|
 ON
THE ROAD: The Origianl Scroll. Jack Kerouac. Special 50th Anniversary Edition.
Viking/Penguin.
This
book by Jack Kerouac marked the birth of a new culture; even though Rock
and Roll predates the release of Road, it nonetheless was Jack Kerouac’s
words that tied the vision of the youth together and offered some semblance of
meaning to a war-torn and confused
America. Once they found this book, the kids
never looked back -- suddenly infused with holy energy, mad-eyed, chasing ghosts
through the rusty moonlit dusk. Make no mistake – On the Road was the
great beginning of it - the seed of the inspiration, the first step in a journey
that wouldn’t end for some 25 years (inspiring musicians like Bob Dylan and
cultural movements like the San
Francisco Summer
of Love along the way). Road tells the story of the friendship
between Sal Paradise and Dean Moriarty (Kerouac and Neal Cassidy, respectively),
chronicling their travels scene-by-scene as they flew down the lost roads of
these primitive Americas.
This particular edition recently released by Viking celebrates the 50th
birthday of the world-shaking novel, presenting it to readers just as Kerouac
had penned it in 1951: One continual flow of words in a single paragraph taped
together and unfolding as this perfect ‘scroll.’ Simply, this was Kerouac’s
first holy book and it would come to christen the visions of several wayward
generations that followed. ~John Aiello
AUDIO SPOTLIGHT-
Christmas Fiction Pick
THE
QUIET GIRL. Peter Hoeg. Audio Renaissance. This audio is quite a literary
achievement in that it brings the idea of the novel back to its classical
underpinnings – Quiet Girl a book
that grips the reader with its deep sensibilities and then refuses to let go.
Hoeg is a notable prose writer because of his lyrical style which recalls the
best passages of Fitzgerald or Mailer – poetic and layered, this symphony for
the senses and the subconscious that carries us from place to place in a
completely captivating fashion. Here, Hoeg tells the story of Kasper Krone, a
circus clown who plays the edges, gambling and wandering, consumed by the music
of Bach which serves to both inspire and cleanse him. As the book moves forward,
we are asked to assume Krone’s mask as he dances through the pages of our
collective mind seeking his actual identity. Masterfully written – and
masterfully read by James Gale (whose voice is somehow able to capture the
hidden nuance and lyricism of the writing, elevating this performance to that of
a great theater production). 15 hours on
12 CDS. ~John Aiello
Ms. Liberty America International
A BEAUTY QUEEN WITH A MESSAGE
By John Aiello
New York City’s Staci Shands is not your typical book
publicist. Even though she is one of the top-flight PR folks working in the
marketing division for stalwart McGraw Hill, Shands also wears the crown of
Ms. Liberty America International (produced by Virtue International
Pageants).
Yet, going further, what’s truly
remarkable about this story is that Shands found her way into the world of
pageantry at the age of 40.
Yes, that’s right – 40. It’s an
atypical journey to say the least. However, Shands is anything but typical;
instead, she bristles with enthusiasm and a true social consciousness, her mind
set on the ‘bigger picture’ of which we are all a part:
“I got into pageantry because I
thought it was a great way to create a new and special awareness for subjects
that were dear to my heart,” says Shands, who accepted her year-long place under
the Ms. Liberty crown in January
2007. “Really, it gave me a real opportunity to spread vital information about
important topics that touch people’s lives on a daily basis.”
A cursory glance shows that
Shands ‘subjects of choice’ are truly important to each of us.
As part of her Ms. Liberty
platform, Shands is a member of the Junior Board of the Bowery Residents’
Committee, a widely-respected non-profit dedicated to helping
New York’s homeless find shelter. In addition, Shands,
who was diagnosed as a diabetic 14 years ago, works tirelessly to circulate
information on Juvenile Diabetes (a disease which afflicts millions worldwide
every year).
Again, not your
typical platforms for a beauty queen to preside over. But again, this is not
your typical beauty queen. To the contrary, this woman is about furthering the
community in which she lives, fighting to enlighten each of us along the way:
“I know many might think that 40
is a bit old to be entering your first beauty pageant,” says Shands, “but I
think that’s hardly what this is about. This is really about doing something
important for your community. Truly, age is just a number. And I would advise
women in their 40s to follow their hearts and become involved, because these
pageants offer a great chance to bring awareness to issues that are important to
all of us.”
For more information, go to:
http://www.virtueinternationalpageants.com.
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
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.
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. 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
HOTEL CONFIDENTIAL
THE
GALLERIA PARK HOTEL. 191 Sutter
Street. San
Francisco, California.
