NancyH

Hubby and I --he a livelong Clevelander, and me a 12 year transplant -- laughed all the way through the Cleveland episode (well, not at every scene - some of it was a little depressing) - we thought the use of the Pekar art throughout the episode was brilliant and entertaining. I would have chosen some different locales/restaurants, but I'm not the filmmaker. I thought the Skyline thing was the result of a bet between Ruhlman and Bourdain over the drag race - but that is not how the episode presented it (it would have made more sense that way, IMHO). All in all, very satisfying, and yes, we get to eat that great stuff all of the time!

Four of us returned to Lolita last night for the Pig Roast and to begin to work our way through the new menu. Lolita is back to her roots - smaller plates, small prices, and a selection of items you won't find elsewhere in Cleveland (and probably not at too many places outside of Cleveland). First, the bread service has changed. We were started with these lovely Pretzelly bites: We ordered four new starters for the table. The start of the quad for me was the new Beet Salad with Honey, Ricotta, Almonds and Orange Zest - the dish sang with flavor and the contrasts between the sweet and savory were perfect: I adore Beet Salads, and this was one of the best ones I've had. Running an almost impossibly close second to the Beet Salad was the Grilled Lamb Sausage, which had just the right balance of heat and smoke, and was served with Mint, Shaved Fennel, Oven Dried Cherry Tomatoes, and a lovely dollop of Yogurt: We also enjoyed the creamy yet crispy Chicken Livers, plated over soft cheesy polenta with wild mushrooms and speck. Lolita seems to be in love with polenta these days, as it is also offered as a side dish (the cheeses are marcarpone and parmesan): Chicken Livers have never been my favorites - but these were very different than the liver I remember from my childhood. Polenta was the perfect foil for the rich meat, and the bits of speck really helped turn this "sow's ear" into a silk purse! Finally, the only dish that did not rock for me (though the others at the table liked it) was the Crab Hummus, garnished with red onion and cilantro and served with delicious grilled flatbread: I thought that I would really like this - but it just didn't work for my palate. Oh well, not to worry - there was plenty more great food to come! And here he is, folks - the star of our show: After watching the "No Reservations - Cleveland" show the previous night, there was no doubt as to what all four of us would order - hello Mr. Pig! Tonight's porcine platter included Sauteed Escarole, Garlic, a large chip of crispy skin, and simply perfect house made Onion Rings. And my platter had a little extra goodie from Chefs Michael and Matt - I was the lucky recipient of Mr. Pig's tail this evening (as Tony Bourdain noted the night before - such a shame that there is just one per pig!): I'd never tasted this delicacy before - very crunchy, very fatty - kind of like a pork fat lolly pop. Yum. Dessert? You gotta be kidding me! But two of our tablemates actually had room - one ordered the Pot de Creme pictured above, and one ordered the Strawberries with Balsamic and Sorbet: Way to go, Lolita - and next up, we need to sample the new pizza! Although the new pasta dishes look awfully tempting too! And the Braised Pork Cheeks with Roasted Onions, Chilies and Parsley is something I simply must have . . . . stay tuned!

Well, 115 Turkey-Peanut Butter Burgers later (recipe based, BTW, on our own Marlene's "Peanut Butter Burgers" recipe in Recipe Gullet), I can report that I was very limited in my disher choices, because I didn't want to go downtown to restaurant supply. I would up in Sur La Table, and took their #12 (2.5") disher. The scoops came to about 3 oz of my meat mixture, so I was happy with it. A little sore in the muscles under my left thumb on Sunday morning, but happy. Thank you all for your input!

