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Kathleen McGowan's The Expected One, which is now in paperback, has topped many a best-seller list while stirring deep controversy for its exploration of the true nature of the relationship between Jesus of Nazareth and Mary Magdalene. Like Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation of Christ," this book strikes its audience at the core of its most profound religious perceptions: If nothing else, The Expected One will bring you back to the bible and your previous teachings, sending you on a mission to find your own answers about the many mysteries of Christ. ~John Aiello
SHOWCASING MVD
SETTING THE STANDARD FOR IN-CONCERT CINEMA
By John Aiello
"MVD" stands for Music Video Distributors, a Pennsylvania-based company dedicated to the production of music-related media and specializing in the distribution of music DVDs to the world market.
It’s true that most video companies have a music-based line of product, but MVD has set itself apart from the competition by virtue of the attention it pays to its artists. Once MVD commits to a project, it does not do so with half focus, but instead, vigorously promotes and publicizes each new release, like the spirits of Chet Helms and Bill Graham suddenly reincarnated, this vision to bring the music back to the people in an ultra-personal and specialized form.
In essence, many video distributors use music releases to fill up their catalog -- the genre is ancillary and not central to their product list, a ‘filler’ that plays second fiddle to the drama shelf and the sci-fi section. However, with MVD, music is the very centerpiece of the jewel, and its energies are invested in the task of bringing the real-time concert experience to the controlled setting of your living room.
MVD, now 20 years old, was founded in 1986 on the heels of the "MTV Generation" by Tom Seaman (an industry veteran with more than 40 years experience in the field). Seaman came to the create MVD after stints with Record Hunter, Sam Goody, Musicland, CBS Retail, and Jem Records -- this varied background offering him the unique opportunity to see into the living heart of the music business from myriad perspectives.
Initially, Seaman’s MVD acted primarily as a "one-stop," buying up other labels' music-related VHS releases and reselling these products to music and video stores. However, as technology changed and the scope of the market grew, MVD moved head-long into DVDs, using its strong relationships with the whole of the business (content holders, labels, artists, management) to become a name that’s now synonymous with music-cinema.
Upon its genesis in the mid 1980s, MVD committed itself to forging new roads, stepping out, enriching the depth of its catalog with gems culled from the American music scene. To this end, more changes loom on the horizon:
"We are launching an audio division next week" [June 12, 2006], MVD Chief Operating Officer Ed Seaman says with a deep mix of pride and enthusiasm. "We've done a great job [on the film end of the spectrum], and we have the infrastructure wholly in place, so now we're finally making the leap to distribute CDS -- the content to be driven by our suppliers in the Music DVD world."
Over the past two decades, MVD has released some 500 music DVDs, with so many high-points it is almost unfathomable. Notable selections include CLASSIC RHYTHM & BLUES VOLUMES 3 AND 4; THIRD WORLD - "Music Hall in Concert;" JOHNNY GUITAR WATSON - "Music Hall In Concert;" BOB DYLAN - "1975-1982: Rolling Thunder and The Gospel Years;"and the forthcoming selection by the ROLLING STONES - "Under Review 1962 - 1966."
In addition to its work as an internationally recognized distributor, MVD also develops and releases its own music DVD content, both creating and circulating what has become a unique component to the realm of 21st-century art.
For MVD, the future only seems to be about the music, about rehoning the best elements of its own past:
"As we go forward," notes Seaman, "we want to keep doing everything we have been doing from day one - filming new concerts, uncovering and releasing more archive materials; plus, we intend to keep working on finding and clearing materials on previously undocumented bands. Our mission is to keep finding sources of great music and deliver what people really want."
See mvdb2b.com for more information on DVDs.
ACTORS AND ACTRESSES
TEN MINUTES WITH MELANIE MINICHINO
New York actress Melanie Minichino. Photo by Bill Strong. ©2007. All rights reserved.
By John Aiello
New York actress Melanie Minichino is a rising star, not so much for her pristine and chestnut-stained old-Italian beauty as for the intangible ‘presence’ she brings to the screen.
Before June of this year, few had heard of Minichino, as her film work had mostly been limited to roles in B-grade shorts yet to screen nationally. However, this past spring, David Chase, creator HBO’s The Sopranos, cast Minichino in a small part as a relative at a funeral in the epic series’ final episode (Tara Zincone, episode number 86), immediately giving viewers a new face to monitor.
Even though Minichino’s Sopranos role was tiny, her energy was huge. There she stood: A relatively unknown name in the midst of the likes of strong male personas like Tony Sirico and Robert Iler as they sparred for the lion’s share of the lines. However, Minichino did more than hold serve here, managing to steal a few seconds of the scene for her own dossier.
In that Sopranos episode, Minichino used mannerism and the motion of her eyes to balance the scene, pushing the other actors with subtly and nuance, the cast now blooming as one across the stage, carving the reality of the moment; and the cast now blending into one sterling voice: 6 actors in a circle fighting through this funereal tension, this last labyrinth of faces gathering in grief poring through these ancient tastes of mortality and madness.
The Electric Review is proud to feature Melanie Minichino in this interview—this actress and model talking of her motivations and influences, building onto the foundation she forged in her Sopranos debut. As you will readily see, what stands out about Minichino is her candor and resolve – traits she brings to the screen not so much as the embodiment of a character, but instead, as real pieces of the self fused together with the mortar of words in the grand tradition of theater and art.
Can you tell me a bit of your background and how you came to the craft of acting?
I was born in the Bronx [New York] and then moved to Italy with my parents when I was about 2 years old. We lived in Milan for a couple of years, and then came back to the States. I started acting when I was around 7. I got hooked up with an agent, but things didn’t really work out in the beginning. I was very shy as a child. Directors found me cute – but I wouldn’t speak. So I initially stopped acting: In part because of my shyness and in part because I was temporarily pulled in other directions. For example, I became interested in photography and ended up going to The School of Visual Arts. But the acting bug was still inside me I guess – because I was completely drawn back to it. I started studying privately with Ted Bardy at the Ted Bardy Acting Studio, and this eventually led me to go out on casting calls and get my feet wet a little bit. Ted teaches the Miesner Technique [an acting technique developed by Sanford Miesner which teaches the student to master multiple faces through a series of exercises that build strategically on one another]. He's been a great mentor, and a very inspirational person in my life. We have grown very close, and he has pushed me quite far.
Tell me about the Sopranos audition: That has to be every unknown actor’s dream call…
My manager scheduled the audition for me. It was actually my third audition for Sopranos work (for different characters). This time I got a call back. And I got booked for the Tara Zincone role. It was really that simple…
What was it like working on the set of The Sopranos in light of you being in the last episode? What was the cast like to work with? And what will you take from the experience as you move toward other projects?
Working on the last episode of the Sopranos was such an amazing experience. I was very excited to be there, but it was work, so I kept my cool. Everyone [the regular cast] seemed emotional, obviously because everything was coming to an end. The cast and crew seemed very close, and it was apparent to me that they were really a tight-nit family. The feeling on set was extremely warm –and they were all so down- to-earth and so sweet to me. I felt respected. Being a part of that will definitely set precedence for future projects I work on. But I am not sure if they'll measure up to working with such talented people and with such an amazing writer/director in David Chase. I am looking forward to being cast again, though, and will try and bring what I learned on the Sopranos set to future work.
Water-color portrait of Minichino by Eric Ward; ©2007. All rights reserved.
Image formatted for publication by Victoria Molina.
Even though the part in the Sopranos was small, you really did stand out among all those other heavy-weights on stage. Has that role brought you to the threshold of any other work?
Not yet. But I’m hopeful. Right now, I am doing some limited modeling work, doing marketing promos for the Speed Channel. That role on the Sopranos was truly different in that I was in only one little scene. But I did have some lines and was featured for a few moments. Looking back, I wonder why David Chase introduced such a brand new character to the series in this way, giving me a whole name, placing me in the scene the way he did. I haven’t quite figured out the answer to that yet.
One of the many lingering mysteries to that final episode!
Yes! Definitely! (laughing).
Where do see your career going from here? More modeling? Or perhaps a feature film that might showcase your look and your unique presence?
