Pie: part II

Liz Marden and her pies were so inspiring, I made a peach and blackberry pie tonight to bring to a party tomorrow. I think it turned out pretty well and the house smells great!

Just one thing: Liz recommends using a ceramic pie dish instead of glass, mostly because she likes the presentation. I usually use glass so I can make sure the bottom crust browns.

Just say no to soggy crusts!

So I pulled out a pretty ceramic pie pan that I use mostly for decoration and used it tonight. The top looks good and this baked at 400 degrees for an hour. I guess I'll find out tomorrow if the bottom crust browned enough. I'm not an experienced enough pie maker to trust my instincts on this....

Pie recipes coming Wednesday....

That's Prince Chunky to you!

OK, so this has nothing at all to do with food. Unless, you look at the obesity side of the story.....

But I can't get enough of the Princess Chunky tale. Now, it turns out this oversize lub of kitty love (photo above) is actually Prince Chunky. (Well, his real name is Powder.)

Why does this story hit home for me? I have my own plus size white cat at home. His name is T.C., but mostly we just call him Big Boy. (He usually sits on the kitchen floor and watches me cook and twitches his whiskers when it smells good. He's a very cool cat.) I've already gotten a few calls and emails today from friends/family saying how much the 44-pound Prince Chunky reminds them of Big Boy. And that's not really a good thing.

Last time Big Boy was weighed at the vet, the scale hit 21 pounds. That's half the size of the Prince. But, well, I know, I know. We put Big Boy on a diet and he has lost some weight. But it's going to be a long road.

You try getting a 13-year-old very spoiled cat to change his eating habits.

Clifford Wright, pies and pickles.

What's shakin' food friends?

Been in a food frenzy lately - and loving it!

I had a long phone interview with Clifford A. Wright. He is one of my favorite cookbook authors. Wright's "A Mediterranean Feast" cookbook (William Morrow, 1999) is definitely shelf worthy. (If you love Paula Wolfert, you'll love Cliff's cookbooks.) He takes an academic approach to the culinary arts and his books are always so well-researched. I'm making his eggplant and yogurt dish, will take a photo and share the recipe soon. Here's his web site. Wright has written 11 cookbooks.

I spent part of yesterday morning hanging with the always fabulous Liz Marden at her dessert shop in Hockessin. Next Wednesday's main food story is about making fruit pies and Liz and her fellow pastry chef Tom Brown shared some great tips. Stay tuned.

Baking in the summer may sound bizarre, but fruit is just bursting with flavor. I bought some wonderful peaches recently in Sussex County and was so inspired, that tonight I'm going to bake a peach pie for a Friday night party. Well, that's the plan now. We'll see after work. Maybe I'll be buying one of Liz's beautiful lattice-topped pies.

Another story to come: Homemade pickles. Seriously. My neighbors (thanks Anthony and Virginia!) recently brought over a bunch of cucumbers they grew in their garden.

What to do? Then, I remembered I had been holding onto an Emeril Lagasse homemade pickle recipe for some time - no canning involved. But inside my bulging recipe folder, I came across another pickle recipe that I liked even better. This was my first attempt at pickles and I must say, I'm quite pleased with the results. They're much easier than you'd think.

I brought in a jar for Eric Ruth to try - he's loves pickles and honestly I was a little worried he was going to hate mine - but Eric gave them big thumbs up. Wahoo!

Stories and recipes coming soon.

Anyone else out there make their own pickles? Chefs? Home cooks? Let me know on the comments, or email at ptalorico@delawareonline.com or call me at 324-2861.

Pickled anything has been really hot in New York restaurants.

Pricey crabs, no more Steak and Ale, ice cream

Plenty of food news today. If you're a crab lover, read my Diner's Digest column. After my friends encountered a dozen medium size crabs for $72 - yep, 72 beans! - at a beach crab house, I decided to make a few calls to see what other crab houses were charging. It's not a complete list - just a sampling.

News Journal reporter Maureen Milford writes about the closing of Bennigan's and Steak and Ale. While Steak and Ale seemed stuck in the 70s, I actually kind of liked the place on Kirkwood Highway for a steak dinner every once and while.

Features desk reporter Shruti L. Mathur tries to make her own ice cream and runs into all kinds of problems. It's apparently not as easy as it seems.

We made ice cream when I was a kid with one of those old-fashioned crank machines (though it had an electric crank). We used it exactly ONCE. I actually forgot doing this until I found the cob webbed covered machine recently in my mom's garage.

