Or at least very soon. Doughnut production ends in November.

An eagle eye on wine - part II

I learned early on in my journalism career to never interview people that I admire. Why? Sometimes, they turn out to be complete jerks. Then, any admiration I had quickly vanishes.

Luckily, people in the restaurant industry are, for the most part, pretty cool. And, with a few exceptions, most chefs and winemakers have turned out to be enjoyable people.

That said, I was a little apprehensive about interviewing Dick Vermeil for an upcoming story.

Vermeil, my favorite Philadelphia Eagles coach, is a now partner in a California wine business and has a line of cabernet sauvignon named after his grandfather. He's hosting a 6:30 p.m. wine dinner Oct. 5 at the Christiana Hilton in Newark. Tickets are $95 per person. Call Kreston's at 652-3792.

Before our interview, I crossed my fingers and hoped Vermeil wouldn't be a jerk. I didn't want the bubble to burst.

And I'm happy to say Vermeil couldn't have nicer. He's funny, fun-loving and answered his own phone. We mainly talked about wines and his years growing up in Calistoga, Calif., but I couldn't end our chat without asking his opinion about this year's Eagles.

(My Eagles loving family, most especially my dear Uncle Franny, would have kicked me to the curb if I didn't ask the question.) Vermeil didn't brush me off.

“I think they better demonstrated what they were all about yesterday then they did their first two games," he said the day after the 1-2 Eagles pounded the previously undefeated Detroit Lions during a 56-21 victory at Lincoln Financial Field.
"I think they’re good.”

Italian-American eats

I've rediscovered an old love - Attilio's Ristorante, 1900 Lancaster Ave., Wilmington, 428-0909.
The family-run Italian "red gravy" palace was always a favorite spot when I lived in the city. It's a comfortable, homey eatery - the walls are covered with "Brady Bunch" wood panelling - where you can always dig into a plate of homemade pasta.
Is the sauce as good as Grandmom Talorico's or my mom's? No way. But then no Italian-American I know would ever dis their nonna's (or mother's) sauce.
Some friends and I recently stopped by Attilio's and I introduced them to what is one of my favorite dishes in Delaware: Attilio's hot peppers.
These crunchy, spicy, skinny peppers have been a part of the menu for at least 20 years.
Customers actually receive a blend of hot and sweet peppers. "That's so you get a little breather in between bites," Bruce Testa, a longtime employee, told me for a 2006 News Journal story.
"Part of the fun is watching people eat them," says Attilio Cafini, whose family owns the Italian eatery.
"It's a little like Italian roulette. Some people will stop and get a glass of water or eat bread. But then they go back to eating them. They're addictive, like potato chips and peanuts."
The dish was introduced by Attilio's father, Alberico, who learned how to make the crunchy peppers from family members in Downingtown, Pa.
To make the dish, the family buys long, Italian hot peppers and a variety known as "Italian sweets" from a New Jersey farm. Attilio's mother, Vincenza Cafini, cuts the peppers into thin slices and then sun-dries them. The crunch comes from flash frying in hot oil. The peppers are served with sprinkles of salt.
The cost is $5.50 for a small order, $7 for medium, $8.25 for large. If you order the peppers for takeout, add a quarter more.
Here's an Attilio's secret. If you just want a plate of extra-spicy hot peppers - no sweets - ask your server. Attilio Cafini says they put aside some of the hottest peppers for customers in the know.

New restaurant

OK, I can't keep this one to myself any more. So just a small tease: The owners of the Dilworthtown Inn have opened a new, casual 75-seat restaurant called the Blue Pear Bistro. It's located next to the Inn, off Old Wilmington Pike in Dilworthtown, just south of West Chester.

For the past two years, owners Jim Barnes (that's Jim in the photo) and Robert Rafetto have been restoring the former Dilworthtown General Store, which dates back to 1754!, for the new bistro. It's open, dinner only, Monday through Saturday.

Want to know more? Read this Sunday's Life section.

UPDATE: Oops, here's the phone number (610) 399-9812. Reservations are STRONGLY suggested.

Reader mail

Friday's mailbag shares information about a Dover crabhouse and includes a query about where to find Sunday lunch in Wilmington.

Just wanted to give you a heads up and wanted to let you know that we, Reel Fresh Seafood Market & Grill, located on 1151 E.Lebanon Road ( Rt.10), Dover, (3 miles from Dover Air Force Base) serve eat-in, as well as take out crabs, year-round in a very casual,yet fun atmosphere. We have been awarded "Best Fresh Seafood" by Delaware Today Magazine 2 years in a row 2006 & 2007. Should you be interested in further information. Please contact me at 302-698-1015. Thank you, John A. Schwartz, owner of Reel Fresh Seafood Market.

