By Chris Schirm, Guest Blogger, Foodies Like Us

When you think of a steakhouse generally three things come to mind: white linens, glistening beautiful cuts of meat that melt on your tongue and a great wine list to match.  Fleming’s — located just off the I-10 and Ray Rd on 56^th St.–  meets all of these requirements. Their adherence to these principles has resulted in their skyrocket success of over 60 restaurants throughout the country in the past 12 years.  Their new spring menu, developed by Executive Head Chef Russell Skall, has taken the new menu through a six week trial in restaurants throughout Scottsdale and plans to release the new items to the nation on May 1^st.  I got a chance to preview their new menu items with a friend last week. 

The first thing out of the kitchen was a cheese plate that presented me with two of my favorite tastes in the world into one bite.  The Guinness infused Porter cheddar was a delicious accompaniment to the Simonet-Febvre sparkling white.  You could taste the rich coffee and chocolate inherit that comes with Guinness with a bit of a bite from the cheddar.  Sadly, they did not let me take a block of it home.

Exquisite additions to the menu

Our first course was a Roasted Mushroom Ravioli with a Porcini butter sauce and a Lump Crab Louis Wrap served on a two leaves of butter lettuce with avocado, bacon, egg, tomato, chives and a light 1,000 island dressing.  

One of the things that I always look for in ravioli is the filling to pasta ratio (FPR).  Far too many times do restaurants forego the filling, by trying to wow you with the presentation of the pasta, however much to my palate’s favor Fleming’s ravioli was stuffed full of Portobello and shiitake mushrooms that you actually needed multiple bites to finish.  Doing my best Dick Vitale impersonation I would say, “Oh, Fleming’s ravioli has it, BABY!  That perfect FPR.  They’re incredible, baby!” The porcini butter sauce added a thick creaminess to the dish without distracting from the perfectly cooked mushrooms.   

The Lump Crab Louis Wraps despite the misnomer was not finger food… at least not at this tasting.  Served on two leaves of butter lettuce, the generous helping of fresh crab meat was balanced nicely by the touch of tomato, bacon and eggs.  This salad let the meat and freshness speak for itself without drowning it in dressing.  It was a nice light warm-up to the main entrees to come, yet nothing to write home to mom about. 

When I was first asked to do the review of Fleming’s I was excited at the chance of devouring cuts of meat and humbly waddle my way out of the restaurant with a tryptophan-induced grin on my face.  Thankfully, I didn’t have to wait long for the food coma journey to begin. The first new entree on their menu is a Tillamook Bay Petrale Sole with a lemon butter sauce, joined with crab beignets and a Sanford Chardonnay.  They have also added a Peppercorn New York Strip, crusted with black and white peppercorns, coupled with the Fleming’s original F-17 steak sauce, and paired with a Frog’s Leap Merlot Rutherford.

Let’s start with the reason that we are in a steakhouse…the Peppercorn New York Strip.  The steak was served a pleasurable pink medium.  It delivered that balanced juicy taste that has made the New York Strip the most popular steak in America.  The crusting of the peppercorns gave it just enough of a bite to make you reach for the Frog’s Leap to wash it down with the glorious gluttony of eating a great steak.  Served on the side of the steak in a double shot glass was the sauce called the F-17.  The sauce gets its name from the 17 different ingredients included. The taste of this sauce reminded me more of the afternoons of backyard barbeques filled with plenty of salt and “secret” sauces that did a great cover-up job for overcooked ribs rather than serving as a tasty sidekick to a great piece of meat.  Pass on the sauce and take another carnivorous bite of the steak by itself.

This steak stands alone!

Admittedly, I do have a bias when it comes to fish — the more spice and blend of tastes the better.   However, the only thing that popped into my mind upon the first taste of the Tillamook Bay Petrale Sole was that it needed to do a séance for James Brown to come back.  The sole in other words was soulless.  Invoking the spirit of the Grandfather of Soul is perhaps just what this dish needs.  Apart from the texture of the fish being well cooked and the slightest hint of lemon butter from the sauce there was very little taste. Thankfully for the sole, the crab beignets pulled a Culinary Superhero act and saved the dish. Served on the side of the fish in a group of three the crab beignets are crusted with the popular Japanese Panko bread crumbs and stuffed full of crab meat, red peppers, and corn.  On the first bite, I was amazed that the contents of the beignets were not overpowered by the bread crumbs and delivered a balanced and delicious combination of flavors with just a slight hint of spice on the end.  If it is possible, order the beignets and leave the sole at the kitchen door.