Cool right? Wrong. After reading the directions, I decided to buy a pint at Woodside Farms instead.

The net

(Regular Guy Grub, by Buddy Hurlock) Anyone order pizza online? When Sandra Bullock did so in 1995's The Net, it got a laugh. Now I think it's the best way to order pizza. There's no being asked to put on hold as soon as they pick up the phone, and there's no being rushed through placing your order.

Papa John's was ahead of the curve when it came to placing orders online, making it an option well before the others. Only recently have Domino's and Pizza Hut come up with sites that make the process easy. The Domino's Pizza Tracker is mildly entertaining. After you finish placing an order, the Tracker lets you know when the pizza is put in the oven, when its put in the box and when it leaves the store. It even gives you the names of the cook and the delivery person, a nice touch. Pizza Hut has a feature that estimates delivery time before you order, though the last time I used their site to place an order, things were a little uneven. The pre-order estimate was 35 minutes, but after I placed the order I was told delivery time would be 100 minutes. Egad! Thankfully, the order was delivered in about 40 minutes.

At least one local joint is joining the world of online ordering. Seasons Pizza has it available for most locations, and it worked just as well as the others, though when I recently made an online order at its Midway Shopping Center location, paying by credit card was the only option. Hopefully, they'll start accepting cash via online orders, at least if you're going to the store itself to pick up the order (which I was).

So, don't be scared to order pizza online. It's easy. It's fun. It's the future. Try it once and you won't ever go back.

In some other observations from this week, I stopped eating Pringles for a while after realizing they are just "potato crisps" and not potato chips, because of their true potato content. Anyway, now that Pringles Minis come in a nine-ounce bag, my addiction is returning. They just need to make the bag resealable.

Additionally, in another plug for candy, I tried the new Mike & Ike Lemonade Blasts, and give them a thumbs up. A portion of the sales benefit Alex's Lemonade Stand (http://www.alexslemonade.org/) which has become a nationwide charity seeking a cure for childhood cancer.

Lastly, try this fun quiz: www.walletpop.com/quizzes/spot-the-fake-product. I scored a 17 out of 20. Here's one hint: On some of the examples, look for some clues that make the fake choice more obvious. For instance, would suntan lotion be advertised as greasy or non-greasy?

A Tale of Two Chefs

For your reading pleasures, we offer recent stories on Delaware chefs.

Jay Caputo (to the left) runs the very classy establishments Espuma and Porcini House, both in Rehoboth Beach. He travels between the restaurants on either his skateboard or motor scooter.

Jay was on the long list of chefs being considered for this year's James Beard Foundation's Best Mid-Atlantic Chef award. He sat down recently for a story by Victor Greto.

Danny Profita, chef at Cafe Scalessa's in Wilmington, is heading to Beijing to cook for NBC during the Olympics. He also cooked at the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy.

Danny is a super guy. I met him last year when he was working at the Chef's Table in old New Castle. Here's Shruti L. Mathur's story.

Reader mail

A very busy week - along with a sick day - has kept me from regular posting. So sorry!

I hope you get a chance to look at the 55 Hours cover story on local farmers' markets. The "buy local" craze is just getting crazier. And that's great news for "locavores" and for Delaware farmers who need our support. Always buy local whenever you can.

And here's a side bar on U-pick places. Picking peaches at Bennett Orchards in Frankford is one of my favorite Delaware experiences. A family member recently picked blueberries and blackberries at Strawberry Lane Farm in Frankford and brought an unbelievable sweet homemade blackberry cobbler to our beach house. I love summer foods!

Eric Ruth chows hot dogs at the new Johnnie's on Concord Pike.

Here's what's in the mailbag. (If you sent me email while I'll was on vacation, my apologies if I haven't gotten to it yet! I hit the ground running when I got back into town and I'm still not yet caught up.):

QUESTION: Dear Ms. Talorico,

I've seen several lists of U-Pick farms in the area and am always surprised that no one ever mentions our family's favorite, Walnut Springs Farm, off of Blue Ball Rd. in Maryland. My husband and I started going there for U-Pick strawberries when we were still in graduate school (10 years ago!) at the University of Delaware. We've been there this year for strawberries, cherries, blueberries, and black raspberries (with a 7-, a 4-, and a 1-year-old, no less). We're pretty serious about picking fruit and are not fans of the entertainment extravaganza that is Milburn, so we like the quiet of Walnut Springs Farm. It deserves to be mentioned in any future U-Pick articles--we hope you will do so.