I don’t see myself doing much more modeling. I’m grateful for the opportunity to do these Speed Channel spots, but in the future I want to concentrate on moving my acting career forward. I'm serious about challenging myself with different kinds of roles and different kinds of writing. I don’t want to be perceived as some bimbo, but instead, as an actress with something to say. More than anything, I want to work with good writing in the future projects I do. I don’t see this as limited to only TV and film, but I also see the theater as a real possibility. I didn’t get into acting just to be seen; I want to try and do meaningful work.
You mentioned photography as being a point of interest: Have you pursued that in terms of publishing your pictures?
I haven’t tried to publish my pictures – because of my acting I’ve put that on the backburner. In the past, I thought I would get into photo journalism, which I've always enjoyed. But the reality is that photography, like all the arts, is extremely competitive – and nothing is easy, no matter how great your talent might be. Really, at this juncture of my life, I thought I should take advantage of my youth and pursue my desire to act. (pausing) I guess, really, this life is a part of me: My parents are both artists, and I was brought up with this way of life, so a lot of it comes naturally to me.
Do you have a day-job that supports your creative impulses?
Actually – it’s a night-job: I work as a bar-tender, like most every other actor in New York City.
Since you’re based in New York, you’re able to indulge in the rich history of the theater which is one of the hallmarks of the city. However, can you see yourself eventually making the leap to LA in order to get into the more mainstream film world?
I’ve been to Los Angeles, and I am not a big fan of that city. New York has a certain energy, and frankly it’s hard to leave it. I am drawn to it. I want to try and make it here first. It’s true, there are mainstream opportunities in LA. But it’s competitive out there, too. There’s more work. And more actors fighting for the jobs. It’s not that easy out there either. I guess one day I might find my way to LA, if I were to be cast in a film, or if it seemed likely that I could do regular work there…
~John Aiello
EYE ON THE CHEF
Emeril Lagasse's New Book A Keeper
 EMERIL’S POTLUCK. Emeril Lagasse. William Morrow.
Make no mistake - this guy can cook! And this book -- to borrow a line from his ever-popular Food Channel series -- "kicks it up a notch."
In the food world, Emeril’s recipes are some of the most classy things going. What’s really notable about his cooking technique (and attitude) is that he doesn’t feel guilty for liking food and making it taste good. Frankly, Emeril is not shy about using animal fat and slathering on the butter -- to him, eating is an absolutely decadent and a soulful event.
And he lives it as such - sharing recipes from the heart, cooking as if life depended on it. Because in Emeril’s world, life does depend on it:
"I look back at all these good times, and I am struck by the warmth. No, I’m not talking about that Louisiana heat! I am talking about the warmth that comes when you share with those you love. That is the very essence of the potluck tradition - sharing - and that is what I want to pass along to everyone, whether young or old, novice cook or seasoned veteran...."
-From The Introduction-
Rather than creating big lumbering complicated entrees, Emeril’s is about simple and taste-driven dishes that will perfectly compliment the holiday party table. And since we’re on the cusp of the Christmas season, this book is quite timely - presenting some fine new ideas in an array of areas (including drinks, appetizers, salads, soups, casseroles, sides, breads and desserts).
We would literally be reproducing Emeril’s line for line if we tried to capture highlights, but some things do standout - for their twists of nuance and originality. Check out the Blue Cheese Dip recipe on page 30: the additions of cayenne pepper, hot sauce and minced garlic augment the bitter bite of the cheese splendidly - a depth of taste that is quite unique and absolutely addictive. Also Emeril’s Southwest Cheesecake (page 60), with its olive oil base and minced jalapenos, commands with a bright and intense flavor. Among breads/sides, the Prosciutto Breadsticks (page 254) are simply a treat -- the salty ham tempered by the subtle grace of the partially dried dough makes for a perfect snack or salad companion.
Page by page, Emeril’s Potluck is the personification of Emeril the person -- a wildly magnetic book of recipes/ideas that speak to potluck parties of yesteryear - "everybody bring a dish and we’ll share the table!" In the spirit of a good meal, this collection is meant to draw a long sigh amid a half-hidden smile, drawing hunger from the secret flesh. ~John Aiello
Purchase from amazon.com
RESTAURANT PICKS
CAESAR’S
A SAN FRANCISCO INSTITUTION SINCE 1956
CAESAR’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT. 2299 Powell Street. San Francisco.
By John Aiello
“From the banker and blue-collar worker to Grandma and Grandpa – we’ve always embraced everybody at Caesar’s...” ~Co-owner Luigi Romani
The entrance to Caesar's Italian restaurant in San Francisco.
Color-wash image created by Eric Ward. © 2007.
Image formatted for publication by Victoria Molina.
Caesar’s is a timeless place – stuck between North Beach and the Wharf at the edge of two historic San Francisco districts, this classic eatery is real Italian in every sense of the word.
I‘m talking family-style portions served up in a long dining room that reeks of authenticity and deep culture. I’m talking white table cloths and ornate walls that bring a taste of the Broom and Canal streets in old-town Manhattan to California’s crowning bay-side port city.
For 51 years, diners stepping through the doors of Caesar’s have stepped back in time and entered an Italy of long ago, paying homage to a time when families gathered at the table as one and shared a traditional meal: Eating slow, savoring the food, savoring the smells, savoring these isolated moments-in-time that come to define the cores of so many lives.
Yes, the world has changed a great deal since Caesar’s first opened for business in the mid-1950s. Inarguably, the computer age has speeded everything up and quickened the pace of life tenfold; at times, it’s as if we can’t even stop to eat for fear of falling out of step with the competition.
However, take a meal break here and eyes of any age will come to see what they’ve been neglecting – real food in a real place that connects us to the personal histories of our pasts through the cuisine of Italy.
Caesar’s was founded in 1956 by a quartet of North Beach businessmen, including Caesar Fambrini, John Brattesani, Gino Luccaesi and Ed Vannucci. The four ran the eatery with synchronized perfection for decades, until the early 1970s, when Fambrini finally stepped down. One by one, the other founders also retired, eventually passing the managerial torch down to current owners Matteo Crivello and Luigi Romani.
Crivello and Romani literally grew up at Caesar’s, working their way up from support-staff positions after being hired in the mid 70s. And even after 30-plus years, the duo remains dedicated to preserving Caesar Fambrini’s original mission of maintaining a true ‘destination’ restaurant.
“When Caesar [Fambrini] first opened the place,” Romani says, “he wanted to build a place that was for workers and Italian families. In those days, this area of the city was full of Italians and fisherman and factory workers. So Caesar wanted to have a restaurant that served them, offering a dinner that had value…”
And Romani continues:
“You have to remember that in the 50s, all restaurants either had a 3 or 5 course dinner. But Caesar was the first to come up with the seven course meal [salad; antipasti; soup; pasta; entrée; coffee; ice cream], and people knew they could come here, eat well, and not get cheated. This was never meant to be a tourist stop, but instead, it was about being a traditional restaurant where people could get great value for their dollar. And Matteo and I are still on that same road, dedicated to the same format our ‘forefathers’ in the business created.”
Today, Caesar’s remains one of only a handful of union restaurants in San Francisco focused on treating its employees as well as it treats its customers. And if one thing is clear as you move into the belly of the dining room, it’s the fact that Caesar’s is adamant about offering its diners a memorable experience – this eatery looking to foster a loyal and enduring relationship that’s meant to last not for one meal, but for multiple generations.
And in a town that serves as a magnet for so many mediocre restaurants, this trait is absolutely unique.