Sole and Super Crab Beignets!

For our final course we were presented with a Crème brûlée, made in-house, topped with fresh blueberries and raspberries and a lava cake with a sprig of fresh mint.  The Crème brûlée was delicious but somewhat predictable.  The Chocolate Lava Cake was just that, a staple of food coma sugar inducing bliss that is repeated on multiple valley menus.

Worth every bite!

The new menu will give Fleming’s customers another couple of delicious choices to match with their excellent and ever changing wine menu, in an atmosphere that will have people forgetting about the heat outside and indulging in the heat coming from the kitchen.  

www.flemingssteakhouse.com

By Molly Cerreta Smith, Guest Blogger, Foodies Like Us

I am a total Sam Fox devotee so I was thrilled to be able to try out one of his newest ventures, Culinary Dropout. He is popping out new restaurant concepts faster than I can get my hands on nights out away from the kids to try them! But the Culinary Dropout concept just called to me – inexpensive eats, casual yet hip atmosphere and top-notch cocktails. Sign me up.

The restaurant occupies the former Pink Taco space in the Scottsdale Waterfront, where a few of Fox’s other restaurants, Sauce, and Olive & Ivy, not to mention the FRC office, also reside. If Sam Fox is planning on taking over the world, he seems to be starting with the Waterfront!

We dined on a Thursday evening, and the bar crowd was already alive and well at Culinary Dropout. No surprise there – with an ample patio, bar that opens up with garage-door style windows, and ideal people-watching positioning, it’s a Scottsdale day drinker’s paradise. Culinary Dropout’s staff is dressed like, well, everyone else in Scottsdale on their way out for a night on the town. So, unless you get a good look at your server, you might get a bit confused if you need to flag him/her down for another drink.

In all the ways that Olive & Ivy is sleek and sophisticated, lil’ bro Culinary Dropout is hip and funky. The purple walls, the giant green and purple chandeliers and over-sized chairs are reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland (the one from my imagination, not Tim Burton’s). A stage for live entertainment is juxtaposed to the bar, and the menu is suited for late-night bar snackers, comfort foodies and culinary sophisticates as well.

Speaking of the menu — you’ll notice the prices are decidedly fair. Perhaps part of the rebel restaurant’s devil may care attitude? We started with the chilled oysters and the soft pretzels and provolone fondue. If I may, I’d like to devote a moment to the idea that I do not partake nearly enough in food served in a cauldron. Our server recommended the starter, and she did not steer us wrong. Looking around, nearly every other table was adorned with a cauldron. Homemade pretzel nuggets were the perfect dipping apparatus for this smooth and rich fondue. A few times our server offered to take the emptied cauldron and its pathetic drippings away, but I just couldn’t part with it.

A cauldron of cheesy goodness

For our main course, my husband, a Georgia boy but not a good ole boy, could not resist the fried chicken. The chicken was super-crispy outside and super-juicy inside – amazing. But we were left wishing for a thicker, stickier-to-your ribs mashed potato accompaniment.

Woah. Irresistible.

A pasta lover through and through, my eyes went straight to the butternut squash cannelloni. I pulled an amateur move, however, and ordered one super-rich dish after another… and only regretted it slightly by way of an all-night stomachache. It was worth the pain. The cannelloni was reminiscent of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. Delish. The only thing better were the leftovers the next night. If you want to be light on your feet for the rest of the night, don’t make the same mistake I did. If I had to do it over again, I’d trade out either the cannelloni or the fondue (God forbid) for something lighter such as the artichoke salad, which is another star on the menu, according to our server.

This Cannelloni makes any day a holiday!

Culinary Dropout’s signature dessert is homemade apple monkey bread. I was secretly hoping it’d come served in a cauldron, but I wasn’t disappointed when it arrived in its own cast-iron skillet with a scoop of ice cream to keep it company.

Swing in for some serious monkey bread.

