Vacation Blast Off!

It hit me like a ton of bricks last night as Siege and I retired to our humble abode after an evening with friends, a ridiculous amount of pizza, and a little moonshine- alas, I was on vacation! It's been a long 8 months since my last break and boy do I need it. It also happens to be my B-Day, and some buds were kind enough to send me off in style with dinner at Chicago Fire pizza!

Chicago Fire has two locations, the original in Old Town Folsom and the most recent addition in Mid-Town Sacramento that opened earlier this year. Siege and I had been to the Folsom pizzeria once years ago. The pizza was great, but hardly warranted the 45 minute drive, especially since Giovanni's is not more than 5 minutes away. Now, you don't have to tell me that there's a difference between Chicago and New York Style pizza... I'm well aware. Overall, I tend to prefer New York's thinner crust to the heartier Windy City brand of pizza. That said, it was my Birthday, which meant time to go big or go home. And it had been awhile since I had a slice of Chicago's finest export... so it seemed the perfect fit.

There's nothing dainty or delicate about the pizza at Chicago Fire. It should be mentioned, though, that they do offer thin crust pizza for those that want to go against the grain. I mean, cmon', you're at a place that specializes in deep dish pizza... get with it! It's like going to Monterey and eating nothing but steak instead of the fresh, locally caught fish. (I especially direct this last comment to my friend SJL!)

Back to the pizza. My selection of the evening had to be the most decadent. An all-meat-heart-attack-waiting-to-happen pizza adorned with sausage, pepperoni, salami, and ham. What impressed me most was the sheer amount of meat stacked onto each slice. I swear each piece of pie had half a sausage on it. It was intensly delicious. The pie was topped with it's customary red sauce-- and it did not disappoint. It was slightly chunky, with just the right amount of sweet yet tart tomato flavor. Underneath the sauce lay the glorious aforementioned array of meats with an ample portion of cheese.

The crust was also a sight to behold... and taste. It was a fantastic vision of golden brown, buttery goodness, with just the right amount of density. Strong enough to hold up to the heft of the cheese, toppings and sauce, yet easy enough to chew with minimal effort. In short... it was off the chain!

Trust me when I tell you that two pieces of pie were plenty. Especially when you consider the amount of Buffalo Wings I threw down. Damn those wings had some heat! I'm pretty sure the dynamic duo, Adam and Gibby, ordered them extra hot. You see, Adam and Gibby are Buffalo Wing fiends. Rumor has it they each took down eight or nine of those spicy suckers...but who knows.

Overall, Chicago Fire is a great place to get some tasty "Za." I will say that the service was a bit slow and unattentive at times. But good food atones for many a sin, and Chicago Fire makes an excellent brand of deep dish pizza. Thanks to all my peeps for coming out and sharing the great food, good beer/wine, and most excellent conversation.

Cheers!

Beat the heat with a bubbly glass of Prosecco!

Boo-yah! Sunday night is here and it's hotter than a prostitute in church! What can save me from this volcanic turmoil? What kind of food can I make which will taste great and leave my well-rounded gut and palate satisfied?

Shall I brave the ungodly weather and grill something? That very thought leaves me uneasy knowing uncomfortable perspiration would surely befall me standing over a hot grill in the 100+ degree heat. Sweaty grilled food is not going to cut it tonight. Nay, I'm looking for something lighter, cooler, and perhaps more refined. But It's got to be simple- no fuss.

My wife makes a killer mushroom salad with Parmigiano-Reggiano, lemon, and some really good olive oil. It sounded particularly awesome on such a sweltering day. In order to fully enjoy this summer meal, I needed a suitable beverage to pair with it. Eureka, I've got it! Why not Prosecco? After all, it embodies all I'm looking for this warm late Spring night. It's light, refreshing and super easy to drink! It also happens to be May's Wine of the Month here at Sunday Gravy. That's right friends, every month I'll feature a new wine with suggested pairings, zany tasting reports, and other random thoughts about the varietal.

OK, so now that you're up to date with the latest and greatest here at SG...back to the food stuff.

A salad and Prosecco can hardly be called dinner. I required more than that unfortunately (any normal human would, right?). A lighter dinner did seem in order given the triple digit weather. With that in mind, a Jamie Oliver recipe came to me. The dish is fast and really good, which I'm all about. It involves 3 main ingredients: asparagus, egg and cheese. Basically, I threw some of the freshest asparagus I could find on the grill and gave them a bit of a char. When the asparagus is nearly ready, I fried up an egg or two (I suggest 1 egg per 4 asparagus spears). Transfered the hot asparagus to a warm plate and immediately shaved some fresh Parmigiano or Pecorino Romano. Lastly, I added the egg atop the spears and seasoned with salt and pepper. Trust me, it's a nice little treat-almost a deconstructed omelet, but let's not get too crazy with the foodie speak. Siege and I found it to be a nice addition to the fantastic mushroom salad .

So the food was pretty money, but what of the wine?

I must confess that Prosecco is uncharted territory for me as I've only had it on one other occasion several years ago. Now seemed as good a time as any to get to know this sparkling wonder, especially since I keep seeing this wine pop up in various columns and other wine publications. My introduction to this bubbly world begins this evening with Zardetto Prosecco di Conegliano. To be honest, I didn't expect a whole lot from this budget wine, but I was pleasantly surprised. It was a little too easy to drink!

This wine was just what the doctor ordered (editor's note: I was not prescribed Prosecco by my physician, it's just a figure of speech) on this blistering May evening. The very pale greenish bubbly had aromas of apple and pear and was, at the same time steely and slightly floral. The vino was bright, crisp and refreshingly dry-tasting with a bitterness most akin to grapefruit and citrus fruit. It complimented the acid in our salad and certainly didn't clash with the asparagus, egg and cheese concoction. I'm totally on board with the prickly mouthfeel sensation this wine provides. It's a brilliant and tasty way to cleanse and refresh your palate. Prosecco is hailed for it's versatility, so I've read, goes very nicely with seafood. Well we'll just see about that.

Stay tuned.

"Hi, May I Help You?"

I've been on the short end of the dining experience more than once. Sometimes despite the fact that the destination has received favorable critical reviews. The evening, or lunch, begins with tons of promise and invariably ends on a less than stellar note. This was not the case last week when I was commissioned by work to attend a conference in Kansas City, Missouri. Whenever I travel, business or otherwise, food takes center stage. My mission is always the same, find the local eateries that offer fresh seasonal cuisine. Fortunately for yours truly, sweet, spicy slow cooked meat is always in season in KC...heh, heh, heh. The City of Fountains, as KC is also known, makes a great case for being the undisputed King of BBQ cities. The 'sweet heat' as I affectionately call it, is the brand of Midwest BBQ that has cue enthusiasts all over the nations licking their chops. 

I was only in town for 3 days, so I had to choose my places to throw down wisely. I went to a couple of places but none stood out more than my final lunch there. Gates BBQ  is a true Kansas city institution that has iconic status among locals and fans of BBQ the world over. And deservedly so.

I eagerly passed through the door and was overwhelmed by the sweet, smokey aromas of slow cooking mastery that greeted me, nay taunted me. After composing myself, my dining companion and I jockeyed for position in the line of some 20 or so people. Now I remember from my previous visit a couple of years ago that it's important to know what you want to order ahead of time. When the friendly Gates employee proudly (and loudly) asks, "Hi, may I help you?" You better have your game face on. You do not want to slow up this lunch train if you know what I'm sayin'. And then, after what seemed like an eternity, the question was sprung on me...

"Beef on Bun with Fries!" I exclaimed in semi-retarded, but enthusiastic fashion.

How can one go wrong with amazingly tender, smokey slices of beef smothered in a house made sauce on a sweet bun? You can't. It can not be done!

My work colleague was plenty happy with his pork on bun selection. The conversation was limited as we fiendishly devoured our lunch. 

It should be noted that Gates expertise goes far beyond the sandwich. They also feature all of the classic BBQ favs: ribs, chicken and beef are all on the menu at reasonable prices. I heard the gentleman in front of me order a "1 and a half," which is just your normal meat of choice, plus half that amount all on one soft fresh roll. Pure genius. The choice of BBQ sauces they offer is also a major bonus. Just pick your favorite and dip or slather until your heart's content. Varieties include: Original, Sweet, Mild, and my personal favorite, Extra Hot. 

Our plates were empty, bellies full, and we had a plane to catch at KC International. And although we smelled like a BBQ pit, were uncomfortably full, and had a 2 1/2 hour plane ride, we didn't care. It was well worth it and a great way to end the trip.

A Celebratory Dinner: Italian Style

A few weeks ago some friends, Siege and I decided to hit up a more 'fancy' establishment than our last time out. Here's the quick break down of the peeps, food, and various other tom foolery that transpired at Spataro.

Diners: Jer, Siege, Gibby, AVG, B-Fong! B-Fong! B-Fong! (Editors Note: B-Fong is actually just 1 person)
Place: Spataro Restaurant & bar
Ambiance: Upscale Italian

And now begins the in-depth, play-by-play analysis of night. It started at a somewhat leisurely pace with the hostess seating some 20 minutes past our reservation time. Not a huge deal, though I must admit, I was famished and ready for some of that delicious rustic Italian bread. Our server was prompt in greeting us and getting the ball rolling with the drink orders.

After reviewing Spataro's impressive wine list online prior to arriving, Gibby and I thought it would be in our best financial interest to each bring a bottle of vino instead of purchasing one or two from the list. My contribution was a 2005 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico. Gibby brought a real show stopper of a Bordeaux from the Haut-Medoc region. We were so pumped to try our bottled treasures that we insisted our server open both of them at the same time...you know, just to let them breathe.

After much deliberation and at the recommendation of our server, the Antipasti Misti del Giorno seemed like the most sensible for 5 people. The starter consisted of an uber fresh house made mozzarella, Prosciutto di San Daniele, toasted bread and marinated olives. Overall a solid beginning. I only wish there were more of it on the plate. Our second of the apps was the ubiquitous Fried Calamari. But I have to say, this Italian version (Fritto Misto) was one of the tastiest I've had. The crispy, light batter gave way to moist and tender squid. Normally I'm not a huge Condiment/sauce guy, but the Fennel, lemon, chickpea aioli that accompanied the calamari was crazy good, yo.

At this point in the evening I had actually paced myself pretty well with regard to sheer volume of food mass consumed. Fortunately we had a nice break before our entrees arrived. The time was filled with plenty of bad impressions of co-workers from Gibby and I, more joking around, and a very exciting announcement. We were all delighted to hear that the Gibby's were having a baby. It was hands down the highlight of the evening. So we toasted the Gibbs and before we knew it, our mains were set before us in all of their wicked hot splendor.

I was pleased with my choice. Strozzapreti al Sugo is a pasta I've never had the pleasure of eating till now. The pasta itself resembled a french fry, at least in shape (not taste and had a wonderfully flavorful Niman Ranch pork sauce that coated the pasta beautifully. The chef, however, showed a bit too much restraint in seasoning the pork sauce. Otherwise, it would have been just about perfect.

Siege opted for the Cioppino, which boasted local seafood in zesty tomato sauce. It was light, fresh, and spot on! Gibby, B-Fong and AVG shared my zeal for starch and all ordered pasta dishes. Gibby threw down the same entree as I and B-Fong enjoying a very tasty plate of Orecchiette. Our 'mom-to-be, AVG, decided on the Melanzane e Polenta al Forno, an eggplant dish that just didn't quite hit the mark.

The deserts were good, but not super memorable. All in all, the Italian fare was pretty tasty, the wine was superb, and the company even better. I have to say though, I felt jipped that we didn't get to see B-Fong hit on a waitress. Oh well, Maybe next time.

The Perfect Food

Now I wouldn't call myself an authority on pizza, but then again, I have consumed an obscene amount of pizza. From Original Ray's near 6th Ave in NYC to Roman style pizza, in the eternal city itself, wherever I go pizza seems to find me...or I seem to find pizza. Pizza, dare I say, may be the perfect food. It's extremely versatile with imagination being the only limiting factor. Although I must admit, as I'm a bit of a purist, good ol' pepperoni still does it for me. On the other hand, I could just as well go for a deliciously fragrant pizza Margarita. Or perhaps a pie topped with prosciutto, super fresh Parmigiano Reggiano on a bed of peppery arugula.

From the days when I was a scrawny teen, some of my fondest memories always involved a slice of "za" and soda. Of course, it would be silly to suggest that I only drink pop with my pizza. Man-sodas, aka beer, and even the occasional chianti, are also choice beverages to imbibe with our cheesy friend.

Okay, this post is starting to make me hungry. Especially since tonight's dinner was far too healthy for a man of my considerable girth. In case you're curious, we threw down Baked Sole with lemon and fresh dill and side of asparagus. Not bad, but it sounds downright boring when compared to pizza. Sole is a very light fish and just doesn't cut it 3 hours after dinner. Not really helping that I'm posting about the quintessential comfort food.

Anyway, allow me to proceed.

One can find pizza just about anywhere: High end restaurants, bistros, wine bars, the traditional pizza parlor (boy, there's an old school term for ya), and even sporting events.

So I leave you with these poignant questions:

Will one day the mighty pizza eclipse the all American hot dog as the food of choice at baseball games? Can the old school pizzeria nudge the dainty sushi slop shops proliferating the Sacramento dining scene??

Only time will tell friends. But I am confident that "za" will continue toward ultimate gastronomic supremacy. For it is pizza, the perfect food.

Bistro Blast

It was that time again, Friday night. The glorious weekend was here and a few co-workers, my wife and I decided to begin our time off in style with some good conversation and food at one of my favorite East Sac haunts...33rd Street Bistro. I was really pumped to go as it had been quite some time since I'd been. The service and food always seems to be at the very least very good. To add to the excitement, one of my dining peeps, affectionately known as Gibby, promised to bring along a little somethin'-somethin' from his Napa excursion a few weeks ago. You can read all about that trip and much more at his blog Gibby Tyme.

We arrived and it was packed to the gills with couples and small parties gathered in the small entryway. The restaurant does not take reservations, so we camped out and exchanged pleasantries for 20 minutes or so before getting settled at a cozy table nestled in the corner of the Bistro. It was a bit cramped for our party of five and Gibby spent the evening under a plant that frequently pricked the top of his dome when he sat up really straight. This wasn't much of a problem as we had plenty of good eats to haunch over.

Our waitress was friendly and very helpful even letting my try a couple of wine selections as I struggled to decide on the right wine for our appetizers that would open our palettes up and start the dinner off right. I decided on one of their specialty international wines that caught my attention. It was light, refreshing, and hinted of citrus fruit...it was Albarino. I wish I had the presence of mind to write down the producer and vintage because it was some tasty hooch!

The food journey at 33rd began with one of my favs, the Crisp Shrimp Cigars. A lively modern interpretation of the egg roll, at least that's what they look like. These tasty little delights have a light, crispy outside texture and are filled with a moist combo of shrimp, green onions, carrots, and something with a little heat...yuuuuum! Next up we shared an order of the Jerk Ribs. A sweet, tangy and spicy pile of oh-so-tender beef short ribs.

At this point in the meal we had thrown down the entire bottle of Albarino, all our apps and we were primed for our mains. Now seemed like the ideal time to bust out the wine that Gibby had brought from Napa. A big bold beaut of a Cab. The 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon from Castello Di Amorosa was every bit as good as he made it out to be. In light of this magnificent wine, my entree of choice had to be the Bistro Meatloaf. Nothing says comfort and good times like a succulent slab of juicy lamb and pork meatloaf . The cayenne aioli that dressed the loaf added a nice refreshing twist to this classic.

My wife and B-Fong opted for the Pot Pie filled with chicken, peas, carrots and a tarragon cream sauce. The dish seemed to have highs and lows. 'The High' being that the chicken was flavorful, and the crust buttery and flaky. 'The low' being the aforementioned cream sauce seemed to be lacking in tarragon and seasoning rendering it forgettable.

Gibby and his wife Amy Vella threw down their mains with unbridled panini lust. Great choice guys. 33rd is notorious for churning out Grade A panini. Gibby's selection was The Gorge, a one-of-a-kind perfect blend of Turkey, Apple Smoked Bacon, and creamy, buttery Havarti cheese. I can personally attest to the greatness of this one....very , very good! AV chose The Columbian, a tasty sandwich filled with a cocaine....just kidding, wanted to see if you dozed off! Seriously though, a fine example of Northwest flavors with perfectly cooked salmon, red leaf lettuce and tomato all served up on crusty delicious ciabatta bread with lemon aioli.

The night ended on a somewhat lackluster note with the trio of chocolate desserts. The molten chocolate cake served up in a white ramekin was simple, rich and executed quite well. The other two chocolate desserts unfortunately are not worth mentioning.

Overall our whole crew enjoyed our time at 33rd Street Bistro. There was good food and wine, some really good laughs, and we even got to see B-Fong almost hook up with our server. Almost being the operative word. But that's another story for another time. The Bistro had cleared out and we were the only ones left. My dining compadres and I were stuffed, happy, and alas... ready for the weekend.

True Love

The ultimate 'Hallmark Holiday' was upon us, Valentine's Day. Many people scoff at this day or reluctantly abide by the pressures and demands from society to shower their loved ones with copious amounts of fine chocolate and floral arrangements. Siege and I, silly romantics that we are, embrace it with reckless, I mean, romantic abandon.

It was suggested that I take the holiday day off so she could express her love for me in a most impressive fashion by making me dinner this time around. It should be noted that Siege considers herself only somewhat capable in the kitchen...but she's just being modest. No, she's more than capable and this dinner was a prime example of her skills.

Let me preface by saying that Siege doesn't even like pasta very much, especially big, "clunky," as she puts it, pasta. But she knows that I am a straight up "pasta fiend" and rarely get to devour the starchy delight. So it was with true love and thoughtfulness that she set out to make me Baked Ziti with Meatballs.

Well what did you expect? This is Sunday Gravy.

This is a dish I've talked about having for quite some time, but for one reason or another have never gotten around to making. This version was just as I had imagined it, a beautiful concoction of tart tomato sauce balanced out by the creamy awesomeness of whole milk ricotta cheese, which gave the dish a surprising fresh texture and almost a lightness. The moist flavorful meatballs were also a nice touch that added just the amount of "heft" to put this meal in the "kick ass" category.

We decided to keep our Valentine's day dinner rooted in Italy with our wine choice for the evening. The 2004 Castello di Monastero is one of the finest examples of Chianti Classico I've had. The Dark Cherry bouquet, subtle tannins, and lively fruit flavors melded nicely with our ziti.

We finished our V-Day on a high note with a truly seductive chocolate hazelnut tart, Siege baked, that was the perfect blend of toasty nuttiness and chocolate decadence. It was truly a night to savor and remember.

The Mighty, Mighty Panino

I've long been a fan of the famed Italian sandwich, the Panino (Panini for plural). It's like the ultimate grilled cheese sammy amplified with a Euro twist. Now I'll admit it, I'm one of those people that hates to get caught up with the latest and greatest. Whether it involves food, music, movies or otherwise, I'd like to think of myself as someone who doesn't follow the mindless mob mentality. Panini certainly has become one of the 'hot' (bad pun) new food items over the past few years. It seems like everywhere you turn it's Paniniville! From grocery stores, slick bistros and fast food chains, these grilled melted treats are all the rage.

I won't be a part of this lunacy, enough is enough!

But fate had other ideas. Much to my surprise and delight I received my very own panini press for Christmas from my in-laws.

You see? I had no choice... I had to give in! What kind of son-in-law would I be if I didn't fully explore the wonders of the Mighty Panino? That's rhetorical, you don't have to answer that.

The possibilities are endless with panini. You can go Philly Cheese Steak style. Perhaps travel to Paris and put a french twist with a croque monsieur. Or just go with a classic Italian version as I did my first time out. That's right, I was playing it safe and I didn't care. My first Panino was filled with thinly sliced prosciutto and Fontina cheese. I drizzled a mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for the dressing. The addition of a few basil leaves gave the sammy a nice fragrant brightness that was seriously OTH. This is a version I will definitely revisit soon.

But alas, I must press on. Next up, oven roasted turkey breast and Havarti cheese...good combination. I tossed in sun dried tomatoes for some tangy/sweet goodness and it worked really, really well.

Panini is extremely versatile, but the one thing I would strongly suggest is to only use cheeses that melt well: mozzarella, Jack, Fontina, etc. I tried Smoked gouda and it just wasn't the cheesy wonder I thought it would be. Your bread options are pretty much limitless. Rye, Ciabatta, good ol' white bread....you name it!

So yeah, I jumped on the proverbial panini bandwagon...and I'm a happier person for it. Do yourself a favor and get in the kitchen and grill up some tasty treats for you and your friends!

New Years Eve Dinner

New Years Eve was upon us and it was time to pull out all the stops for dinner. Well, sort of. The wife and I decided to avoid the crowded nightlife, expensive prix fix restaurant menus and chill at home. After all, many of our newly unwrapped presents were food related: Panini press, various cookbooks, and kitchen tools, all ready to be christened. But what to make? There was no shortage of ideas given the thousands of recipes at our disposal from our 'Christmas Cookbooks' alone. In the end something simple rather than sophisticated and stately seemed to fit our mood. Low key was the phrase of the night. Sometimes all you need is a piece of perfectly cooked meat and some ruffage to satisfy. Such a meal would come in the form of Chicken Roulade with a salad of baby romaine, feta, and a rasberry balsamic vinagarette.

This was my first attempt at a roulade. It sounds complex and fancy, "rooo- Laaaaahhhhd," but it's really nothing more than a thin cut of meat rolled around a cheese, vegetable, or in this variation, sage. Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the roulade came from the super big, ultra comprehensive, Italian Bible of cookbooks: Silver Spoon. The book boasts over 2000 recipes, but the chicken roulade was calling my name. Any recipe that includes pancetta is a friend of mine. This porky wonder will always have a place at my dinner table. The thin fatty pieces of italian bacon were wrapped around a gently pounded chicken breast. Inside the breast were just a couple fresh, fragrant sage leaves, salt and pepper. After a little browning and a quick 15 minutes or so in the pan, it was time to throw down. We stared at our plates with wide-eyed ravenous intent until we could no longer hold back. Much to our delight it turned out pretty well. The crispy pancetta worked well with the tender chicken breast and the clean herbal sage helped to brighten the dish a bit. Simple, tasty, and start to finish the meal took about 45 minutes to prepare. It was exactly the type of hassle-free dinner on the last night of 2007 that I needed. The night ended on a high note with a spirited game of scrabble, a good flick, "Hot Fuzz," and super awesome peppermint bark courtesy of my beautiful wife. Not a bad way to wind down the year.

Happy New Year!