These folks have just moved to a new location, a genuine restaurant located at 5359 Mayfield Road - formerly Trivisonno's and Argento's. The space has been completely cleaned up and renovated - a truly delightful place to dine for lunch or dinner. And for you vegetarians - their lunch menu has a nine item vegetarian section (I didn't realize until after I left that I had only grabbed the lunch menu, so I can't tell you about dinner). I photographed our lunch and you can see the pictures at Nancy's Pix. We started with the Tom Yum Goong (Hot & Sour Soup with Shrimp) and Duck Spring Rolls. The taste I took of my companion's soup was tart and spicy with a healthy dash of fish sauce; he enjoyed it. The duck rolls were superb, both on their own and dipped into an accompanying dipping sauce that was sweet and hot at the same time. The serving of 4 rolls was most generous. Also generous was the complimentary refill of my Thai Iced Tea (which turned out to be, as Martha might say, a VERY good thing). Tom ordered Green Noodles Curry and I ordered Rad Nah - both "Thai Hot". Our servers, who we learned are the daughters of the Chef, were delighted that we wanted it that way. We were not disappointed - the dishes sang with heat and flavor. We didn't ask how Tom's noodles were made green - but they tasted homemade and wheat based. And he at least had pineapple and coconut milk in his dish to counteract some of the spice (along with chicken, tomato, onion, yellow squash, and bell peppers). My wide rice noodles rested in and soaked up an incredibly spicy brown gravy ("Thai Style Gravy", according to the menu). This was topped with chicken, broccoli, carrots and mushrooms. I had heard great things about the take-out location but never made it there. I can report that the new incarnation is wonderful.

I need to make about 120 3oz burgers this weekend. What size disher should I get to scoop approximately 3oz (weight) of burger mixture per scoop?

I've just returned from NY, where I took the opportunity to photograph some "real" NY pizza. As per usual, dinner my first night visiting home was a Meatball Pizza, from Chef's of East Northport: Yum - that pizza did not last long! On Saturday, we attended a daylong Mexican Fiesta at Alley Pond Park in Queens. After a long day of partying, we repaired to Gino's Pizza, on Springfield Boulevard right off the LIE, to rest up and have a bite. We ordered a pizza "Nonna" - white pizza with fresh tomato and garlic: We also ordered a cheese calzone - bringing up another Cleveland pizza-peeve: Why doesn't any pizza place in Cleveland put Ricotta Cheese in their calzone? My law partner Anna, whose parents are from Italy, cannot understand this either. Gino's calzone was a thing of beauty - and it tasted very good, too: Next up, to bring this thread completely around, will be photos of a "Cleveland style" pizza - probably next week. Oh - and as long as I'm b*tching about things I can't readily get in Cleveland - behold richly fatty, thinly sliced belly lox: That didn't last very long, either. As we say in Cleveland - oh well!

My husband Bob and I were the lucky couple from Cleveland who lunched with Jo-Mel on Sunday. (I've started an Imagegullet album that also includes photos from our last lunch, at Hunan Cottage, entitled "Lunching with Jo-Mel") here: Lunches With Jo-Mel The food and service were fantastic! The Spicy Baby Wontons seem to be de riguer, and we also started our meal with these tasty bites: We also tried the Scallion Pancakes, which balanced the heat of the Wonton dish nicely: The Spicy Lamb w/Special Pepper Sauce was both spicy and special- just as advertised! And TSA actually allowed us to carry our leftovers onto the airplane on Monday: Again, we balanced out the heavy spice of the lamb against a very mild dish, which was one of the handwritten specials inside the menu - Chicken with Loofah (I've bathed with Loofah, but never eaten with one before!). The dish was simple, yet elegant and delicious. The loofah is a gourd, and it cooked up very tender and a little sweet. We also enjoyed the Sliced Potato dish Jo-Mel described: Finally - a whole fish (we couldn't get a straight answer on what kind - striped bass?) with Pickled Mustard - impeccably fresh, sweet fish with a slightly spicy, richly flavored sauce: And you don't need to have a communal bowl of rice; if you want the more authentic experience of your own rice bowl, just ask and they will accommodate! Sharing a Chinese meal with Jo-Mel is always special, and Chegdu made it even more so!

We went for "Pig Roast, Round 2" last night - and it was even better than Round 1 was! Knowing that a large portion of food was coming for the main event, our table of 7 went lightly on the appetizers. Several folks indulged in oysters on the half shell, with "Love" sauce, which they announced were divine - I passed, since I prefer my oysters cooked. I did photograph them, however: We also shared a portion of the Almond and Garlic Dip, which remains the popular favorite! Bob and I shared the Heirloom Tomato and Mozzarella Salad: But the star of the evening was the Pig. The presentation, in two hot metal pans placed atop a cutting board, was gorgeous: The Pig was roasted simply, and served with a fabulous au jus made from last week's pig, and topped with cilantro, sliced peppers and slivered almonds. On the side - melt-in-your-mouth fresh sweet corn cooked in cream and topped with fresh cracklings: Better than Grandma's grebenes, but definitely not kosher! Dessert - you have to be kidding me! Actually, two orders of Chocolate Pot De Creme made their way around the table for a sweet ending. It had a perfect combination of chocolate (which I can take or leave, but my hubby is addicted to), caramel (which I am addicted to) and salty nuts, topped with freshly whipped cream. And, it is light as a feather, which was important after we gorged ourselves on pork. Michael Symon was in the house, and gave us a preview of the new menu, which Lolita will start introducing next week. The newest feature will be a variety of pizzas. And the Big Board will be back! And the Pig Roasts will continue - Chefs Michael and Matt are busily experimenting with ways to keep using the Pig Roaster in inclement weather - lucky us!

So, I'm visiting my parents. My sister, who is an Ayuervedic therapist, has counseled mom to eat lots of Ghee. There is a container on the table: Purity Farms Ghee Clarified Butter, which is USDA Organic. The only ingredient is Organic Sweet Cream Butter (Milk). There is no "refrigerate after opening" legend anywhere on the package, and it's been sitting at room tempurature for months. I tried it with breakfast today, and I gotta admit - it's got Sam Breakstone beat for flavor! But is it really safe to leave it out like this?

What is "H-Mart"?

Well, I finally made it to a Matthew Mytro restaurant (I'm still waiting to get to Boulevard Blue - I was supposed to join a group there in June, but I fell on the driveway bringing in the mail just before we were supposed to leave, and messed up my knee). For a restaurant open for only a week, the food and service were fabulous, though there were a couple of hiccups. I expect it will only get better! In my mind, I could not help but compare Paladar to Cleveland's other "Nuevo Latino" restaurant, Momocho (Momocho Photos). As Edsel mentioned, we started with cocktails and guacamole. I had a "regular" Mojito, which was lovely: Cocktails are an area where the two restaurants compliment one another - Momocho emphasizes unusual Margaritas, whereas Paladar focuses on Rum. Viva la difference! Next up - the guacamole. Though I have to give a slight edge to Momocho here - Paladar can also make this treat for me any day! The Regular The Spicy I have to say that the chips each place serves are very different, and I like them all for different reasons. Paladar uses what their menu says is a combination of Plantain, Yucca & Tortilla Chips. If any of these were tortilla chips, they were very fine and a tad greasy. The Plantain and Yucca chips were excellent, however. The problem is that the chips couldn't stand up to the texture of the vessels in which the guacamole was served, so it was hard to dip them. The server did not offer us bread service (and we really didn't need it, since we had appetizers coming after the guac), but we were intrigued by what we saw on the next table and asked for some. The rolls were fresh and warm (and helped in cleaning out the remainder of the guacamole!): For dip, Paladar offers something rather unique - Annatto Oil. It had a distinctive flavor and color: I won't repeat everything Edsel posted about the appetizers, but I wanted to add a couple of points. I ordered the Tiny Tacos - Rum Smoked Mahi Mahi, Pickled Jalapeños, Malanga Boat: I agree with Edsel that it wanted more spice. While the rum flavors came through distinctly, it also had a lot of mayonnaise flavor and texture that was crying for some hotter peppers to cut through it. My husband ordered the Grilled Chorizo Papusa, Smoked House Chorizo & Chihuahua Cheese Stuffed in a Salvadorian Masa Cake served with Pickled Cabbage Slaw; I regret not getting a photo of it cut open to expose the yummy cheese, but this photo gives you a little more insight into the lovely sausage: Last, Edsel's Black Bean Empanada, Filled w/ Queso Fresco & Topped with Pico De Gallo & Smoky Aioli; here is a view with the tasty filling: I thought the appetizers were every bit as lovely as those I've had at Momocho, though I would have liked a little more heat. On to the entrees - and again, I won't repeat everything that Edsel posted. I will post my photo of my Caribbean Red Fish with Smoky Corn Grits, Watercress Salad, and Mango Chimichurri: What made this dish for me, in addition to the absolute freshness of the fish (which in Cleveland one is never assured of until one digs in), was the sweet chimichurri. It was almost like a syrup, which complimented the fish and the grits perfectly. Here is a photo of the Grilled Skirt Steak Churrasco, over Sofrito Rice and Beans and topped w/ chimichurri, which my husband ordered: The steak was perfectly cooked, and the ingredients harmonized beautifully. Again, though, we'd have liked a little more spice. Finally, the Tuna Entree probably won the award for most interesting plating. Edsel's photo shows one view, this frontal view shows the lovely "fans" of tuna (which were quite tasty, if non-descript): The Tuna was fanned over a "Boniato Gratin", which you can see here is like a savory Napolean: It was all very good, but none of the flavors really jumped out at me. Edsel's scallop dish was fantastic - redolent of curry due to the generous application of tumeric. No need to reprise the desserts, though I regret not photographing the bread pudding after we cut into it - the layers worked well together and it was quite a winner, as was the flan. All in all, Paladar is highly recommended.