Thanks for your time,

Libby Jonczyk

ANSWER: Thanks Libby. I didn't know about this place. Thanks for the suggestion. I just checked the web site and it shows that the last picking day is this Saturday. We'll keep it in mind for next year, though.

QUESTION: Hi, Patty. Every few years I hear a rumor that Cavanaugh's on Market St. in Wilmington is still open. Recently I heard this again, but that they're only open for lunch -- and my source said that lunch was actually very good. Can you confirm this? I enjoyed dinner there, maybe during a city art loop, about 20 years ago. I thought they closed down years ago and am always surprised to hear they're still open. If the food is decent, why is it that we don't we hear more about it? Just curious. Maybe I'll have to get over there one of these days.
Nancy

ANSWER: Hi Nancy. Thanks for the letter. Cav's is still open and last time I was in downtown Wilmington it seemed to be thriving at lunchtime. Haven't stopped in there for some time, but I will soon .

At the movies

(Regular Guy Grub, by Buddy Hurlock) During a quick trip Monday to visit my brother in New York City, we went to see The Dark Knight and then a Yankees game, my second and probable final trip to Yankee Stadium.

I didn't end up getting any pizza up in New York this time, and the hot dogs at the game were just fine, but going to the movies led to some observations.

Has anyone noticed that more movie theaters are pre-bagging their popcorn? This is no good. When they do this, you get popcorn that isn't nearly as fresh, and it makes me question if it's popcorn that was even popped within the last hour, or even popped on site at all.

Note No. 1 to movie theater owners: We want to see you put our own popcorn into our own bag. And if your answer is that pre-bagging makes the lines move faster, that's not a good excuse. We don't mind missing the 20 minutes of commercials.

Also, whenever you get anything larger than a small bag of popcorn, it disappointingly means you're only getting butter on the very top and, nothing more.

Note No. 2 to movie theater owners: Cut us break when we order the larger sizes of popcorn. Fill it up halfway, put on some butter and proceed. Go ahead and charge us 50 cents more. We're already paying a lot anyway.

As for candy, what candy do you like to get at the movies? I went with Mike & Ikes on Monday. And OK, you caught me, I hardly ever do this, but this time I brought in the candy from outside. But usually, I don't mind buying my candy right at the theater.

Note No. 1 to movie-goers: Don't get too mad about the high prices of food at the movies. Theater owners make very little off ticket sales.

In another issue, I always be sure to take my trash with me when I leave, since the bins are right there when you exit. Since when did it become OK to just leave your trash on the floor at the movies, or on the ground at baseball games? You should see all the trash that's left after Blue Rocks games. Disgusting.

Note No. 2 to movie-goers: Clean up after yourselves.

Anyway, make your case for the best movie candy. Is there a certain candy that you only get at the movies? For me, that's Sno-Caps, a perfect fit with salty popcorn. Milk Duds and Sour Patch Kids are two more of my favorites.

Lastly, I still want to hear about Delaware's hidden hot dog places. I know there's one in Seaford right on Rte. 13, but the name escapes me. Anyone know?

Vacations, photos and food

I'm thinking about writing a story and asking people "What I Ate On My [Summer] Vacation..." Going through a photo card, I came across some pictures I took on my trip to Slovenia last October before making my annual trek through Italy. The photo above was the bedroom view from the lovely Hotel Kendov Dvorec in Spodnja Idrija.

The placard below was on a building in the town of Ljubljana. For real.

You gotta love a country that has a society that recognizes the importance of sauteed potatoes and onions. The Slovenia guy showing us around Ljubljana couldn't really explain what the society does besides eating potatoes and onions or why there are bugs etched on this placard......I'm going to chalk it up to a Lost in Translation moment.

The pix below was taken at the farmers' market in Ljubljana. Those are giant vats of freshly made sauerkraut. There is no escaping the Slavic influence in Slovenia, which borders Italy and Croatia. Grandma types were buying big bags of it. I visited several vineyards and some of the wine from Slovenia is quite wonderful, especially Tokai and Rebula, but a local one called Teran, which was fine with the local foods, tasted much too much like the kraut once we opened a bottle of it in Tuscany.


One of my favorite stops in Slovenia was to the Piranske Soline salt store. (See below) Yep, a whole store devoted to salt. The salt is stored in canvas bags tied with red ribbons. You can also buy little wooden salt spoons for serving.