“For Caesar’s,” says head chef Crivello, “it’s always a question of family. We’re one of the only places in town that focuses on the whole family – young children and the elderly are just as welcome as anybody else. Really, we depend on our older regulars to bring their kids to Caesar’s. That’s the only way you can build the kind of family experience we’re known for. It’s the only way to keep these traditions alive. Look around here, there’s a lot of history in this place. And I want to make sure it stays alive for many more generations, even after I’ve gone…”
*********
FOOD: Caesar’s offers a huge menu that is notable for both its quality and its breadth. Traditional is the operative word here, and diners have come to expect that they will be able to pick and choose from the lists of meat and pasta and fish as ‘the mood strikes.’ Co-owner Matteo Crivello handles the majority of the cooking chores, and he proves both a creative and versatile hand at capturing new flavors as he prepares a plethora of old-world standards. As you might imagine, after 50 years of being polished and perfected, many plates on the menu stand out. The grilled salmon is served with roasted potatoes and vinegary greens, and it is simply delectable. A generous portion of salmon is prepared in a translucent buttery bath and served as it comes off the grille. This dish blooms with flavor, as the sweet butter melds into the mild fish to build a flawless dish. In addition, the Veal Scaloppini and the Chicken Parmigiana provide Italian staples that bristle with taste. Caesar’s is known among myriad generations for the freshness of its meats, and that’s what makes these two plates so memorable: When meat is fresh it carries an extra punch, attacking the taste buds rather than falling dormant in the mouth. As an example, Caesar’s Scaloppini provides just the right combination of oil and spices which perfectly accentuate the mild flavor of the veal; bluntly, you won’t find a better version of this dish anywhere in San Francisco. Beyond these items, a full selection of steaks, chops and pasta entrees round out a menu that takes the typical diner several minutes to pore over (as many struggle to decide ‘whether it’s beef or fish, pasta or chops’). Additionally, there are nightly specials, including an interesting (and huge) bowl of Cioppino on Friday nights, as well as Wednesday afternoon tripa (the beef tripe in a delicate tomato sauce bringing a centuries-old Southern Italian delicacy to modern-day San Francisco). Yes, the tripe gives quite a dose of ‘memory-food’ – hearty and packed with robust flavor, perfectly accentuated by the soft ribs of sweet French bread that fill each of the baskets on the tables. ALSO TRY: The pasta and pesto; the calamari; Cannelloni Romana; Chicken sec; vegetables vinaigrette (a delicate mix of assorted vegetables and shredded tuna served in a tomato-sauce vinaigrette); and the Risotto Milanese (when on the menu).
BAR: A full bar with a knowledgeable and gregarious ‘tender. In the Italian eateries of yesteryear, meals always began at the bar with a Compari or a gin and tonic -- a slow ritual that helped to cleanse the palate and hone your hunger as anticipation for the food grew in rising waves. Caesar’s bar is about this kind of experience, as the Giants’ game plays out in the corner. Half the fun of going to Caesar’s is about passing through the bar and capturing the buzz on your way to your table.
STAFF: Superior service by waiters who speak the language – courteous and professional, romping with old-world charm. Oft times, co-owner and operations manager Luigi Romani will be seen at the center of the restaurant, seating customers and folding napkins and arranging the utensils until the tables resonate like the fine edges of a photograph.
ATMOSPHERE: Clean. Classy. With ample table space. The spacious dining room and sturdy chairs make this a good choice for elderly diners who will feel comfortable here because they will have room to spread out. In addition, Caesar’s offers full banquet-room facilities, and this makes for a great option for a wedding party or after-baptism luncheon celebration. This is a restaurant for both the young and old: Married couples together 60 years and college kids out on a first-date will hear romantic bells amid the din of cast-iron skillets in the near-distance of the background. Simply, this is an old-style eatery where you are meant to linger over meals as the staff attempts to introduce younger generations to the lost pleasure of a long slow dinner.
OVER-ALL: The forgotten choice in the North Beach/Fisherman’s Warf district for Italian food. Simply, Caesar’s is the last of the true-to-form San Francisco eateries – good food served in large portions served in a big space where the waiters don’t rush the meal. The large menu will meet a variety of tastes, with good fish and veggie choices for those more diet-conscious diners. The menu provides for both ala carte and massive, belt-busting 7-course meals.
COST: Moderate. Two can dine elegantly off the ala carte menu for around $50.00-60.00, including tip and a cocktail.
HOURS: Monday through Saturday, 11:30 AM to 10 PM; Sundays 4 to 10 PM only (no lunch on Sundays).
San Francisco and Beyond
CELIA'S
Original Watercolor of Celia's in San Rafael by Eric Ward. © 2004. All rights reserved.
CELIA'S MEXICAN RESTAURANT. 1 Vivian Way, San Rafael. And others throughout the Bay Area, including: Berkeley, two locations in San Mateo, San Bruno, Santa Rosa, San Francisco, Palo Alto, Lafayette, Danville, Antioch, Sacramento and Daly City.
By John Aiello
For Fernando Rodriguez, five is a very lucky number: Rodriquez was born in May, the fifth month of the year, the fifth child born to a family of twelve who would eventually assume part ownership of the fifth Celia's Restaurant. This one, located near the harbor in San Rafael, California, was launched in 1971 and is the centerpiece of the family-owned chain.
Celia's Restaurants are known among diners in San Francisco and beyond as places to get first-rate Mexican cuisine at affordable prices. The first Celia's was launched in 1965 on Judah Street in San Francisco by Perfecto and Celia Lopez. This eatery, which is still in business, was an instant hit - customers immediately drawn to the clean atmosphere and the friendly staff; almost over-night, Celia's became known as the place to get a great margarita and enjoy an authentic Mexican meal.
And during these last four decades, not much has changed: Celia's is still the place to go if you are hungry for a big plate of food cooked and served up by real people.
"After my aunt and uncle opened Celia’s number one, my brother Rafael and I immigrated from Mexico and went to work for them," remembers Rodriguez. "My uncle taught us to cook, and showed us how to run a restaurant. From that, we opened Celia’s number two in San Mateo, that was around 1968." Rodriquez pauses, staring into the kitchen where countless vats of fresh tortilla chips sit and cool; finally, he continues: "We keep going, opening new places, because you have to keep going and try and do the best for yourself and your family. That’s what Celia’s is about: trying to do the best we can for ourselves and our customers."
In addition to the food, what is best about Celia's is the homey feel: this is not so much a typical bay area restaurant as it is a cantina you'd find in Mexico or El Centro - this place is about home style Mexican cooking in a rustic atmosphere. For Rodriguez and his crew, the focus is on the food and service - their goal is to please the customer. Big platters and quick service means you walk out full and satisfied, and not feeling as though you have been cheated by the "dining experience."
FOOD: Big menu, the standouts are many, but try the Crab enchiladas first - filling is made with chopped mushrooms and plentiful crab and the green sauce accentuates the taste nicely. Also great grilled garlic-glazed prawns. And the best Carne Asada I've ever had. For this dish, Rodriguez marinates pieces of skirt steak in an array of herbs. The big platter comes complete with tortillas, rice, beans and some first-rate guacamole. Other high points include the Camarones Especiales, consisting of jumbo shrimp stuffed with jack cheese and wrapped in smoky bacon. Carnitas de Pollo is a wonderful chicken stir-fry (chicken breast, white onion and bell pepper in Celia's special sauce: this is a perfect choice for the diet conscious diner who will savor something tasty with this dish while still watching calorie intake). Also high quality from the typical Mexican menu -- with very good burritos and excellent beef enchiladas (notable for their sauces and the well-seasoned fillings).
DESSERT: Desserts are limited, but what's here is quite good. The centerpiece is a traditional Mexican dessert called Sopapillas -- deep fried flour-tortilla chips topped with honey, cinnamon and vanilla ice cream. The Flan is also note-worthy, a homemade vanilla custard creation that's delicate and light but not overly sweet.
BAR: Full bar. Large selection of tequilas. Authentic margaritas in tall glasses which are the big hit here.
STAFF: Quick service. Courtesy is the key word. Non-pretentious with an eye towards customer satisfaction.
ATMOSPHERE: Very clean. This big place can sometimes get very loud on weekends, so it's hard to carry on an intimate conversation at the Saturday night dinner hour.
OVER-ALL: Great choice for Mexican food. Outside of the Mission District in San Francisco, Celia's is the place to go if you want to enjoy a night on the town over a burrito and beer.
COST: Inexpensive to moderate; two can drink and dine nicely for $40 or under.
Celia's Lunch Alternative
Notwithstanding the fact that our original review (published February 2004; see above) discussed Celia’s in terms of dinner, the place is also a great option for lunch - and one which should be considered before opting for that greasy fast-food burger.
Celia’s (serving lunch between 11 AM and 3 PM) has a varied and extensive lunch menu that is rich on flavor, but light on the wallet. When you take into account that the typical fast-food lunch runs between five and six bucks, the reason to seek out Celia’s seems obvious: fresh home-cooked food in heaping portions served for only a fraction more than any one of the burger chains.
We sampled many items from the lunch menu (Mexican specialties and a couple of hefty burgers), and found the lunch fare consistently good. Highlights abound, but the Expresso Burrito stands tall. For $7.15, you’ll get a huge flour tortilla full of rice, beans, cheese and chile verde pork -- topped with guacamole, onions, tomatoes, parmesan cheese and the house red sauce. Even the biggest eater will have enough here.
The Fajita Burrito ($7.65) is also quite a meal: a giant flour tortilla crammed with rice, beans, onions, bell peppers and your choice of chicken or steak (topped with guacamole and tomatoes) makes for an elegant Mexican "sandwich." On the healthier side, the Tostada Salad or the Seafood Salad offer flavorful alternatives - satisfying meals built around fresh crisp vegetables.
Whether you happen on Celia’s for lunch, dinner or a mid-afternoon snack, you’ll find a warm and welcoming dining room with quality food priced affordably. We especially recommend the lunch fare to workers on their meal break or students wanting a respite from the typical cafeteria grind. ~John Aiello
CREPE O CHOCOLAT
CREPE O CHOCOLAT. 75 O’Farrell Street. San Francisco.
By John Aiello
It’s hard to believe that Crepe O Chocolat founder Sylvie Krawec was once an analyst in the insurance industry. Bluntly, restaurateurs this good and this creative usually don’t begin in that staid arena.
However, Krawec is anything but ordinary.
Krawec was born in Madagascar and reared in France, where she was exposed to some of the finest foods in the world. In turn, she took the vast knowledge of flavor and texture she acquired and put it to work in a non-traditional way – building recipes and creating dishes from within, putting in motion a vision that speaks to making food that not only excites the palate but is also relatively healthful to consume.
As I said, she’s anything but ordinary.
Krawec came to the United States in 1992, and worked for a decade in the insurance business. And then, in 2002, she fell in love with the idea of owning and operating a restaurant and gave birth to Crepe O Chocolat.
On the fringes of the famed Union Square district of downtown San Francisco, Crepe is a café in the grand tradition of those lost French parlors half a world away. Simply, this place hums with flavor, with some treat to fit any taste-pattern.
First off, the coffee is incredible: Rich and brewed dark, this coffee is about a flavor explosion; with the house blend priced at a dollar, it’s the budget break of the decade in the city. Also noteworthy among the beverage menu is the hot chocolate, which blends high quality chocolate with milk in order to create a rich and layered coco drink that fills as it addicts – bringing one of the best childhood-memories back to life.
Crepe offers a full menu for breakfast and lunch and light dinners – and for a small café, the choices are astounding. Of course, no review could ignore the crepes: Prepared with delicate precision, these little sheaths of pastry-dough are filled with an array of ingredients like turkey and Italian ham and then served beside a salad – mirrors of flavors assaulting the appetite with non-stop sensations. Crepes are hard to make and even harder to master, and Krawec’s warrant attention for their consistency and texture – each made to accentuate the fillings instead of detract from them by falling apart or falling victim to a thick and rubbery aftertaste.
Krawec's chocolate crepes.
Photo by Eric Ward. © 2007.
Image formatted for publication by Victoria Molina.
In addition, Krawec’s quiche offers a maze of flavor as well: Wedges of vegetable and egg and cheese melt together in an artful ensemble as diners are encouraged to discover that it is indeed possible to be satisfied without being over-stuffed by fatty meats and extra cheese (in fact, Krawec uses less sugar, flour and artificial ingredients in all her dishes in order to let the natural flavor of her food excel).
Also notable are Krawec’s homemade truffles: The coffee and hazelnut candies beckon repeat purchases, as these perfectly honed candies satisfy the sweet-tooth without being excessively syrupy or sticky. Try one with a latte or a shot of espresso and all that talk of the legendary food of San Francisco becomes reality. Yes, this candy is that good.
In a town full of over-priced coffee and pretentious atmosphere, Crepe O Chocolat is a real find: Here, Sylvie Krawec has created a wonderful respite from the bustle of life in the city. In an area where Starbucks abound, Crepe O Chocolat blooms like a rare flower with a thousand surprises that keep calling us back.
ALSO TRY: One of the many homemade cookies or perhaps the oatmeal cake – this hearty breakfast choice brings the satisfaction of a muffin without the extra sugar and needless calories.
TAI CHI RESTAURANT
TAI CHI RESTAURANT. 2031 Polk Street. San Francisco. Open Daily.
By John Aiello
Chinese restaurants are literally a dime a dozen in San Francisco. On most every block in the city they appear like wild flowers, eateries touting the best in Asian delicacies. However, the truth of the matter is that only a few of these places actually realize the lofty plateaus of their own hype. Given these facts, a Chinese restaurant has to be exceptional for it to catch a diner’s attention.
Tai Chi, hidden between the north Van Ness corridor and the Broadway Tunnel, is a truly special place - a three-decade-old establishment featuring an array of Hunan and Mandarin dishes that are both economical and wholesome.
Tai Chi opened its doors and served up its first meal under the direction of founder Min Wang in 1977. The eatery instantly became famous in the neighborhood for the General Tsuo’s Chicken – an irresistible platter of spicy boneless chicken glazed with the chef’s special sauce, countless flavors juxtaposed, this smoky taste of red chilies cut with a thick honey sweetness. Immediately, the General’s Chicken became Tai Chi’s unique signature.
Wang guided the restaurant through its up and down early years, slowly adding to the menu in order to keep current with the ever-changing tastes of a city that demands the absolute best in food and drink. As the menu grew, so did the line at the door and the buzz in town; under Wang’s direction, Tai Chi would become a four-star stop (and rated as one of the Bay’s 100 best restaurants by the Examiner).
After over 20 years at the helm, Wang retired, turning over the keys to Tai Chi to his nephew, Chris Tang. Tang, a native of Hong Kong, immigrated to the United States in 1982, first working the Miami food scene before finally arriving in San Francisco in 1991.
Tang took command of Tai Chi in 1998 and, like his uncle, kept adding new items to the menu so as to keep pace with the evolving culture. Under Tang’s management, Tai Chi bolstered its vegetarian and lamb offerings, fueling these more health-conscious dishes with sharp bursts of flavor.
More than anything, Tai Chi is known among neighborhood regulars as a place to get an honest portion of food at a bargain price. Everything from the service to the originality of the menu makes this a once-a-week stop for so many who live between the Polk Gulch and Mid-town San Francisco.
FOOD: Tai Chi offers a big menu with consistency its biggest selling point. The head chef has been in place since 1980, and his 26-year run bears testament to the fact that this menu can be depended on time and again. In addition to the General’s Chicken, the Salt-Pepper Ribs are magnificent; these mostly boneless shards of fried pork are covered in a thin crust of salt and pepper and spices (served on sliced jalapeños). There’s simply no other fired pork like this in the city. I think what makes it so special is the fact that it is relatively light – not greasy or belly-heavy. Also notable are both the garlic and walnut prawns (which use a combination of dipping sauce, herbs, spices and nuts to create taste through texture). The appetizers are also worthy of mention: the onion pancakes, Shanghai Spring Rolls and steamed dumplings make for great starter plates, with each being addictive n their own way.
BAR: Beer and wine only.
STAFF: Quick service, with a courteous wait staff. Tang himself often pops from table to table, filling water glasses and checking on customers.
ATMOSPHERE: Clean. With ample table space. The place can sometimes get loud on weekends when the crowds file in.
OVER-ALL: Can’t miss pick for real Hunan food that won’t break the bank. The large menu will meet a variety of tastes, with good veggie choices for those non-meat eaters.
COST: Inexpensive to moderate; two can dine elegantly for $25-$30 including tip.
HOURS: Monday through Saturday, 11:30 AM to 10 PM; Sundays 4 to 10 PM only (no lunch on Sundays).
SOUTH BEACH CAFE
South Beach Cafe. 800 The Embarcadero. San Francisco. Open Daily.
Out near Pac Bell Park on the Embarcadero, South Beach Cafe is one of the forgotten jewels in the crown of the city’s restaurant scene. One trip there and you will immediately realize that this place shouldn’t be over-looked, but cherished.
Opened over a decade ago by co-owners Michele D’Amico and Ferdinando Ballare, the South Beach is known among neighborhood regulars for its wide array of authentic Italian desserts and some of the best coffee this side of the famed North Beach district.
But make no mistake - the South Beach is so much more than a breakfast nook or some quick coffee stop. Instead, it offers a full lunch and dinner menu in a comfortable ‘jazz bowl’ - the music pooled against the idea of the light streaming through the wrinkled windows recalls some quaint 1950s’ setting from a by-gone San Francisco.
An outstanding selection of sandwiches features many standouts, including the "Tonno" (tuna with mozzarella, tomato and basil) and the prosciutto with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. Dinner boasts a great treat - the "Schiacciatina di Pollo" (pounded chicken over mixed salad served with tomatoes and gorgonzola cheese) is something you won’t taste like this anywhere else in the city; it’s simply superb.
Top off your meal with a cup of espresso and any one of the subtle pastries: it makes for the perfect accompaniment to a unique dining experience in a city that’s utterly famous for its food. ~John Aiello
NOTABLE COOK BOOKS
BLACK FOREST CUISINE. The Classic Blending of European Flavors. Walter Staib. With Jennifer Lindner McGlinn. Running Press.
By John Aiello
In this cook book, the majesty of the European kitchen is ignited to life by chefs Walter Staib (who owns the famed City Tavern in Philadelphia) and Jennifer Lindner McGlinn. In an age when Emeril Lagasse’s recipes elevate the Food Channel to new heights, the classic Euro-flavored entrée has once again been resurrected to the head of the table. Here, the authors stake out some elegant territory and then produce the goods via an array of recipes that revisit the way meals used to be made and the way that good food used to taste. In Staib and McGlinn’s world, the whole idea of cooking is tied to the fusion of flavors as chefs learn what ingredients build into other ingredients to create a ‘dish.’ The recipes collected here simply sparkle, a collection of different kinds of cooking for different kinds of occasions as cooks learn to fit the meal around the event. Many items standout, including the Oxtail Soup which combines lentils and beef oxtails with various vegetables to create this dish which is known in many regions extending from France to Germany. What’s best about this pot of soup is the way that the taste of one ingredient enhances the taste of the next. Also notable is the Tripe a la Mode: This dish is also a classic in places like Italy, and this version rocks by virtue of its naked simplicity, the inclusion of shallots and garlic serve to sweeten the acrid backbite of the tripe, rendering it a savory and satisfying plate. Insofar as desserts, the Chocolate Soufflé and the Crème Anglaise rise up and shine like beacons – perfectly sweetened, each respective bite tinged with the elegant echo of sugar and cognac and chocolate. In sum, readers who pick-up this book will not be disappointed, as it exposes the world of high-end dining and brings it to the intimacy of the home kitchen. Notable for the clarity of the recipes and for the tantalizing photography which carry the paper images of these different plates into real-time life.
Other important books by Walter Staib
Readers interested in transferring a bit of Chef Staib’s City Tavern to the comfort of their own kitchens should make a point of finding these titles, as they bring elegant versions of Staib’s Tavern menu to at-home-cooks:
CITY TAVERN COOKBOOK. 200 years of Classic Recipes from America’s First Gourmet Restaurant. Walter Staib. Running Press.
CITY TAVERN BAKING AND DESSERT COOKBOOK. Walter Staib. Running Press.
Both of these cookbooks brim with the life of the long-gone past, immediately in touch with the world that Chef Staib speaks to (see the interview printed below). What makes the City Tavern a special place is intertwined in the years of history it presents (presenting this sacred shape of food on the table).
Simply, food is a bonding agent, the one thing that carries the power to bring people together, the one thing that helps communities to form and reform among families and amid perfect strangers.
Look back on your own past. It is likely that some of your most special moments (graduations; weddings; birthdays; anniversaries; funerals) all took place in the midst of a meal.
Accordingly, these volumes celebrate this idea by providing a stunning record of the City Tavern’s menus on both the dinner and dessert side of the ledger. Even though this is elegant food, it is by no means impractical for at-home-cooks to give these dishes a try – follow the recipes and the instructions and the platters literally make themselves.
There are so many stunning examples here that it is impossible to note every worth-while entry. However, these dishes serve as random high-points:
The Chicken Madeira is extraordinary – boneless chicken breasts bathed in Madeira cooking wine show-off a meat that’s been enhanced and tenderized by a combination of rosemary and garlic and sweet basil (served with buttoned mushrooms and a turnip/potato/parsnip mash).
The Mushroom Bisque is also delightful – collecting different varieties of mushrooms cooked in butter and then combined with vegetable broth, dry sherry and heavy cream in order to create this delectable soup (which pays homage to the bounty of wild mushrooms that grow in the vast Pennsylvania woods).
On the more exotic side, the Tripe Soup takes this European staple to another level, assembling wedges of beef tripe with beans, vegetables, red wine and herbs. This soup eats like a vibrant and lively stew - layered in flavor, throbbing with old-world intensity. I venture to guess that some might consider this “peasant food,” but they would be way off-base. Instead, this is the food of rustic memory the food of a working-class Europe now saluting the cultural divide with class and creativity.
For dessert, the Lemon Curd Tart is incredible – light and airy, it pulls together the tastes and textures of pudding and pie and then blends them into an original amalgamation that will make most diners forgo the ice cream for a second tart.
In addition, the Ricotta Cheesecake uses both vanilla and almond extract as well as citrus zest in order to build this delectable dessert that calls to mind the lightness of the Italian cookie cart with the rich decadence of a French creation. Simply, this is a special cheesecake that will cause you to forever pass-up an ordinary slice of frozen grocery-store cake in honor of this indulgence.
Chef Staib is an exemplary food writer with a real knack for transferring his immense expertise to the eye and ear of the general public. For those folks who can’t make a trip to Philadelphia to try the City Tavern’s fare in person, these cookbooks are a great alternative, allowing anyone with a little imagination and a kitchen to eat like the Aristocracy. ~ John Aiello
TEN MINUTES
WITH CHEF WALTER STAIB
Can you tell me how you developed your unique passion for cooking and how you came upon so many majestic culinary creations?
I was born in Pforzheim [Germany] and grew up in a restaurant family growing up around a butcher shop; consequently, I learned a lot of things about food and cooking at an early age. Later, I worked at the entrance of the Black Forest in Nagold [Germany], where I was able to experience a very unique approach to cooking. As a youngster, as far back as I can remember, I was fascinated by what went on in restaurants and in the butcher shop, fascinated by the way different foods and tastes could be created. From an early age, there was no question what I wanted to be [a chef]…
At first glance, some critics might call this a narrow idea for a cookbook. But your passion and the way you present the recipes really makes it work. What gave rise to this idea to memorialize the foods of the Black Forest?
I came into this country in 1969. And from the time I arrived here, people would always ask me for background about the Black Forest and want to know what it was like. There was abiding interest in the area, and people were curious about it. Plus, no one had a done a cookbook on this specific region of Germany. I thought it was important to show what Black Forest cuisine was all about - -what do the people really eat there? What do the home table and the café table look like? I set out to show readers answers to these questions and to share an inexpensive approach to building very flavorful foods…
The lesson that jumps from the pages of your book is about fusing flavors: How can you teach novice cooks this concept? How do you impress upon novice cooks that good food is about the pairing of flavors?
The biggest thing someone can do is follow the recipes – that’s what allows flavors to build on each other in the proper way. It’s all about combinations of ingredients and the recipes are there to serve as a guide. The central idea is to maintain flavors through use of the ingredients. These are simple but powerful recipes. And you shouldn’t change or alter the recipes until you try them and know for sure that they don’t work for your taste. However, people should realize that there is definitely a lot of prep work involved with these recipes (even though they are relatively simple to create). But going further, in terms of Black Forest cuisine – there’s a lot of history in the recipes, as this hearty kind of food is getting harder and harder to find…
So, Walter, how many restaurants do you own now?
Right now, I only have one restaurant. It’s in Philadelphia and called City Tavern. I’ve had it since 1994. It originally opened in 1773 – the finest British/North American restaurant to open before the revolution. Few people remember that Philadelphia was originally settled by Germans and there is certainly a lot of German history in this city. And that’s one of the reasons I still create so many German-inspired dishes, as a means to feed those tastes.
If readers want to go further and look for your recipes on TV, are you on any cooking shows regularly?
Yes, big-time (laughing)…I’ve done the Food Network in the past. And I will have my own show starting in a couple of months. Right now, people can see me on Fretz’s Kitchen several nights a week, and readers can catch the video stream on-line (at http://www.cn8.tv/.). So all-in-all I’m pretty visible.
Learn more about Walter Staib at: blackforestcuisine.com; staib.com;or citytavern.com
~ John Aiello
Other food books of note from the Running Press shelf
MATT KRAMER’S MAKING SENSE OF ITALIAN WINE. Matt Kramer. Running Press.
Noted food and wine writer Matt Kramer has authored a rich and evocative study for the non-wine expert, a book that helps to expand the general reader’s knowledge-base of Italian wines. The modern-day wine market is as confusing as ever these days, with a huge selection of Italian wines from myriad vintners available for purchase. In turn, Kramer presents a crisp and well-paced text that helps readers become familiar with the basic characteristics of the different kinds of wine being produced in Italy, in addition to tips to properly evaluate them. Excellent guide for those readers with limited expertise in the discipline, but who want to learn more about the regional wine market. ~ John Aiello
BOB’S RED MILL BAKING BOOK. John Ettinger and the Bob’s Red Mill Family. Running Press.
In this age of the calorie-conscious snacker, baked good have taken a hit, the victim of the stigmatization that says if it’s made with flour it can’t be good for the waistline - or the cardiovascular system. However, the Red Mill Baking Book serves as a cook book for the 21st century, outlining how to create healthy and sensible baked goods without sacrificing the essence of good taste. This reference collects over 400 recipes that utilize whole grains in the baking process. The lesson that Ettinger and the Red Mill Family teach here is that healthy eating does not have to forgo flavor, teaching us that we can feed our sweet-tooth cravings while still doing good many things for our bodies (and especially our hearts). Examples of sinfully good tasting items include the apple cinnamon bread and the ham and cheese yogurt muffins – snacks that double as healthy alternatives for either the breakfast nook or the lunch counter. ~ John Aiello
To order each go to amazon.com.
ON TOP OF SPAGHETTI. Johanne Killeen. George Germon. William Morrow.
By John Aiello
Pasta has been a staple throughout the world for centuries – a nutrious and relatively quick way to create a meal that goes a long way on sparse dollars. In this new release from Killen and Germon (two restaurant veterans and award-winning food writers from Rhode Island), spaghetti is placed center-stage as we come to see just why it has been such a crowd-pleaser for so many years. On Top of Spaghetti examines pasta in comprehensive style, looking at the rich history of this culinary delight through myriad recipes both common and not-so-common. In essence, this book does a magnificent job at resurrecting the spaghetti entrée; in today’s world of fancy casseroles and calorie-conscious stir-fried veggies, pasta has been lost in the shuffle. Killeen and Germon are champion chefs with a real understanding of flavor, and this book is meant to show its readers that pasta doesn’t have to be a bore at all. Accordingly, these pages are filled with a blistering array of recipes that demonstrate how versatile pasta dishes can be. Here, we see the stately noodle paired with an endless assortment of ingredients and sauces meant to meet the tastes of hard-to-please eaters. Sound information on how to spruce up your sauces with capers and ground red pepper segues into the heart of the text – how to use various meats and vegetables to build hearty and delectable dishes. Standout recipes include a wonderful creation of Pasta Shells with Spicy Sausage Red Sauce – a dish that will appeal not only to old-time Sicilians but also to Americans who like a bit of sting with dinner. In addition, the recipes for Linguine with Classic Ligurian Pesto and Ricotta Ravioli continue to stress the underlying theme of the story: That pasta dishes can dependable without being bland – the key is in building the menu around your family’s tastes and then using favorite ingredients to give a personal signature to the entrée. Beyond being master chefs, Killeen and Germon know how to write food, speaking in a style that is practical and inviting, never talking down to the audience from the kitchen pulpit. In an age when snobby-eyed cooking shows fill the airwaves, this book marks a refreshing return to times-past when communities were built around the recipes we shared.
With Christmas coming, On Top of Spaghetti would make an elegant and practical gift for both individuals and couples looking to forge some new roads in the kitchen. As readers of this text will soon learn, you don’t know as much about spaghetti as you think you do.
Also from Morrow this quarter
THE IMPROVISATIONAL COOK. Sally Schneider. William Morrow.
Here, Sally Schneider - an author, journalist and former chef based in New York - has written a version of Jack Kerouac’s “The Essentials of Spontaneous Prose” as it relates to the cook in the kitchen. In some circles, cooking a meal has become this stilted regimen that must be followed at all costs. It is as if the creative idea behind the process has been lost, with little or no improvisation taking place at the stove. However, Sally Schneider is about changing that perspective, and to this end she has written a refreshing food book that bleats and bobs down its course like a jazz player on stage improvising through the transparent idea of his song. In Improvisational, Schneider seeks to free cooks from old shackles of fear and from the thought of “What if it all goes horribly wrong?” Instead, Schneider strives to instill in young chefs the idea that, once they understand how the flavors of ingredients build on one another, they will feel more comfortable improvising in order to create brand new dishes with greater bursts of flavor. In addition to being a book about how to cook and how to understand the construction of flavor and texture, Improvisational is also about understanding the call of the creative impulse, its premise to inspire us to not be afraid to branch out beyond the safety and routine that is the shape of the recipe on the printed page. In sum, Sally Schneider’s mission is to remind us that all recipes were written by someone long ago through a process of trial and error. This goes for every loaf of bread, every version of cookie, every scrumptious kind of cake we have since come to savor. Simply, these things were created because some pair of hands long ago and far away wasn’t afraid to fail. ~John Aiello
To order go to amazon.com.
ABOUT WINE. J. Patrick Henderson. Dellie Rex. Thomson-Delmar.
Thomson-Delmar Learning is known as an publisher of epic proportions, a leader in the publication of books for primary use in the academic and professional sectors. However, About Wine marks a slow step away from the normal course for Thomson, this book striking out into the realm of the culinary arts with innovation and precision.
Here, Henderson (Senior Winemaker, Kenwood Vineyards) and Rex (New England Culinary Institute) have created a textbook that is meant to guide its readers through the complicated webs of the wine industry.
About Wine takes a didactic approach to its subject, moving into the information in clear and concrete terms - ‘one step at the time.’ The authors begin with a survey of the basics, first defining what wine is and then moving through an interesting compilation of data on the history of the beverage.
At this point, we jump into ‘the vineyard’ as Henderson and Rex discuss how good wine is always born in exceptional grapes. In turn, exceptional grapes require a delicate balance of nutrient-rich soil and steady temperatures if they are to ripen and swell into their signature sweet-to-tart taste. Once versed in the basics, readers are equipped to investigate how wines are made in the winery (with sharp analysis on a fermentation process that includes barrel-aging and bottling).
After covering the fine-points of wine-making , Henderson and Rex offer some valuable guidelines for tasting and assessing this holy nectar of the grape, examining the art of the taste through a deep examination of the human senses - teaching us that one appreciates a good glass of wine with the wholeness of the body and not with just the tongue or mouth. In addition, comprehensive chapters review the major wine-producing regions of the world; the business side of wine production; and how to properly cellar and store these temperature-sensitive products.
Readers will find this text immediately accessible as Henderson and Rex have a gift for inviting their audience into themselves and their subject. Many times, food-based manuals suffer from a pretentious tone as the ‘expert’ talks down to his students from the high road of the podium. However, that doesn’t happen here. To the contrary, the authors are careful to build the information in a logical and cogent manner: The goal is for the reader to develop not only a keener understanding of the world of wine but a love for it as well.
Good writers like good chefs like good vintners are all passionate about their calling. And as the Henderson-Rex duo demonstrates through this brand new text, they don’t just sip and swallow - but instead live - the wines they drink.
This text is recommended to all culinary academies as a teaching text that provides an illuminating and exhaustive survey of wine-making (and use). Further recommended to all aspects of the hospitality industry, as the sections on wine-tasting, evaluation and storage will be particularly meaningful. Finally recommended to college-level libraries as a general reference text.
To order go to amazon.com.
ONE-DISH DINNERS. Jean Anderson. William Morrow.
This book (previously published under the title Dinners in a Dish or a Dash) parallels the Food Channel’s "30 Minute Meals" in theme - an ode to simple dishes that taste good. The idea here is to teach busy folks who work full-time to prepare healthy fare rather than constantly eating out in restaurants:
"...With both parents working these days, we’re busier than ever. We’re more stressed out, less inclined to cook after hard hours at the office. There’s fast food, of course, but many of us feel guilty about settling for burgers, pizza, fried chicken, or ‘Chinese’ night after night. Even ‘gourmet’ takeout soon becomes boring (not to mention expensive)."
(Intro. at page-1)
In response to this, Anderson (who has written some 20 other cooking manuals) brings us One-Dish Dinners: a book which demonstrates how to take convenience items from the supermarket and turn them into entrees that are really tasty. Tasty and fast to make. That’s the combination Anderson’s blended here.
Truth be told, most young single working people don’t cook at home more because it’s too much of a hassle. How much is all this going to cost -- can’t I really eat out cheaper? What ingredients will I need to make a full meal? Do I have enough pans to make something that fancy? Can I eat that much food before it goes bad? The answers to these kinds of questions and much more are included in these pages, the recipes clearly written, the instructions easy to follow.
Here, wonderful dishes abound: Meatball Soup (with cabbage, carrots and potatoes) offers a hearty dinner soup full of vegetables and protein, but without the high sodium content of processed soups. Warm Shrimp and Wild Rice Salad (with curry-sour cream dressing) kicks in with an exotic taste twist -- it’s really hard to believe you can make this so fast. Malay Spiced Lamb and Vegetables makes us think beyond chicken, showing us that there are other lean and healthy meats we might try instead. Mushroom-baked Flounder (with rice and peas) would make a nice romantic dinner for two.
Aside from the recipes, readers get advice on how to save time in the kitchen and make the cooking process easier (cutting sun-dried tomatoes with scissors is really the way to go!). In short, One-Dish Dinners is a cookbook written specifically for working folk who just don’t have time to create their meals over the course of the whole day. Recommended for the general reader, and also appropriate for libraries in the public sector as a general reference text.
To order go to amazon.com.Or go to harpercollins.com
The San Francisco Bay Region
THE VINEYARD KITCHEN. Maria Helm Sinskey. Harper Collins.
Maria Helm Sinskey is known throughout food circles as one of the top chefs in the states -- an inventive and dedicated cook who pours herself into her dishes. Sinskey became known in the bay area when she worked as Executive Chef at The Plumpjack Cafe, an upscale eatery near the northern edge of the San Francisco waterfront. After Sinnskey left Plumpjack’s, she brought her unique style of cooking to the "classroom," directing the kitchen and teaching classes at the Robert Sinskey Vineyard -- a Napa Valley winery she and her husband own.
Vineyard is Sinskey’s first book, and it is a marvel -- an elegant collection of recipes basted in real simplicity: rather than flaunt her "great chef" title, Sinskey instead chooses to forsake pomp for the love of her craft. The result is a book that steps out to teach rather than talk.
There are many fine selections among these recipes (neatly segregated into "Fall," "Winter," "Spring" & "Summer" chapters), but the standouts include the red-wine braised short ribs with roasted root vegetables and the spring lamb stew; also the pancetta-wrapped grilled figs with baby arugula offers a new twist to the prosciutto and figs staple that so many Italians enjoy on their late summer tables.
Along with Tom’s Big Dinners (William Morrow), Vineyard Kitchen is a great choice for an all-around kitchen manual that will serve full-time cooks and on-the-run commuters equally well.
To order go to amazon.com
PRODUCT REVIEWS
THE AERO BED
Reviewed by John Aiello
Living in an apartment in the year 2007 is both an odyssey and a challenge, as renters in cities like New York, San Francisco and Chicago struggle to pay for spaces that offer little in terms of “extras.” Many times, rooms in apartment complexes are tiny, with little additional floor space for a conventional “guest area.”
In this day and age, if you’re lucky enough to have a one-bedroom in a town like San Francisco you figure you don’t have the option to ask for ‘more.’ Still, that leaves a big gap to fill if you need to entertain guests or put someone up in an emergency.
However, during the last decade, there has been a huge increase in the quality of air beds – these items taking a firm place in the consciousness of Americans who view them as an easy and affordable alternative that brings the luxury of extra bed space to cramped quarters.
Personally, I’ve been a tough critic for the industry to convince – one of those old-fashioned dudes who just couldn’t see himself blowing up a balloon-mattress and then trying to get 8 hours of rest on it. It just didn’t seem plausible that any inflatable bed could actually support the weight of an adult for an entire night.
But the times, indeed, have changed.
And Aero Bed is the catalyst of that change, manufacturing air beds that provide portability and comfort without busting open the bank. Obviously, Aero Bed has become the people’s choice for air mattresses for one primary reason: Simply, these beds deliver the goods --and then some.
A shining example in the Aero Bed arsenal is the Premier Comfort Zone. This bed (twin-size for $100; full for $160; queen for $200) is a high quality air bed that offers surprising levels of comfort at a truly modest price.
The Premier Comfort Zone has been specifically designed with the consumer in mind, as engineers have built a bed that promotes sleep by alleviating pressure at strategic points along the spine. Aero Bed has been able to achieve this feature because of its sleep-align coil system (endorsed by the Orthopedic Research Institute), a technique which provides unique firmness zones in myriad sections of the mattress (so as to accommodate sudden shifts in sleeping position).
Moreover, these mattresses don’t require you to huff and puff into them for an hour. Instead, inflation is governed by a sophisticated pump system that plugs into wall socket. Suddenly, via the touch of a single button, the bed inflates to adjustable levels of firmness in about one minute (deflating in about the same amount of time). The mattress rises to roughly nine inches in height, leaving it comparable to conventional stationary mattresses. And when not in use, it can be rolled up and stored in a closet in the same carry bag it came in.
Fits standard size sheets, backed by a three-year limited warranty. Available from Aerobed.com; Amazon.com; Bed Bath & Beyond; and Linens ‘N Things.
Go to www.aerobed.com for further information.
ALSO FROM AERO BED
In addition, Aero Bed offers many other high-quality product lines that meet the needs of travelers and those on ‘the move.’ One such mobile mattress is the Aero Sport All-Terrain Bed (twin size for $80; queen size for $100). This velvety-soft puncture-resistant mattress is ideal for hunters and campers and students in transit, with Aero Bed’s customary sleep-align coil system augmented by a practical and comfortable built-in pillow. This mattress also inflates within a minute via a rechargeable NiCd dual power pump. The pump runs instantly when plugged into a car lighter (or functions independently once it’s been charged to capacity at home). Deflation is in a mere 15 seconds via an air release valve. Backed by a one-year limited warranty, fitting standard-size sheets. Available from Aerobed.com; Cabela’s; Dick’s Sporting Goods; L.L. Bean; Meijer; REI, Sears; Sports Authority. ~John Aiello
Go to www.aerobed.com for further information.
A SIMPLE DESSERT OPTION
European Style Mousse Mix From Nestle
It’s hard to find somebody who doesn’t love chocolate mousse. It’s on everybody’s top five list of desserts - something we look forward to savoring on New Year’s Eve at that haughty French Bistro. Even though chocolate mousse is a perennial dessert favorite, few of us have the time or the touch to make it right. Thus, we don’t eat it as much as we’d like to.
However, Nestle’s European Style Mousse Mix might change all that - this handy alternative to restaurant mousses. Nestle’s European is both fast and easy to make, and the end product is quite good. This mousse mix is actually imported from France, and tastes deliciously light. It’s made in a quick two-step process (just add the mix to two-thirds of a cup of milk and blend it until it thickens into a transparent swirl; then chill). A couple of hours later, you have a chocolate mousse that is fluffy and delicately sweet -- creating a wonderful compliment to sliced fruit, Biscotti or Bunt cake. Plus, the caloric content is modest : just 90 calories per serving.
If you’re looking for an elegant taste in a package that won’t take 3 hours to build, try this mousse mix. The wide array of flavors (milk and dark chocolate, mocha, chocolate raspberry truffle, milk chocolate Irish cream) and the inexpensive price tag (around 3 bucks a box) make it very attractive. Like the Oreo cookie or those bakery donuts of yesteryear, a mouth could become addicted to this. ~ John Aiello
For more information, go to nestleusa.com
THE SOUNDSPA BY HOMEDICS
Ideas to Combat Insomnia
THE PREMIERE SOUNDSPA. By HoMedics.
By John Aiello
Anyone who has struggled with insomnia knows the distress long sleepless nights staring at the clock can cause. Sometimes, once this kind of sleepless cycle starts it takes something radical to ignite a change and reconnect the mind with tranquility again.
However, most people can't get up and run the minute insomnia strikes. Instead, we must find a way to calm ourselves down and relax on our own. Enter the Premiere SoundSpa, manufactured by HoMedics -- this affordable way to create a veritable 'sleep chamber' within the confines of your house, dormitory or hotel room.
This SoundSpa is basically a turbo-charged clock-radio that doubles as a 'sleep stereo' -- offering users 6 digitally recorded and naturally-occurring sounds that help to promote slumber.
HoMedics engineers have created a selection of sounds that build pictures of nature in the eye of the restless mind (these sounds that include the crash of the ocean; the rolling waves of a waterfall; the serene hum of a summer night; the jungle talk of the rainforest; crisp bolts of thunder; and the splashing song of morning rain).
In short, the music of the SoundSpa is meant to put the mind at ease and allow it to retreat from conscious thought, bringing it unto the threshold of sleep.
In addition, consumers will note that the Premiere SoundSpa has other uses. Specifically, the clock-radio has an internal sensor that records both the indoor and outdoor temperature, and users can either check this information on the face of the instrument or have it projected across the ceiling in long blue streams of light.
Other versions of such spas now on the market lack the personality of the HoMedics' creation -- as this product combines the classic look of a clock-radio with a thermometer (all built into this compact stereo that pipes an assortment of natural 'music' into your brain as it readies itself for sleep).
From what we’ve seen, no other clock-radio out there brings nature into the bedroom with this kind of durability and this kind of flair.
Ideal for apartment dwellers in cities who need to block out street noise. Also ideal for the occasional insomniac needing to 'get away' from home for awhile. New parents with infants should also seriously consider a spa for the nursery: These sounds can create a wall of serenity in the mind of a young child while helping to build healthy sleep-hygiene habits that might very well carry-over into adulthood.
Priced at 39.99.
Go to HoMedics.com for more information.
GLENN’S DEER HANDLE
Stooped over and covered in mud, trying to pull a long gangly buck through the dense underbrush at dusk – that’s when deer hunters everywhere have felt the need for a Deer Handle.
And now - they’ve got the option to buy one.
The Deer Handle is the year-2000 invention of Glenn Cornelius, who resides in Olive Branch, Mississippi. Glenn’s Deer Handle is a compact and light-weight ‘harness’ of sorts that allows for a single hunter to effectively drag a deer through the woods without having to strain himself. Simply, with the Deer Handle, you won’t have to ever lean down to drag a buck again.
Basically, the Deer Handle is a 9-inch tool made of durable braided-nylon rope that affixes to the base of a buck’s antlers byway of loop and cinch, sparing the need for the creation of a knot strong enough to withstand the grasp of twigs or branches.
Once secured to the deer, the Handle allows the hunter to pull his deer quickly out of the woods without having to twist and contort. Instead, you can keep your eyes front-and-center and pull through a steady even motion.
“It’s hard to move a dead animal, it’s hard to try and lift dead weight,” says Cornelius from his Mississippi office. “I’d been hunting deer all my life, and finally about 6 years ago, I said ‘there’s got to be a better way.’ That’s when I got the idea to try and build something that would give me a better grip when dragging a buck out of the woods. The idea behind the Handle is to allow a hunter to use his weight equally to pull a deer, taking the strain off his back and sides.”
And that’s just what the Handle does – it creates a pocket-sized ‘hauler’ that lets a lone hunter in the woods better utilize the strongest points of the body (legs and shoulders), while lessening the torque on the weaker areas (spine and lower-lumbar region). The result is that the drudgery of the ‘deer drag’ is markedly reduced.
As Cornelius notes, most hunting products on the market are designed to help a hunter with the kill and not with the work that begins when the animal goes down. However, the objective of the Handle is just the opposite: Its creation was premised on getting the animal back to the truck – and then loaded into it.
As anyone who has hunted knows, the ‘drag’ is only half the problem. Once the deer’s at the truck, a single hunter is faced with the back-breaking chore of trying to load two hundred pounds of dead weight with dagger-sharp points onto a 4-foot high surface.
However, this is also a proposition that the Handle makes less intimidating: Just drag your deer to the side of the truck, hook the handle on the edge of a level tailgate and climb into the bed of the truck; now grab the Deer Handle again and simply draw the deer into your vehicle with even thrusts – absolutely no need for an extra set of hands.
“The basic point behind my Handle,” notes Cornelius, “is to leave the whole weight of the animal on the ground, except for the head. Literally, it’s about putting a handle on the deer so it can be moved from one point to another more effectively. The Handle is a tool, manufactured to the same strength as water ski handles so it will last. It’s not fancy by any means. But it’s not meant to be. It’s just meant to make deer hunting easier….”
For step-by-step video on how Glenn’s Deer Handle works, and information on retail outlets where it can be purchased, see deerhandle.com. ~ John Aiello
AUTO PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS
Color Back
By John Aiello
In these tough economic times, more and more people are looking to preserve their assets as long as they can rather than ‘buy new.’ And this fact is even more evident with big-ticket items like homes and cars.
Accordingly, anybody driving a car more than four or five years old will want to give some serious consideration to trying out Color Back, a liquid amalgamation of 17 chemicals that blend together to restore the paint-shine to your car.
‘Bul-----!’
Don’t you dare say it. Of course you’re thinking that! I did too.
When I first heard about Color Back, my question was: How can any product turn back the clock and reverse the oxidation process as it pertains to automobile paint? Nice idea. But it has to be a hoax. It has to be clever advertising and a three-day gimmick.
Well, this stuff is indeed the real thing – no gimmicks here.
Created in 1987 by Allen Andre of North Dakota’s Apollo Sales & Service, Color Back is a unique liquid potion that sprayed onto the finish with an aerosol container or with a conventional or airless paint sprayer. Immediately, the chemicals adhere to the old paint line and revive the pigment in the paint, literally reversing time and bringing back the original luster of the finish (while further protecting the surface from fading and rusting). It all happens upon application in a matter of seconds right before your eyes.
As inferred, Color Back is relatively easy to use, as long as the surface is clean, dry and totally wax-free (and providing the paint finish has not been clear-coated, since Color Back is not compatible with newer paint finishes that have been clear-coated). Once you’ve washed and completely dried off your vehicle, the surface should be lightly sanded with600-grit wet sandpaper (and then be cleaned and dried again) before applying Color Back.
When I personally saw Color Back used in a mechanic’s shop I was in awe, as the rather dull paint-finish of a 45-year-old International utility truck was restored to like-new-condition in about the same amount of time it would take to rub the mud off after a tour through a deep puddle.
Retailing for less than $25, Apollo’s Color Back can save you some real cash, forestalling (and in some cases negating) the need for a new paint job that can often run between 2 and 4 thousand dollars. In fact, countless farmers in the Midwest have been using Color Back for nearly two decades on their tractors as a means to ward off rust and protect their equipment.
Bluntly, if any product can compensate for both the elements and the great temperature variations in that icy-cold region, well, then, it’s certainly worth a long look by the general consumer hoping to pull a few extra years out of their car.
Editor's Note: To reiterate, consumers should heed the instructions on the can and not use this product on paint finishes that have been clear-coated, since the clear-coat process is not compatible with the chemical composition of Color Back.
Go to colorbackpaintrenewer.com for more information.
Books
BASIC AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE. Don Knowles. Thomson/Delmar.
Synopsis: Part of the Thomson/Delmar TechOne series (known throughout technical writing circles for its easy to understand analysis of the inner-workings of the automobile), Basic Auto is the quintessential manual for both the student and the established mechanic. Even though Knowles’ book covers the "basics," professional mechanics should not look down their noses at this information, since it provides a sturdy foundation from which they will be able to elevate their skills. Basic Auto is comprehensive in nature, providing insight on how one should approach maintenance and problem diagnosis for the modern car. All basic systems are analyzed in step-by-step format, including engines and lubrication, emissions, drive axles, transmissions and braking systems. In addition, there are in depth chapters detailing the fine points of the automobile charging system (batteries, voltage regulators and alternators) and the role these things play under the hood of your car.
Recommended because: Knowles (a former automotive instructor who has authored some 35 texts on the subject) writes with the reader in mind: rather than flaunt his knowledge and his mechanical acumen (as so many car techs do), Knowles takes us by the hand and escorts us step-by-step through these-oft complex ideas. By going slow and building from the basics, he has stripped way the intimidating face from automobile maintenance. The idea here is to show |
