By Molly Cerreta Smith, Guest Blogger, Foodies Like Us

Tucked into a strip center on the corner of 7th Street and Mountain View lies Scramble, a quick casual breakfast joint that is mixing things up in this Sunnyslope neighborhood that is a mixed bag of old, ramshackle homes and luxury condos. Though the location is a bit precarious, Scramble is in good company; it sits adjacent to the popular Il Posto/Lounge and across from the Burger Studio.

We dined on Memorial Day Monday and, though when we walked in we pretty much had the place to ourselves, by the time we were stuffing forkfuls of scrumptiousness into our faces, the place was packed and there was a line out the door.

Scramble is a hip, sunny little spot – hues of green, bright orange and brown fill the modern, open space. Clocks tell the time of cities across the country from San Francisco to New York, large flat screens cover every corner, cute egg and breakfast quotes adorn the walls and a giant word scramble (no pun intended) keeps diners busy searching for egg varieties during the short wait for their plates.

Armed with recommendations from General Manager Cameron Froment, we decided to try both a savory and a sweet dish. He suggested the French French Toast and one of the Brizzas. What’s a brizza, you ask? It’s a breakfast pizza, and while for me those two things would have never gone together unless it was actually pizza for breakfast, I was pleasantly surprised!

Ok, so let’s start with the sweet. The French French Toast is super-thick slices of French baguette dipped in vanilla custard and served with cherrywood bacon. It was crispy on the outside and ooey gooey on the inside. I am a true French toast lover, and this goes down as one of my favorite French toast experiences. You know it’s good when the butter and the syrup are the only things that remain on the plate when you’re done. With French toast this good, you don’t need anything to cover it up.

The accompanying bacon was thick and chewy, not crispy and curly like the kind of bacon I make at home. The cherrywood flavor really came through not only in taste but in color – it was quite beautiful bacon! But truth be told, I slid most of it over to my carnivorous hubby in exchange for another slice of his Brizza!

There are four Brizza choices on the menu, but we chose the Toluca, following Cameron’s sage advice – plus it had a little fire icon next to it, signifying it as a spicy dish. We were sold. In case you aren’t into spicy, especially as the sun is still rising, the Gouda is another very popular Brizza choice.

The Brizza is made with hand-tossed dough that is reminiscent of a breakfast biscuit, then it’s covered with hollandaise sauce, scrambled eggs, and in the case of the Toluca, chorizo, bell pepper, Monterey jack cheese and a jalapeno cream cheese drizzle. The chorizo packed a powerful spicy punch, but the creamy cheeses and hollandaise sauce cooled things down. It was an exercise in delicious complexity, and left me wanting more. I’m a convert and am intrigued to try other Brizzas!

Classics such as eggs benedict, omelettes, pancakes and oatmeal round out the breakfast menu. Scramble serves lunch after 11:00 a.m., and offers a variety of sandwich, pizza and salad options.

Scramble is no ordinary breakfast joint, however. Despite its quick casual atmosphere, this restaurant is truly dedicated to its craft – and that starts with the ingredients. Scramble uses only fresh ingredients from local markets, farmers and vendors and maintains relationships with local favorites such as Hickman’s Family Farms, Schreiner’s Fine Sausage and Sun Orchard.

My only disappointment here was that I did not have enough room to sample all the items that I would have loved to try. But I’m not too sad about it — I’m planning my next trek to Scramble very soon. I hope to see you there!

http://www.azscramble.com

By Lizbeth Conguisti, the Sassy Sommelier

Professional wine tasters and writers have created a lengthy list of descriptive words to help us understand the characteristics, fragrances, and aromas of the many different wine varieties on the market today. Unfortunately, many of us do not smell the same scents in the glass that the pros do.

My suggestion is to find your own descriptive words to describe what you smell in your glass when you taste. If the wine in your glass smells like your grandmother’s cedar chest, and that is something you like using to describe the wine, this will work well for you. The same is true for the taste in the glass. Look for a taste you are familiar with, things you can identify and put a name to. All the descriptive words are useless unless they can help you remember what is in your glass. Match the smell and taste of the wine to something you can identify and remember. To help you build your vocabulary of descriptive words, take time when in the grocery store to smell fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers, and spices. In no time you’ll have your own lengthy list of descriptive words.