Thanks John. He also included this information in a follow-up email:

About our Crabs:
1) We grade our crabs 2 times, once for size & then for weight -
2) Offer 6 different sizes- a size for everyone's taste & budget/ our customers always know what they are receiving
3) Our sweet crabs come from, MD, NC, FL, TX & La
4) We have crabs year around
5) Crabs are available Eat in or Take Out
6) We always recommend calling to place an order for crabs for eat in or take out- we sell out quickly

Hi, Patricia, Would you give us some help in finding a restaurant in the Trolley Square/City area for a late Sunday lunch? We're planning the baptism of our daughter at St. Ann's and would love to take everyone out somewhere, but we're so out of the dining out loop that we don't know where. Any recommendations would be so very welcome. Thanks for your input. The Sarcich Family.

Sunday lunch at a restaurant in the city can kind of be like entering the Twilight Zone. Not a lot of places are open. Is everyone watching football? This is what I found: Gallucio's, 1709 Lovering Ave, does have lunch. Kid Shelleen's, 1801 W. 14th St., has brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., a limited menu beginning from 2 to 3 p.m., (burgers, salads, that kind of thing) and the full menu begins at 3 p.m. The Washington Street Ale House serves brunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but you can get lunch after 2 p.m.

On the Wilmington Riverfront: Harry's Seafood Grill opens at noon; Iron Hill, 710 S. Madison St., has Sunday Brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Spanish wine

I've been hearing about Txakoli, a Spanish wine from the Basque region, for a while now and was delighted, and not at all surprised, to find it on the white wine menu of Domaine Hudson in Wilmington.
Give it a try. Txakoli (pronounce it CHA-koh-lee) has little bubbles, nice acidity and is very food-friendly. Good stuff!

In Memoriam

Just wanted to note the sad passing of Louis V. Amalfitano who died peacefully at home surrounded by his family on Sept. 2, after a long battle with cancer.

If you ever had a sandwich at the Grotto Pizza or Seasons Pizza & Restaurant chains or from dozens of other delis and eateries in Delaware, you ate one Lou Amalfitano's rolls.

Lou was one of the owners, and the head baker, of Amalfitano's Italian Bakery in New Castle. Born in Ischia, Italy, he immigrated to America with his parents and sister when he was 10 years old and settled in Linwood, Pa.

Amalfitano once said the secret to his baking success was his use of water and steam. In 2005, Fred Comegys took this photo of Lou when Amalfitano's Bakery was firing up its ovens during the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl fever.

Amalfitano's is adjacent to the News Journal's back parking lot. Sometimes, when I walk out to my car, I can smell the aroma of baking bread. It's one of the most comforting aromas in the world and always makes me smile - even when I'm having a bad day.

Jim Jannuzzio of Dom's Deli in New Castle was a true believer in the quality of Amalfitano's bread.

"There's no better roll in the state," said Jannuzzio, who has been making subs and steaks with Amalfitano's rolls since 1989.

"It's the texture, it's the crust. I'm Italian and I know good bread."

Top Chef recap

This was my favorite episode so far this season.
Le Cirque owner Sirio Maccioni, the man famous for telling former New York Times restaurant critic Ruth Reichl that "the king of Spain is waiting at the bar, but YOUR table is ready," was the guest judge for the quickfire. The five remaining contestants had to cook Le Cirque's famous "off the menu" potato wrapped fish dish.
Hung had it the bag. Are you surprised? Me neither. His techniques are spot on.
(By the way, Ruth famously punished Maccioni for his preferential treatment and snooty attitude. In her review, she took away one of Le Cirque's stars. )
Awesome elimination challenge created by the deans of the French Culinary Institute. (Competitors had to use chicken, onion and potatoes and make them sing!)
I've attended classes at the FCI and that alone is intimidating. I can't imagine cooking for a classics master like Andre Soltner. Very cool seeing "Mr. Chocolate Man" Jacques Torres. I spent a day hanging with Jacques for a story. He is an amazing teacher and pastry chef as well as a true gentleman.
- I kept waiting for Hung to say it's so easy "even my monkey could do it." Darn. No monkey this week.
- Yeah, so I know that "an old rooster" is the traditional main ingredient in a classic coq au vin, but I think Tom was being way too nitpicky. (You think he was trying to show off?) Who, in the U.S., uses a rooster? Even Julia Child and Jacques Pepin - a former FCI dean - have used chicken in coq au vin. Kudos to Casey. A big, fat raspberry to Tom.
- What was Dale thinking doing the "duet" of chicken. Then, he forgot the sauce? At the FCI? Are you kidding me?
- Sara and the couscous, again? What's up with that? And then she tried to say that her chicken wasn't undercooked after a team of culinary deans said it was? Right away, I knew she was a goner.
- Kind of surprised no one did a classic roast chicken. Though, an excellent roast chicken is actually much more difficult to pull off than you'd imagine. French chefs are a tough crowd, especially when it comes to a bistro classic like roast chicken.
- Hung's refined sous-vide chicken looked so good. And that crispy skin evoked the flavor of roast chicken. Very, very smart move. He's the man to beat.
- Brian's green ramp-flavored potatoes looked a little off-putting, but teaming sausage with chicken is never a bad thing.

