NancyH

I had a borscht epiphany at Antalya Red Square in Lyndhurst Ohio today! A group of us went for lunch. We started with a new appetizer, Kisir: According to Wikipedia, Kısır is a traditional Turkish side dish made from bulgur wheat, parsley, and tomato paste. Common additional ingredients include parsley, tomato paste, onion, garlic (in some regions), sour pomegranate juice (in southern regions of Turkey) or lemon, lettuce leaves, and a lot of spices. It had a reddish color and a little bit of spice, and was quite tasty. But the best was yet to come! Borscht. Yup, beet soup. One of the most delicious things I have ever tasted! . I'd never heard of borscht being made with meat, but this version had chunks of beef, and I believe, beef stock. And onions that must have been sweat for an hour. I've got lots of other Antalya lunch pix on my blog, from several visits- their food is always fresh and delicious, but today took the cake, er, beets.

Say (or PM) the word, my hungry friend! It's been so long since I had skordalia that I couldn't tell you; but it was fresh a delicious!

Well I did get back there- but it was a Tuesday and that darn pig just seemed to sing to me - "play with me, play with me." All of the photos are on my blog, but here is what we ate. We started with a couple of new appetizers (and a couple of older ones that I won't repeat here): Ricotta Cheese Dip It was as tasty as it looks! Fried Zucchini with Goat Cheese Yum - I liked this much better than the Zucchini Salad they did before. Pork and Smoked Cheddar Pizza I believe this is the same pie as Edsel posted about above, but I don't remember any salsa verde; they may have tweaked that (or my memory may simply suck). "White Prosciutto" Pizza Coined by Mario Batali - code for lomo. Pork Roast Plate Luscious pig meat, a skin-covered rib and a crispy crackling, over a luxurious butternut squash/butter puree, accompanied by Brussels Sprouts sauteed in bacon. Seven of the eight adults at our table ordered the Pig Roast, and we licked our plates clean! Pork and Veal Meatballs in Tomato Broth with Fontina, Pancetta & Pine Nuts This is served with the diner's choice of side (Shelley opted for cheesy polenta). Lemon Semifreddo, Topped with the most ethereal Basil Syrup and fresh berries. Dang, I really wanted to try the linguini with clams. Or the fish special (cod) - but that pig just called to me, and I had to play with him (or her)! Lolita continues to impress - I just need to go on a night other than Tuesday!

Or as Scarlett would say... [affected Southern accent] "After all...Tomorrow, is another day!!" [/affected Southern accent] I'm not sure I could wait a whole year to have matzoh ball soup again. ← Who says that you have to wait? I'll probably make them at Rosh Hashonah time.

Wow - you got some beautiful shots, Edsel! I just need to add my own, slightly different perspective on this fabulous dinner. You see, I am a not-so-observant Jewish person, who, during the week of Passover, usually sticks to the program. I'm not sure why, but when growing up, it was the one week of the year we observed Kashruth, and I like to continue that tradition. But, as I wrote on my blog, when Chef Paul Minillo mentioned at the Burgess Wine Dinner that the next special dinner at the Baricelli Inn would be April 24, and would feature the Olive Oil and Wines of Villa Calcinaia, I knew I could not miss this. It is the best Olive Oil I have ever tasted, and so I knew I had to taste their wines, as well as whatever wonderful food Chef Paul would pair with it. So, Bob and I took a "temporary break" from Passover to enjoy this incredible meal, which we shared with Edsel and another couple. We didn't fool around in "breaking" Passover - as bread was served with the first wine pour. While I might otherwise have simply passed on it (sorry) - that lovely little bottle of olive oil on the table beckoned, and I could not resist its siren song. As Edsel noted, all of the breads served at Baricelli are sourced from Mediterra Bakehouse in Pittsburgh, PA, and they are generally very good. After the first slice pictured above, a rather plain bread (which was an ideal foil for the olive oil), the bread service for the evening switched to this amazing Olive Bread. The Halibut dish was exquisite - fresh fish, perfectly cooked, with mini heirloom tomatoes that tasted of mid-summer. Edsel described this delicious pasta course perfectly. And, as he noted, we had barely touched our plates when Chef Paul came around, bearing cheese! Saying "I'm not supposed to do this" - he proceeded to sprinkle some cheese over our plates. I had wondered why there was no cheese in the first place - then Chef Paul explained that because he had used Anchovy in the sauce, he had initially followed the Italian tradition of not adding cheese to the dish. Then, he changed his mind! The anchovy provided a lovely bite to the sauce, that played perfectly against the wine, but it wasn't at all overpowering (which I often find to be the case with anchovy). And I love cheese with anything- especially Baricelli Cheese Company cheese! As with the Halibut course - I cleaned my plate (and I was not the only person at our table guilty of sopping up every bit of goodness with the Olive Bread, right Edsel?). I've got to say WOW about that house made sausage. It exploded with fresh, porky goodness. I think it is fair to say that, after enjoying this course, Passover was pretty much (you should pardon the expression), toast. I think we broke every rule in the Passover book with one dish - toothsome sausage laced with pepper that played beautifully off of the wine, served over cheesy polenta that had its own peppery flavor, and accented with the chard and ramps - a fabulous dish. And I'd do it again! The duck was as perfect as duck gets. The skin was amazingly crisp and not a bit greasy. Amazing! And now, an additional word or two on the dessert: The house-made truffle was as wonderful as the ice cream and olive oil (look hard - there's a gorgeous little puddle under the ice cream) - and was the perfect bridge among the other elements of the dish and the wine. We look forward to enjoying another meal at Baricelli, and it is always fun dining with Edsel.