A few key words on Italian wine labels you need to pay attention to: “classic” is the word used to reference the “heart of the region”. We often see this word used on the label of wines from the Chianti region.  The other term we wanted to bring to your attention is “superiore” — to use this word on an Italian wine label indicates higher alcohol. 

My Italian heritage makes Italy my favorite place to vacation and when I am not in the country I love tasting Italian wines. Over the past few weeks we’ve tasted a few wines we would like to share with you. Our hope is you’ll find them enjoyable.

Colli di Soligio Prosecco Brut, NV:

100% Prosecco. A sparkling wine made from grapes from the Treviso hills.  A wine with delicate flavor notes of dry fruit and mangoes, with a pleasant and creamy aftertaste on the palate.

Firrato Chiarmonte Nero d’Avola:

100% Nero D’Avola. The Nero D’Avola is a native grape to Sicily. This wine is full bodied, opaque deep purple color, with ripe plum and spice notes. Exotic flavors and a silky finish. 

Tenuta de Capezzana Barco Reale di Carmingnano, Toscana DOC 2006:

A blend of 70% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet and 10% Canaiolo Nero. It is ruby red in color, with attractive youthful perfumes of ripe, red fruit, strawberries and redcurrants with the French oak adding a spicy depth. On the palate, it has lovely balance between lively, red fruit characters and smooth, spicy tannins. The quality is sustained right to the finish (Wine makers notes). I couldn’t agree more.

By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie

After working in corporate America for the first 10 years of my career, the past 12 months of self-employment have been a walk in the park. Mostly.

Some days, people and situations frustrate me. Especially when I remember, as the business owner, that I am indeed the one who has to handle these problems (or I pass the buck to Jay…).

Jay and I were set to eat at Bourbon Steak last week and I was in a killer mood. And I had a headache. Double whammy.

I showed up grumbling and I decided not to valet so I hoofed it across the property in painful shoes.

It was one of “those” days for certain.

I arrived at Bourbon Steak inside the Scottsdale Princess in a less-than-perfect mind set.

Jay and I settled into a bottle of wine (1/2 price on Tuesdays!) and reviewed the events of the day.

After telling him my woes—we both started getting fired up. “Uh-oh. This dinner is not going to be very good,” I was thinking in my head.

I am pleased to report, I was wrong. Very, very wrong.

Our server Andrew had a very pleasant demeanor and easily brushed aside the death-ray glances we were shooting around the room.

We decided to sample various tastes from the menu and therefore passed the buck to the Chef to make decisions for us that evening.

The first dishes that arrived were a salad course. First we tried the silky heirloom and burrata salad with pickled onion. It was a bright medley of flavors and colors.

Next, the bibb lettuce wedge with avocado puree and smoky blue cheese was salty and tangy with the right amount of crunch.

My lactose-intolerant dining companion tried the spiced, poached prawns. He said they had a warming general heat and a firm texture.

My mood started to change. Slowly but surely.

Next they brought over what we deemed as the stars of the evening.

Tableside beef and tuna tartare.

I have never been a huge fan of tuna tartare, however, this version has changed my entire way of thinking about it. Both Jay and I agreed it was the best we had ever tasted.

It was spicy, salty little piece of tuna heaven on a toast point. I think I used the word “yowza” multiple times in a sentence. The tuna is mixed with pears, ancho chili and pine nuts.

This little dish brought my mood from a 4 to an 8 almost immediately.

Next, we tasted the Kobe beef tartare.  Also mixed tableside, this dish literally melted in our mouths. It was served with traditional garnish and grilled pita bread. It was also one of the best interpretations of beef tartare I have ever tasted.

Mood meter: 8.5

Next they served us Tapioca Crusted Snapper with basmati rice. The fish was crunchy outside, creamy inside and cooked to the perfect tenderness. The combination of flavors between the seasoned fish and the rice was intensely satisfying. I really enjoyed the light and summery flavors as well as the garlic, aromatics and sesame vinaigrette. It was a very memorable piece of fish that I will return for. Very soon!

Andrew then told us all about the meat preparation for the restaurant’s specialty: steak.

The meat is slow poached at 110 degree heated butter and aromatics for 4-6 hours. Then it sizzles on the mesquite grill for a turn and is finally finished in a 600-700 degree oven. The butter hydrates the steak and keeps it from shrinking when cooked.

Since I am a beef fan beyond words, I was nearly giddy at this point in sheer anticipation of buttery meat delights.

I was not disappointed. We sampled Organic Free-Range NY Strip, the rib cap of the Rib Eye cut and an American Kobe Filet.

All had a rich, butter (go figure) flavor and mesquite char. I found each cut to be incredibly tender and well cooked to my desired medium temp.

They served the beef with three different sample size versions of their side dishes. I tried the mac and cheese, creamed spinach and horseradish potatoes. All were delicious and nutritious. Well, at the least delicious.

At this point I was 100% over my crankiness and ready for something sweet to finish off my delicious meal!

We tasted frozen Fage yogurt with peaches, a trio of sorbets and a banana tarte tatin.

I had to tear myself away from the banana tarte and found the other desserts to be light and satisfying. I am a gigantic Fage yogurt fan (meaning I eat about $20/week of it) so it was awesome to try it frozen.

I will admit I was not sure what my opinion on Bourbon Steak would be. I went there in a bad mood with no real expectations of the meal.

I left with a huge smile on my face and some of the most delicious food I have had in Arizona in my tummy.

Bourbon Steak offers food for carnivores and non-carnivores alike. The prices are in the mid-high range and the setting is upscale and classy. This is indeed a special occasion destination.

Three cheers for Bourbon Steak—they turned my frown upside down! I will return and recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a first rate food adventure.

http://www.fairmont.com/scottsdale/GuestServices/Restaurants/BOURBONSTEAK.htm

By Chris Schirm, Guest Blogger, Foodies Like Us

Amarone Ristorante Italiano‎, located at 91st St and Via Linda, has been open for about a year and is named after Amarone della Valpolicella. According to owner Henry Benjamin, Amarone is one the most expensive and full bodied Italian wines on the market. The rich blend of full-bodied Italian flavors was something that I hoped would soon grace my palate, not just from the wine but the food as well.

I was joined by two of my favorite people in all of Arizona, Kelle and Aunt Louanne. As we walked into Amarone, the first thing we saw was a beautiful 360 degree bar made of white onyx, carefully backlit with a shining subtle white light. The dining room is completely open save the wine library, (used for parties of 10 or more) and the cabanas that decorate a complete side of the restaurant.

We were greeted by one of the owners Henry Benjamin, who showed us to one of the cabana tables and brought us a plate of fresh bread and butter with mint. The bread was incredibly fresh and flaky and the freshness of the mint was a unique and delicious start to the meal. Coupled with a splendid 2002m Brunello Di Montelcino Col D’orica wine that had the entire flavor I was hoping when I walked in the door.

The first dish was an antipasti medley presented on a white dish. Our antipasti dish included a salt grilled bruschetta with roma tomatoes, garlic, and fresh mozzarella cheese; a mozzarella caprese salad with basil; fresh honeydew melon wrapped in perfectly sliced prosciutto, and pickled escabeche and mushrooms. The Caprese salad had sand dollar sized slices of mozzarella with fresh Roma tomatoes and delightful basil pesto. The prosciutto was the freshest that I have seen in any Italian restaurant in Scottsdale, no fat and thinly sliced to perfection. If Henry hasn’t hugged his butcher recently, he certainly should now. The mushrooms, olives and brushcetta were fresh but nothing to write home to mom about.

For entrees we were presented with a Shrimp Pasta, Pork Chop Millanese with Roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and dusted with basil, and a Halibut Amarone which is a fresh fillet of halibut, sautéed with bell peppers, sliced potatoes, onion in a garlic white wine lemon butter sauce topped with caramelized onions.

The shrimp pasta with a light tomato sauce reminded me of that one beautiful dinner by Lake Yerevan in Armenia four years ago. There was the delicate touch of the waves, a cloudy sunset and two great traveling partners. We had just finished 14 days straight of almost straight travel through busses, rusted out ferries, rickshaws, and hell bent taxis. The dust, exhaustion and perils of our journey seemed to melt away into that beautifully simple tomato sauce and shrimp just grabbed from the Mediterranean the day before. There were no premonitions, no lagging doubts or worries, just simple culinary enjoyment. Amarone Shrimp Pasta brought back that same feeling of nirvana.

On the other hand, the Pork Chop Millanese did little more than satiate my hunger. The pork chop was a tad overcooked and tried to compensate by more sauce and fresh mozzarella with roasted rosemary potatoes. The halibut, which a recent press release calls their staple of the new lunch menu, was perfectly cooked, but I think had a bit of an identity crisis. The caramelized onions slathered on top had no flavor and the thinly sliced potatoes and peppers seemed to take away flavor rather than add it to the fish. While many may appreciate the creativity of this new lunch item, I was far from blown away.

For dessert, we were presented with chocolate filled cannelloni, a chocolate fudge cake, and tiramisu coupled with espresso. The cannelloni had a good balance of a crunch and chocolate, the tiramisu was fresh and a good balance of flavors, but the chocolate cake was definitely a favorite around our table.

As we sipped on our espressos we had a chance to sit down and talk more to Benjamin. “Throughout my childhood, growing up in West London, I always was told follow your heart,” said Benjamin. “This is where all of my success has come from….following my heart.” Hearing of his success, even in this economy, is definitely refreshing to hear. So perhaps when we begin to choose our destinations for lunch, dinner, or even dessert we look for those places with heart, not just our hunger…I certainly hope that many find their hearts at Amarone.

Amarone is now open for lunch with a menu. Their happy hour includes a multitude of wines by the glass and food offered for $5 each, plus 50 percent off bottles over $150. Their new location in Gilbert, located just off Main St. is scheduled to open the first half of June.

By J.E. Pizarro, Chief Executive Foodie

Susie and I recently decided to revisit a local food institution after a long hiatus. T. Cook’s at the Royal Palms resort.

I remember that the very first time I visited T. Cook’s, so many years ago, it felt like I was in my Great Aunt’s fantastic garden.  With arches, green grass, bougainvilleas, and the sweet smell of a variety of flowers it brought back memories of childhood forgotten.

Beyond its ability to take me back to my youth, dining out at T. Cook’s is an incredible experience!

From the engaging bar with live music on most nights to the rich Tuscan paintings that adorn the restaurant, T. Cook’s brings richness to Phoenix/Scottsdale dining that is rarely seen.

The main factor in the unique richness that is T. Cook’s happens to be Executive Chef Lee Hillson.

Hillson is down to earth, funny, talented and literally not afraid to get naked for a good cause.  (Check out the naked chefs calendar that raises money for multiple organizations).

My business partner Susie was able to gaze upon his “good nature” every day for the month of April!

Lee is not only a charismatic feature at T. Cook’s, he has also created a menu that is sublime. Lee really let his hair down during the crafting of this menu. (If you’ve met him you understand how much).

When Susie and I dine out, we enjoy when we have the chance to dine on small tastes of larger starters, entrees and desserts.

This way we get to taste a larger variety of items while not filling up-or gaining 20 lbs per meal!

Hillson prepared a six course tasting menu for us on this particularly fortuitous evening.

It’s said that we eat first with our eyes before our mouths. Hillson’s 6-course menu was printed and waiting for us on the table when we arrived for our reservation. We knew immediately that we were in for quite a treat!

T. Cook’s has a warm, disarming atmosphere that allows all worries and cares to melt into the background. The focal point becomes simply the plate in front of you.

The first course was wild burgundy escargot with roasted red onion and roasted garlic and crisp (and I mean crisp) house-made pancetta, presented in a puff pastry bun. The mix of flavors and textures was remarkable.

Sometimes escargot is “chewy” or “rubbery”, however in this case it seemed to dissolve in my mouth with rumors of the garlic and onion flavors.  The presentation of it was equally inviting.  I’ll certainly be back to have it at the bar with a nice glass of wine while I write my next foodie adventure.

We are always up for a great antipasto platter and the second course didn’t disappoint.

House cured meat, vegetables and artisan cheeses all served in a caramelized onion puff pastry were complimented by a crisp Pinot Grigio. The puff pastry was light and buttery.

The next course is where Susie and I normally would be worlds apart in our assessments. Susie typically remarks that beets “taste like dirt.”

In this presentation however, she agreed that Roasted Beet Carpaccio Salad was “the bomb.”

The artichokes with the lemon vinaigrette that formed base flavors made a light and favorable course that tickled our taste buds and were portioned small enough to wet our appetites for the next course.

Beets are our friends, and regardless what a certain “blond” says, they are a delicious, earthy root that if well prepared (such as this one) will become a fast favorite.

Next on the lineup was one of the best pasta dishes I’ve had in a few years.

Carbonara with garlic cream, prosciutto, house-cured Pancetta and egg yolk. It was a combination of several of my favorite ingredients that together, created an incredibly memorable dish.

Rarely do I take leftovers home, but in this case I had to take an extra serving home (I ended up giving it to Susie to take home to her husband Eric).

I wish I had kept it for myself because it was that damn good.  The pasta was tender but it was really the sauce. Oh my, the sauce. Salty, creamy and mouth-watering.

This life-changing entrée is worth the trip to T. Cook’s.

Next on the docket, seared curry-dusted scallops with potato spinach cake & golden raisin-caper emulsion.

In this case Susie gave rave reviews.  I’ve never turned down a scallop, but I don’t typically go out of my way to order them. Susie remarked the curry spice mixture was just enough spice to give a unique flavor layer that offset the sweetness from the raisin-caper emulsion. She enjoyed it tremendously.

At this point we were getting very full! Hillson came out to greet us and we joked, “Is that it??” He said, “No, I’ve got a lot more in store.” Uh oh. We gripped our full bellies.

The second to last course was a tasting of three of their main entrees.  Paella, boursin and spinach stuffed chicken breast and their 21-day dry aged prime rib-eye. We enjoyed the chicken the most. We found the paella to be fairly flavorless and the rib-eye was a bit too fatty for our liking. The chicken was moist and the tangy boursin cheese complimented the dish tremendously.

The final two courses (wow) were dessert and cheese. The cheese was the surprise from Hillson as he had us sample multiple different kinds, all that he purchased thru Petit Fromage. There were various textures and tastes involved but overall it was a truly amazing cheese plate.

T. Cook’s is a Valley restaurant with incredible staying power and consistency. We were swooning over our delicious meal and cursing ourselves at the same time for letting years lapse between visits. Guaranteed, that will never happen again.

http://www.royalpalmshotel.com/phoenix-arizona-dining.php

By Susie Timm, Chief Operating Foodie

I’ve been coming to Scottsdale on vacation since 1980 (and I’ve lived here since 1992) and I’ve seen Sphinx Ranch and their alluring “Famous Date Shakes” sign so many times that I became desensitized.

However, after Ron Vance, their director of marketing was kind enough to invite me in for a date (ha!) my ice cream endeavors will never be the same again.

Christa Oyer and I dropped in on Vance a couple of weeks ago to get the inside scoop (what’s with my puns today?) on date shakes.

Ancient folklore (ok Wikipedia) said date shakes came from California in the late ‘20s.

The folks at Sphinx Ranch have been cranking them out for decades as well.

Sphinx ranch opened in 1951 and their location on Scottsdale Rd just south of Oak has been there since the early 1990’s.

They have a Medjool date grove outside of Yuma and another one near Gila Bend. They also source the rare “black sphinx” dates from a grove in the Arcadia district.

Vance came on a little over a year ago to help the owner revamp Sphinx’s image as just another place for dates and to help promote the massive amounts of delicious dried fruits, nuts and other treats they sell.

Sphinx has a very impressive collection of local Arizona Wines as well as honey, salsa and lots of other specialty treats. They can put together fabulous wine and gourmet food gift baskets.

They have a modest walk-in business and a mail order following.

Sphinx has been actively marketing their date shakes in Old Town Scottsdale during the height of tourist season. I like to think they’re “pushing” shakes sort of like cocaine. Well, that might be a bit overdramatic, but these shakes are highly addictive!

During the high season, Sphinx has been known to churn 40+ shakes/ day. Vance said he has customers who come in multiple times/week to get their fix.

At this point Christa and I were thinking, “Ok man, bring on these shakes! Less talk more action!”

Vance scooped out some low fat vanilla and paired it with fresh dates and milk. He whipped it into a frenzy in their blender and voila! The date shake.

Vance said, “Dates work really well in shakes; they are perfect for the summer heat!”

Upon trying the date shake, Christa was very exuberant in her amazement at how yummy it was!

She’s normally a “chocolate only” person, but Sphinx has made a believer out of her.

Her reaction to a date sans shake was “meh,” but in the milkshake it was AWESOME.

I was also a big fan. The texture reminded me of an Oreo shake and it was sweet, but not overpowering.

Good thing Sphinx Ranch is located about 5 minutes south of my office.

A few other date factoids you may not be aware of:

• Dates are a great source of dietary fiber.
• They have the highest concentration of polyphenols (antioxidants) among dried fruits.
• Dates are a perfect energy boosting snack.
• Dates are one of the best natural sources of potassium.

So the moral of this yummy tale is that date shakes are nutritious and that Christa and I are capable of rationalizing any behavior as healthy.

Get over to Sphinx, get yourself a shake. You’ll thank us later.

http://www.sphinxdateranch.com/

By Lizbeth Conguisti, the Sassy Sommelier

The month of April seemed to fly by with lots of wine tasting and a segment on Arizona Midday 12 News on Wednesday April 7^th.  For this segment I focused on Arizona wines and what a nice surprise they turned out to be. 

I reached out to the Arizona Wine Growers who were very anxious to have us taste their wines.  At the Tempe Wine Festival in late March I had the opportunity to meet the wine makers and taste a lot of incredible wine from Arizona.  Our friend and associate Tim Hilcove of www.WeeklyWineJournal.com  filmed a few segments for his blog.  

On Saturday I visited the Sphinx Date Ranch on Scottsdale road just south of Earll Drive to taste Dos Cabezas Wines.  The date ranch is a great resource for tasting and purchasing Arizona grown and made wines.  They feature ONLY Arizona wines in their location.

Don’t shy away from Arizona Wines. The wine growers and makers are really starting to understand the soil and with that, the needs of the vines in this very unique growing area.  I believe I will continue to taste more good wines coming from our Arizona wineries.

Following the 5 S’s (see, swirl, sniff, sip and savor), I enjoyed the following wines and believe you will too. 

Page Spring Cellars Vino de la Familia Blanca 2008: 100% Arizona Malvasia Bianca

I agree totally with the wine maker on this wine; loved the fruit and will definitely drink it again.  

White wine for the Family! This is a wine to be shared with ones close to you. Its fragrant, tropical aromas jump from your wine glass, stimulating both the senses and conversation. With historical viticulture origins in southeastern Turkey, this liquid landscape is ancient and new — simple but complex. Enjoy the waves of pineapple, mandarin, muskmelon, lemon and honeysuckle with an open mind and thoughts of the high elevation Arizona desert. Enjoy this wine young.  (Wine Maker Notes)

Dos Cabezas Wine Works “El Norte” 2008: Grenach 55%, Mourvedre 25%, Syrah20%

This is a small production winery; they produce limited quantities of all of their wines. So when you find a wine from them you like you’ll need to stock up!  

This blend of three red grapes is full bodied with great deep dark color hints of dried fruit, with a touch of acidity on the finish.  I suggest enjoying this wine with grilled Italian sausages on a warm summer day.

Pillsbury Wine Company “Roan Red” 2008: Grenache 68%, Mourvedre 14%, Syrah 16%, Petite Syrah 2%

Another of Arizona’s small producers has changed the spelling of the grape from “Rhone” to “Roan”. In either case this is a wine you will want to sample when you get the opportunity.  I tasted this wine twice over the past few weeks and found it best after decanting. 

This medium-bodied dry wine is made from hand-picked single vineyard grapes they planted in a high desert valley, and matured in neutral American Oak for 12 months.  Delicate and fragrant, it has a nose of white flower and spice, a fresh, clean palate with red cherry, sandalwood, nutmeg and cinnamon, finishing with soft tannins and a hint of toasty oak. (wine maker notes)

Keeling-Schaffer Vineyards “Three Sisters Syrah” 2008

This husband and wife team is dedicated wine makers and offer this enjoyable dark red for your sipping pleasure.

Very ripe, dense and lush in the mouth, their “Three Sisters”, planted at their home ranch high in the foothills of Arizona’s Chiricahua Mountains, reflects a fruit-forward style and a floral nose. (wine maker notes)

Arizona wines now offer another great opportunity to shop local, even for the most discriminating wine connoisseur.

By Molly Cerreta Smith, Guest Blogger, Foodies Like Us

If you read my previous article on PastaBAR, you’ll remember that my husband and I dined there the night of the Fresh event, therefore we wanted to try the specially prepared three-course meal that Chef Wade Moises created in collaboration with the movie’s farm to table theme.

It was dynamic. However, the regular menu was far too enticing to pass up entirely, so we decided to order a few additional items to sample.

We started with the fritto misto – a delightful selection of fried garden vegetables including green beans, cauliflower, fennel bulbs, turnips and baby carrots – and the buffalo mozzarella, basil pesto, and heirloom tomatoes with anchovies. Each dish was clean and simple, letting the food really speak for itself. The freshness revealed itself in each delicious bite.

While I enjoyed the second course of the Fresh event tasting menu, my husband dove into the fettuccini tagliatta with charred rib-eye, arugula, cherry tomatoes, roasted garlic, and Parmigiano. This dish was to die for, and I found myself stealing forkfuls from his bowl more often than I care to admit. So yummy.

We also had to sample the slow roasted pork shoulder, which was juicy and flavorful. This also happened to be the spark that ignited Chef Wade on this night.

When he came to our table to say hello, I didn’t know quite what to expect. Some chefs are shy; some are arrogant. Chef Wade was a bit reserved… that is until we complimented him on his pork and my husband mentioned that he is a competitive barbequer. Suddenly something was unleashed within him, and he was talking a mile-a-minute. Smoking meat happens to be his second favorite way to cook, so the next thing you know he and my husband were talking meat, sharing vendor selections and trading cards. He revealed his busy schedule – maintaining the Downtown Phoenix Public Market, and owning and operating PastaBAR. I’m not sure the man had gotten a full night sleep in weeks, and it seemed clear that he was running on adrenaline – and possibly a lot of caffeine.

He also shared with us his inspiration for the PastaBAR menu: the small towns in Italy where he lived and worked. “They call it ‘townie’ food,” he shared. The idea of preparing fresh food from local vendors isn’t an anomaly in Italy as it is here, however. “It’s just the way it is there,” he explained.

In addition to the cultural tutelage he received while cooking in Italy, Chef Wade also worked in New York City with famed Chef Mario Batali. He served as sous-chef/chef di cuisine at Batali’s Lupa Osteria Romana, and, of course, you’ll remember that he served as executive chef of north Scottsdale’s Sassi prior to opening PastaBAR, so it’s no coincidence that pasta is his passion. And that passion is evident in every dish presented at PastaBAR, and in Chef Moises himself!

 www.pastabaraz.com

By Trudy Thomas, Director of Beverage, Camelback Inn Resort and Spa

Widely associated with the Kentucky Derby, the Mint Julep is an old cocktail with only four ingredients: bourbon, water, mint and sugar, and is traditionally served in a pewter or silver cup over crushed ice.  The first printed reference to the julep was in 1803 when it was described as “a spirituous liquor that has mint in it” but most cocktail historians believe it dates back to the early 1700’s.

The Spring Fever which is an interpretation of the original julep incorporating strawberries with fresh spearmint.  The addition of Navan Vanilla Cognac adds a soft accent to the Maker’s Mark bourbon base and the final cocktail is finished off with a touch of club soda.  No mint julep would be complete without the finishing garnish of a long mint sprig trimmed to the match the size of the straw so the fresh aromas of mint tickle the senses before the first sip of the drink.

Ingredients:

2 Strawberries (1 muddled – 1 sliced)

5 – 7 mint leaves depending on size

1 oz simple syrup

½ oz Navan Vanilla Cognac

1 ½ oz Maker’s Mark Bourbon

1 long mint sprig top for garnish

In a mixing glass muddle one strawberry with the mint leaves and simple syrup.  Add the cognac and bourbon then ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a metal julep cup or a tall Collins, which is filled with ice and strawberry slices.  Top with club soda and gently stir to combine.  Garnish with a mint sprig trimmed to the height of the straw.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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