But this is not just any salt. Slovenia salt kicks that Morton babe's butt.

The salt is harvested from the Secovlje Salina Nature Park, on Slovenia's Adriatic coast using techniques dating from the 14th century.

Their slogan: Salt is the sea that could not return to the sky.

The salt's flavor and texture is prized among European chefs, including Alain Ducasse. I bought several bags for friends and family who cook - and, of course, the little spoons. The culinarians went nuts. It's that good. No one wants Italian scarfs or handbags from me anymore. It's Slovenia salt or nothing at all. Well, no one has ever said no to a bottle of freshly harvested Tuscan extra virgin olive oil.

(At customs, however, I did start to have some anxiety about an agent rifling through my luggage and finding all these bags of salt and little wooden spoons. I'm not sure if anyone would believe I was really muling salt for a bunch of sodium-craving Americans.)

I'm getting near the end of my salt and I need a Slovenia salt hook up very, very soon.

-Patricia Talorico

Back from beach bumming

It seems like I've been gone much longer than a week. Then again, it doesn't feel long enough.

A week's vacation at the beach has me re-energized.

Good friends, family and lots of good food. That's the ticket.

However, that old saying, "You'll never know how many friends you have until you get a place at the beach" was certainly true last Sunday. I stopped counting when I got to 23 bodies crowding the sand, and, later, the decks, of our house. Thank God, the cold brewskis, bottles of sparkling wine and plates of pulled BBQ pork were flowing freely....

We're a group that enjoys cooking on a vacation (I'm a wacky food writer, what do you expect?) but I did get a chance to get out and about. Not as much as I would have liked, but, well, here's a few quick notes:

- Best doughnuts in the world: The Fractured Prune near Rehoboth Beach. Soft and hot with really funky flavors. (Lemonade doughnut? Why not? And hey, who counts calories on vacation?)

- I can't let the summer go without a vanilla and chocolate twisted frozen custard cone from Kohr Bros. And the next day I got an orange and vanilla twist just to make sure I had all my bases covered. I get all Corey Haim when it comes to frozen custard. It's my addiction, my version of crack.

- Really spicy, tasty Bloody Mary on the deck of the Rusty Rudder. Don't eat there though - the Rudder is not known for good food. We had breakfast first at the Sunrise in Dewey. Not bad pancakes and bacon, though we were really glad we didn't see the ants on the table until AFTER breakfast. Order a drink at the Rudder and enjoy the view of Rehoboth Bay. Be prepared to pay for it, though. A Grey Goose Bloody was $8.50, (plus 50 cents for the Bloody Mary mix.) Seriously. That's what it read on the bill.

- The peaches from Bennett Orchards in Frankford (bought at a farm stand on Rt. 26 near Bethany) are insanely juicy and sweet this year. This farm is a Delaware treasure.

- Local corn and cantaloupes are outstanding too. Local tomatoes are just starting to gear up. And I saw the Tomato Sunshine stand is back in business after a fire earlier this year.

- Friends went for hardshell crabs at Mickey's Family Crab House in Bethany Beach one night and left, sans crabs, - in a STATE OF SHOCK. One dozen medium-sized crabs were $72.

No lie! That's 6 beans PER CRAB. You people crazy? They had dinner at the Bluecoast instead and couldn't have been happier. (Just had takeout steamed hardshell crabs from Feby's Fishery on Lancaster Pike, which, I believe, were $38 a dozen for large...so c'mon now.....72 beans is highway robbery.)

- Beautiful Foods in Rehoboth hooked us up with a wonderfully creamy gorgonzola - to eat with those peaches- and a smoked salmon, goat cheese and sundried tomato spread to eat with crackers.

- The Sussex County resort area restaurant scene seems to be doing OK in this economy - still the same old lines outside of Nicola Pizza and Big Fish Grill - though I had to shake my head at places like the Back Porch Cafe that are still charging $35 plus for entrees - and weren't filling seats in the dining rooms.

- Really want to check out the new Shag restaurant on Wilmington Avenue - right next to the Planet X. It looks very funky and had a good Sat. night crowd. Didn't get a chance to get over to Stingray, new sushi spot from Mikimotos owner Darius Mansoory. Saving them both for another beach trip very soon.

- Had a wonderful tomato salad and grilled mahi-mahi one night at NorthEast Kitchen in Ocean View.

-NorthEast Kitchen/Bluecoast owner Matt Haley's new Lupo di Mare Cucina Italiano in Rehoboth Beach is definitely worth a visit.

It's Italian, but the cuisine is much closer to what you'll find in Italy rather than a Italian-American restaurant. The stuffed squash blossoms with ricotta and pork were excellent ($6) as was the grilled balsamic marinated lamb leg steak with zucchini strings and rosemary potatoes ($20.) I wish the wine list was a little deeper with Italian vinos, but Lupo shows much promise.

MORE TO COME - i.e. a Taste review - ON THIS RESTAURANT SOON. Stay tuned.

- Patricia Talorico

More words on pizza, and a hot dog query

Regular Guy Grub (July 15, by Buddy Hurlock) Ever hear of Pizza Inn? Donatos Pizza? How about CiCi's Pizza? They're all national pizza chains, all well-established far and wide across the country, except around here. Even through the northeast, these chains don't have too much of a presence, probably because of the loyalty to all of the local shops.

Is it heresy to get any pizza from a Pizza Hut, or a Domino's, or any national chain? I don't think so. As I said in my recent pizza review, I pretty much like any pizza, and once in a while I'll frequent these places as well. The idea that there are other national chains out there that haven't made their way to Delaware (or the region) intrigues me.

Anyone, in their travels, ever have pizza from Donatos? Or Pizza Inn? How was it? Pizza Inn celebrates 50 years this summer. They have to be doing something right.

Also, tell me about some hot dog places in Delaware. Now, don't tell me about The Dog House or Deerhead or the Charcoal Pit. Clearly, these are places I know. I even know about the good "hot dog subs" you can get from shops like Capriotti's and Casapulla's.

What I want to know is, are there any good hot dog places out there that I've missed? Let me know, because I plan to put together a "hot dog showdown" in the near future, and I want to include hot dogs from all corners of Delaware.

Similar to pizza, there's rarely a hot dog I do not like. But just for a guide, I almost always have my hot dogs with only mustard. Once in a while, I'll have one with cheese or with kraut. But never, never with ketchup. Also, there's no need to suggest a hot dog from a convenience store (yes, I mean you, 7-11 and Wawa) or from a gasoline station.

UPDATE: I anticipate support for Jimmy John's. But unless I am completely persuaded, I want to keep the showdown within state lines.

UPDATE: Due to some vacation, my next Regular Guy Grub post won't be up until later on July 22. I'll be coming back from New York City, so I'll report on the pizza I had, plus some other details.

Vacation, all I ever needed....

Hey food friends, I'm taking vacation starting RIGHT. NOW. Yahoo!

Not sure if Eric will have any updates next week, but check back and see. Also, don't forgot to read Buddy Hurlock's Regular Guy Grub post every Tuesday.

On July 18 in 55 Hours, I'll have a Taste column about the lobster specials available at the Back Burner in Hockessin and at Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant.

See you back here July 21.

- Patricia Talorico

Regular Guy on Pizza

Our delightful new reviewer Buddy Hurlock, also known as The Regular Guy, weighs in on pizza in today's 55 Hours.

The Regular Guy likes regular pizza. No fancy-schmancy stuff. No other toppings other than pepperoni.

Read the story and his picks. The photo above was taken at Dom's Deli in Newport, the Regular Guy's favorite place for a pie.

Did your favorite pizza make his lists? If not, share your thoughts below.

Read The Regular Guy Grub posts here every Tuesday.

Brandywine Bistro

Eric Ruth chows down at Brandywine Bistro, Wilmington restaurateur Dan Butler's new place in Chadds Ford, Pa.

(It's next to his Brandywine Prime restaurant off U.S. 1 and Route 100.)

Photo to the right, taken by our own Bob Herbert, is the bistro's wonderful mussels and fries. (I love that dish!)

Here's the review.

Guava rum

I don't drink cocktails that often, but for a Fourth of July barbecue, I brought along a sample bottle of Cruzan Guava Rum, the first-ever guava-flavored spirit in the U.S.

Wow. This is good, easy sipping stuff. Rich, smooth and fruity. A party-goer at the barbecue, who is originally from Jamaica, also gave it high marks.

I put the bottle in the freezer, a la vodka, and was going to use it for daiquiris. But it was so smooth, we wound up serving shots to everyone. And that was before the dancing to the Best of the 70s hits began. On second thought, maybe that's what started the Best of the 70s booging.

Cruzan Guava Rum will be available at spirits retailers nationwide for a suggested retail price of $11.99 per 750 ml bottle. Cruzan Guava is the ninth variety in the Cruzan flavored rum family, which also includes Black Cherry, Coconut, Mango, Pineapple, Banana, Citrus, Raspberry and Vanilla

Here are a couple of drink recipes:

Guava Good Time
1 & 1/2 part Cruzan Guava
2 part mango juice
1 part apricot juice

Shake and strain over fresh ice into a highball. Garnish with a slice of fruit (guava, mango, apricot or all of them)

Cruzan Coral Reef
1 part Cruzan Guava
1 part Cruzan Coconut
2 part pink grapefruit juice

Shake ingredients and strain over fresh ice into a tumbler. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

News you can use

If you get a chance, read today's Diner's Digest column.

Lots of restaurant news.

Sussex County restaurateur Matt Haley tells us why he changed the name of the new Spiaggia in Rehoboth to Lupo di Mare, and new chefs at The Orchard in Kennett Square, and Domaine Hudson in Wilmington.

Also, I think the new Johnnie's Dog House on Concord Pike - opening very, very soon - will definitely be worth a look.

Smyrna diner on the move

Al Kemp has a really interesting story about the iconic Smyrna diner.

It's moving into a new location - still on U.S. 13 but closer to Del. 1.

Snack time

For today's "Regular Guy Grub" post, Buddy Hurlock goes on a search for a certain brand of cracker and corn chips:

Today's topic is not just about snacks. It's about how two of my favorite snacks are frustratingly hard to find.

When it comes to cheese-flavored crackers, I certainly don't mind Goldfish or Cheez-Its.

But my runaway favorite is Lance's Gold-n-Chees snack crackers, not to be confused with the Toastchee sandwich crackers.

Gold-n-Chees crackers are very hard to find in supermarkets, though I know of at least one that carries them, the Acme in Price's Corner. They're on the top shelf, halfway down the crackers aisle. Maybe some other supermakets have them, but two Acme stores closer to where I live don't, so it's not uncommon for me to spend my grocery money at Price's Corner just to get these crackers.

Other places that sometimes have them are gasoline station mini-marts and delis, but it can be hit or miss. I probably like Gold-n-Chees because they're on the salty side. But I just find it odd how these became an afterthought in the wide range of Lance products. They never seem to be in vending machines. Maybe their fragile nature make them a shipping and packaging nightmare.

Any others? Herr's Corn Chips. Yes, they make corn chips, too, and I don't mean their "BBQ" corn chips. To make things more frustrating, it's not that uncommon for me to see a bag of Herr's BBQ corn chips on sale. But the regular corn chips? Nooooo...

The quest to find these has even involved at least three family members, including an aunt and cousin (by marriage) who live in Lancaster, Pa. -- Herr's Country!

Herr's corn chips kick Frito butt, at least to my tastes. But I fear they are being phased out. The only time I usually see these on sale anymore is in the single size variety. Recently, I discovered that one of my favorite hot dog places, the Deerhead location in Christiana, had them and I was tempted to buy the whole case, like when Elaine did for a certain female product on Seinfield.

But, at least I knew they were there, and whenever I had craving for them, I knew where to go again. Until, that is, my latest trip there. Not only were they gone, but the BBQ version was on sale instead! Ugh! (Yes, I realize Elaine does not like the use of exclamation points)

Both of these products are available for online ordering. But if anyone wants to report sightings of either Lance Gold-n-Chees crackers or Herr's plain corn chips, or wants talk about similar struggles when it comes to finding favorite snacks, feel free. We'll talk another time about how hard it is to find the Monster Cereals.

It's all in the roll

Back in September, Second Helpings noted the sad passing of Lou Amalifitano.

Lou was the guy behind the fabulous rolls used for Capriotti subs - and other subs made at Grotto's, Seasons Pizzas and other area sub shops. (That's a photo of Lou taken by News Journal photographer Fred Comegys.)

That guy really knew his bread. He understood the science and chemistry of flour, water and yeast. He knew the difference between crispy and crusty.

Lou knew that a sub roll has to have a certain amount of softness in the interior to absorb the added oil, but also that the exterior must be crusty enough so that the sandwich doesn't become mushy.

Understanding the alchemy of good bread is extremely important to a sub.

The roll is literally the backbone of the sandwich.

Change the roll recipe and you have a completely different taste.

Not good. Not good at all.

Well the famed Amalifitano roll has been changed and the fall-out has begun.

Read Eric Ruth's story today.