In our continuing quest for the true NY Pizza experience here in Cleveland, three of us lunched at Vincenza's, located in the Colonial Arcade on Prospect Avenue in Cleveland. Vincenza's moved from the Old Arcade to the Colonial during the renovation of the Old Arcade about 7 years ago (which was when they closed their Bedford location). Instead of having two floors, they are now on one level, but they still have two separate feeding stations. The north end features pastas and other plated entrees. The southern end contains the pizzeria and a salad/sub line. When we arrived at a few minutes past 1pm, the north end of the place was pretty empty, but the line for pizza stretched almost halfway through the place. We joined the line at about 1:20pm and there was still a good crowd, though it was starting to thin as the lunch period drew closer to a close. Even the service counter at Vincenza's is reminiscent of the NY experience, as a row of different types of pies sits waiting to tempt the customer: Yes, the stuffed pizza, the "Chicago" Style pizzas, and even the "white-broccoli" Neapolitan pies look good - but better are the Sicilian style that follows. The ultimate, for me anyway, is the row of perfectly round, thinly crusted Neapolitan style pies that line the top right of the counter: Vincenza's is also the only place that I know of in Cleveland that has the appropriate condiments for a NY style pizza - Oregano, Granulated Garlic, Hot Red Pepper Flakes, and Grated Cheese (I never apply the cheese, but I do see it in NY so someone must). Famiglia's Famous also had these condiments, but of course they are no longer in Cleveland. Our selections today ranged from the most simple to the sublime. In the latter category, my companions sampled a "white" (no sauce) slice topped with chopped tomato and Anchovies: They pronounced it fabulous. Kris went for the most basic - the humble cheese slice: I went in between - one slice of plain Neapolitan with Meatball (when I order this in most Cleveland pizza shops, people look at me like I have three heads, because no one orders pizza with meatball in Cleveland. In fact, I once ordered it that way from Guiseppe's, which has several locations but isn't quite a chain. Even though they have meatballs on their menu, they refused to put any on my pizza, saying that there was no way to ring it up that way on the cash register). Note how thin this slice is: Even though it is thin, it is moist and tender. More moist and tender is the Sicilian style, which I also ordered and shared with the table: Though the Siciallian looks more like Cleveland pizza, my companions agreed it was quite different in taste and texture. I love this style too - but I'll always take the thin and round slice first! So, which place wins the NY-Pizza in Cleveland Challenge? I think this project definitely requires additional research . . . .

I am now officially in full pizza mode. After consuming a cold leftover slice of Marotta's cheese pizza for breakfast, I decided to have a slice at Issi's for lunch, so I could get a photograph of it. Issi's is a very interesting place, and the only place I know of in Cleveland, outside Little Italy, Downtown, and the malls, that serves pizza by the slice. Issi's is located at 14431 Cedar Road in S. Euclid (intersection with Green Road). Issi's is a Kosher Dairy restaurant, therefore there are no meat toppings. What is extraordinary about them, in my opinion, is that they get a thin, chewy crust out of a broad, squat conveyor belt oven. Though the bottom of the crust doesn't get the same taste and texture that it does from sitting on the floor of a traditional pizza oven, it is still very good. Issi is from Israel. He makes his own dough and sauce, and the pizza is very close to NY style. My only complaint today was that they cut the slice in half - Clevelanders seem kind of impaired about picking up pizza with their hands and folding it (next week, I'll post a photo of Cleveland pizza, for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about). It was a tasty lunch, though I need to tell them to leave the slice in one piece next time! Tomorrow - we taste-test and photograph Vincenza's in downtown Cleveland!

Your wish was my command, Sheb! So, last night, we joined Mr. and Mrs. Sheb and their beautiful twins at Marotta's for another dose of pizza. We started with salads. The Beet Salad is already pictured, above, but the Cesear and House Salads were also wonderful - no food-service bagged greens here: Sheb and I each ordered a large-size pizza - she for leftovers, me to see how the bigger slice would fold and handle. (And - ok - for leftovers.) Sheb ordered plain, I ordered half plain, half sausage because Bob insisted on ruining his pizza with mushrooms again. Bill ordered the Papperdelle, dressed with a combination of Veal, Pork and Beef that had marinated in the sauce. The pasta was exquisitely fresh and perfectly cooked and the sauce was as good as it looks: Now, this is a pizza: After salad and a taste of Bill's pasta, this one slice did me in: And finally, a shot of the young man responsible for this wonderful pizza, and one of his creations in progress:

Fierce thunderstorms and three inches of rain could not stop either our intrepid band of diners from traveling to Lolita, or Chef Matt from roasting his pig! Here is the pig roaster, which filled the sidewalk in front of Lolita with the most enticing smell: Unfortunately for Lolita, putting it under the front awning during the rain proved a bad idea; a window pane cracked from the heat. Luckily, Liz said they found a replacement pane in the basement, that has apparently been there since they opened. The food, as Edsel said, was wonderful. First - the dips. Almond and Garlic, in front, was spicy with garlic-ness, the Smoked Eggplant, which is the darkest one, had wonderful flavors and the White Bean and Anchovie was surprisingly palatable to me, even though I'm not an anchovie lover. I did not partake in the smoked fish platter, which looked divine, so as to save room for the Pig Roast: I'd only had the Crab Tater Tots once before, and I just had a craving for them: But let's face it - we were really there for the pig! And what a tasty pig it was! Every week, Chef Matt does a different presentation of the pig. The Swiss Chard and Onion Rings were perfect accompaniments last night. Matt says that the pig roasts will continue for as long as the weather co-operates. Another reason to love living in Cleveland!

Do you know if Mandina's, which was right around the corner from Brocato's, has re-opened?

Continuing on the leftovers theme - Chef Jeff's food was great when served, and it just kept giving! Last night, I cooked up some fettucine. I made meatballs out of the leftover ground chicken breast (mixed with egg, red onion, hot cherry pepper from the garden, local garlic, Parmesan-Reggiano Cheese and Bread Crumbs) and sauteed them in Olive Oil. I then put them in the oven, and sauteed the remaining onion-pepper-garlic mixture and added the leftover 15 Tomato Salad. After a brief saute, I added the pasta and tossed. Once everything was hot, I added the meatballs back. Last, I added the leftover Roasted Green Bean salad with Cherve. This all came together to make a splendid dinner: I still haven't figured out what to do with the leftover Coxcomb. Suggestions, anyone?

The second Gypsy Dinner was a huge success. Jeff Fisher, formerly of Tremont's Lago (and with upcoming plans for a new venture) was our guest Chef. I was fortunate to host this dinner. This is a photo of the 15 heirloom tomatoes that went into our salad: And here is the raw Coxcomb: It seemed appropriate to start this first Gypsy Dinner at a private home with the following wine: As Stuart posted above, we began our meal with an incredible cold corn soup, with fresh lobster meat and a sprinkle of edible flowers. The soup came from a special heirloom corn, Mariah, that produces only one very sweet ear per stalk: The soup was made by cutting the kernels off of the cobs, then pureeing them in a blender, then squeezing them through two strainers until they had given their all. Chris was thoughtful enough to save the remains, and they came in handy the next day, as you will see. The next course was the Heirloom Tomato Salad - Chef asked us if we wanted "plain" or "garlic" goat cheese - guess which we chose! Next came a plump scallop which had been coated with freshly made lime salt and then grilled over lump charcoal, resplendent atop a mound of Fennel Slaw, drizzled with Tangerine Gastrique and topped with a Garlic Chive blossom from our garden: The last seafood course was the Scampi, grilled beans, ises candy tomato, feta, micro greens: The grilled green beans added a fabulous smokey flavor to the dish. Our poultry course consisted of a chicken mousealine. Rolled together and steamed were freshly ground chicken breast, and juilienned heirloom carrots, peppers and green beans. The mousealine was then sliced up and placed in a pool of Asian-inspired sauce (soy and oyster sauces, chili paste, rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper), then topped with the Coxcomb, which had been braised in the sauce: The Coxcomb was gelatinous and not very flavorful one way or the other, but when taken together with the Mousealine and the Sauce, the combination was most delicious. To clear our palates for the steak course, Chef Fisher made a Honeydew Melon Sorbet using Midori liquor. It was delightful. The meat course was simply fabulous - the steak knives weren't even necessary as the meat was exquisitely tender: Our final course - Made in My Kitchen Olive Oil Cake with Summer Berry Compote, topped with made-from-scratch Orange Blossom Goat Cheese Ice Cream. Yum! It was a magnificent feast, prepared to perfection. And, as host, I had the perk of getting some of the leftovers. So, for Sunday's dinner, I made pancakes from the leftover corn kernels (mixed with egg, seasoning and corn meal), which I fried up, then I coated the remaining scallops in corn meal and lime salt, and sauteed them in Olive Oil. I heated the remaining Corn Soup and seasoned it with saffron and cardamom - it had enough starch to turn into a thick sauce without my adding the slurry I'd prepared - a tasty reminder of our recent culinary adventure: Where and when will the next Gypsy Dinner be? Only the Gypsy Chef knows for sure.

This thread reminds me of the old joke where a man who observres kashrut goes into a restaurant, noticing the painting of Moses in the window, takes a seat, and peruses the menu. He calls over the waiter when he sees the note in the menu that the food is "kosher style". "Waiter" he asks, "what is this 'kosher style'? Food is either prepared in accordance with the Jewish dietary laws or it is not! What is this 'kosher style'?" The waiter responds, "calm down, don't worry - we're all Jews here. There's even a picture of Moses hanging in the window!" The customer rises to leave, and says, "I'd feel better if you were hanging in the window and Moses was waiting on the tables." [Rimshot] Sorry - I held this in for as long as I could!

It was a tough choice - post this here or in Restaurant Life? I think we'll start here, but move to RL if we get into a discussion of different styles of pizza. I am a transplanted New Yorker. I grew up on Long Island and went to school in NYC, then lived in Montclair NJ (very near NYC) for six years, before I moved to Cleveland. When my husband Bob (livelong Clevelander) and I dated long-distance for five years, I told him I could not consider moving to Cleveland unless it had two things: a good Brewpub and a Chinatown. Well, Cleveland has an awesome brewpub (Great Lakes Brewing Co.) and a small but adequate Chinatown. So, it was I who made the move so we could wed. What I neglected to consider in moving 500 miles across the country was the availability of pizza. No, not chewy dough that rides a conveyor belt so toppings can meld (which I refer to as "Easy Bake Oven Pizza"), or round objects pressed into a metal pan before being baked into tastelessness - I mean pizza. My first culture shock after moving to Cleveland was the realization that almost no place sells pizza "by the slice" - a staple of my diet in NY. The discovery that pizza dough here is not thinly stretched, nor permitted to make contact with the bottom of a real pizza oven, left me very homesick. Almost twelve years later, I have an unspoken compact with my parents, that our first meal home when we visit needs to be pizza. I did find two Cleveland-area restaurants that served the kind of pizza I craved - Vincenza's in Bedford and Vincenza's Downtown. Unfortunately, the one in Bedford closed serveral years ago, and the one Downtown is only open for lunch, only during the week - and I don't work downtown or get there for lunch often anymore. So, I have craved. For a while, I made do with a NY-based chain that had an outlet at Beachwood Place Mall - Famaglia's Famous. They claimed to import their water from NY to get the dough just so, and whether that made a difference or not, the fellow who worked the dough definitely knew what he was doing, and had the proper implements (and ovens) to do it with. Famaglia's went downhill after that magical pizza maker left, and it closed with the recent food court renovations, replaced by another chain that just isn't as good. So - what was a displaced New York-pizza loving New Yorker to do? I was told of two places in the Cleveland Area that might satisfy my craving - Capri Pizza, in Middlebugh Hts. on the Westside, and Marotta's, in Cleveland Heights on the Eastside. Since I live on the Eastside, Capri is still on the "to try" list. And Marotta's didn't make it easy: they are open only for dinner M-Sat and take no reservations for a very small dining room. But yesterday, four of us finally made it to Marotta's - and I can't wait to go back! Marotta's wants to be a complete trattoria, rather than a mere pizzaria; I can't comment on the non-pizza entrees because we didn't have any (although Bob did waver for a moment on his pizza vow when the server described a dinner special of Berkshire Pork Chop with House Made Lamb Sausage). They do have a huge, reasonably priced wine list, some interesting beer choices, and a very small cocktail bar (as in four seats and not that many more bottles). The dining room is quite small, and was completely filled by 8pm on a Thursday, with more customers being seated on a small patio in the back. We started with bread - kind of strange, since we planned to get pizza - but it was so delicious that we were glad to have the opportunity to sample it. The Olive Oil it was served with was rich and exquisite in flavor. For appetizer, we ordered the calamari: Honestly, though the presentation with fresh tomato was nice, we all agreed that the calamari was kind of ordinary, and a little chewy. We also tried one of the salad "specials" - a two-beet salad over endive, with candied pecans, Glouster Cheese and a Blood Orange Vinagrette. Though Bob and I found the cheese a little to "bleu" for our palates, torakris happily took it off our hands, and left us with a plate of sheer sweet goodness: Closeup of the beets, pecans and cheese: This was a big winner! The reason we were there, however, was the pizza! Even though we knew it would be way too much food, we each ordered a 14" pie (besides, it's not a real pizza if you can't have it cold for breakfast the next day). The server wisely split each pie in half to serve them, so two pizza pans came to the table with 4 slices of each type of pie. First, for me, the Traditionale - the basic tomato sauce and shredded mozzerella pizza I have missed so much: It was a beautiful thing. Thin and crispy, with a chewy, yet crunchy bite and just the right amount of sauce, cheese and seasoning - I was in Pizza Nirvana. The underside had just the right amount of texture and flavor from resting on the oven floor. To understand the texture compared to "regular Cleveland Pizza" - it was like the difference between a bagel-store bagel and a "bagel" from Panera Bread Co. Marotta's definitely gets my approval for satisfaction of NY Pizza Craving. Bob got the same pizza as I, but topped it with mushrooms and sausage. I had sat at the bar when I first arrived, and watched the pizza maker in action - he had put a thick pillow of mushrooms on the pizza I watched him make. Since I do NOT eat mushrooms, I satisfied myself with just tasting the sausage - it tasted very fresh, with just the right amount of pepper. That is the sausage, thinly shaved, on top of the pizza; the mushrooms are underneath. Kris opted for the Molto Marotta: pesto, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, spinach and mozzarella. Now, even with a NY style pizza, this much vegetation can turn a great crust to mush. But the proof was in the eating, and this pie was delicious: The last pie I tasted was a "modified" Margherita, which started with diced plum tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and extra virgin olive oil, and added tomato sauce and Portobello Mushrooms (at least those are large enough to eat around!): We all enjoyed it. And Kris and I are going to do a comparison with Vincenza's next week (Vincenza's is more "by the slice" pizza - larger, heavier slices); heck, we may even get to Capri before she leaves for Japan! Now, if only I could find a great Knish in Cleveland . . . .