Culinary Dropout’s menu lends itself to a variety of dining experiences. Whether you are looking for a light bite before heading out for the night, a comfort food extravaganza or simply a plate of meats and cheeses to graze upon, Culinary Dropout has you covered in a unique way that only Sam Fox can pull off. And I didn’t even touch the cocktail menu. But I’ll let you delve into that on your own… I’ve got to put the kids to bed.

http://www.foxrc.com/culinary_dropout.html

By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie

Looming sushi tower

I love sushi. I love sashimi. I love sushi rolls. I love hand rolls. I love crazy weird cream cheese filled fried stuff. I love it all.

Of course, I also love steak. Filets, rib eyes, NY Strip. I also love it all.

When I first saw Roka Akor open on Scottsdale Road, it didn’t occur to me that they would offer sushi and steak and lots of other delectable bites in between. I am glad I saw the err of my ways!

Jay and I settled into a feast at Roka Akor a few weeks ago and it’s not one I have soon forgotten.

I was really excited to see that Roka offers a price range that suits every foodie. For instance, their Izakaya menu is small plates and small prices (under $10). Starters and soups range between $4-$14. Sushi or Sashimi ranges from $8 to market price and entrees from $16.50 to market price.

We started our meal with Roka’s signature appetizer, the butterfish tataki with white asparagus and yuzu. It literally melted in my mouth. I really enjoyed the salty, spicy and rich flavor combination. I paired it with a glass of sake and could not believe how crisp and balanced it made the entire dish.

Butterfish delights!

We also sampled the beef tataki with its tasty spicy chili ponzu sauce, though for me, the butterfish really reigned supreme in the tataki category!

Next, we tasted a HUGE sampling of sashimi and sushi. From blue fin tuna to salmon goma to their soft shell crab roll.  Each taste was different from the next. I found the blue fin tuna to be exceptionally fresh and tasty. We sat at the sushi bar and were able to interact with Executive Chef Ce Bian and Sushi Chef Joe Chan.

Quite the sushi boat

We loved the chance to ask lots of questions and witness some of their stellar knife skills first hand!

Chef Chen has his way with ahi

Next we tried Robata grilled scallops and Madagascan Tiger prawns. The scallops were grilled with a crispy charcoal flavored outside and were silky inside. The Tiger prawns were served on a yuzu and citrus peel base and were quite possibly the most interesting presentation of the evening.

Madagascan Tiger Prawns that roamed the earth

The next two dishes were both made on the Robata grill and received high marks. The grilled tenderloin with truffle broth was tender and flavorful. The pork belly had a sweet glaze and was accompanied by Daikon radishes, chives, wasabi and golden beets. It was layer after layer of intense flavor.

Perfectly seared tenderloin!

But wait, there’s more. In fact, my absolute favorite two items of the night. Grilled asparagus and grilled sweet corn. Awwwwwwwwwww yea. Seriously. I am on a never-ending quest for perfect asparagus. I think I may have found it! This stuff was excellent. And the corn! Oh my! It had garlic butter oozing from every kernel. I have actually had food fantasies about this corn since our dinner. It reminded me of the corn festivals I attended as a kid in Wisconsin. Charcoal grilled, smoky flavor and dripping with butter. Happy sigh.

Asparagus Bliss

I was wrapped in my sweet corn haze and they brought out a plate of sweets for us to sample. I loved the orange-banana cake and the mango cake. Both were light and a lovely finish to the evening.

A dessert tray fit for a queen! (me!)

Roka Akor is now open for lunch from 11:30-2:30 Monday thru Friday. Which of course means easier access for me to have sweet corn. And sushi. And steak.

Try this Scottsdale gem with Foodies Like Us on May 13 as we present: A taste of Japan: Sushi, Shochu and Sizzle! Click here for more information!

By Molly Cerreta Smith, Guest Blogger, Foodies Like Us

I am such a pasta junkie that I jumped at the chance to check out PastaBAR, even if it was under the “guise” of attending a promo for the Fresh documentary – and a farm to table dinner prepared by the extraordinary Chef Wade Moises himself (please stay tuned for more on him in a very-near-future article).

Now, I have to admit that since becoming a full-time mom and only a part-time writer, I rarely leave the comfort zone of my immediate neighborhood. It’s been years since I’ve frequented a restaurant in downtown Phoenix, but I was impressed to see the whole area coming alive with hidden gems. And I mean that in the truest sense of the phrase. PastaBAR is housed within a building – you might never know it was there if you weren’t looking for it. Good thing we were.

Chef Wade prepared a special three-course meal the night we dined in collaboration with promotion for Fresh, which is showing this Friday and Saturday only at the Madcap Theaters in Tempe. The dinner came complete with a ticket to see the movie, which emphasizes the importance of re-inventing our food system to forge a healthier, more sustainable alternative by using local produce and meats – something Chef Wade does on the daily.

His menu even states: “PastaBAR uses as many products from as many local farmers, ranchers and producers as possible.” A quick breeze through the website and you’ll find a list of some familiar names — McClendon’s Select, Maya’s Farm, The Meat Shop, Sunizona, and the Downtown Phoenix Public Market, which Wade is now running (more on that in the coming part-two article – you just can’t fit Chef Wade into one little blog!).

The menu that he created to promote the Fresh concept was steeped in simplicity. The first course was braised leeks in water, olive oil and butter topped with hard-boiled egg shavings and breadcrumbs. The mild leeks were intensified by the unique textural sensations of the egg and crunchy breadcrumbs. We were off to a good start.

A delightful medly of tastes and textures

The main course was a pasta primavera packed with homegrown vegetables – sugar snap peas, Maya’s sweet 100s tomatoes, green beans and fava beans – and topped with basil and Parmesan. The homemade, hand-rolled garganelli pasta was perfectly cooked. Elegant yet simple, this pasta dish did not leave me with that heavy feeling that I usually get after eating a plateful of pasta. And believe me, I finished every last bite.

Light, yet scrumptious!

Chef Wade rounded out the three-course meal with each diner’s choice of one of three fresh granitas. I couldn’t resist the cherry-lime, which was mouth-puckeringly tart. It tickles my taste buds just thinking about it. I couldn’t finish it, but I did demolish the decadent cream atop my icy dessert. I’d gladly down a martini glass filled with that stuff any day.

GIMME SOME!

If you are a fresh food foodie, check out Fresh this weekend. You will be inspired to, like Chef Wade, find a fresh, simple and local way to cook, eat and enjoy the fruits of our regional farms. But if you don’t feel like doing it yourself, head to PastaBAR for a heaping helping of farm to table freshness.

http://action.freshthemovie.com/p/d/freshthemovie/event/display-theater-event.sjs?event_KEY=19721

http://www.pastabaraz.com/

By Kira Wills, Guest Blogger, Foodies Like Us saturday-chef.blogspot.com

There is a time in every cook’s life when they want to create a gastronomic masterpiece—a dish that is not only intoxicating in flavor, but a beautifully-plated feast for the eyes. As a relatively new food blogger, I wanted to create a delectable calling card for my growing culinary confidence and skills.

Months ago, I heard about braised short ribs and immediately had to prepare them because: 1) braising is my favorite cooking technique and 2) I love ribs, and even have a Memphis-style spice rub for the baby back variety that is a protected secret.

I found a promising recipe that required almost two days of searing, braising, waiting, and reducing. I tried it with passable results. I toyed with it a few more times and, while the ribs were decent, it wasn’t as profoundly delightful as I knew it could be.

Then I got the February 2010 issue of “Bon Appetit”, and the cover recipe was gooey grilled cheese made with braised short ribs. The recipe moved the braise from the oven to the stovetop (SMART!) and reduced the braising liquid by half (AWESOME!). Thus, I did what any enterprising foodie would do, and combined the new recipe with seasonings from others and my own touches. The result was a dish that was nothing short of phenomenal. These ribs are tender, rich, flavorful and shutter-enducingly awesome. It’s restaurant-worthy fare in your own home.

It is honestly the best thing I’ve ever made, and even had me contemplating culinary school because I was so proud.

Be forewarned—if you make this for friends or family, there will be no leftovers—it barely serves four— and they will ask you to make it again, repeatedly. Be prepared.

Serves: 4

Ingredients
4 pounds or 8 to 10 short ribs
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Dried Thyme
6 Fresh Thyme Sprigs
½ to 1 medium onion (and/or leeks), chopped
3 to 4 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally in half-inch coins
2 bay leaves
1 ½ cup of red wine (Chianti is best)
½ cup port
2 tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar
1 to 3 cups of low sodium beef broth

Season all sides of short ribs generously with salt, pepper and dried thyme. Let rest for 20 to 30 minutes.