Are you worried about the taste of Cap's subs? Can you tell a difference? Let me know.

- Patricia Talorico

Red, white and blue dish

It's OK to be kitschy on the Fourth. Here's a recipe that celebrates the colors of the stars and stripes.

Red Pepper, White Button Mushroom and Blue Potato Salad

Recipe courtesy of the Mushroom Council and mushroominfo.com
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

6 2-inch blue potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
12 large white button mushrooms, halved
2 red bell peppers, cut into 2-inch pieces
4 cups mache or arugula lettuce
Preheat grill. While grill heats, boil water and blanch potato cubes for 5 minutes, then cut in half and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard, rosemary and salt. Add mushrooms, potatoes and pepper pieces and toss to coat, then skewer individually, to create four skewers of each ingredient. Reserve the remaining marinade and grill vegetables until tender, turning once, about five to ten minutes total.
Split lettuce between four plates and place one of each skewer on top; drizzle with reserved marinade and serve either warm or cold.

Reader mail

Anyone out there? Anyone? Anyone?

Talorico here. Working the day before a major holiday sometimes feels like being the last person left on the planet. No one else is around. No one is answering their phone. Or email.

Only the lonely. Or the unlucky - like me - who are still plugging away for The Man on July 3 when what we really want to be doing is sitting under an umbrella on the beach with a frosty blender beverage in one hand and some creamy guacamole and salty tortilla chips by our side.

Soon, my food friends. Very soon.

Just to give you a heads-up. In Friday's 55 Hours, you can read my review about Terrain at Syter's Garden Cafe on Baltimore Pike in Concordville, Pa. (Right across from the Shoppes at Brinton Lake.)  UPDATE: Here's a link to the review. I think this very cute cafe inside an air-conditioned greenhouse at the garden center is worth a visit. (That's a photo of a couple getting cozy at the cafe by staffer Tyler Orsburn.) The short menu (only 7 to 8 items) offers farm-fresh contemporary country-style dishes. Caveat: It's not the cheapest brunch or lunch you'll ever find. If you want a Denny's style "big breakfast" - this is NOT the place for you.

But until then, I present Friday's usual feature - Reader Mail - a day earlier. The topic today: the former Caffe Bellissimo.

Old restaurants are like old soldiers, they never really die, they just fade away......

Keep the emails coming. You ask. We answer. Every Friday. (Unless, of course, a Friday falls on a holiday, and then, well, yadda, yadda, yadda.....)

QUESTION: Hi Patricia,

First of all, I LOVE your blog. It is so informative!!!

Hoping you can help me. I think I remember reading that the former owners of Cafe Bellissimo on Kirkwood Highway had opened a place in Pennsylvania. True? If so, could you please tell me the name and where it is located. Have you been? I would kill for their quattro fromage dish, mmmmmmmm.

Thanks a bunch,

Stacie

ANSWER: Stacie, thanks for the kind words. (Can you tell the Boss Man? Talorico wouldn't mind a salary boost to fund all her "my dime, my time" restaurant hopping and European travels. Kidding, kidding....kind of. ) The Caffe Bellissimo question came up last year, in fact, right around this time. Here's a link.

But here's the low-down that we had at the time: Lora Johnson, chairwoman of Delaware Tech's new entrepreneurship program, was a former co-owner of Cafe Bellissimo restaurants on Kirkwood Highway in Prices Corner and in Springfield, Pa. She now co-owns Roux 3, a Mediterranean restaurant in Newtown Square, Pa.

While searching the archives for an answer, I found a few old Caffe Bellissimo recipes from Nancy Coale Zippe's columns. Here is some information from a 2005 column that includes two Caffe Bellissimo recipe for anyone who is interested...

Former Caffe Bellissimo owner Paul Owens said diners loved what they often referred to as "the pizza bread." He said the No. 1 comment he has received from past customers is "I really miss your bread."

He was happy to share the topping recipe, provided I would break it down from the quantities that made multiple gallons' worth.

This has been no easy task, as the recipe starts with six restaurant-size cans of tomatoes and two gallons of oil. Doing that division, by 32, was easier than figuring out 1/32 of three ounces of fresh basil or 2.7 ounces of pepper.

Then there's the problem of granulated garlic, the backbone flavor, as the recipe is titled "garlic paste."

There are more than 300,000 Google hits for granulated garlic, which is described as small granules of dehydrated roasted garlic with the intensity of fresh. Stronger than garlic salt; perfect for bread. This is available to the food industry in huge quantities, but can be purchased from specialty spice suppliers.

So with that in mind, I offer you a vague stab for your experimentation. The quantities are not exact, and no, I do not know how many spoonfuls of garlic that is!

This is a disclaimer. Proceed at your own risk

CAFFE BELLISSIMO GARLIC PASTE

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup blended oil
4 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2-3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon pepper
4 teaspoons grated Romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh chopped basil
2/3 ounce granulated garlic
1/4 ounce fresh garlic, chopped and browned

Crushed tomatoes seem to come in just one can size. You will only need 2 1/2 cups of the 3 1/2-cup can of tomatoes to balance the other ingredients.

In a deep bowl, mix tomatoes on low speed of an electric mixer. Add each of the ingredients one by one while the mixer is on. (By taste, I might add!) Paul Owens, former owner of the restaurant, wrote: "We used Amoroso's Italian rolls. Spread garlic paste on open-faced bread. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes at 375 degrees."

CAFFE BELLISSIMO SIGNATURE SOUP

Another much-loved offering from the restaurant is this soup, which won the Critic's Choice for "Best Signature Soup" in Delaware Today magazine in 2004. Paul Owens graciously agreed to allow me to put this more precise recipe in my cookbook, "House Specials' Soups, Salads, Et. Cetera."

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour
2 quarts (8 cups) fresh chicken stock, or chicken broth
6 ounces poached chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
6 ounces baby shrimp
6 ounces slender asparagus, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup heavy cream
Dash cayenne pepper
Pinch Old Bay seasoning

Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour to make a smooth roux. While stirring, gradually add the stock or broth to the roux. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add the remaining ingredients and heat through until the shrimp and asparagus are cooked. Do not boil. Makes 12 generous servings.

Sangria

Wine columnist Roger Morris weighs in today about using sparkling wine and wine in summer cocktails.

Sangria is always a refreshing winner. (I had a very delightful glass last night at a friend's house.)

Here's a patriotic recipe for your Fourth of July BBQ:

To make simple syrup (the sweetener used in many sangria recipes), combine 1 cup water with 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan, then heat until the sugar is dissolved. Cool completely before using.

RED, WHITE AND BLUE SANGRIA

Recipe from Kim Haasarud's "101 Sangrias and Pitcher Drinks," (Wiley, 2008)
Start to finish: 15 minutes (plus at least 4 hours chilling)
Servings: About 7

1 bottle dry white wine
1/2 cup triple sec
1/4 cup citrus- or berry-flavored vodka
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup simple syrup
3/4 cup blueberries
3/4 cup hulled and sliced strawberries
3/4 cup raspberries
1/2 cup pineapple chunks
Combine all ingredients in a large glass punch bowl or pitcher and stir well. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Serve over ice.

Winging it at a Blue Rocks game

Buddy's Back

Read Buddy Hurlock's take on "Regular Guy Grub" every Tuesday in Second Helpings. This week, Buddy scarfs some buffalo wings - but no celery - at the Blue Rocks game:


Hot dogs are the normal fare at a baseball game. But at a recent Blue Rocks home game, I tried one of their new menu items for this season, an order of boneless buffalo bites.

They're not traditional wings, but nuggets, though not the flat-shaped nuggets you might be thinking of. From what I could observe, you get about six or seven bites per order, all white meat, with each of the bites equal in size. And, the bites are a nice size, comparable to a golf ball, which is a plus. There were no short-changed bites in my order.

How hot are they? Hot. Not blazing. But hot enough to make the order tough to finish without anything to drink. The order comes with a side of blue cheese dip, or maybe it's ranch. I never use either when eating wings, so I would not know the difference (I never use celery either. Interestingly, you do not get celery on the side with this. Maybe Mr. Celery gets offended).

The only downside is that, with no plastic fork offered, these can be a little messy. Grabbing a few extra napkins takes care of it.

Stadium vendor Centerplate offers a wide amount of choices at Blue Rocks games, including buffalo chicken sandwiches and buffalo burgers. If you are a fan of buffalo wings, I recommend giving the boneless buffalo bites ($5.50) a try during your next visit when you are craving something different.

By the way, I have to recommend my favorite buffalo bites, which would be Seasons Pizza's Seaso-Bites.

I also enjoy eating at Buffalo Wild Wings, which is building a new location near the intersection of Kirkwood Highway and Limestone Road (on the Stanton side, across from Commerce Bank).