Has Brocato's re-opened? Best gelato I ever had, but I read it was devastated by Katrina.

The weekend before last, we were at the WSM to shop for our Heartland Gathering dinner. I encountered Sam of Farmers Market Fudge in Booth 80 (the Short Leg of the Produce Ring). Since we planned to make everything for our Gathering Feast from scratch, I couldn't really buy any of Sam's wares - but I tasted some peanut butter chocolate fudge to die for! I asked Sam for some info about his business, which has been open for about 4 weeks. He says that he and his wife, Deb, have been making fudge and candy for over 27 years. Prior to being at the West Side Market, they were involved with the North Union Farmer's Markets at Shaker Square and Crocker Park. They have literally put a commercial candy-making kitchen in their WSM stall and it is beautiful! Sorry I didn't think to snap a picture. They offer a nice variety of Fudge flavors, and say that they use Belgian and Belgian based chocolate in all of their chocolate candy. They make Truffles, Buckeyes, Chocolate Covered Pretzels and Clusters. They also make all kinds of Nut Brittles when the weather is not too humid - I am looking forward to trying their Spicy Wasabi Chili Pepper Brittle come the fall! They don't have a website yet, but I'll post it when they do (if they send it to me!).

Thank you all for the feedback - keep those ideas coming! Here's a little more info about the parameters of this task. I need to prepare as much of the food in advance as possible, so it should lend itself to freezing and reheating. I will not have an oven on site - just a jury-rigged kitchen of 18qt. roaster ovens and butane stoves for re-heating. I am also on a very tight budget, so cheapness is essential. The meals are served buffet style and need to appeal to mainsteam appetites and be "family friendly" (though I am so tempted to throw in at least one box of the penis pasta!) since we will have kids and teens partaking. We expect 100-125 guests. For Friday Night, I am doing "Gluttony" - which includes certain Cleveland items I always serve and work into my theme - pierogies (Ravioli on Steroids) and Chinese Baked Buns (which will be subtitled "Rocky Mountain Oysters). My husband is planning to make "Surreal Sausage" combining unexpected flavors (pork and sweet potato/yam a la Tampopo, and others), and I am also gonig to do an Oatmeal or Kasha Casserole of some sort ("Groat-esquerole"), and Peanut Butter Burgers. For soups, I'm considering Chocolate Soup, "Squashed" Soup (made from winter squash) and Soft Construction with Boiled Beans (Bean Soup), as well as The Concert in the Deviled Egg (Deviled Eggs for which I've got a surreal recipe). I've already got plans for little clear plastic cups of blue jello, which gummi fish strategically placed in them, Irish Potato Candy and Chilled Berry Soup. So - being limited by palatablility, budget and logistics - any more ideas? Keep 'em coming!

My next cooking project is for Cleveland Area Mensa - I am the Hospitality Chair for the 2007 Regional Gathering to be held in about two months. The name of the event is "Heironymus Basch" - a Surreal Good Time. For Saturday Lunch, I am planning a "Surreal Pasta Meal" - the strangest pasta shapes I can find, multicolored sauces, and square or cookie-cutter stampled meatballs. Any suggestions on sources for unique pasta shapes? Any ideas to make this more surreal?

You keep olive oil and balsamic vinegar at work? I want to work with you!