Telephone: (415) 781-3060.
By John Aiello
Travelers
coming into San Francisco
will find many places to stay in Herb Caen’s legendary “city-by-the-bay.”
However, quantity isn’t ever the issue, is it? Instead, it’s quality that’s our
real mission (as we seek to blend comfort and location and those intangible
extras, since it’s these things which place a hotel on our ‘repeat
performances’ list).
Accordingly, the Galleria Park Hotel,
nestled at the jewel-center of San
Francisco’s vibrant financial district, is a place that
should top the lists of both business and leisure travelers looking for a unique
place to hole up for a few days.
Galleria
Park
is part of
Joie de Vivre Hospitality
(translated, it means “the joy of life”), which serves as the largest boutique
hotel chain in California.
Galleria
Park
(a living reflection of the creative vision of
JDV founder Chip Conley) is known for comfort and practicality (as well as
for its deep dedication to the consumer).
Simply, the
Galleria
Park
is a true extension of the over-all
Joie de Vivre mission –
but with some twists that make it notable in the rarefied world of posh ‘Frisco
hotels.
The
Galleria
Park
was first opened in 1911, under the moniker The Sutter Hotel.
In June 2005,
Joie de Vivre took over
the Sutter from the famed
Kimpton Hotels group (which had assumed ownership in 1984), launching an
8-million-dollar renovation that culminated in the face that the
Galleria
Park
now wears.
From the moment you step into the lobby of the
Galleria Park (with the original cut-crystal ceiling from the old
Sutter Hotel looking downward on all passers-by), you quickly realize that
you are in for a hotel stay that is also going to serve as mini-review of myriad
aspects of San Francisco’s grand history.
In essence, that’s really what this hotel is all about—the history of the city
now encapsulated in the history of one of its oldest districts (showing all
those who walk these halls that we can indeed keep up with the times without
forsaking connection to our collective past).
Setting the Park apart
The lobby at the Galleria
Park, San Francisco.
The
Galleria
Park
sets itself apart from similar hotels in the area by administering a marriage
between services and location – building an experience that will not only
accommodate a traveler’s need for shelter but also feed his need for
intellectual stimulation on multiple levels.
The Rooms
Luxurious
is the word that best defines the
Galleria
Park’s
rooms. The King-sized beds feature pillow-top mattresses that are surprisingly
efficient in their ability to mix firmness with that right amount of ‘give.’ In
addition, these beds are out-fitted with three plush pillows that provide ample
support to both neck and back. Also, spacious nightstands flank each side of the
bed give you space for all your ‘in-pocket’ essentials. Rooms come with both a
small side chair and an ottoman, with bedside lamps that boast dimmer switches –
a wonderful feature that gives you extra light for reading or just the right
dusky-dimness to bring on drowsiness – and sleep. Peeking around the corner into
the lavatory, one is greeted by a clean and well-stocked bathroom – the Lather
Bath soap is truly luxuriant, the after-scent fragrant without being
over-powering (metaphorically related to the soul of the
Galleria
Park in this regard). I also found particular
solace in the corner desk, which is generously stocked with commonly-used
supplies (anyone in the midst of work who doesn’t have to scramble to the
drugstore for paper-clips or post-its will be eternally thankful). However, the
most note-worthy aspect of the
Galleria
Park’s
rooms is the black-out drapes: I have never seen these kinds of curtains in any
hotel before, and frankly, they are a Godsend – blocking out random strands of
light so you can sleep without disruption. These curtains, which were designed
by Marni Leis, will encourage weary red-eye patrons (jet-lagged and exhausted)
to actually catch that 3 PM nap. These drapes also provide an extra barrier of
insulation from street noise and serve as the icing on the cake where the
Galleria
Park’s
rooms are concerned.
Ultimately, the idea of these rooms enjoins elegance with utility – the
goal here is to soothe the traveler with deep opulence without those unnecessary
helpings of pomp and circumstance (rest assured, the
Galleria Park scores a ten on
this scale).