Maybe, it's because I'm heading to Italy soon. Or maybe I'm just hungry.

Anyway, this Mario Batali bolognese recipe, now on the Wine Spectator web site, looks amazing. I'm getting a great bottle of Italian wine and will be getting busy in the kitchen. The recipe is also a good excuse to run this photo of Mario taken by News Journal photographer Fred Comegys. Fred took this photo after we spent the morning with Mario in his New York restaurant Otto pizzeria. Mario was standing on the street and cab drivers and tourists were yelling his name. He's a rock star and an extremely cool cat.

Mario Batali's Ragù Bolognese

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, very finely chopped

4 stalks celery, very finely chopped

4 carrots, very finely chopped

5 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped

3/4 pound ground veal

3/4 pound ground pork

3/4 pound ground beef

1 6-ounce can tomato paste

1 cup whole milk

1 cup dry white wine

Salt

1 pound spinach tagliatelle, cooked and drained

Parmigiano-Reggiano
1. Heat the oil and butter in a 6- to 8-quart heavy-bottomed pot, set over medium heat, until hot. Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic, and cook until the vegetables are translucent but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the veal, pork and beef. Increase the heat to high, and brown the meat, stirring frequently, for about 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, and continue to cook and stir for another 20 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, and cook for another 30 minutes. Add the milk, and cook for 1 hour. Add the wine, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Cook until the wine has evaporated and the alcohol has cooked off, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, adding a splash of water if necessary to keep the sauce from drying out.
2. Season the ragù with salt. Remove it from the heat, and let it cool. To serve with pasta, add 2 cups of the ragù to the tagliatelle, and toss briefly over high heat. Divide among four serving bowls, and garnish with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serves 4. (The remaining ragù can be refrigerated for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 1 month.)

Mark Twain once said, and I'm paraphrasing here, you never want to see laws or sausages being made.

I've seen both. Sausage really isn't that bad. (Scrapple, well, that's another story.)

If you love kielbasa - or Italian sausage - check out my story today on the Delaware Provision Co. in Wilmington's Browntown neighborhood.

Billy Hayes, 24, is the now the keeper of an old Polish kielbasa recipe. Billy's Irish. He learned how to make Polish sausage from his Scottish uncle.

Confused? Read the story.

Cooking classes

Did you ever have one of those crazy busy times at work where you look up at the clock and realize the whole day has passed by in the wink of an eye? That's how I feel right now.

Make sure you pick up Wednesday's Life section - or read it online - and check out some of the upcoming cooking and wine classes being offered in the area. CLICK HERE FOR THE LIST Celebrity Kitchens in Brandywine Hundred usually has a good lineup. Here's a photo taken by News Journal photographer Ginger Wall of Walter Staib, owner of Philadelphia's City Tavern restaurant. Staib, an always intereting food historian, held a demonstration last Friday at Celebrity Kitchens. I'm sure this was an informative and fun class.

Next time, get a booth

If you're going on a first date, make sure you ask for a booth.
This past weekend, I couldn't help but eavesdrop on the conversation of some fellow diners.
My dining companion and I were seated at a crowded banquette and, believe me, it's no place for a private chat. We were privvy to all the details of the couple next us whether we liked it or not.
The couple, on a first date, met through an Internet dating service and were just getting to know each other in person. I know this because the guy was very loud when he said "I knew I liked you when I read your profile and you liked skiing..." (This, later, turned out to be a little weird, because the guy said he DIDN'T ski.) Our eyebrows raised and while we chatted to each other, we were really listening to their conversation. (Those seats were much too close.)
Don't believe for one minute that someone isn't paying attention to what you're saying in a restaurant.

Sitting next to them was just like being on a first date. It was sometimes awkward, full of pauses and occasionally goofy comments. The woman talked for a long time about a movie called Beerfest that actually sounded pretty funny and may be something I have to rent. After a while, we tried to tune out and have our own conversation. But, later in the night, I noticed that a couple on the other side of Internet couple, joined their chat.

Maybe they wanted to know more about Beerfest or maybe they were on a first date, too?

An eagle eye on wine

Former Philadelphia Eagles coach Dick Vermeil will host an Oct. 5 wine tasting dinner at the Christiana Hilton.

Vermeil, who led the St. Louis Rams to the Super Bowl, grew up in a Calistoga, Calif., wine making family. His great-grandfather, Jean Louis Vermeil, and his father, also named Jean Louis Vermeil, made wine. Vermeil will uncork his 2002 Jean Louis Vermeil Frediani Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon at the dinner. The cost is $95 per person. Tickets are limited to between 100 to 120 people. Call Kreston Liquor Mart at 652-3792 for information.

Reader mail

Food friends, a trio of questions today. First, check out Eric Ruth's review of The Cultured Pearl in Rehoboth Beach. For other recent dining reviews, click here.

Keep the questions coming....You ask. We answer. Every Friday.

What Indian restaurants do you recommend? We live in Newark, but would go to Wilmington if you think that's where the best Indian food is. (We lived in India for 4 years.) Thanks, The Toshes

Hi Toshes. Thanks for the letter. I’m going to approach answering this letter with some caution. Since you’ve lived in India for four years, I’m sure you have some very strong opinions about Indian cuisine. I’m not sure what part of the country you lived - northern, southern, eastern or western - and the food is so vastly different, I’m not sure what your looking for. For instance, the curries of Kerala are so different than from Punjab. I know from experience that once you get a flavor memory on your palate, it’s hard to find it again in another part of the world. That said, I just had dinner at Palace of Asia, 3421 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington; 994-9200; www.palace-of-asia.com., and really enjoyed it. The atmosphere is upscale and everyone around us seemed to be ordering the sizzling tandoori dishes. (If you go, definitely order a mango juice drink.) Look for an upcoming review on Sept. 21.

I used to be a fan of Taste of India, 2628 Kirkwood Highway, Newark, 737-9483, but was disappointed during my last visit. I’m hearing good things about Himalaya Indian Restaurant 2671 Kirkwood Highway, Meadowood Shopping Center Newark, 497-0586, but I haven’t eaten there since it changed hands. (It used to be Cafe Chettinad and they offered wonderful dosas, idlis, the spongy rice-and-lentil white patties known as idlis, and the excellent medu vadas, the crisp rice-and-lentil doughnuts.) I’ve liked Nirvana Fine Indian Cuisine 1601 Concord Pike in the Independence Mall Shopping Center.

Good luck. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Hi Patricia. I am going to try that eggplant lasagna dish you wrote about last week. Any suggestions as to where to buy fresh mozzarella besides going to the Italian market in Philly. Thanks. Paula Kelly.

Andrea’s Best of Italy store (off Del 41), 723 Ace Memorial Drive, Hockessin; 235-0237, sells both buffalo mozzarella and cow’s milk mozzarella. Or try Pagano's, an Italian grocer and catering company in in the Olde Ridge Village Shoppes off U.S. 202 in Glen Mills, Pa; (610) 459-5900.

SIW Vegetable Stand off Route 100 in Chadds Ford, Pa., (610) 388-0656, was selling fresh mozzarella made by the famed Philadelphia Italian market stores Claudio’s and DiBruno Brothers this summer. They were still carrying it last time I stopped by, about 2 weeks ago. Janssen’s Market in Greenville usually has both buffalo mozzarella and cow’s milk mozzarella as does Trader Joe’s.

Buon appetito!

Can you give a recommondation for an inexpensive best bet for an Asian resturant in the Wilmington/Newark area? Thank you for your response.

In a July 7, 2006 review, Eric Ruth gave three stars (very good) to China Royal, 1845 Marsh Road, Plaza III shopping center (just north of Branmar Plaza). 475-3686. He wrote that “fair prices, vibrant execution and attentive service - along with the high standards to do it all consistently - put China Royal at the top of Delaware's long list of Chinese restaurants, and make it one of the best dinner values in the state.”

Ruth also has liked Shang Hai, 2815 Philadelphia Pike, Claymont (at corner of Pennsylvania Avenue), 798-0142, which he wrote “looks like just another unspectacular suburban Chinese takeout joint from the outside. Inside, the menu looks just about the same as any other - until you ask for the "Chinese menu." Available in Chinese and (thankfully) English, it's filled with the offbeat and authentically crafted kinds of dishes that can make you forget chicken chow mein ever existed.”

And Ruth has recommended Szechuan Restaurant, 3615 Kirkwood Highway, Apollo Shopping Center (near Duncan Road). 999-0286. His suggested dishes: Noodles with hot sesame sauce; noodle soups; shredded beef with hot spice sauce; beef, chicken, shrimp or pork with black bean sauce; Seafood Delight with shrimp, scallops and lobster; C.J. Special with "the hottest of hot peppers" house special pan-fried noodles with shrimp, beef and chicken; Gen. Tso's Chicken; "Create Your Own Dish" with choice of meat, vegetables and sauce.

Risotto rocks

My autumnal mood is complete.
The other night I made creamy, porcini risotto and it made me so happy.
The earthy, woodsy aroma of the dried porcinis as they softened in hot water reminded me of bonfires and the Tuscan countryside. (During the fall, in my favorite, rural hilltown in Italy, there's a constant smell of smoke in the air from all the wood-burning stoves.) The perfume from the warm porcinis was so comforting and inspiring, I decided to grab a batch of rich, homemade chicken stock from my freezer instead of opening a box of College Inn broth.
I wanted to make a proper risotto with absolutely no shortcuts.
After grating Parmigiano Reggiano - none of that pregrated cheese for this dish - I took my time sauteing the onions and, later, the arborio rice.
Sure, it wasn't a quick fix meal. And it did take some patience - to defrost the chicken broth and constantly stir the risotto and ladle stock.
But, sometimes, this kind of slow, contemplative cooking is good for the stomach - and the soul.

Top Chef recap

C.J. was banished to New Jersey on last night's "Top Chef." Not a huge surprise, given that the guest judges hated his dish, especially the burned broccolini.

Episode highlights:

- Is Dale the one who made the "date" smoothie? That wouldn't start my stomach rumbling in the morning.

- On the other hand, Hung's smoothie looked quite yummy.

- C.J. saying he had never been to New York. This really surprised me. The guy is 31 and he's a culinary professional. You think he would have visited the country's culinary mecca at least once.

- Colicchio looked good in the Kangol hat.

- Do you ever order fish or seafood when you're flying? I don't. It scares me more than terrorists.

- Brian trying to defend his, apparently, god awful lobster hash, which, did I hear this right?, Bourdain said "had the texture of a doll head." Brilliant.

- Bourdain telling Sara her salmon was like "cat food." Mee-ow!

- Sara telling her competitors that Bourdain was "evil."

London eats ain't cheap

London is the most expensive dining capital in the world. A meal costs more than double the average cost of a New York meal.
The average meal in London costs just over $79, beating out Paris, at nearly $72 and Tokyo, at just over $71, according to a Zagat survey of 5,300 Londoners.
Last time I was in London, I tried not to think about the cost. It's easy when you're using English pounds which look like "play money." And it's even easier when you get star struck. One evening at St. John Bar & Restaurant, an excellent eatery, two pals and I were seated near Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale. The English were so cool - everyone pretended like they didn't know who they were. Kind of hilarious since Stefani, with her glowing Marilyn Monroe blonde hair and bright red lipstick, was pretty hard to miss.
I got home, scanned my credit card bills and suddenly realized, "OH, GEEZ. That's how the pound translates....."

Quesadillas and cookies

If you get a chance, check out my story today on Sara Foster and her recipe for barbecued chicken and chickpea quesadillas. I made this dish for dinner the other night - but subbed leftover pork for the chicken - and it was simple and delicious.

I know what you're thinking: Quesadillas, how hard is that? But what I like about Sara is that she uses ingredients easily found in the pantry, refrigerator and grocery stores and combines them in ways that may not immediately come to mind. Sara also encourages home cooks to think beyond the old school thought of dinner as just a meat, starch and a veg.

I've also included Sara's recipe for peanut butter cookies from her first cookbook "The Foster's Market Cookbook." People love these old-fashioned cookies. (Add a cup of chocolate chips and they go bonkers!)

"Leg" Foo Young?

Savvy chefs know the hands are the best tools for some jobs. Turns out that this kitchen worker has found and even more efficient method:

Kitchen worker at New York state restaurant caught stomping garlic in work boots

NANUET, N.Y. (AP) — Stomping on garlic with your shoes on is apparently not the correct way to prepare food.

The Rockland County health department hit the Great China Buffet restaurant with two violations after someone took pictures of an employee stomping on a bowl of garlic with his boots in an alley. The man alerted health inspectors.

“I go back there, and the guy’s stepping on garlic,” said Dan Barreto, who used to eat at the restaurant. “There he was just jumping up and down on it, smashing it up, having a good time.”

The health department does not consider a person’s shoe or boot a proper instrument to use in food preparation, senior public health sanitarian John Stoughton said Tuesday.

“It was a novel way to prepare food,” he acknowledged.

Great China Buffet owner Jiang Shu said the worker has been fired over the incident.

The health department said it would inspect the restaurant again.

Top Chef? Someone begs to differ (see new updates)

Really interesting email from Jim Berman, culinary arts instructor at Delcastle Technical High School. It seems Jim wasn't impressed with "Top Chef" winner Ilan Hall's cooking demonstration at last Saturday's 22nd annual Kennett Square (Pa.) Mushroom Festival. Hall took home the top toque award on season two of the Bravo TV reality series.

I'll just let Jim's email speak for itself. (Thanks Jim, for giving me permission to run the letter and photograph.)

Patty,

I brought along some of my culinary students (from Delcastle –woo hoo!!) and we took in the Ilan demonstration/snooze session from the front row. My students were pumped to see an honest to goodness TV chef/superstar conducting a demo.

Well, we got to see him; I’m not so sure about the superstar part.

He arrived late.....He explained that he was going to roast some maitake/hen of the woods mushrooms as they did at Craft in NYC. Coming from Tom Colicchio’s flagship establishment in the culinary heart of America, I thought we were going to see some sparks.

Well, he proceeded to waaaaay overheat the griddle/planche and burn those gorgeous fungi after, moments earlier, explaining that you can not really burn mushrooms. As he restarted, he went on to make a sauce Romescu, [a Catalan dipping sauce.] He pureed canned red peppers with some marcona almonds, sherry and a drizzle of olive oil. After doing so, he explained that he could “see” there was not enough salt. Say that again?

Anyhow, the 40 minute demo ended with an oversized platter of lifeless mushrooms with a red glob of canned red pepper puree. Hmmmmmm.
He posed for a picture with my crew (and 2 of my own from the home team) and suggested that they are put their fingers in their bellybuttons for the picture. I think he overdosed on mushroom fumes, or something.

Anyhow, my students and I toured the mushroom-growing display that had a bounty of specimens in various stages of growth. Infinitely more interesting than Top Chef.

All the best,
Jim Berman
(Culinary Arts Instructor at Delcastle Tech. High School)

***UPDATE: I just spoke to JoBeth Thompson, the mushroom festival's culinary chairman. She said Hall was about 15 minutes late to his standing room only cooking demo. He drove to the festival that morning from his New York home and "wasn't sure where he was going. It was all new to him." She said Hall did burn one batch of mushrooms but then cooked another batch. Thompson was sorry that Berman was disappointed. "I guess he was expecting more from him," Thompson said, explaining that [Hall] is "25 years old and he's been traveling a lot." Thompson said didn't hear the belly button comment and said that Hall was pleasant and polite Saturday and at his Sunday appearance. "I would ask him back again next year."

****UPDATE 2: JoBeth Thompson just called me and said she wanted readers to know Hall is "a really nice guy." She said Hall won a complete Kenmore kitchen as one of his Top Chef prizes and the chef told her that he was planning on donating the kitchen to an orphanage.

Avalanche of cookbooks

I don't care what the calendar says: It's really fall.

How do I know? Book publishers are busy trying to push their latest tomes. You should see the stacks and stacks of cookbooks on and surrounding my desk.

Not all are winners. For instance, I seriously doubt I'll be running any stories about "The Book of Spam: A Most Glorious and Definitive Compendium of the World's Favorite Canned Meat" (Astria Books, $23.95).

But I'm looking forward to paging through "Sunday Roast: Cooking & Carving" (Kyle Books, $19.99) by Clarissa Dickson Wright - one of the original "Two Fat Ladies, remember them?? and Johnny Scott.

I also like the looks of:

- "Apples for Jam" (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $29.95) by Tessa Kiros

- "Roast Chicken and Other Stories" (Hyperion. $24.95) by Simon Hopkinson

- "Cooking with Shelburne Farms" (Viking Studio, $34.95) by Melissa Pasanen

- And "Sweety Pies: An Uncommon Collection of Womanish Observations, with Pie " (Taunton, $23) by Patty Pinner

Reader mail

I missed Friday's mail call, but here's a letter about "Iron Chef America." I may have answered it in a previous post, so sorry if I'm repeating myself. Here it goes again:

QUESTION: I have always wondered this about [The Food Network series] "Iron Chef America": I usually only see them prepare one plate of each of their 5 dishes. How and when are the other 3 plates prepared? Thanks. Can’t wait to see The Naked Chef [Jamie Oliver] on the show. Diane A.

ANSWER: Diane, the magic of television is an amazing thing. OK, here's the deal. The Iron Chef battle is one hour. The chefs don't stop cooking and the cameras don't stop rolling for 60 minutes. (This really surprised me during a taping - I kept waiting for a "commercial break" - and when I mentioned it to Bobby Flay, he said, "Make sure you tell people that. No one believes I'm really cooking for an hour." ) The chefs have to make and plate one of each dish in 60 minutes. But after the clock stops, the cameras stop rolling. The competitors then take turns plating up additional dishes for the judges so that the food is served hot - or cold - and it looks fresh. I think they even make an extra "beauty" plate for camera close-ups. You don't see the extra plating on TV. But the competitors do this themselves, not Food Network staffers. Then, they place the dishes on a cart and roll them over to the judges. The taping begins again as the dishes are placed in front of the judges and they give their comments. It takes a while, so that's why much of this isn't shown. The judging took more than an hour, if I remember correctly. Interesting note: host Alton Brown doesn't taste the food - or at least he didn't at the taping I attended.
I'm interested in watching Jamie Oliver in action. I may have to check out his battle in person. But sorry, I can't give away the ending. You have to wait until it's aired.

They want to make you a (cooking) star!

Think you're the next Giada DeLaurentiis or Bobby Flay? (They laugh at your presumption!)

Food Network is throwing a bone to the little people who want to be big cheeses. They will be holding open-call auditions to find aspiring TV chefs for the reality series "The Next Food Network Star." Applicants have until Friday, October 12, 2007 to send in a three minute audition tape explaining why he/she should be Food Network’s newest star. Applications and contest rules can be downloaded from http://www.foodnetwork.com/.

Contestant hopefuls can also apply in person at one of five open-call auditions that will be held around the country. Applicants should bring an application, photograph and resume and/or bio to the auditions, which will allow them to meet with network casting directors. The closest location is New York, NY - Monday 9/17/07 from 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Food Network Studios, 75 Ninth Ave. (Chelsea Market)

The series is set to tape and air on Food Network in 2008.

Crabs, Top Chefs and expensive Greenville shops

Hey gang. I was out on Friday and I'm playing catch-up today.

Crab feasting is not just for summer was my story this past Sunday. Most crab lovers already know this, but September and October are some of the best hardshell crab picking months of the year. Local crabs are fatter and heavier than summer swimmers.

Anyone make it to the Kennett Square Mushroom Festival? I was hoping to check out the cooking demo by Ilan Hall, the "Top Chef" winner from last season, but never made it that way. If you went, what did you think?

I did finally stop in the new location of Janssen's Market - it moved into the old Food Source location in Greenville. It's so much more roomy and easier to get around, but some of the old charm of the store was lost in the move. I do like that they switched around the produce department and the check-out lines. Janssen's is really expensive - it always amazes me to see people do full-on grocery shopping here. (This is Greenville, though.) But it is a place I go for fresh herbs - the selection is hard to beat - and for imported cheeses and some specialty items. (You can always find Greek yogurt and demi-glace.) I like the Brandywine chicken salad - it's got grapes and walnuts in it, but I don't think I'll be buying too many other prepared foods. Maybe I read this wrong, but I'm pretty sure cooked flank steak was $24.95 a pound!

Sara smiles

I just got off the phone with Sara Foster, one of my favorite cookbook authors. If you like Ina Garten, you'll like Sara. (She used to work for Martha Stewart, but don't hold that against her.) Now, Sara owns the Foster's Markets in Chapel Hill and Durham, N.C.

My copy of her first cookbook "Foster's Market Cookbook" is covered with stains because I use it so often. Her corn pudding is a staple, especially in the summer; the pork tenderloin with dried cherries will delight any dinner guest, and her peanut butter cookies are darn near the best peanut butter cookies I have ever had. These cookies are so easy and turn out perfect every time. (Sometimes, I add a cup of chocolate chips to batter and it's like a Reese's peanut butter cup.) Yum. Yum.

Foster's new cookbook "Sara Foster's Casual Cooking" (Clarkson Potter, $35) is another winner. The photos alone are pure food porn.

Look for a story on Sept. 12. I'll include recipes, including one for those peanut butter cookies.

Bacon candy bars

Part of my job as a food writer is to eat things so you don't have to. I call it "one for the team."
Take bacon ice cream.
Take it. Take it away. Far, far away. Please. I had it once and don't want another spoonful.
It's not the worst thing I've ever eaten. No, that would be muskrat. Its weird, marshy, salty, swampy taste and scary, stringy gray meat will haunt me for the rest of my life. (Aren't you glad you don't have to live with that flavor memory??)
Garlic ice cream and jellyfish are two other things I never want going down my gullet again.
A good buddy - thanks Eve! - just sent me some information that the Vosges Haut-Chocolat kitchen has introduced the Bacon + Chocolate Exotic Candy Bar.
A candy bar made with applewood smoked bacon.
Why? Why? WHY?
Yet, the Vosges people say the $7 bar is "flying off the shelves." (What else would you expect them to say?)
Is this a "one for the team" food sampling? I'll give it a shot.

Molto moving on?

A Second Helpings reader alerted us to yesterday's story in The New York Post that said Mario Batali was canned from The Food Network.

Now, his camp is denying it.

Not sure what the deal is, but I do know Batali is scheduled to tape an Iron Chef showdown with Naked Chef Jamie Oliver this month. (See post below.) And he's heading to Spain to film a new TV series - NOT on the Food Network - with Mark Bittman from The New York Times and Gwyneth Paltrow. Talk about an odd trio. When I interviewed Bittman for a story a couple of months ago, he told me about the Batali series and said he was taking Spanish lesson. (Mario, who lived in Spain, is already fluent.)

Mario hasn't filmed new episodes of "Molto Mario" in a long time and there's a new search and series about to begin called "The Next Iron Chef." Giada is the new face of Italian food on FN.

I think you can read between the lines.

Top Chef recap

They messed with the baldie - and the baldie messed up.

Then, the baldie got the boot.

Howie, who will always remind me of this old Ken Wahl movie "The Wanderers", took the long walk of shame back to the kitchen and packed his knives last night on "Top Chef."

Read Anthony Bourdain's take on last night's episode.

So what do you think?

OK, this is kind of funny: I got invited to watch a couple of upcoming tapings of Iron Chef on the Food Network in New York.

One battle teams Iron Chef Cat Cora and Paula Deen (Paula’s Home Cooking and Paula’s Party) against Robert Irvine (Dinner Impossible) and Tyler Florence (Tyler’s Ulimate).

The second battle pits veteran Iron Chef Mario Batali against the Naked Chef Jamie Oliver.

I've been to an Iron Chef taping before and, let me tell you, it takes FOREVER. The actual competition is really only 1 hour - and the chefs do work up a sweat. It's the before and after that takes so long. Seriously. When News Journal photographer Suchat Pederson and I left after attending a taping, we were exhausted. We went for a late lunch at Pastis, a French bistro in the Meatpacking District nearby, and after some coq au vin, all was right in the world.

What the Food Network leaves on the editing room floor is sometimes even better than what's shown on TV. (I watched Rachael Ray and Mario Batali vs Giada DeLaurentiis and Bobby Flay. Sometimes, the chefs are geniunely hurt when the judges bash their dishes. And not all the meanie comments make it on air. Mo Rocca was a guest judge and he was hilarious - but some of his best lines weren't broadcast.)

I dunno, does anyone want to read a story about Deen - we call her Mrs. Mayonnaise in my house? It may be fun to watch her hustle around the kitchen. But, for some reason, I think she is going to get her clock cleaned against Irvine and Florence.

Mario and Jamie would be my first choice. But I've interviewed Mario many times before - and have already watched him in an Iron Chef battle. Jamie Oliver has been missing in action - at least in the U.S. - for a couple of years.

Should I stay or should I go?

Terrible ironies

Way back before Nigella Lawson became NIGELLA, I interviewed her for a USA Today article. She had written a popular U.K. cookbook called "How to Eat" and it was being published in the United States. No one here in America had really heard of her yet and when she told me her next book was called "How to be a Domestic Goddess" I began laughing. She was so glad I got the joke - it wasn't going over so well in the U.K. - and we hit it off.
Nigella was as lovely in manner as she is in appearance even though she was going through a difficult period of her life. Her then-husband, John Diamond, a popular London newspaper columnist, had throat and mouth cancer and his situation was dire. It was the height of terrible ironies that the husband of one of Britian's up and coming cooks couldn't eat or enjoy his wife's food. I liked Nigella so much that, after our interview, I began reading John Diamond's on line diary about his daily struggles and his eventual death.
How difficult would it be to lose your sense of taste and be unable to enjoy the pleasures of food?
Too horrible to imagine.
I thought about Nigella and John Diamond after reading a story in The Wall Street Journal about Chicago chef Grant Achatz's battle with tongue cancer. Achatz is one of the owners of Alinea, which Gourmet magazine has called one of the best restaurants in the country. The foodies I know who respect and admire Achatz are pulling for his recovery.

Corn chowder

Do you stop eating corn on the cob after Labor Day?

Once September rolls around I'm usually done gnawing on cobs. But the sweet taste of corn should still be savored.

I had a wonderful bowl of fresh corn chowder last Friday at Culinaria restaurant in Brandywine Hundred. It was so good, I want to try and replicate it in my kitchen. The chowder was only on the menu for a few days. Can't get it any longer. Owner Ezio Reynaud is on vacation this week - and Culinaria is closed. The soup has been 86'ed from the menu until next summer. Darn!

But ears of corn are still available at farm markets. I'm going to get a dozen or two and strip the cobs clean for soup. I'll freeze whatever I don't use.

So what did you eat or drink this weekend? Comment below.