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When oil is hot, add ribs, fat side down and brown on all meaty sides. NOTE: This process can take awhile, so I usually chop my vegetables while the meat is browning as not to rush it. You should probably work in batches of 4 to 5 ribs each.

When ribs are browned, set aside on a plate. Drain off all of all of the oil and drippings from pan except for about 2 to 3 tablespoons. Toss onions into pot over medium heat and sweat until fragrant and they beginning to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add carrots, fresh thyme sprigs, bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for a few minutes. I use the edge of my spoon and bruise the thyme sprigs to release more flavor.

Add wine and port to pot. Stir to combine, then allow to cook until it begins to boil lightly for about 3 to 5 minutes before adding the broth. Let mixture come to a boil again and cook for 5 to 7 minutes to concentrate flavor. Taste mixture. It should be flavorful, but mild and well-balanced. If anything it is not to your liking, add more wine, port or broth. Adjust seasonings as you like.

Place ribs back into pan, bone side up. Nestling them together can be tricky, but try to get them into one layer. Broth should just cover the meat. If it doesn’t, add more liquids. Cover and simmer on low for one hour.

Check ribs. Bones may have loosened or fallen off completely. This is good! Keep them in the pot. If you can turn or flip the ribs, go ahead, just make sure bone side is still up. If the liquid has reduced a lot, add more broth. You also may want to check and adjust seasonings, sparingly. Cover and simmer for another 90 minutes.

NOTE: We’ve now entered what I call the Beef Stealer phase of this long process. This is when the house smells of delectable simmering meat, and people, like parents or even neighbors, come out of the woodwork to hover around the pot. They say they thought you left the pot on and IT’S GOING TO BURN! So they’ll check it and taste it for you. To save it. you must guard the pot. Use your chef’s knife if you have to. The finished product will be worth it. But you, The Chef, can steal all the beef you want.

After the longest 90 minutes of your culinary life, ribs are done and braised. Taste them. They should be tremor-worthy good…so buttery soft, you can cut them with a fork. If they are still chewy, braise for 30 more minutes.

This is generally when you can stop for the day and put them away once the ribs have cooled—ribs in one container and the liquid and a few bones in another. I know it’s hard, but do this and your heart will thank you (If you do not want to wait until the next day, pour cooled braising liquid into a plastic container and freeze until fat solidifies. Scrape off, discard and continue).

The next day:

Remove ribs from the fridge. Preheat oven to 400.

Open gravy container. Here you will find an alarming layer of fat on top of the gravy. Skim off with a spoon and discard. Add the rest of the gravy to a pan over medium low-heat. Thin out with a bit of beef broth and reduce for about 10 to 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings if needed.

Place ribs onto a cookie sheet and pop into the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, turning over midway through cooking. This not only will reheat them, but it will add a light crust to the outside while leaving them succulent and juicy on the inside.

Finally, finally, serve with roasted potatoes. Drizzle with gravy.

By Susie Timm, Cheesy Operating Foodie

As a child growing up in Wisconsin, if we needed cheese, we simply went to the local cheese store. There are dozens of such specialty stores scattered across the landscape of my birth state. They are as commonplace in Wisconsin as cows. Ok, perhaps not that common, but the point is still the same.

I really want that blow-up cow

In Arizona however, specialty cheese shops were as scarce as snow in Scottsdale.

That all changed on August 15, 2009.

Self proclaimed cheesemonger, Lara Hardwick opened Petit Fromage inside D’Licious Dishes at 7^th Ave and Missouri in Central Phoenix, and through the power of social media, has transformed the cheese culture in Arizona forever.

Hardwick has owned Fromage a Trois Fine Foods, a specialty wholesale food company for several years. Her company is a chef’s concierge service of sorts, and she specializes in helping local chefs locate hard to find ingredients.

Imported meats from all over the world

“I kept fielding phone calls asking me where our cheese shop is and so we had been looking for a retail outlet to service the consumer market,” said Hardwick.