The Intangibles
Still, as nice as the rooms are, it’s the intangibles that make the
Galleria Park the choice for
lodging in San Francisco’s
Financial District. Patrons will note that the
Galleria Park has a unique
feature called GPS (short for the
“Galleria Park Suggests”). As part of this program, the hotel spotlights a
particular San Francisco
neighborhood every month, spotlighting its 10 most intriguing traits (things
like where to go to get a good crab sandwich or a cappuccino with the perfect
head on it) – suggestions aimed at quality instead of those tired tourist-trap
destinations. The result is that GPS
gives travelers the opportunity to “know what the locals know” rather than a
blow-by-blow review of some tour book. Consequently, those staying at the
Galleria Park will enjoy a real
sense of the city – this ‘top ten’ neighborhood list meant to personalize your
stay rather than homogenize it into some ‘this is what San Francisco is supposed
to feel like’ experience. Additionally, the hotel offers a daily architectural
tour of the Financial District (free to guests; $15 for the general public)
which introduces folks to little-known facts about the unique construction of
the area (such as the first “Green
Building” in the city which was erected in 1920).
The Galleria
Park also sports a third-floor terrace with a jogging track that is notable
because it serves as the perfect place for people on the road to walk a dog or a
cat (yes, the Galleria
Park is indeed a pet-friendly hotel). The terrace is really one of the
crowing jewels of the hotel – one can retire to read the paper in perfect peace
here, sipping coffee and looking across the towering skyline). Finally, the
second-floor Business
Center is truly reflective of the totality of the
Galleria Park experience:
Travelers who aren’t equipped with their laptops can still check email and the
internet for free on the Business
Center computers. This feature mirrors the
Galleria
Park’s
bigger vision – rather than nickel-and-dime a guy doing business in the city,
the managers have instead offered this as a complimentary service (which says
everything about the fact that this place isn’t about booking a reservation and
then turning its back on you).
·
Location:
This is a Financial District hotel with a unique face. Located at 191 Sutter
Street (near Kearny), the Galleria Park
is within eye-shot of both Union Square and Chinatown and about a mile
from legendary Columbus Avenue and the North Beach district (a place so many
clubs and four-star restaurants call home). Thus, it’s perfect for the week-day
business traveler (who needs to hit the Pacific Stock Exchange or other near-by
financial institutions) and the weekend leisure traveler looking to play in and
around the many nightspots and world-renowned theaters indigenous to
San Francisco.
·
Extras:
Many extras here, such as valet parking (important in this ultra-congested
area); a great selection of Tazo teas set on the television hutch in each room;
free in-room Wi-Fi and high speed internet; in-room CD players; and Frette
linens that pool around your skin.
·
Price: Ranging from $160
to $300 based on availability.
Please return to this column in the future for reviews of other JDV hotels.
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
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
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.
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 nutritious 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
DIRT
DEVIL
THE CADILLAC OF VACUUM CLEANERS
By John Aiello
In these dicey economic times,
with the prices for fuel and basic necessities rising by the week, it has become
necessary for consumers to get the most value out of every purchase. And in
terms of vacuum cleaners, the best ‘bang for your buck’ still comes from
Dirt Devil.
Royal Vacuum Cleaners (which eventually morphed into
Dirt Devil) were first manufactured in 1905 by
the P.A. Geier Company. Geier initially started producing his metal cleaners
one-by-one in a backyard garage in
Cleveland, Ohio. Led by
Geier’s hands-on attention, Royal Cleaners continued production through the
World Wars and the Great Depression, as various advancements in technology
revolutionized the way that people kept their homes.
Finally, in 1981, a handful of investors sporting a big vision purchased the
company and promptly introduced a new attack on the vacuum cleaner business.
Aligning aggressive marketing with revolutionary technology, the idea of the
Dirt Devil brand was born.
This
fresh perspective resulted in the company inflating 5 million-dollar in sales
(as of 1981) into well over 400 million dollars of revenue by the year 2000
(while also implementing an item called the
Dirt Devil Hand Vac that literally changed the way we clean up after
ourselves).
Today, Dirt Devil shows no sign of
checking the impulse of its innovative spirit; simply, the company’s product
lines continue to grow in myriad ways that look to lessen the burdens of life
for the consumer.
The “i”
Another of its soon-to-be crown jewels comes in the form of the
Dirt Devil “i” – this latest
upright that combines all of the famed manufacturer’s cleaning power with a
simpler design that less taxing on the back. The “i”
blends a sleek and contemporary frame with real sucking ability – the point here
is to have a powerful vacuum cleaner that people of average strength and
mobility can use without undue strain.
Basically, the “i”
is about ergonomics: Dirt Devil has
built this machine to be comfortable to use – the assembly of the controls is in
line with the user’s hands, which means less bending and stretching – and less
over-all strain on the back (a feature which makes this a good choice for the
elderly trying to retain a bit of their independence).
However, the “i’s”
sleek spine sacrifices none of the signature
Dirt Devil power, as a cyclonic whirlwind of suction cleans with deep and
sustained purpose (believe it or not, the “i”
can actually carry up to one full pound of dirt and debris before it requires
emptying) . In addition, the lifetime HEPA filter and the belt never need
replacing (making this machine truly cost-effective, since mangled belts and
blackened filters are an expensive ‘constant’ with so many other bagless
versions).
Simply, the “i”
marks a significant moment in terms of home cleaning systems – a vacuum that
looks to keep pace with the changing focus of the times. Like P.A. Geier’s first
Royal, the Dirt Devil “i” is an
example of technology making our collective life easier – and then going a step
further, and doing it with style.
In years to come, this one will
likely come to be known as the ‘Cadillac of vacuum cleaners.’
Product
Specifics:
·
Availability: It is widely available across the
United States, including at Wal-Mart, Target,
Best Buy and amazon.com.
·
Cost: $250.00
·
Warranty: Five-year limited warranty.
·
Weight: About 22 lbs.
Also from Dirt Devil
The Kone
Perfect for the holiday
season, Dirt Devil’s cordless
hand-vac called the KONE is a great
gift-idea that won’t break the bank. The
KONE furthers the company’s long-standing tradition of hand-vac innovation,
as this version offers a true minimalist conical shape that lets you get its
‘mouth’ into tight quarters. As the KONE
hums to life (the on-off switch is activated with a quick nudge of a fingertip),
consumers are vaulted into the best of the 21st century: Technology
has indeed come a long way, and these cordless cleaners are all about
versatility and convenience. The bagless design features a dirt cup that is
easily emptied, while the soft-carved-tip serves as a perfect cushion to protect
chair legs, cupboards or the finish on your car’s under-dash. At $39.99, this
hand-vac carries a bargain price with good suction and a streamlined contour. In
sum, it’s the best version of this product we’ve seen in the under $50-dollar
category.
·
Availability: It is available across the
United States, including Target, Bed Bath &
Beyond, K-Mart, Sears, Best Buy.
·
Cost: $40.00
·
Warranty: Three-year warranty.
·
Weight: 4 lbs total (cleaning unit weighs under 2 lbs).
The Kruz
And going a step further into the future,
Dirt Devil’s Kruz once again
shows the company’s dedication to keeping step with the changing times. In the
last decade, the concept of flooring has changed dramatically, with laminate
composites now standing side-by-side with the glossy-cool hardwoods of
yester-year. However, even though floor materials have changed and evolved,
floor-care products have lagged a bit behind – in truth, there really hasn’t
been a vacuum cleaner or an electric broom that work well on these traditional
hard-coated foundations. Until the birth of the
Kruz, that is. The Kruz is a
real break-through in hard-floor care, as this stick-vacuum serves as a stylish
and practical tool built to keep your newly-laid floors spic-and-span.
Dirt Devil has designed the Kruz
to pivot on a dime, as 360-degree “free form motion” allows you to dance from
room-to-room most effortlessly. But ease of use is not this product’s
best feature. Instead, its free-form maneuverability literally enables the
Kruz to glide across the surface and clean without gouging into the delicate
finish of either hardwood or laminate. In addition, the
Kruz comes equipped with a soft-touch “bumper” that provides a cushion and
protects the finish of both furniture and baseboards (thus providing a means to
protect every aspect of the investment that is your home). Bagless; with 12-volt
rechargeable battery.
·
Availability:. It can be found at Target and Best Buy.
·
Cost: $100.00
·
Warranty:. Two-year warranty.
·
Weight:. Around 7 lbs.
For more on any of these items, go to
www.dirtdevil.com
~John Aiello
HONEYWELL HEATERS
Alternatives for heating the house
By John Aiello
As winter comes upon us once
again, thoughts turn to ways to heat the house and ourselves without turning up
the cost of the electricity bill.
Accordingly, portable heaters are a good way to augment any central heating
system, adding extra layers of warmth to bedrooms and out-posts while using
relatively little juice.
Consumers should spend serious
time researching their choices before plugging in any electrical device, since
safety and cost are paramount concerns when using any secondary heating
appliance. In light of this, the review which follows marks our top choice for
portable heaters – bluntly, folks in traditionally cold states will likely find
that buying one of these products could help dull the impact of rising energy
costs while still allowing you to ‘weather the storm’ in comfort:
A summary of the best in portable
heaters is led by Honeywell’s
Energy Smart Cool Touch Heater (Model
HZ-7200 Series). This item, which retails for around $ 40.00, is notable
for many reasons, including its size and light-weight design.
Honeywell’s Cool Touch is a real
step beyond those cumbersome old dinosaurs we used to call ‘space heaters.’ The
Cool Touch is truly portable and can be carried from room-to-room
effortlessly (as it weighs less than 5 pounds). However, its sleek face and
compact design should not perceived as weaknesses; instead, they are true
examples of the manufacturing advancements that have taken place with regard to
these money-saving heating alternatives.
Who might benefit from a portable
heater the most? Anyone living in cold-weather territory who need short-term
heat added to a corner of the house. And if your need is indeed short-term, why
jack up the knob on your thermostat or oil monitor and pay for more energy than
is actually necessary?
Again, the
Cool Touch offers the answer to these pertinent questions.
Even though the
Cool Touch is light, its heating power is quite effective. Yet, power in a
portable heater is not the sole objective – in addition, consumers must consider
the safety question. And the Cool Touch
rates high in terms of safety.
Honeywell has armed the Cool Touch
with an anti-tip-over feature which automatically shuts the machine down if it
falls over. This is quite an important advancement in portable heater design –
since in the past many a fire sparked after a top-heavy space heater fell across
flammable materials and set the room ablaze. In addition, the
Cool Touch is equipped with both a high temperature safety control and a
thermal circuit breaker – two more features which help prevent the unit from
overheating into a fire danger.
However, these safety features
are but an aspect of the
Cool Touch’s preeminent value. Additionally, the unit’s name is derived from
the fact that it has been constructed with high-grade plastic to allow it to
stay relatively cool (thus, if the heater’s grille is contacted briefly, it will
not sear away skin).
Insofar as its heating
capabilities, the Cool Touch
oscillates across a wide expanse, ensuring that large swatches of the surface
area are warmed in a quick and efficient manner. Meanwhile, the controls are
easy to use and offer variable settings for pin-point-precise heating (keeping
the amount of electricity that’s being burned to a minimum).
Given the sum total of these
features and its bargain price,
Honeywell’s Cool Touch presents
as a great option for everyone from students in studio apartments to elderly
folks amid the snowy landscape – this option for anyone looking for a
complimentary heating source that won’t devour the monthly budget.
Product Specifics:
·
Rating: The Cool Touch is rated
at 12.5 AMPS (1500 Watts) at 120V, 60 Hz.
·
Availability: It is available across the
United States at Wal-Mart stores.
·
Cost: $40.00
·
Weight: The Cool Touch weighs
just under 5 pounds; it boasts a built-in handle for easy transport.
·
Warranty: Three-year limited warranty.
·
Special Considerations: The manufacturer recommends that consumers read the
operating instructions before using the
Cool Touch, further recommending that users follow all instructions
precisely as to avoid accidental fire or injury.
See this link
for further information.
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 that once you understand how
your car works (and why it works as it does), you will be better equipped to
safely operate and maintain it. Moreover, the material is written in a way that
is conducive to understanding that each of the many systems that comprise your
"car" are inter-linked and over-lapped - until you appreciate each as
individuals you can’t ever truly understand the focus of the whole.
Recommended to libraries on the college level
and in the public sector as a general reference text - the information contained
herein is useful to both the student and "shade-tree" mechanic and they should
have immediate access to it. Also recommended as a class text in all high-school
and college-level level auto-shop classes. Finally, the professional mechanic
might want to consider adding this to his reference shelf for its comprehensive
nature and well-developed analysis which make the basics easier to master.
~John Aiello
Optima Batteries
As previously noted, Don Knowles text
provides extensive analysis on the mechanics of the automotive charging system.
To this end, one of the best batteries on the market these days is built by
Optima. The Optima battery uses a revolutionary "spiral-cell"
technology - tightly wound cells in a sealed case decrease internal resistance
while increasing power delivery and recharging capabilities. This highly
advanced technology separates the Optima from conventional lead-acid
batteries in many ways: providing more constant starting power regardless of
temperature while allowing for 15 times more vibration resistance and twice the
cycle life (with a markedly lower self-discharge rate). In addition, the
Optima is leak-proof and maintenance free. Even though they run more money
than lead-acid batteries, consumers are saving over time because these batteries
last longer and require no monthly water boost (internally compensating for
drastic changes in weather conditions). Why buy Optima? Well, it comes
down to this: if you live in a cold climate, you can depend on the fact that
this battery will turn over the engine no matter how deep the snow. For more
information, go to:
http://www.optimabatteries.com. ~John Aiello
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