The reason for wetting the hands is to keep the batter from sticking to them - if it isn't sticking, then the batter is too dry. It should get fluffy and kind of hard to handle after sitting in the fridge - mom always said to cup the batter gently in the palm of the hand and sort of "roll" it into the water. Maybe next time I make them, I'll get my husband to photograph my hands!

it's interesting you say that. So, I'll fess up... After I combined all the ingredients, it looked very loose to me. (this was before letting it rest in the fridge). Never having made them before, I wasn't sure what if it was right. But I had followed the ratios on the box. (2 eggs, 1/2 cup matzo meal, some chicken fat, and a little splash of seltzer). So, thinking it was way to loose and that I would never be able to form a ball from it, I dumped in some more matzo meal. Then let it rest. When I took it out to form the balls, it was pretty stiff. I guess I didn't realize the dough would firm up some. I probably didn't need that addtional meal. But now I know for the next time. ← But yet despite the extra matzo meal, they floated and were fluffy? Hey - it's the results that count!

That's great!! At what point did you add the matzo meal? ←

Thank you for the phototour of your Tour! We did the Tour in October, and it is cool to see the new dishes (and which ones are still there)!

The answer is the same technique that makes a truly fantastic potato latke (pancake) - use the cheese grating wheel of your food processor (or the smallest holes on your box grater) to process the potato and onion: Add eggs (the best quality you can get), matzo meal, salt and pepper. If it is not Passover, you can use some baking powder for fluffiness; during Passover, use a TB or two of potato starch. Also, make sure to prep the pan properly or it will stick for sure. Oil or margarine generously, then dust with matzo meal. Hope you make one that comes out yummy!

Those do look yummy - well done! Here is how I do mine. Start with the freshest, best quality eggs you can get. I got mine from the Blue Egg Farmer, and they were only about a week out of the chicken when I cooked them! Begin by separating the eggs. For every 6 eggs, use 1 cup of matzo meal. The recipe this is based on, from Sara Kasdan's Love and Knishes, also calls for 1 TB schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) per six eggs, but since no one in my family ever used it, I do not. Here, I did a double batch, 12 eggs, 2 cups matzo meal. Since these were the fabulous Blue Eggs, which vary in size, I added a 13th egg. A little salt (2 tsp for 12 eggs, according the recipe, reduced a bit to account for the strength of Kosher Salt) and fresh ground white pepper (1/4 tsp), and that's all there is to it, though you can gussy it up with seasonings like nutmeg or parsley, or whatever else you want. But I am a purist with my Passover cooking. And I always wind up glad I didn't mess with the recipe! Beat the yolks beat the yolks until light, then add the salt and pepper. In the Kitchen Aid, beat the egg whites until stiff. Then, add the yolk mixture on top, and gently fold in. Once the ingredients are folded together, cover with a dishtowel and refrigerate for at least an hour. After about 3 hours in the fridge, the batter looked like this: I'm impressed that JSMeeker was able to form his balls and photograph them. My batter is too loose and messy to make balls and stand them anywhere! But I must be doing something right - here's the finished product:

You got some very good advice here. I just put up a pictorial of my matzo ball making process on my blog, www.funplayingwithfood.blogspot.com. I also posted recently on making chicken soup, again with photos. Hope they are yummy!

That bagel and salmon look simply amazing!

If the blood is grossing you out at all, consider kashering your meat - which basically means to brine it in saltwater, then rinse it thoroughly. It will also add flavor and texture.

It all looks yummy! I need to get back to Lolita ASAP! Did I understand your post that the linguine is fresh-made?

Time to bump this thread up with a post about a fantastic Cleveland restaurant that I've ignored for way too long. I refer to Chef Karen Small's Flying Fig. Dined there with a friend last night and the food was outstanding! Tomato Soup w/Cheddar Biscuit Roasted Beet Salad with Local Apples, Goat Cheese, Walnuts, Local Honey, Herb Vinaigrette This salad was almost a meal in itself! Baked Monkfish with Wild Rice Pilaf and Broccoli Rabe This dish was very good (I had a taste). Seared Halibut with Fresh Spatzel tossed with Asparagus and Mushroom, topped with Mandarin Orange Slices and Salad, with Buerre Blanc This dish was Rock 'N Roll! The fish was exquisitely fresh and perfectly cooked. Wow. And the sides were also terrific. I won't wait so long to get back!! Add another primo dining locale to the Cleveland scene (actually, the Fig has been around for a while, it's just taken me eons to get there).

Tino delivered his three bottles of Bug Juice to Cleveland's Velvet Tango Room last night, and invited a few friends to join in for a cocktail. Naturally, we had to do a Campari Tasting. Bob and I did it blind - we didn't know which was which. Moreover, neither of us has ever tasted naked Campari before (and only rarely in drinks). They looked the same. But there was no doubt which taste (and texture - we noticed a distinct difference in the mouthfeel of the two samples) we both preferred - Original Campari with the Carmine. So there. So sad. We posted a few pix of some new VTR cocktails here and here, BTW. And they are delicious!!

Bob and I were part of this expedition. It had been so long since I'd been to VTR that I needed to start with a Dark and Stormy, even though I knew that there were some fabulous new drinks on the menu! I'm a rum lover, so I had to try both of the new rum drinks. First - the Caprihauna [sp??] Notice how crystal clear those ice cubes are? Filtered water rocks, Paulius! Spicy Chica Paulius explained that this is a VTR original, which took several months to perfect. And perfect it is! Top quality rum, house-made ginger syrup, a touch of hot spice (did someone say habenero?), some sweet Amaretto to balance it out, shaken with ice and a fresh egg white, then topped with cinnamon. I repeat - the perfect cocktail; amazingly balanced. Looking forward to that new menu (and some warmer weather)!

We met Edsel for dinner after returning from a week in NY with family (which you can read about on my blog). It was a wonderful meal! Slice Shot The sausage was fantastic; made in in-house! Zucchini App Close Up This was the first appetizer from the "new menu" that I wasn't wild about. There was nothing wrong with it - it just didn't wow me, the way most of the Lolita food does. Pig Roast - Yum! Bob also got the Pig Roast, and it was wonderful - as Edsel said, lots of crispy skin! Pig Trotter Lasagna As difficult as it was to pass up the Pig Roast - I keep getting detoured past the entrees on the "new menu" (which I keep putting in quotes, because it's been around a while, and will be the "old menu" before I get through half of it at the rate I'm going) and I was determined to try the Lasagna. OMG - fresh pasta sheets, lots of fresh cheeses and meats, little sauce, and incredibly satisfying flavors. Semifreddo This was my first time trying this dessert - and again, Edsel hit it - it is the perfect end to dinner at Lolita!

Too bad no one could join us Monday- we had quite a feast! All the photos are on my blog, but here are a few teasers! Here is the "New Specials" menu; we didn't end up ordering anything off of it, but we would have had we had some help to eat it! Spicy Vegetable Dumpling (Handwritten Special under "Appetizer Szechuan Style") These were good - but the spicy Sichuan wontons are better! "Home Made" Sichuan Style Sausage (Wall Poster) This was full of pork fatty goodness - and tasted even better with the spicy sauce the dumplings were served in! Braised Lamb Fillet w/Chili Sauce (House Special #64) Spicy, perfectly tender lamb. Sauteed Noodle with Pork and Yellow Chive (Handwritten Special) This dish was discussed upthread - it seems so simple, but it is actually a complex flavor that really pairs well with all the spicy items. Pickled Cabbage with Minced Pork (Szechuan Home Style Vegetables #NV1) This was our least favorite dish. The "pickle" part was very strong, and overwhelmed the other flavors. Despite the visible chilies, to our palates, the sourness overpowered any heat that might have been in the dish. Ironically, my mom, who hates strong flavors and spice, loved these leftovers. Go figure. Spicy Volcano Chicken (House Special #61a) This is not your momma's Chinese Food chicken! Dry fried and fiery - outstanding! Scallion Fish Fillet (Fish Szechuan Style #25) This mild fish dish also complimented the spicy foods well - we had considered a spicy fish dish, but were glad that we reconsidered. The fish was very fresh and the light brown sauce mated well with the scallions. It was great to see Jo-Mel and to enjoy some awesome Sichuan food!

Lucky us! We are visiting family for a long weekend, and are planning to go to Chengdu 1 with Jo-Mel on Monday (an unusual way to celebrate St. Patrick's day, but I bet it tastes better than green beer or bagels!). We haven't been there since August, and our mouths are watering already! We are tentatively planning lunch, but could shift to dinner if needed to accomodate folks who have to work. Please PM me if you are interested in joining us!

Ce'nedra - I am jealous of that beautiful looking shrimp! Here in Cleveland, all shrimp is frozen and chemicalized; I just can't eat it. Your soup looks wonderful!

The pickled vegetables were amazing! Though I passed on the mini-pickles, I loved the fennel, turnip, pepperoncini and fresh beets. The pickled turnip intrigued everyone at our table. There is a photo of the pickes on Flickr.

And tuna fish cans. They were 8oz when I was a kid. What are they now - 6 and some fraction ounces?

For some reason, fresh Chinese noodles are always packaged in units of 5 skeins. Since we usually cook for two - that leaves an orphan from every package. Since the last package we used was a little old, I needed to use that last skein up rather than stick it back in the freezer. So - it was time for Crispy Noodle Pancake and Eggs for breakfast! First step: crisp up the noodles. Next - place pancake in the Toaster Oven to stay crisp. Finally - fry up two eggs over easy, coax egg yolk to dribble all over the pancake, and eat: