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Top Six Restaurant Dishes from Indianapolis to Fort Wayne

Four lovely baked Brazilian cheese rolls at Fernando’s

How Hoosier chefs made the potato, chicken liver, octopus, beef, pimento cheese and gluten-free bread the talk of my table

Nick and I have savored many of the diverse flavors of Indianapolis restaurants since our move to the city five years ago. I’ve had the opportunity to explore Indiana’s culinary landscape extensively, covering destinations for Culinary Crossroads for a year and a half. From the southernmost Evansville to Elkhart, in the north, a 10-minute drive to the Michigan border and other places, I’ve sampled a range of dishes, becoming well-versed in “Hoosier” food. Living here has expanded my tastebuds and evolved my understanding of the Midwest’s culture and people.

Exploring Indiana’s Diverse Culinary Landscape

I recently attended a conference where the speaker said, “Hoosiers either leave and never come back, or they never leave, traveling only 20 minutes outside their neighborhood.” It’s an exaggeration, clearly, but it’s not far from the truth. I’ve met many natives who may have been to Paris but not to the neighboring region. (Carmel to Fishers doesn’t count.) I can’t tell you how many times I’ve asked if native Hoosiers have been to Terre Haute, which recently elected its first Democratic mayor, Brandon Sukbhan, in a dozen years. The answer is “not since grade school” or “never.”

They should. It’s a diverse hamlet and indicates the changing demographics of Indiana. Sakbun, a former Army captain with model looks, a mega-watt smile, and Elvis Presley hair, is the son of a Cambodian father and a Jamaican mother; we ate at an Indian buffet near city hall, talking about his then-wife and soon-to-be first child.

The town, home to Clabber Girl Baking Powder, sold at Traders Joe’s throughout the land, is a swim to Illinois, just across the Wabash River. To get there from Indianapolis, though, a drive past small historic towns like Greencastle and Brazil, flush with red barns and still-working siloes, shows today’s farming. Tractors and bales dot the landscape.

Indiana’s Changing Food Scene: The Influence of New Demographics

I’m bringing this up because in a small town like Terre Haute, with a population of just under 60,0000 – my former Los Angeles block had more people – it’s important to note that the 21st-century demographics are changing how the middle of the country eats. It’s a story that doesn’t get told as the media chase stories about the modifying electorate. All we need to do is find out what people eat and where. Think about it: A mayor born of two immigrants leads a predominantly Caucasian city in the middle of the Midwest while eating Punjabi food.

How did I select my favorite? It was memorable—nothing more, nothing less. Nick and I talk about it or think about returning. After dining at Michelin-starred and James Beard Foundation-nominated experiences, or those I discovered across six continents and nearly 250 cities, I believe I am good at eating.

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Fried Chicken Toast, Rune Restaurant, Fort Wayne

Fried Chicken Toast, Rune Restaurant

James Bear-nominated Chef Sean Richardson (Great Lakes Region) opened Rune Restaurant in Fort Wayne in March 2024. It’s a garden-to-table experience with twists and turns on different foods. Richardson makes an appetizer, fried chicken toast, and a large helping of house-made chicken pate smeared over Pullman bread. He gently fries the bread – as you would the Cantonese shrimp toast – and then flips it with a flour coating over the spreadable liver. Once cooked and warmed through, a slice of heirloom tomato, a drizzled white aioli and crunchy leftover bits. Mine featured a bit of nori, herbs and peanuts, and he was recreating the traditional dim sum in a Midwest way, using a loaf native to the region and lots of livers. While served on a plate, he repurposed an old menu that couldn’t be used again to keep the appetizer from careening off the plate instead of using a napkin. Just a touch of “greening.”

2725 Broadway, Fort Wayne, IN 46807, (260) 278-0674

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Rösti, Borage, Indianapolis

Josh Kline’s rösti covered by an egg, bacon and sumac cream sauce

During an interview with Chef Josh Kline, owner of Borage, and his wife, Zoe Taylor, he said, “I love potatoes.” I do, too! However, he loves them so much that he came up with a new version I’ve never had. The everyday eater might think of them as hash browns. Still, rösti, a traditional Swiss dish, is anything but browned and grated fried spuds. Kline’s version makes the tuber a confit – soaked in oil for 24 hours before baking it. It may sound oily, but the resulting dish melts in your mouth with a crackling. Typically made for breakfast, his dish is an upscale version and, frankly, a meal unto itself. At brunch, he will top it with various proteins, from fish to an egg or two.

1609 N Lynhurst Dr, Indianapolis, IN 46224, (317) 734-3958, borageeats.com

Pão De Queji, Fernando’s Mexican & Brazilian Restaurant, Indianapolis

Four lovely baked Brazilian cheese rolls at Fernando’s

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…meaning Los Angeles on La Cienega Blvd, I had dinner at a Brazilian chain restaurant more than two decades ago. I ate tough cubes of beef, which, moments before being on my plate, had been flaming on a skewer passed around by an oddly dressed man, and the pão de queji set before me was a baseball, dense and leaden. That memory fired up when Nick and I dined at the year-old Fernando’s in Broad Ripple. Unlike then, we ate alfresco, removed from the street on the separate patio and dined on a mix of Mexican and Brazilian cuisines. Notably, they serve the tapioca-based pao de quiet, slightly chewy and savory pillow puff of chewy with nutty flavors of aged hard Italian cheese. I could eat these daily for the rest of my life, but only if I eat them here.

834 East 64th Street, Indianapolis, IN (317) 377-4779,

https://fernandosindy.com

Octopus Terrine, Commission Row, Indianapolis

Commission Row’s Octopus Terrine with micro herbs and jalapenos.

Nick and I attended a press dinner for Commission Row, the breathtaking restaurant opened by Cunningham Restaurant Group and designed by Ration Architects. It sits on the eastern edge of Bicentennial Unity Plaza, on the Delaware Street side, with views of the public basketball court or ice rick, depending on the time of year. By the third dining experience, the impeccable server recommended the octopus terrine. A thinly sliced rectangle with rings of several cephalopods compacted is set before me. It’s a visually stunning dish of texture, spice and brine, with the pickled jalapenos giving a welcome dash of heat. Sublime eating.

110 S. Delaware Street, Indianapolis, IN, (317) 550 2500, https://www.commissionrow.com

Chicken Empanadas, La Mixteca, Frankfurt

Chicken Empanadas at Frankfort’s La Mixteca

Tacos are always the first thing people think of when they eat South of the Border food. That’s what I planned on eating when I walked into this Latina-owned restaurant in Frankfort, which, according to the 2020 U.S. Census, has a population of more than 16,000 and is one of Indiana’s farming communities tucked between cornfields and soybeans. After seeing a plate of empanadas pass by, I couldn’t resist the corn masa pockets stuffed with juicy braised chicken. My tastebuds reveled in the smokey achiote, garlic and onions permeating the filling. The tender golden crescent moon crust held a light sweetness and sturdiness to hold the meat without being tough or overly chewy. Three large hand-stuffed yeasty envelopes of poultry were more than sufficient, although I could have made it a meal with rice and beans that would have filled me into the next day.

408 N. Columbia Street, Franklin, (765) 601-4060, Facebook

Brisket, Smokin’ Barrel, Indianapolis

Brisket: Photo courtesy of Smokin’ Barrel.

I wrote a story about Indiana barbeque that was never published. In it, I argued that Indiana makes one of the great regional barbecues. Still, it never received the attention that others, partially because of the racism during the 1920s in the state—another story for another time. However, Mike and CJ McFarland smoke their meats in three different smokers outside a legion hall. Briskets, pulled pork, chicken are cured with locally sourced woods and seasoning, without sugar–brown or molasses in the open air, instead of indoors. Eaters get a wonderfully fruity yet succulent piece of meat from pitmaster McFarland’s patience over the embers. McFarland’s roots and cooking hailed from Owensboro considered the birthplace of American barbecue or, at least, pit-cooked mutton. Still, with beef and pork, he crafts his smoked meats, which are all Hoosier. They have two locations, but I visited them on South German Road.

2316 South German Church Road, Indy, (317) 340 4502, https://www.smokin-barrel-bbq.com

October 28, 2024
2023 Gratitude, A Love Letter from Indy

Someone asked me if I liked living in Indianapolis. I won’t lie, I do. It’s an easy place to live. The cost of living is low. And, I genuinely love the Midwestern sky even when it’s a wintry gray; though, as I type this, instead of being a cold industrial hue, it’s the color of a vast, majestic ocean, even if the temperature hovers at fifty degrees. Plus, I’m a sucker for quick trip destinations and veering towards the offramp for quick drive-throughs. The small towns of Indiana offer studies of architectural nostalgia and dining, such as covered bridges, Underground Railroad sites, great barbecue ribs, and, strangely enough, pizza.

That same person said, “…but you don’t love it.” And I won’t lie again, I don’t. I didn’t love living in California, with complications of wealth, fame, traffic and general mass population malaise. It’s a nice place, but for me, been there, done that. The only place I’ve ever loved living in is New York City. That’s a story for a different time.

However, the Midwest, four years and a pandemic later, gives me a chance to take a leap of faith, but I’m doing it in gratitude as I write this by concentrating on writing, mostly around food and design. That alone makes me grateful for living here. In the marketing world, I’ve walked red carpets with clients and sailed the seven seas – actually, six – and met bold-faced names that now, when I mention their names some folks would go,” Who?” It isn’t essential in the scheme of things. Finding food, how we eat, what we eat, and don’t and just eating or even the act of not is important.

As an aging gay man of color, – it’s challenging to find that bit of thankfulness sometimes in Indiana or anywhere. Being half-Filipino and Caucasian, I’m mistaken for being Latino, even by Hispanics. Then there is the terrible feeling of coming out every single day. Explaining, “No, my partner is a man.” Followed by the looks. However, the other day, I had a Caucasian woman of a certain age get testy with me, saying, “You’re a man. You can’t multitask.” That cracked me up and horrified me at the same time. All of a sudden, in her comment, I was straight and, apparently, a stand-in for anything male. A little sad, but I guess, to her, I was part of the patriarch at that moment.

Of course, being over fifty – the horrors – it isn’t easy to make younger generations realize why it is vital that generations of us and I still stand, work, and have dreams.

But I’m aware there are many like me, middle-aged, still finding our way. I only have to look at actors Ke Huy Quan, Michelle Yeoh, Samuel L. Jackson, KFC’s founder Harland Sanders, and Tim and Nina Zagat for inspiration who harbored hopes in directives, as in cities and towns across the globe. That’s the good thing. We have second – and third-endless chances of living into our middle age and remaking ourselves. Isn’t that glorious?

That makes me appreciate the Hoosier State more. I’ve been given something new to accomplish instead of holding on.

Favorite Things This Year:

Book: Minda Honey’s debut memoir, The Heartbreak Years. Charming, funny and at times, disturbing story of a young woman finding her way in Southern California.

Song: MMM by Romanian musician, Minelli. Simple ditty about a relationship gone awry and moving past it but it’s the intonation and musicality of Minelli that makes it fun: You know you did me wrong, Mmmm. It hit YouTube in 2022 but it’s an earworm that keeps giving me bops.

Streaming: Netflix’s Glamorous with the influencer Miss Benny and Kim Cattrall. While the writing isn’t stellar, the cast is and sometimes that’s worth the price of admission. Besides, it takes place in New York City, provides fluff, good-looking folks and an amusing storyline with the lead a non-binary, non-Caucasian person.

Life: Nick, my partner of a decade and our two dogs, Rufus, our French bulldog puppy and Jorge/ George.

Lastly, Indianapolis has become an unrecognized melting pot. On any given day, the streets and malls feature a large swath of various ethnicities and non-gender conforming identities. In turn, all this mixing of ingredients creates a new fusion of delectable deliciousness.

Recipe for Gluten-Free Asian Pear and Apple Pie

How to make the crust:

1 cup of GF flour blend like King Arthur’s Measure for Measure or Cup4Cup

1/2 teaspoon, salt

1/2 teaspoon, sugar

Two tablespoon butter

Two tablespoon oil

1/2 teaspoon, vinegar

Use four to six tablespoons of cold water so that the mix creates a ball of dough. Roll into a globe and place the dough in the center of two pieces of waxed or parchment paper or plastic wrap. Roll out so that it forms a circle.

Peel off the top layer of waxed or parchment paper. Spray a pie pan with non-stick spray. Invert the pan upside down on top of the dough, centering it as much as possible. Place your hand under the waxed paper, flipping the whole thing over, and press gently into the pie pan.

Filling:

Two to three cups of ripe Asian pears, cored and sliced

Two to three cups of apples, your choice

3/4 cup sugar

One tablespoon, cornstarch

One teaspoon, ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon, ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon of five-spice powder

1/4 teaspoon, salt

One tablespoon of lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Place one pie crust on a greased 9-inch glass pie plate. Press firmly against the side and bottom.

In a large bowl, gently mix all the filling ingredients and spoon into your crust-lined pie plate. Top with a second pie crust. Pinch the top and bottom pie crust at the edges to seal and cut 4 – 5 slits in the top crust for venting.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Cover your edges after about 15 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning.

Cool on a cooling rack for at least an hour before serving.

December 19, 2023
I8tonite: Final Top Three Favorite 2023 Indy Eating Experiences

We selected eight experiences from all the Indianapolis restaurants we dined in 2023.

We have a French bulldog puppy, Rufus. He came home this summer with us not long after our other Frenchie, J.J., passed. As I write this, the eight-month-old trundles through the backyard strewn with falling leaves. Sniffing. Munching on things that he shouldn’t. That is all he wants to do. Eat. Anything that might have a taste, he is willing to try. That journey of discovery, flavors and aromas compels him to sample anything in his path. George, our chocolate doesn’t help, either. Canine garbage can.

Strangely, as a human baby, that’s all we do, too. As we grow, we seek nourishment to strengthen and teach us. As an adult, I seek dining experiences that make me feel fortified, give me vigor and energy, and are memorable. I think that way as I continue going through my remaining years.

In the Midwest, it’s difficult for a gay man of color who grew up in progressive areas to have a favorable reception, even in a very blue city. Having worked as a waiter in New York City restaurants to pay my college tuition, I met the world, all races, creeds and colors. To be even more specific, as a server at Soho Kitchen & Bar, my colleagues came from Tunisia, Jamaica, the Netherlands, the country of Georgia, Mexico, Venezuela, France, Israel and China. Of course, the U.S. came out on top with struggling artists from various disciplines, hailing from every corner but many from the Midwest. With so many backgrounds and different religions, we learned under this one roof about wines and food. The cavernous space focused on essential bar eats – pizzas, wings, salads, pasta – to accompany the star, the new global world of wine tasting. It was the first restaurant to offer 110 varietals from every grape-growing region. They even had 75 beers on tap. We needed to attend weekly Thursday tastings; sickness and a doctor’s note would get us out from a Kevin Zraly-taught sommelier (it might even have been Mr. Zraly himself a few times). It was the beginning of an eatery to offer such a vast line-up of flights, a now ubiquitous term for small tastes of anything.

I bring this up because I have faced bigotry, intolerance, and racial discrimination throughout my life. While I expected to see it, I didn’t think it would bother me as now that I’m older. And, I thought after all the pandemics and epidemics we have collectively weathered over the last 50 years, it would have been a moot point.

While I would love to say what food and beverage company have treated me in such a fashion, I’m not going to give them any credit.

All of this to say, everyone should work in a restaurant. You may not like everyone, but you are there to ensure your customers eat and drink well.

Let us recap the first five of eight I8tonite’s Favorites of 2023:

Lady Tron’s, New Albany, Indiana

Perillos Pizzeria, New Hope, Indiana

Tinker Street, Indy

Chicken Scratch, Indy and Cincinnati

Anthony’s Chophouse, Carmel

When I thought about the list, I wanted to include Midwest restaurants where we have eaten over the past year. Then, as I mentioned, the New York Times 50 Best Restaurants came out without even a whisper of Indiana. I thought it was unfair and not democratic in the least. Selecting 50 establishments implies one from every state, not only a set number with several in one location. Also, we paid for every meal. It wasn’t because we had a media pass.

Here are the final three for i8tonite. They should get a T-shirt.

Petit Chou Bistro & Champagne Bar

Patio for Petit Chou Bistro & Champagne Bar

Four years ago, Nick took a position in Indianapolis. We visited the city seeking a place to live before his start date in Fall 2019. That was the first time I stepped onto Midwest soil. I had eaten everywhere but the Midwest. As a public relations professional in various industries, including tourism and hospitality, I could boast about sleeping and eating on six continents and over 200 destinations. Before my debut flight to this patch of green – Nick is from Wisconsin – I researched places to eat. I couldn’t live in some place without good food. Two of the places I selected were Cafe Patachou and Napolese, two of Martha Hoover’s establishments.

We found a house around the corner from Martin Luther King Jr. Park & Memorial. Napolese, the pizza and wine bar, still stands as a favorite – notably because they offer gluten free, but Petit Chou Bistro holds a special place. The establishment is inclusive, as are all of Ms. Hoover’s places, making everyone feel welcome. Bright plastic flowers and garland edging the windows make it feel like perpetual spring, and I feel a surge of Gallic love without the price of an airline ticket. Of course, the food is delicious Parisian bistro fare such as omelets, salads, rillettes, burgers, steak, and frites. The combination of everything makes me feel good about dining here: the food, the atmosphere and the service.

823 E Westfield Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46220

(317) 259-0765

9th Street Bistro

Pork Chop Crusted with ras al hanout, Brian Garrido

Husband and wife team Chef Samir Mohammed and his wife Rachel Firestone launched this 35-seat restaurant in 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. It took me three years to get here, but it was one of the most memorable meals I had anywhere this year, including places in New York, Chicago, and Nashville. It’s a gem, situated a few doors from the Noblesville landmark courthouse and about a 45-minute drive from downtown Indianapolis. Its diverse menu featuring American classics and globally inspired dishes has already captured attention.

On the night that we were there, the menu, which changes monthly, offered gluten-free hushpuppies, a ras al hanout crusted pork chop on a bed of saffron risotto, and a luscious rib eye with butter and fingerlings. While it was simple, there was a deft execution from a chef who knew his ingredients, primarily local Indiana produce and meats, to serve their customers who traveled to get there.

Nominated for a James Beard award for the Great Lakes region, Mohammed and Firestone should win in the coming years. It offers rustic and welcoming interior decor, attentive service, and delicious flavors from the Mediterranean, Middle East, Southwest, and California in America’s heartland.

56 S 9th St, Noblesville, IN 46060

(317) 774-5065

Love Handle

Pork Belly Sandwich, courtesy of Facebook, Love Handle

When I first ate at Love Handle, it was love at first bite. Scrumptious lumberjack breakfasts and thick Dagwood sandwiches populate the handwritten chalkboard. It’s an eating experience of depth, clogged arteries and breathtaking flavors. For example, a typical daily special included a roast pork belly sandwich with homemade guacamole, pea shoots, red salsa, three cheeses melted, pickled red onion, and Sport pepper. And for those vegetarians, one can sup on baked taleggio grilled cheese, raspberry compote, marinated spinach, and a sunny-side-up egg.

The brainchild of Chefs Chris and Ally Benedyk – she makes the sweets – I feel a touch of Southern California kitschy nostalgia when I dine here. It’s a mish-mash of thrift store finds and curiosities that can help bring on a conversation for a first date or perhaps end it. There is a quarter-munching video game, curated clown paintings, and paint-by-numbers pulled out of second-hand bins, creating an eclectic atmosphere to match the food.

It’s not a place for dieters, but one can have a pound of pulled pork if need be. And it’s tough for those who are celiac or gluten intolerant, but the sandwiches can’t be found anywhere but right here in Indy. That’s a good thing.

877 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis, IN, United States, Indiana

(317) 384-1102

November 21, 2023
i8tonite: Top Favorites Eats, 2023: Delicious, Easy Recipe for Hasselback Potatoes
Our favorite meals over the last year. And a Thanksgiving Hasselback Potato Recipe.

I spoke to a born and bred Hoosier who said to me, “Hoosiers are humble. We don’t talk about the great things we offer.” In today’s day and age of marketing and promotion, no one wants to dine at your table if they don’t know what’s available. We have many opportunities to promote local Indiana food entrepreneurs, and we should. A friend and former editor-in-chief of the biggest food magazine in the world said her life was about traveling to eat. In 2004, London-based food writer Andy Hayler went to every three Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide and was the first to do so. He continued to do it six more times until the pandemic. Traveling for food is big business.

Having lived, worked and promoted destination and resort towns across the United States and internationally for most of my life, it’s always about the food and drink first, even more so than the hotels. Think about heading to Napa Valley without the wine? Leaving the lackluster conference hotel room, the food – and service –will make or break the experience. Before living in Indy, except once, I never read about great food from the Hoosier state, but there are stellar places. I’ve eaten at them.

Read our first two of 2023 until we get to eight!

Tinker Street

Four years ago, Nick and I spent my first birthday in Indy at Tinker Street, one of the city’s mainstays, which I place as one of the finest eateries in the Midwest. Opened in 2015, the small restaurant on 16th Street in the historic district of Herron Morton provides Chef Tyler Shortt an opportunity to be creative with Indiana-grown ingredients. It’s one of the few restaurants that promote the area farmers while also being in the 21st century with a female sommelier, Ashlee Nemeth, and providing reservations.

Shortt’s recipes showcase regional agriculture, corn and tomatoes, and meats like duck and pork. That’s a good thing. The New American fusion – that ubiquitous term that uses herbs and spices from international flavors with European cooking methods – shows in the sauces such as the yuzu garlic aioli on the scallop and scallion risotto or the cappelletti with a Korean braised short rib. It’s an eating destination where one is never disappointed in the food or service. Importantly, it’s that place you bring your Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City friends when they finally come to visit you. Thankfully, it’s 21 and over, too.

402 E. 16th Street

Indianapolis, IN 46202

(317) 925-5000

Reservations

Chicken Scratch

A graduate of Ivy Tech’s Culinary School, Chef Tia Harrison, who catered for ten years before opening her restaurant called Chef Tia & Co., started serving her wings as a special on Wednesdays. Upon being one of two $25,0000 Discover Financial Services recipients to support Black-owned food entrepreneurs, she opened her first standalone devoted to the hump day special on Keystone. It’s a pickup and delivery spot with over a thousand reviewers from happy customers giving it a thumbs up. Ms. Harrison creates mighty tasty wings and loaded fries from this location. And as a customer, your choices feel endless. Who knew there were so many variations on wings? Naked or breaded, bone-in, boneless, and vegan, made with cauliflower florets and tossed in almost a dozen hand-crafted sauces that make everything finger-licking good.

Parmesan garlic is a house specialty, and the spicy jerk BBQ fires up the tastebuds, but no one can do wrong with the hot honey. If you’re visiting Indianapolis, have them delivered to your room and source a wine from one of the Black female winemakers in Indiana (Sip & Share or Cultured Urban Winery). You will remember the meal much more than the keynote speaker.

Since debuting in 2021, Harrison opened two more this year, one in Cincinnati and another downtown Indy location.

5308 N. Keystone Avenue

Indianapolis, IN 46220

Order

Anthony’s Chophouse

Filet of Beef, courtesy of Anthony’s Chophouse

I’m fascinated by Carmel’s carefully planned community design, so much so that I often drove by Carmel’s Anthony Chophouse without noticing. The developed city has entranced me with its perfect walkways and storefronts, that I missed the illuminated sign, mistaking it for another chain.

But once inside, they transport you past the white picket fences and into a South Beach atmosphere, exuding sex appeal. A gas fireplace framed by brick illuminated the staircase leading upstairs and packed the bar area with crowds of Carmelites — sculpture and texture play in the dining room, with Rat Pack chocolate-covered banquettes and brass mid-century lights. A wood-planked floor allows for runway arrivals of Manholos and To Boots before stepping onto a modern weave. And, of course, the glass-walled kitchen allows diners to see the back of the house between sips of ready-to-pair meat cabernets.

As for the boeuf, it was standard with freshly seared ribeye and filets. We like the flight of beef, like tastes of wine, that featured four-ounce portions of USDA prime, grass-fed, and Wagyu. We have yet to eat in every steakhouse in the world, but we found this to be a novel idea. Dining at a butcher emporium, for the most part, is about something other than the steaks. It’s about the wine, the cocktails, service, appetizers and the sides. Diners will find creativity in these dishes, wine menu and libations. The bone marrow, harvest pig and the gambas pil pil are worth visiting every single evening. And if we could afford it, we would.

201 W. Main Street

Carmel, IN 46032

(317) 740-0900

Reservations

A Thanksgiving Recipe for Hasselback Potatoes

Ingredients:
- 4 large russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
- Olive oil or melted butter
- Salt and pepper
- Optional toppings: grated cheese, chopped herbs (such as rosemary or thyme), garlic powder, paprika, sour cream, bacon bits, or any preferred toppings
To Make:
1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Wash the potatoes thoroughly and pat them dry with a kitchen towel. Place a potato on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, make vertical slices across the potato, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch apart, ensuring it does not cut all the way through. Pro tip: To prevent cutting through the potato, place chopsticks or wooden spoons on either side to act as a barrier.
2. Once all the potatoes are sliced, place them on a baking sheet or in a baking dish.
3. Drizzle olive oil or melted butter over the potatoes, making sure to get some in between the slices. Use your hands or a brush to evenly coat each potato with oil or butter.
4. Season generously with salt and pepper, ensuring the seasoning gets into the crevices.
5. Optional: Add your preferred toppings such as grated cheese, chopped herbs, garlic powder, or paprika between the slices or on top of the potatoes.
6. Place the baking sheet or dish in the preheated oven and bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until the potatoes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The cooking time may vary depending on the size and type of potatoes used.
7. Once done, remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool slightly for a few minutes before serving.
8. Serve the Hasselback potatoes as a side dish with your favorite main course. Optionally, garnish with additional toppings like sour cream or bacon bits before serving.
November 16, 2023
I8tonite Countdown, The Top 8: Favorite Midwest Eats 2023.

Or, How My Pants Stopped Fitting.

The New York Times, my favorite daily read, published their third annual The Restaurant List: The 50 places in the United States that we’re most excited about right now” in September. While the title implies coverage of 50 states, they only selected restaurants in 28 states, doubling or tripling eateries in locations. Of course, they missed Indiana. They also bypassed 31 other states, including New Mexico, Arizona, and Kentucky.

Montana made it, as did Iowa. For Illinois, they named two, but they were both in Chicago. One in Minnesota and another in Michigan. In California, they gave Los Angeles three and San Francisco, shockingly, only one. For a bit of context, the late LA Weekly’s Jonathan Gold uncovered one hundred in the robust L.A metro area annually.

That’s not to say the restaurants didn’t deserve to be placed on the list. It’s only misleading. As much as I like the idea of Big Sky Country, I’m not going to Montana anytime. People could say that about Indianapolis, which is where I write this. However, we are a centerpiece in the Midwest. A four-hour drive to Nashville, Milwaukee and Detroit. Three hours to Chicago and St. Louis and ninety minutes to Cincinnati, Louisville and Dayton. If I drove four hours anywhere from Los Angeles, which is where we lived before we moved here, I would still be in California. Possibly, Tijuana depending on the traffic.

Therefore, I wanted to create a simple list of my favorite eats that I’ve had in three Midwest states. My objective is to highlight the many experiences that didn’t make the cut with the Grey Lady.

Although, I’ve traveled to six states this year, including New York City twice, where I cut my teeth while working and eating at some of the best restaurants. I’m disqualifying anything beyond the Midwest.

Besides, Indiana gets a bad rap on the food front. Writing for Edible Indy and Culinary Crossroads for the last four years has opened my eyes to great Midwest talent. Indiana chefs and food artisans deserve recognition.

Over the next four weeks, I will post my favorites.

We begin with….

Lady Tron’s, New Albany, Indiana: Underneath the sci-fi memorabilia in a vintage Valentine’s portable diner, Lady Tron’s owner and chef, Summer Sieg, creates flavor combinations worthy of Mos Eisley Cantina on the planet Tatooine (Star Wars, 1977). Actually, that’s not true. She makes tasty sandwiches and soups for human and earthbound consumption.

On a recent Facebook post, her specials featured a vegan coconut, sweet chili vegetable ramen, and a white chicken chili. It sat alongside a mozzarella and bacon grilled cheese with artichoke and spinach on a Hawaiian roll. On the daily menu, eaters must try a stunning Uhura, a large eight-ounce portion of cod, deep-fried with a satisfying messy crunch, atop a toasted bun with a generous spread of garlic, jalapeno, and shredded iceberg lettuce. Or, for a vegetarian combo, an offering of smoked gouda and provolone grilled cheese on garlic butter and herb sourdough.

The dining space seats only 10 at a counter with Summer’s wife, Alexa Lemley Sieg, acting as sole waitron. You can find this in the charming artistic hub of New Albany, directly across the Ohio River from Louisville. The restaurant is a stone’s throw from the Town Clock Church, one of the first stops of the Underground Railroad. It’s a poignant reminder of what the area meant to many on the trail.

147 East Market St, New Albany, IN, United States, Indiana

(812) 725-9510

Perrillo’s Pizzeria, New Salem, Indiana: Nestled in the heart of North Salem, Indiana, Perillo’s Pizzeria not only brings the flavors of Sicily to Hendricks County but also crafts phenomenal pizza. Chef Damiano Perillo, who received a culinary degree in his hometown of Palermo, Sicily, honors the American farmer while providing Italian cooking lessons in every dish prepared.

Using fresh ingredients, often from the Perillo family farm and their neighbors, sets Perillo’s apart. He only needs to go out and pick his ingredients grown in acres, not wood boxes, underneath the cloudless, cerulean skies. They cultivate vegetables by providing ingredients from their land to ensure the ultimate farm-to-table experience. He also prioritizes Indiana farmers, forming a kinship with the local agricultural community.

Perusing the menu for an ex-NYC straphanger reminds me of walking along Little Italy’s Elizabeth Street and reading the handwritten paper versions housed in a weatherproof glass box. They swathe the delicious listed items in a deep red, Marcella Hazan-like tomato sauce, salty meats, and milky mozzarella, filling a crusty, luscious dough. In the Midwest, you will be hard-pressed anywhere within 100 miles to find a Sicilian deep dish, hand tossed, with a chewy crust, pulled strands of gooeyness, unless you ate here, a literal pin, on a Google map, two and a half hours south of Chicago and 45 minutes to Indianapolis.

Perillo’s rehabbed a former 19th century doctor’s office to become his restaurant. Its whitewashed facade brings to mind a bohemian pottery store in the East Village. There is ample outside space to sip one of the nice reds or a local Indianapolis brewery.

The Washington Post recently noted the establishment as having one of the best NY-style pies in the Hoosier state, ranked by Yelp. I might even say the Midwest. It is a pizza haven bordering on heaven.

5 S Broadway St, North Salem, IN 46165

(765) 676-4171

November 9, 2023
i8tonite: Filipino Food in Indy? Yes! And Noodles, too!
INDY’S STAR CHEF CARLOS SALAZAR CONTINUES TO

COOK OUTSIDE THE MIDWEST COMFORT ZONE

When Chef Carlos Salazar opened in 2016 his Fletcher Place restaurant, Rook, he quickly emerged as one of Indianapolis’s cooking icons, changing the dining scene locally and regionally. He captivated area eaters with his Asian and Latin fusion approach to food, displaying a creative passion using ingredients from local farms while pushing the boundaries of flavor to Midwest palates. Items such as bulgogi lamb meatloaf bao bun with kimchee cucumbers, sweet and sour fried ribs with napa cabbage slaw or “kimcheese” jalapeno poppers regularly graced his menu. In a brilliant brunch dish, he took the stalwart favorite of biscuits and gravy using koji cream and pickled onions, creating a world where a Japanese farm existed in the gentile South. Even though the eatery became a pandemic casualty like many, Salazar continues to profoundly impact the city and the regional dining scene today.

Born in the Philippines but raised in Indianapolis by his father, Salazar’s journey in the kitchen began when he started cooking for his neighbors as a kid. He said, “I would whip up oven-roasted salmon and pesto for my friends and me to eat.” After a brief and unhappy tenure in accounting, his then-best friend and now wife encouraged him to try something different. He enrolled in an Indy-based culinary school, the Chef’s Academy, under the tutelage of Tony Hanslit, one of the region’s premier and award-winning cooks.

After graduation, Salazar plied his trade at Oakley’s Bistro, the much-lauded American bistro, before opening his debut restaurant, Rook. It quickly became a celebrated spot with Salazar’s love of combining flavors. As previously noted, his first experience has become much celebrated ghost, but luckily for us, Salazar did not. He continues to produce tasty experiences in the heartland, such as his Lil Dumplings at the Garage, consulting with West Fork Distillery, and his recently launched Lil Rook food truck.

In a city known more for sports food and venues serving hot dogs and tater-tots than far-flung Asian and Latin ingredients such as huitlacoche, bao buns, or epazote, Salazar, became known as a tastemaker of worldly treats in a landscape of fast-casual chains. The state’s ethnic demographics are changing, notably, under the influence of growing industries such as technology, medicine, and education, Salazar’s international tastes bring a bit of home away from home for the new global residents of Indy.

What do you like about living in the Midwest? My favorite thing about the Midwest is the simplicity and the quietness. I love cities like Chicago. It’s the best city in the country, but I can’t see myself living in a place that’s so crowded. Indianapolis is just perfect. It’s chill.

If you want to go crazy, you can do that in Indy or drive three hours and live that lifestyle.

What are your favorite foods to eat? I moved (to Indy) from the Philippines when I was eight. We were eating Spam, Vienna sausages, cheeseburgers and pizza. My dad worked 24/7. He worked the morning, afternoon, night, and graveyard shifts. We were either getting fast food or making our own. But, if I had to pick a meal that resembles a great Midwest dinner, it would be meatloaf. I love a good old meatloaf with ketchup on top.

Where’s your favorite place in Indianapolis to go grocery shopping? It’sn’t our favorite, but the most convenient is Kroger. It’s five minutes from my house, and they have everything we need. If I’m going for my Asian ingredients, I go to Viet Hua Food Market in Castleton.

A little Latin. A Little Asian. Ramen and birria.

What would you like me to ask you? What have you never been asked? No one has ever asked me that. (Laughs.) If it has to do with cooking, I would ask, “Why did I create Rook with the cuisine that it had?” That is the question. I felt that I perfected French cuisine when cooking for Oakley’s Bistro, probably about six years ago. I wanted to be challenged. I wanted to do something that I had never done. I didn’t know **** about the Philippines or the food. I knew about being around my family in Fishers.

When I got the opportunity to open Rook, I wanted to do Asian cuisine, heavy on the Filipino. I wanted one month to serve Chinese and the next Japanese, and then Vietnamese the next. I wanted to cook something different and to challenge myself. All I knew was French and cooking is learning. You need to learn every day. You have to be better than you were the day before. I didn’t want to just create a menu and make it.

I wanted to research and test something a couple of times. Fail. Figure out what I need to do to make it better.

What did you want to serve at Rook that you didn’t serve? People eat that food in Asia–China, Japan, and the Philippines – repeatedly. I wanted to introduce that experience to Indiana, that cuisine and culture. At Rook, we made our own soy sauce and fermented vegetables. We tried to do everything from scratch. I think that was the biggest thing. We wanted to learn.

I told my guys I hired I want you to be better tomorrow than you are today. If you could make 50 dumplings today, I want you to come back tomorrow and make 51.

What brought you here to the United States? My Dad. He left the Philippines when I was just born. His life could have been better there. He was always getting into trouble. His oldest brother, who was caring for us in the Philippines, was very wealthy. He told my dad, “Hey, you have kids. You need to make a life for them.” My dad left and moved to the U.S. in the mid-eighties. When I turned eight, my dad did all the paperwork to bring my sisters and me to the U.S. for a better life. When my dad first moved to Indiana, he worked various jobs, including the graveyard shift, making prosthetic legs. At Steak & Shake in Carmel. Currently, he works at a nursing home.

Where is your mom? She followed us five years later, in 1997.

Did you find it difficult to become a chef in the Midwest? No, I don’t think so. I guess I got lucky, too. The food (in Indiana) is uncomplicated, so it’s easy to stick out if you do something different. About fifteen years ago, there were only franchises and steakhouses. It made it a little easier for me to become a chef with something different.

Tell me about your food truck, Little Rook. I’m missing Rook. I don’t know if I am ready to open Rook 2.0, but I keep thinking about steam buns (Laughs). That’s what’s in my head right now. Those gears are turning, but I wanted to start with a food truck.

You grew up eating burgers and hot dogs like I did, but who did most of the cooking? My Dad. He was the inspiration without knowing it. My dad cooked at home. I sat there and watched. And then, we would do sleepovers with friends, but we didn’t eat doughnuts or pizza. I cooked them food like roasted salmon with asparagus and a little bit of pesto sauce. It was something like that instead of ordering food. It was me cooking. I didn’t even think of becoming a chef. Never even thought of it.

You made salmon for your friends? I started cooking for my friends in my freshman high school year. I would make roast salmon with the skin, make a little pesto, you know—things like that. Make pad Thai. I never said I was going to become a chef because I love cooking. I felt like making food was me and this is who I am. I never thought of being a chef until my wife–my best friend ‌at that time – told me to go to culinary school.

You can stay up to date on Chef Carlos Salazar with his food truck and noodle shop via social media. All photos courtesy of Chef Carlos Salazar and his Instagram accounts.

## i8tonite ##

Chef Carlos Salazar’s Assam (Tamarind) Peel & Eat Shrimp

What You Will Need:
- One pound large shrimp, preferably with shells and heads on
- 1/4 cup tamarind paste or pulp (available at Asian markets)
- Two tablespoons brown sugar
- Two cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, grated
- 1 – 2 jalapenos, thinly sliced (adjust to your spice preference)
- Salt to taste
- Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
- Lime wedges for serving
How to Make:

If using frozen shrimp, thaw them completely in the refrigerator. Then, rinse the shrimp under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels.

To make the Assam Sauce:

Combine the tamarind paste or pulp with brown sugar in a large bowl. If using tamarind pulp, soak it in warm water for a few minutes to soften it, then strain out the seeds and fibers before mixing with sugar. Add minced garlic, grated ginger, and sliced jalapenos to the tamarind mixture. Always adjust the chilies to your desired level of heat. Stir well to combine, and taste to adjust sweetness and spiciness. Add a pinch of salt if needed.

Marinate the Shrimp:

Into the large bowl, place the cleaned and dried shrimp. Toss to coat them evenly. Allow the shrimp to marinate for 15-30 minutes at room temperature.

Cook the Shrimp:

Heat a skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated shrimp along with the tamarind sauce to the hot pan. Sauté the shrimp on each side for 2-3 minutes until they turn pink and opaque. The sauce will thicken and coat the shrimp as they cook. Transfer the Tamarind Peel and Eat shrimp to a serving platter, pouring any remaining sauce over them. Garnish with fresh coriander or parsley – some folks don’t like coriander – and serve with lime wedges, adding a bright citrus edge.

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September 27, 2023
2017 Best Restaurant Dishes in Southern California

As the end of 2017 draws to a close, one of my favorite novel quotes comes to mind. It’s from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The legendary character says to his friend Nick Caraway, “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea of me from all these stories you hear.” Of course, Gatsby hides behind sordid tales masking his true intentions. As a man of incredible wealth, how he came by money is dubious until the end of the book, when it is revealed that he is just a typical criminal, albeit a rich one. His cohort, Caraway is a memoirist in this context, besotted by the novel’s central character until the lies of luxury and excess become stripped away. In many ways, the allegorical Fitzgerald masterpiece is prescient today, even in our food world, as real stories of harassment come bounding out of the kitchen doors. None of this is new; there have always been hidden agendas among those that want power, whether behind a stove or a desk.

While the New York Times, Washington Post, and CNN kept me up at night, I went looking for comfort in the foods that I ate this year. I wasn’t seeking hype or multi-million dollar restaurants, but honest-to-goodness eats that were democratically attainable. I desired to eat comforting ingredients showcasing the diversity of the United States – right here in Southern California. Gratefully, I think I found it without trying too hard.

In no particular order, they are:

Chori-Man’s Breakfast Burrito (San Pedro)

I discovered Humberto Raygoza and his homemade chorizo while working with Brouwerij West, the famed craft beer brewery in San Pedro. He was a regular at the spot, cooking up his artisan chorizo under a tent with a portable flat-top. From him, I learned that nearly every Mexican state makes a different version of chorizo, a spicy sausage mixture. It even came in different colors, such as green, red, and brown. Statesiders typically find the “rojo” version, but when in Mexico, seek out the others – or head to Chori-Man in San Pedro who opened a storefront/ eatery in the summer. Food Gal Carolyn Jung once said to me, “A burrito can be a thing of beauty.” Raygoza’s are the Mona Lisas.

The Chori-Man
2309 S. Alma St.
San Pedro, CA

Tony’s Burgers, The Obama Burger (Cathedral City):

According to the waiter at the decidedly unstuffy restaurant tucked into a strip mall on Date Palm Drive, the Secret Service would come in to order this messy but incredibly delicious and satisfying burger every time the President was in town. Made of almost a 3/4 pound of ground beef served with crispy bacon, goat cheese, grilled onions, and garlic aioli on a cloud-like bun, the former President was getting his tastes on with this enjoyably messy monstrosity. If the Obama burger isn’t your favorite, then try one of the other 39 types of burgers on the menu. Order up a side of hand-cut fries too, thank you very much – get the large to share amongst your dining companions.

Tony’s Burgers
35903 Date Palm Dr.
Cathedral City, CA

Jardineros Taco at Taco Maria (Costa Mesa)

What else can I mention about the upscale Cal-Mex food experience that Food & Wine Magazine or Jonathan Gold, the masterful food critic at the LA Times, hasn’t? That it’s a glorious dining experience? Foodophiles can’t miss eating here? Out the six or so times I’ve dined here — and not all in 2017 — I keep coming back to the jardineros taco. It’s not cheap at $14 for mostly three or four bites, but it’s perfect, and memorable, a combination of flavors in an Orange County urban-setting. With the picture-perfect blue masa tortilla, smoky mushroom “chorizo,” some heft added by papas, topped off with molten cheese (or queso fundido) and some micro-greens, I feel like I’ve eaten one of the best Mexican foods ever created in California.

Taco Maria
3313 Hyland Avenue, Ste. C21
Costa Mesa, CA

Tropicale Café’s Tomahawk Pork Chop with Cranberry-Pear Chutney (Palm Springs)

In the early 2000s, Los Angeles was graced with Chef Scooter Kanfer-Cartmill’s homey confections of lobster mac and cheese and animal cookies served with a shot of milk at her Larchmont restaurant called The House. After closing the doors, she went on her way to a couple of other LA stints before winding her way to Palm Springs. In the desert community, Kanfer-Cartmill has hit her stride, where she has been directing the kitchen with generous portions infused with tropical themed flavors. Hence, the mighty pork chop, butchered from a massive animal, gets rubbed in savory herbs and garlic and then pan roasted. The dish comes served with a sweet and sour chunky sauce with a mild hint of heat. It is worth a Los Angeles drive to the desert every single time you want pork.

Tropicale Café
330 E. Amado Road
Palm Springs, CA

Irenia’s Pancit (Santa Ana)

As a half Pinoy and half Caucasian American, I only have good memories of my dad and his family when we ate around a dinner table. While the memories of living with him are not fond, we ate incredibly well. So when I came to eat at Irenia’s, I had to leave my baggage at the door and go in as someone who was eating Filipino food for the first time. I’m glad I did, because Chef Ryan Garlitos created something special at the restaurant he named after his grandmother. Most of the dishes are not traditional, but something ethereal, combining his Pinoy cooking experience with those that he acquired at a variety of stints, including Taco Maria. It’s not the noodle dish I remember, but something different and more delicious. Although there are nearly four dozen versions of the Filipino dish, each with different ingredients but always some form of noodle. Garlito’s pancit bihon is all his own making. Simple, mouthwatering, and memorable. Topped with a soft-boiled egg and carrots and assorted vegetables, it’s worth going to Santa Ana and carb-loading.

Irenia
400 N. Broadway
Santa Ana, CA

January 4, 2018
i8tonite with Vicente del Rio of Frida’s: A LA Mexican Institution & Roasted Pork with Mole Recipe

When Frida’s first opened in 2002 along the forgotten strip of Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, there was a lack of well-crafted Mexican food in Beverly Hills. The world-renowned town at the time celebrated tomahawk steaks with martinis rather than reposado tequilas and molés. Upon opening, the small but mighty restaurant fostered a growing interest in the cuisine outside of the standard Tex-Mex that populated the City of Angels. More than 17 years later while other area restaurants have come and gone, Frida’s still stands, crafting south of the border dishes one might have in the very cosmopolitan Mexico City.

Owner Vicente del Rio, who was born in the metropolis’s historical and well-to-do borough of Coyocan, said during a phone interview, “I learned how to cook from my mother and grandmother, and I wanted to bring that authentic experience here. I feel that’s why we are successful.”

After a fruitful debut year, del Rio started to spread out to other parts of Los Angeles. As CEO of FriMex Hospitality, he has launched eating experiences throughout Los Angeles County with Frida’s Tacos in five locations (Brentwood, Old Town and East Pasadena, Melrose, and Campus Village) and a Taco Libre in Santa Monica. His team has also expanded the original experience of Frida’s to Westwood, Sherman Oaks, Torrance, Cerritos, and opening soon in Sherman Oaks.

Asked about why he thinks Frida is so successful, he says, “We don’t reduce the quality of our food to increase profits. We also have a great team of people working to make sure that we embody the Mexican culture. We want everyone to enjoy our delicious history.”

Food People Questionnaire (with a nod to Proust):

What is your favorite food to cook at home?
Barbeque and paella

What do you always have in your fridge at home?
All types of fresh fruits, vegetables, and proteins

What marked characteristic do you love in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?
That they enjoy the food that they ate and are interested in trying diverse foods

What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?
They complain about the food and service

Beer, wine, or cocktail?
Martini

Your favorite cookbook author?
Laura Caraza

Your favorite kitchen or bar tool?
Knives

Favorite types of cuisine to cook?
Mexican and Spanish

Beef, chicken, pork, seafood, or tofu?
Beef

Favorite vegetable?
Mushrooms

Chef or culinary person you most admire?
My mother and grandmother, who taught me everything

Food you like the most to eat?
Besides Mexican and sushi?

Food you dislike the most?
Cheese

What is your favorite non-food thing to do?
Golf

Whom do you most admire in food?
Jose Andres

Where is your favorite place to eat/drink?
Mexico City

What is your favorite restaurant?
Frida Beverly Hills

Do you have any tattoos?
And if so, how many are of food?
None

Recipe: Roasted Pork with Green Mole

Total time: 3 hours, 15 minutes, largely unattended. Serves 8

Ingredients:
3 1/2- to 4-pound pork shoulder roast, fat trimmed
Salt
Pepper
6 tablespoons oil, divided
6 cups chicken broth, divided, plus 1/4 to 1/2 cup if needed
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
5 tomatillos, husked and chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup shelled raw peanuts
1/2 cup raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds), hulled
1 bunch cilantro (tough lower stems removed)
1/2 bunch epazote (1 cup leaves)
1 cup chopped iceberg or romaine lettuce
1 corn tortilla, torn into pieces
1 bolillo roll, sliced
3 whole jalapeno chiles (not seeded)
2 whole serrano chiles, seeds removed7 poblano chiles, seeds removed, chopped (4 cups chopped)
1/2 cup toasted pepitas

Directions:
1. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven. Add the pork shoulder and sear on all sides. Pour 2 cups chicken broth into the pan and cover.

2. Place in a 325-degree oven and cook until the meat is tender and easily pulled apart with a fork, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

3. Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet. Add the onion, garlic, and tomatillos and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the peanuts and the raw pepitas and cook for 2 more minutes.

4. Add the cilantro, epazote, lettuce, tortilla pieces, bolillo slices and chiles. Stir in the remaining chicken broth and bring to a boil.

5. Reduce heat. Simmer until the chiles are soft and flavors have melded, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

6. Let the mixture cool slightly, then blend in batches until smooth. Add a little water or broth (one-fourth to one-half cup) if necessary to make a thick but pourable sauce.

7. Return the sauce to the pan and heat to serving temperature. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste. Makes 6 cups sauce, ½ cup per serving.

8. Serve on shredded pork, arrange on a serving platter. Sprinkle with pepitas.

– The End. Go Eat. –

October 23, 2017
i8tonite with A Taste of Paris Author David Downie & 1691 Crème Brûlée Recipe

One of the things I love most is to combine history and food. And no one does it better than David Downie, in his new book, A Taste of Paris: A History of the Parisian Love Affair with Food. In A Taste of Paris, Downie traverses time and space (cultural space, that is) to bring us the history of food in Paris over the last 2,000+ years. In doing so, he explores Paris and shares with us places from antiquity (and today), cultural changes, restaurants and reviewers, home cooks and chefs, important food people in the history of Paris, recipes, and more.

Downie, a native San Franciscan, lived in New York, Providence, Rome, and Milan before moving to Paris in the mid-80s. He divides his time between France and Italy. His travel, food, and arts features have appeared in leading print and on-line publications including Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Saveur, Epicurious.com, and Gault & Millau, the premier French food guide. He is the author of over a dozen nonfiction books, including the highly acclaimed Paris, Paris and A Passion for Paris. David and his wife, photographer Alison Harris, create custom walking tours of Paris: www.parisparistours.com. His author website is www.davidddownie.com

Downie writes, “…the city of Paris itself grew like an oyster shell, in layers, built from the intermingling of imported styles, merging the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, and so did the culture that produced the often-complicated delicacies and refined nectars Parisians and visitors adore today or prefer to fashionably disdain as unworthy of past greatness.”

When I asked Downie about the book, he noted, “A Taste of Paris is a freewheeling, entertaining history of food, wine, and fine dining à la Parisienne. The narrative follows the cityscape, from the Ancient Roman core of Paris outwards, creating what I call a “culinary topography” covering 2,000 years. I take readers by the hand and show them Paris today, telling the city’s story as we go, which is why the book doubles as an insider’s guide to food and dining in Paris in 2017.”

And what about history? Downie related, “One big question I ask is, how did gastronomy become a highbrow activity in Paris over 200 years ago and why is the love of food and wine still considered a bona fide intellectual pursuit to this day? The evolution of mere hedonism into the cult of food as high culture was spearheaded in the private dining rooms, literary salons, and pioneering restaurants of the city by a certain Grimod de la Reynière and Brillat-Savarin, two fascinating historical figures and legendary eaters. Their lives and times feature large in my book.”

A Taste of Paris is a book I couldn’t put down, a book I love, a book I’m very happy to recommend to our readers.

Food People Questionnaire (with a nod to Proust):

What is your favorite food to cook at home?
Do we have 90,000 words for this? No? Then anything with wings, lots of fat, crispy skin. Confit de canard or goose, or a perfectly roasted chicken, are hard to beat, but I can also think of 20,000 other things I love to cook at home including a casserole of vegetables and cheese baked for hours at low heat, unctuous inside, crispy on top, redolent of greens and curds.

What do you always have in your fridge at home?
Everything needed to feed a king and royal court. Also, at least one chilled bottle of fine white wine, often a Sancerre or Menetou-Salon, sometimes a nice little Vire’-Clesse’ from the Maconnais, hugely unrated, all of them organic needless to add.

What marked characteristic do you love in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?
Well, chewing with her mouth closed and wielding the flatware with skill, naturally. They are a prerequisite for undistracted, intelligent conversation, preferably about history, the arts, literature or politics, never food or wine, honestly, though, as I enter my seventh decade, reminiscences are also appreciated, in other words, I love my wife and love sharing meals with her. She is the ideal dinner partner and after 30 years get better by the day.

What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?
The opposite of what I’ve outlined above. Above all, loudness, vulgarity, and the clumsy placing of dirty implements on the tabletop or the edge of the plate. Also I currently find it impossible to share a meal with anyone bent on defending the politics of 45. That is an act of indecency.

Beer, wine, or cocktail?
Wine, wine, always wine!

Your favorite cookbook author?
If I name a living author other than Paula Wolfert, who is not only great but a wonderful human being and a mentor, if I have such a thing, the ones I fail to name will seek to murder me with a sharp knife. How about someone long-dead and uncontroversial like Apicius or, if you insist on modernity, Massialot, for a time Louis XIVth’s valet/maitre d’ and the inventor, it is thought, of crème brulee? I give his recipe for it, with fixes, in A Taste of Paris.

Your favorite kitchen tool?
The fly swatter. Just kidding. Sort of. The mortar and pestle taken together must be among them, the whisk is another.

Favorite types of cuisine to cook?
I’m an amateur home cook, but if I’m allowed to be immodest and you will agree to dine with me, I suppose I would make you something Italian, French, or improvised Californian, in that order.

Beef, chicken, pork, or tofu?
Surely you jest? I would pay to never eat tofu again. The first three choices are equally swell. I would refer you to my earlier answer about favorites, including duck. I’ve come to love cows, so eat little beef these days and while I like pigs, I cannot resist cooking them in a thousand ways. As one of the fathers of French gastronomy, Grimod de la Reyniere, said, they are the “encyclopedic animal.” Everything in them, leaving aside the contents of their bowels, I would think, is good to eat. It’s tragic for the species but I can do nothing to save them from their own deliciousness.

Favorite vegetable?
Artichoke: a great aphrodisiac, especially if you believe in aphrodisiacs.

Chef you most admire?
Let’s go with another dead one, for safety’s sake: Raymond Olivier. He ran Le Grand Vefour at the Palais Royal in Paris for decades, had three Michelin stars when they meant something, but wasn’t smarmy or cynical, and actually did the cooking himself. He helped nudge French cuisine from the glom and goo and silly flimflam of Escoffier into the modern age. He also happened to be the first chef ever, anywhere, to have a TV show about food. That was in the 1950s, long before Julia Child who was, by the way, a huge admirer of his and a regular at Le Grand Vefour.

Food you like the most to eat?
Egad, we need another 90,000 words. Simple food, delicious, wholesome food, authentic, satisfying real food, food that tastes like food and not silly putty styled by sorcerer’s apprentices calling themselves great chefs and artists! Give me a leg of lamb roasted with rosemary and garlic, a poule au pot, a blanquette de veau, a plate of pasta alla carbonara without whipped cream for chrissakes, and no daubs of color and edible skyscrapers on an outsized designer dish!

Food you dislike the most?
See my last answer and add in processed or semi-processed karaoke cooking made by microwave practitioners serving schlock to tourists, cyborgs, and bobos born without taste buds.

What is your favorite non-food thing to do?
Beyond making love? Walking!

Who do you most admire in food?
Without naming names, because I fear the knives and tongues of fanatical foodies: those who are modest and sincere and nurturing and do not seek to turn tables and ravish wallets or torture diners with high-stools and other discomforts for the infantilized, taken by many in the business as prerequisites to hipness, chicness and sophistication. The latter three are inimical to good eating.

Where is your favorite place to eat?
At home.

What is your favorite restaurant?
If I tell you on the Internet I’ll never be able to get a table again. Read my book and you’ll go on a treasure hunt and discover all of my many favorites in Paris.

Do you have any tattoos? And if so, how many are of food?
My thumbs, in particular, are permanently stained by the juice of artichokes. If stretch marks are tattoos, then all of them are food tattoos, at least, they are caused by the overindulgence of food, and make me resemble lardo di Colonnata or perhaps some French country ham.

The Original Healthful Crème Brûlée Recipe au Citron Vert Recipe by François Massialot, 1691
(With a few modern tweaks in parenthesis)

Take four or five egg yolks, it depends on the size of your serving dish. Stir them together in a casserole (or nonreactive pot maybe) adding a generous pinch of flour (I’d skip the flour and add the four tablespoons of sugar the chef forgot to mention). Pour in two cups of milk a little at a time and keep stirring.

Add stick-cinnamon (about half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon is more practical) and (about three teaspoons) minced fresh lime zests and (the same amount of) minced candied lime zests (which don’t add much and might even subtract from the deliciousness). Alternatively use minced orange or lemon zests instead and call it Crème Brûlée à l’orange (or au citron).

To make your Crème Brûlée even more refined add (about five tablespoons) ground pistachios or almonds and a drop of orange blossom water.

Put the pot on a (medium-low source of heat on your) stovetop and stir gently, making sure your Crème Brûlée does not stick to the bottom of the pot. When the crème is cooked (nearly set without being scrambled), put a serving dish (oven-safe is best) on the medium-low stovetop, pour in the crème and continue stirring until the mixture starts to stick to the edges of the dish.

Remove to lower heat and sprinkle on lots of sugar (as much as you need to generously cover the top of the crème) in addition to the sugar already in the mixture (which chef forgot). Get a red-hot fire shovel (or maybe an iron rod or blowtorch) and scorch the (sugar on top of the) crème until the top is a beautiful golden brown.

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Excerpted from A TASTE OF PARIS: A History of the Parisian Love Affair with Food by David Downie. © 2017 by the author and reprinted by permission of St. Martin’s Press.

– The End. Go Eat. –

September 26, 2017
i8tonite with Chef and Simply Fish Author Matthew Dolan & Recipe for Smoked Salmon Frittata

Matthew Dolan is an established chef and restaurant owner who trained at The Culinary Institute of America in New York. His restaurant, Twenty Five Lusk, was named Esquire magazine’s Best New Restaurant and Open Table Diners Choice Top Hot Spot Restaurants in the United States since its opening in 2010.

Dolan notes, “I am an American, aware of my Celtic roots, and I blame these roots for the passion that I carry forth in all things, especially my love of cooking and creating dynamic experiences through food. Cooking for others is a joy rewarded by seeing the enjoyment of others. Passion and care are the fundamentals of excellent food, and I am passionate about fish.”

Chef Dolan has a new venture out, one that is accessible to food lovers around the world. His new cookbook, Simply Fish, is a treasure.

“Simply Fish is your definitive guide to preparing seafood that is sustainable, healthy, and delicious. Matthew Dolan’s recipes are accessible and brilliant, and his stories are engaging. The bounty of the sea is here, in a book you’ll treasure.” — Drew Nieporent, restaurateur, Tribeca Grill, Nobu, Bâtard

Simply Fish explores many recipes, techniques, and secrets to delivering a restaurant-quality experience in your own home, simply through cooking fish. You’ll learn about fish, sustainability, and enjoying cooking with seafood, and get inspired by the beautiful, delicious, seasonal recipes (including no-fish desserts!). I especially love the section of each recipe entitled ‘what to tell the fish guy’ – because I think many people are stumped by fish right from the point when you need to purchase it. Genius!

Chef Dolan has also included a few stories of travel, fish, and eating that showcase his humor, quick wit, and thoughtfulness. About a sauna, swimming in the frozen sea, and the meal afterward, Dolan said, “One by one, these crazy Finns leapt in and swam about as if it was noon and they were at Club Med somewhere in the Caribbean. What else was I to do except take the plunge—literally. What a contrast as I felt my heart implode and an unexpected feeling of warmth. I thought I was dying. Then this passed and it was time to get out. Thanks to a little insane moment of ice swimming, we were ravenous and alive. At the center of the table was a beautiful arctic char, roasted whole and awaiting its place in our bellies. Dill and butter-poached potatoes, smoked whitefish, pickled herring, roasted beets, butter lettuces, caviars, and mind-blowing sour breads encircled this magnificently roasted cold-water fish. There were marinated cucumbers known as grandma’s cucumbers, sausages, wine, and beer. The inherent simplicity and care with how this feast came together would later redefine my cooking.”

Chef Questionnaire (with a nod to Proust):

What is your favorite food to cook at home?
Risotto, seasonally driven, usually with mushrooms.

What do you always have in your fridge at home?
Beer and ham. Simple staples.

Caviar+Lobster

What marked characteristic do you love in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?
Excitement for the experience, the food, and the effort that surrounds it.

What marked characteristic do you find unappealing in a person with whom you are sharing a meal?
Inferior table manners. I am worried that we are losing sight of the importance of table manners. I still believe that good manners shows that we respect each other, as well as the time we have committed to one another. And speaking with food in your mouth is silly and awful…it would be nice if we stood when others join the table, but I realize this is asking too much.

Beer, wine, or cocktail?
Beer mostly, softer and gentler wines always, but I am not a tough guy who can handle heavier brown spirits, so if it’s cocktails, we are talking Dark and Stormy or a very fresh margarita – no salt nor triple sec.

Your favorite cookbook author?
Michel Roux

Your favorite kitchen tool?
Tasting spoon. The difference between good and great is determined by this tool.

Favorite types of cuisine to cook?
Tough question. I’m an Irish-American with a classical French background. I employ the French and Italian, borrow from the Chinese at times, but the favorite path is driven by sustainable seafood and making the most of ethical choices that are market driven.

Beef, chicken, pork, or tofu?
Pork.

Favorite vegetable?
Asparagus

Chef you most admire?
Pierre Gagnaire

Food you like the most to eat?
Szechuan Dumplings

Food you dislike the most?
Kidneys. Can’t do it.

What is your favorite non-food thing to do?
Sky dive – only been once, but need to go again quickly

tuna cucumber persimmon terrine

Who do you most admire in food?
Anybody that agrees that food has the ability to take people away from their lives, their issues, and create a moment of joy. There are loads of us doing this, but those that care about the individual receiving the food first, I admire you. And we waste too much food in the USA. So if you are controlling your portion size and making efforts to reduce food waste, I admire you even more.

Where is your favorite place to eat?
There is a Korean inspired place here in San Francisco, Namu Gaji, and it has become a regular thing. They do a really good job.

What is your favorite restaurant?
I have to say, Farm Shop in Brentwood (LA), California is a very amazing and consistent place. That said, Liho Liho Yacht Club in San Francisco is a stunner, as well.

Do you have any tattoos? And if so, how many are of food?
I only have accidental tattoos, or scars from burns if you will, after twenty-eight years in the kitchen. I think that they are a lot cooler and less of a time commitment. Not opposed, maybe one day?

Recipe: smoked salmon and farm egg frittata with basil, lemon, chives, and tomato

serves 4

what I cook at home, actually this is also from the book

10 free-range or organic eggs (if farm-direct, the flavor’s even better)
½ cup sour cream
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
½ pound Pacific or sockeye smoked salmon, sliced into thin strips
1 cup basil leaves, destemmed, torn
2 Tablespoons (½ bunch) fresh chives, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise (reserve ½ cup for garnish)
2 Tablespoons cooking oil
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

what to drink
Blanc de blanc champagne
Txakolina Rosé from Spain
Your favorite daytime drinking beer
Bloody Mary

what to tell the fish guy
You probably don’t need the fish guy for this one. There is usually a refrigerated case close to the fish counter that will have what you are looking for. But, if the fish guy has some smoked fish options that are not pre-packaged, you can ask where the fish is from and when it was smoked. Normally, fish will be brined or cured before smoking. If you go the prepackaged route, check the sell by date; the fresher the better.

method
Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and cheddar cheese. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, fold in the sliced smoked salmon, basil, chives, and ½ cup tomatoes. Heat a cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan over high heat and add the oil and butter. Once the butter has melted and the combination begins to slightly smoke, add the contents of the mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, stir everything in the pan in an effort to evenly distribute the garnish throughout the egg mixture. Cook for 3 minutes and place in the oven. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the eggs are fully cooked. Remove from the oven and allow the frittata to cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the frittata over onto a cutting board and serve.

plating
I usually cut this into pie-shaped slices. Add ½ cup of the sliced cherry tomatoes on the side to serve.

– The End. Go Eat. –

Photos copyright 2017 by Anne-Claire Thieulon

August 27, 2017