Hardwick spent a lot of time learning about and developing a strong respect for the American Artisan Cheese Movement, so a cheese shop was a natural next step.

“Years ago there were more specialty cheese and gourmet food stores like Duck and Decanter and other pockets of places. Americans in general just started to have their food tastes change and as companies started to private label, our support of mom and pops and boutiques started to change,” explained Hardwick.

She continued, “now the economy has shifted again and people are supporting local. Also having a cheese shop is a very difficult business. I wouldn’t be able to open a retail shop if I didn’t have the wholesale business. Partly because of the sheer volume of products and the cost associated with buying these specialty goods. Everything is hand made, hand wrapped by farmers themselves.”

Hardwick’s cheese collection is impressive. During our visit, she served up some tasty goodness to Jay and me and I was enamored.

Yummy Cheese Plate

Hardwick calls herself a “cheese geek” who spends a plethora of time researching products and she said, “I handle an absurd amount of cheese on a daily basis.”

She mixes local and other domestic cheeses with some imports from Italy, France and a few other countries.

Wheel-o-cheese

Some of her best sellers come from Rogue Creamery, Bee Hive Cheeses, and Oregon Blue Vein.

“Most of my cheeses you won’t find anywhere else. I have organic teas and olive oils no one else has, and goat butter,” said Hardwick.

Consumers can special order quality products that she can get to AZ in good condition.

“Shipping in summer months is super challenging. I monitor quantity and volume during the cool months to make sure we have enough here for summer time,” said Hardwick.

I found out about Petit Fromage through Twitter and asked Hardwick how it has impacted her business.

“Twitter is responsible for 60% of business that walks thru our doors. It’s how people found out about the shop, where we are. I can’t imagine where I would be without it,” she said.

Twitter has expanded Hardwick's business

Her short-term goal is to get even more people through the door. She’s open 11-8 M-F and 11-6 on Saturdays.

Long term, Hardwick hopes to open a wine bar concept in Scottsdale or Arcadia in addition to the cheese shop.

“This could be expanded to a bigger, sit down eating experience with wine and beer pairings and a venue we could do events at etc. I am actively pursuing that option,” said Hardwick.

Hardwick plans to do more events and classes in the summer time as she said, “a lot of people who want to expand their palates and learn more about cheese.”

Cheese sythe

I for one am so grateful for a friendly, neighborhood cheese shop that’s not in America’s Dairyland.

By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie

A few months ago, when I was still trying to find my way on Twitter, and truly understand the benefits it provides, I ran across a profile called @truckingoodfood.

I was immediately curious and started to watch the food banter between owner Jeff Kraus and other Foodies around the Valley and world.

I went to Truckin’ Good’s website and found to my delight, a mobile crêpe company right here in Arizona!

I do love crêpes. Light and flavorful outside filled with glorious delights inside like Nutella and banana or more savory ingredients like ham and cheese.

I tracked down Kraus and his lovely wife Erin Ware at the Carefree Art Festival to see their mobile crêpe operation in action.

Kraus and Ware have always desired to run their business from a mobile food truck, but due to some antiquated and frankly, quite strange, laws, Maricopa County doesn’t allow, “cooking crêpes in the open” from a truck.

So for now, the Truckin’ Good duo is cooking crêpes all over town at various festivals and Farmer’s Markets from a tent.  Damn well if I do say so myself.

Kraus waxed a bit poetic when I asked him about his crêpe vagabond lifestyle, “I decided to be mobile because it fits my gypsy like personality and it’s perfect because we go to places that people want to be. I feed off the energy of happy people and when people come up to us at these events they are having fun -they aren’t thinking about the economy, politics, and drama – you know what I mean? All that is on their mind is, hopefully my food, and having fun,” he said.

When I rolled up to the Carefree festival Ware and Kraus were crêpe-ing up their famous Nutella, banana and candied walnut crêpe as well as one with ham, cheese, pineapple and cherry drizzle.

Oozy Nutella Goodness

They use quality and fresh ingredients for all their crêpes and buy local as often as possible. The ham that day was from the Meat Shop in Phoenix.

I brought my husband and parents who were not previously acquainted with the joy of crêpes.

As Kraus worked his magic on the griddle, I asked him about how he got started.

“I took a practical and pasty cooking class at Classic Cooking Academy in North Scottsdale and my passion grew from there. When we went to Paris, there were street crêpes everywhere, and it was the coolest thing ever,” he said.

Special crêpe device for maximum efficiency

“We ultimately decided to specialize in crêpes because you can put anything in a crêpe and he loves all things French,” explained Ware.

At this point Kraus handed me the cone of joy that was the ham and cheese crêpe. It was delicious. I loved how the cherry drizzle complimented the salty pork and creamy cheese.

By the Power of Crêpe

I mowed down on the top of the crêpe and gave my sloppy seconds to my family.

Kraus got started on sweet crêpe. This particular crêpe was very first combo he created upon the onset of his crêpe obsession. In fact, he so loved Nutella that he decided a jar of it was owed the ultimate homage.

As a tattoo. On his forearm. Now, I am a big tattoo fan, and a big crêpe fan. So in my mind, he had immediate street cred and respect. I mean, how many men would festoon a body part with a tub of hazelnut goodness?

Now THAT's Dedication to your Food

He’s got other cool tats as well that he will show you if you come buy some goodies at his tent.

I digress.

My parents and husband adored both the savory and sweet crêpes. It was my dad’s first taste of Nutella and earned the John Timm “Thumbs Up.”

Yum.com

“It’s cool for me to share my food with people who care. And it’s even cooler to introduce people to new things – no joke, I fed at least five people who had never eaten crêpes before and at least one person who had never had Nutella at this festival,” said Kraus.

Ultimately, Kraus and Ware want to own a café restaurant with specialty carts and trucks all over Phoenix.

They are pioneering the gourmet food truck craze, one crêpe at a time.

“I just want to bring good food and new things to people on the street,” said Ware.

As for the simple nature and delivery of his food—Ware said, “Being at happy places makes my crêpes even that much better to eat. People are stimulated by their surroundings, right. It’s cheesy but if you think about it food has a multi sensory effect on people and when I create food that is honest, good, and different and serve it at places that people forget about reality it makes their eating experience 100x better.”

Jeff Shows Off his Mad Skills

He continued, “I don’t have any intentions on being a James Beard nominee.”

If there were a James Beard category for creative, humorous and passionate chefs who make food they love in a truck, or in a tent, I would lobby the committee to put Jeff Kraus high on their list of nominations.

Taste the difference! You can find Kraus and Ware and their magnificent crêpes all over the valley. Check them out at www.truckingoodfood.com

By Lizbeth Conguisti, the Sassy Sommelier

Nobody can tell you what wine is best. The only true way to determine your wine of choice is through tasting.

On February 27^th I put on my Sommelier hat for a birthday celebration with the WPB’s — a group of professional ladies who get together once a month to share an exceptional dinner and wine tasting experience.  The evening started with a lovely tray of large blackberries, strawberries and blueberries.  Next was a tray of fresh cheeses along with thin slices of French bread.  The first course was “Tri Colored Tortellini” served with Pesto, Alfredo and Marina Sauce, prepared by Gosia. Our taste buds jumped at the opportunity to fill our mouths with each spoonful.  On this evening to celebrate Kristin’s Birthday, the pasta was a perfect way to honor the fact that Kristin grew up in Italy.

At these events, typically, each of the ladies prepares a portion of the meal and the hostess provides the theme and wine tasting.  While this group has been meeting for several years they have never done a formal tasting, so I walked them through the tasting steps referred to as the 5 S’s.

Sip, Swirl and Savor your way thru the 5 S's of Wine Tasting

The Five S’s

When tasting a wine, run a list of descriptive words through your mind.  Think fruit (lemons, limes, berries, peach, apricot, melon, pineapple) or earthiness (mushrooms, mud, leaves, forest, wood).  Use familiar words to describe your experience, and descriptions you will remember.  For it is your ability to recognize the aromas and taste of wine again and again that makes a good wine taster.

See: Look at the color: is it pale straw, Aztec yellow, blond, golden, green gold, brick red, ruby red, deep purple, cranberry red, burgundy?

Swirl: Swirl the wine in the glass to release the aroma, bouquet, and fragrance.

Sniff: Sniff the wine in the glass. What scents do you detect: apple, apricot, peach, lemons, limes, pineapple, pear, baked apple, butter, butterscotch, yeast, asparagus, plum, raspberry, baked cherry, jam, prunes, mint, licorice, spiced tea, mushrooms, orange, chocolate, coffee, cigar box, pipe tobacco, cola, beans, almonds, bread, biscuits, cinnamon, cloves, honey, ginger, yeast, gardenia, geranium, rose, honeysuckle, chalk, flint, grass, hay, minerals, stone, straw, gasoline, rubber, earth, or leaves?

Sip: Swirl the wine in your mouth. How does it feel: full-bodied, medium-bodied, light-bodied?

Savor: Hold the wine in your mouth. Keep your mouth closed, then breathe in through your nose and swallow the wine. Take a moment to remember how the wine felt in your mouth: full, light, crisp, acidity, bitter, tannic, uneventful, or full and round, comfortable, savory, wonderful, satisfying like velvet?

Try the following wines to get started on your wine tasting education and don’t hesitate to order a copy of “Sip, Swirl, Savor:  A Wine Tasting Guide and Journal” to help you keep track of the wines you taste.  E-mail us at sassysommelier@sassysommelier.com with your book order.   $ 12.00 including shipping to Foodies Like Us Fans.

By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie

Bread Matters. That’s the resounding mantra of Simply Bread owner and founder Harold Back.

As a bread lover, I wanted a chance to see the company behind many of the valley’s bountiful and delicious bread baskets.

I recently asked the legions of people who are “fans” on our Facebook page: Bread basket: Ignore or Engage. The overwhelming majority responded, “INDULGE immediately,” or “Only if it’s good bread.” The main sentiment was that bread is the benchmark for a good meal and can really set the stage for the rest of the dining experience.

Back couldn’t agree more and said, “The bread basket is like eating with your chin. The first thing client is going to taste is the bread. Many chefs don’t care—but many do and the ones that do are the ones we service.”

The bread basket counts.

Simply Bread started in 2006 with a modest operation off 24^th St. and McDowell. They have grown and expanded rapidly and have since moved their baking operation to Chandler. They maintain a warehouse, retail shop and business offices at their original Phoenix location.

Back, along with head baker Jeff Yankellow have created a business model that thrives on restaurant and store buyers who appreciate quality ingredients and processes.

“When we opened we had Royal Palm, Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton as our first clients. We made a decision to focus on high grade, high quality ingredients,” said Back.

The Retail Shop Sign on 24th and McDowell

Back believes strongly that bread is a deep-seeded primal need of humans. “It’s our first civilized act, growing wheat and making bread,” he said.

Simply Bread handcrafts over 182 items for a growing customer list that ranges in type of restaurant fairly dramatically.

“You can have a delicious sandwich at Streets of NY for lunch and then have our product for dinner at the Four Seasons,” explained Back.

Simply Bread’s business model has remained true to its original philosophy as its client base has evolved and expanded.

Day Old Specials for $3

“We are not going to compromise the quality of ingredients or techniques to make our high quality goods. We’ve got to make high quality everything, no matter what,” said Back.

In fact, throughout the course of our interview, Back stressed high quality ingredients no less than twenty times. He is quite passionate about that topic!

All bread varietals start out with sourdough as a base, but many use different starters dependant upon the type of bread.

Rows of Fresh Baked Delights

Simply Bread also makes seasonal items such as stuffing, hot crossed buns and mandel bread.

Simply Bread makes granola too!

They use local products like olive oil from Queen Creek Olive Mill, and organic fruits and nuts.

“We don’t use any chemicals or artificial ingredients. When you look at our product, what we include is important but what we exclude is also very important. You are not going to find a lot of ingredients in our product that you WILL find it other bread makers locally. We don’t put any bromates in our flour. Everyone includes them in this market. We do not. It’s a known carcinogen. It makes a difference in the integrity of the product,” said Back, “there’s a clean label on our product.”

Simply Bread is focused on slow and steady growth. They don’t want to expand too rapidly and lose focus of quality and consistency of their product.

As for competition in the market? “If you look at bread as a commodity, then we have a lot of competition. However, we don’t look at it that way, so we know we are set apart,” said Back.

It is evident to me that if the bread basket is “owned” by Simply Bread, that it will make an indelible impression on my dining experience. Bread, indeed, matters.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies