The Most Successful Cookbook on My Shelves

I have a fair number of cookbooks, but I’m by no means a collector. Compared to many of my friends, I have a relatively tiny collection, and that’s because I don’t use cookbooks that often. For the most part, cookbooks give me ideas. They help me come up with new dishes or combinations of ingredients. Occasionally, I’ll learn a new technique. I’ll even read a cookbook from cover to cover now and then, just because the writing and stories are so good. But for the most part, cookbooks are reference materials, to be picked up now and then for guidance and inspiration.

The first cookbook where I really started to look at how and what I was cooking, the guide that introduced me to Thai cuisine, the book that I’ve followed more recipes than any other book was The Frog Commissary Cookbook by Steven Poses from Philadelphia. An old girlfriend gave me this book as a Valentine’s Day gift over 25 years ago, and it’s as worn out as any cookbook I have. It’s not just dog-eared, it’s dirty. The binding is broken and pages are falling out. I’ve made at least 50 different dishes from that cookbook, and most of them have been great hits. The sour cream apple pie. The Asian chicken wings. The Thai curries. The crab and tarragon and tomato pasta dish. I could go on and on, and maybe one day, I will spend more time highlighting this wonderful cookbook.

But today, I want to focus on Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc at Home. I’m not sure I’ve had a cookbook that has been as slam-dunk successful as this one. Everything that I have made from this book has been not just good, but amazing. His recipes have replaced the tried and true dishes I’ve made for years. Chocolate chip cookies? None can compare to the version in this cookbook, and except for having to chop your own chocolate, they’re really simple. His cream of cauliflower soup has become my family’s favorite soup — nothing else comes even close. I now dress my salads totally differently because of this cookbook. The newest item to make our “best of” list is his brownies. Brownies??? Yes, brownies. I mean, I thought I’ve had brownies every different way and had come to the conclusion that it was a dessert that would always be good, but would never be great. Well, these brownies aren’t just great; they’re fucking awesome. Why you ask? Well, it comes down to chocolate and butter. Chocolate in the form of lots of cocoa powder then with dark chocolate chunks added to the batter. And butter? Well, we’re talking about a 9×9 inch square cake pan of brownies calling for THREE STICKS OF BUTTER!!!! Nope, not a typo — there are 12 ounces of butter in this recipe. Even if cut into relatively small pieces, you’re going to get a couple of tablespoons of butter in each brownie. Holy smokes, these brownies are rich. Over the top without a damn excuse but 0h-my-god-they’re-delicious rich. My daughter made these brownies yesterday, and I want more. I’m channeling my inner Veruca Salt because I want more NOW!

 

The brownies are absolutely perfect on their own, or with a sprinkling of powdered sugar. A little soft cream would be great, too, but of course, we topped them with good old fashioned vanilla ice cream. I didn’t want to take the time to get a quality photo, because, well, once again, I’m a little impatient. So you’re stuck with a photo of ice cream hiding the most amazing brownie I’ve ever eaten.

Now I have to figure out what to make out of this book next. Because I’m a bit uneasy about displacing my current favorites. Like his carrot cake muffins. Or beef stroganoff. Ah, hell, I’ll just give in and be thankful that I have a cookbook that I can always turn to, and come out with something extraordinary.

Ad Hoc at Home Brownies

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (recipe calls for vanilla paste, but I didn’t have any on hand — plain vanilla works)
6 ounces 61 to 64% chocolate, chopped into chip-sized pieces ( about 1 1/2 cups)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9×9 baking dish. Set aside.

Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt; set aside.

Melt half the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat (or in the microwave), stirring occasionally. Put the remaining butter in a medium bowl. Pour the melted butter and stir to melt the butter. The butter should look creamy, with small bits of unmelted butter, and be at room temperature.

In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, mix together the eggs and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until thick and very pale. Mix in the vanilla. On low speed, add about one-third of the dry ingredients, then add one-third of the butter, and continue alternating the remaining flour and butter. Add the chocolate and mix to combine. (The batter can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)

Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a cake tester or wooden skewer poked into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs sticking to it. If the pick comes out wet, test a second time, because you may have hit a piece of chocolate chip; then bake for a few more minutes longer if necessary. Cool in the pan until the brownie is just a bit warmer than room temperature.

Run a knife around the edges, and invert the brownie onto a cutting board. Cut into 12 rectangles. Serve with dusted powdered sugar, soft whipped cream or ice cream. The brownies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days, but if they last that long, there’s something wrong.

Magnolia Grill to Close

I just received and email from Karen Barker of Durham’s legendary Magnolia Grill. She and her husband, Ben Barker, both Beard award winners, will be closing the restaurant at the end of the month.  Here’s the email:

Friends , Colleagues & Professional Associates –

Karen and I have had the extraordinary luxury of cooking together every day for the last 30+ years. There is no way to convey how rewarding it has been to share our pursuit of this craft, but…

it’s time to do something different.

We will close Magnolia Grill on May 31, 2012.

We are not sure what’s next but we are going to take a break and see.

We have all our parents, all 80 years old, or nearly. We want to see them more. We have two grandchildren we’ve barely spent any time with; we want to see them more. We have co-workers we’ve been around more than our sons – it’s time for that to change.

Thank you to every one who’s given us the opportunity to learn from you, to feed you and be fed by you, to share with you, to experience the exhilaration and conviviality that has been our life in food. We’ll always be indebted to each and every one of you.

Thank you,

b2 & Kay

I’m very sad that we will be losing this amazing restaurant. It’s the one place where I said, “I am simply not capable of cooking like that.”  But I am also happy that Ben and Karen will be moving on.  I wish them all the best, and I suspect we’ll hear more from them.

Mandolin — Coming to Raleigh

Wow. A new chef-driven restaurant is about to open in Raleigh, and I’m really excited by it. Mandolin is the name of Chef Sean Fowler’s establishment, located at the intersection of Oberlin and Fairview in Raleigh’s Five Points neighborhood.

This is what I know about Mandolin: nothing. Well, I’ve seen their menu, which is Southern-inspired. I’ve looked at their website. But I know nothing about Sean Fowler. Or any of the staff. Even when a menu looks promising, as this one does, I reserve judgment until I taste the food. But for some reason, I just like the vibe that these folks have created. I really WANT to taste this food. And based on the Open Table reservation system, it looks like they open next Tuesday.

Raleigh needs more of these type of restaurants. I can’t wait to try it.

John Fleer — Rock Star — Stir the Pot

It seems that VarmintBites has turned into nothing more than a means to publicize fundraisers, but when one is on the Board of Directors of two different organizations having food-related fundraisers, well, you can understand.

So, this Sunday and Monday we’re having another Stir the Pot, those fantastic events hosted by Ashley Christensen to benefit the Southern Foodways Alliance. I’ve attended most of these events, and they’re a ton of fun, but this week is different.

This time, the guest chef of Stir the Pot is John Fleer, Rock Star. Yes, that’s the term used by John T. Edge, the Executive Director of the SFA. That’s a term I’ve heard Ashley Christensen use for him. Could it be because he was the celebrated chef of Blackberry Farm, one of the best inns in the country?  Or that he left Blackberry at the height of his career and notoriety so he could do something that allowed him to spend more time with his familly? Like work at Sunburst Trout or take over as chef at Canyon Kitchen in Cashiers, NC.

Yes, those are good reasons to call him a rock star (and I’ve had his food — it’s rock star quality). But the real reason to call him a rock star is that he acts like one, and I have pictures to prove it. It’s been 4 years since I took these photos, and at the time I said they wouldn’t see the light of day, but I’m changing my tune. I’ve got pictures of Fleer chugging Southern Comfort. I’ve got pictures of him stealing a kid’s bicycle (OK, he just rode a bike laying on the street). No, I don’t have a photo of him passed out, but I can try.

The problem is, you don’t get to see these photos unless you attend one of the Stir the Pot events. The fancy, five-course dinner with wine pairings prepared by Chef Fleer is at Poole’s Diner on Sunday night at 7 PM.  The Monday evening potluck is at Ashley Christensen’s home (Brunswick stew, beer by Foothills Brewing, a drink by Fox Liquor bar, and wine donated by Eliza Kraft Olander. The Sunday dinner is $150 per person plus tax and tip, whereas the Monday potluck is $35 per person plus a side dish or dessert that celebrates your sense of place, wherever that may be.

Reservations are required and space is limited. Call Poole’s Diner at 919-832-4477 to reserve your spot for either or both nights.

So go ahead and sign up. And maybe these photos will end up on display.

An Amazing Event for an Amazing Organization

You like Herons restaurant in the Umstead, don’t you?

And you love the Shimmer Wall, Marbles Museum and the cool ring sculpture on the lawn behind the North Carolina Museum of Art, right (it’s called Gyre, for what it’s worth)?

Well, what would you think about an event where that particular artist, Raleigh’s own Thomas Sayre, and the Herons’ chef, Scott Crawford, combine forces for a once in a lifetime event? An event where Chef Crawford, and some other amazing guest chefs (including Colin Bedford from the Fearrington House and Matthew Medure of Jacksonville, FL) create food inspired by Sayre’s art? Where the chefs and the artists come together and talk about how they inspire each other?

This event — Expressions, A Celebration of Food and Art —  is happening on Friday, September 23rd at the Umstead Hotel and Spa. This event benefits the Lucy Daniels Center, and I need you, my readers, to step up and buy a seat or two. You’ll be the recipient of some amazing food and wine that will knock your socks off. You’ll learn about the creative process for chefs and artists. And you’ll be helping out an amazing organization — the Lucy Daniels Center — the Triangle’s leading provider of mental health services to children.

I’m begging you to come to this event (I’m the chair of the board of the Center), and you won’t regret it. Heck, if you buy a seat at this dinner, I’ll double your value. I’ll cook a special dinner for anyone who buys a seat and mentions that they heard about it through VarmintBites. So, that means you get the dinner at Herons and then a dinner at my house. Yes, the Herons dinner will be better, but mine won’t be too shabby, either.  We’ll have to work out the logistics, but if 24 people buy seats and mention my site, then I’ll have to figure out a way to cook another dinner for 24. Yes, I might have to break it into three dinners of eight, but we’ll get it done.

To buy tickets online, go here: https://jtsuther.wufoo.com/forms/expressions-registration/  And when you list the guests, mention “Referred by Varmint” to be added to the dinner list. We’ll follow up with you.

If you have questions, call the Center at 919-459-1611 and ask for Patti Wilt.

Help Stir That Pot

OK, admit it. Ashley Christensen is a rock star. Not just Raleigh’s rock star, but she has national attention now. We’re just lucky to have her here.

So when Ashley Christensen supports a cause, like she does with her Stir the Pot events for the Southern Foodways Alliance, it must mean a lot to her. And because I’m a member of the board of directors of the SFA, well, dammit, I want you to join Ashley, me and a bunch of other great people this Sunday and Monday.

If you want some kick-ass, high end food and wine, get a reservation for Sunday’s special dinner at Poole’s featuring chef Ed Lee of Louisville, KY’s 610 Magnolia. This guy can flat out cook, so this will be an incredible dinner (with fantastic wine, of course).  The dinner will cost you $150 plus tax and tip, but the money goes to the SFA’s documentary film initiatives.

But in this economy, I understand if you can’t swing a big ticket item like Sunday’s dinner. So just plan on joining us at Ashley’s lovely home Monday evening for the “Industry Potluck.” Make something tasty, and then bring it and a check for $35, and you’ll get to rub elbows with a lot of local food celebs, including chefs and food writers.

So, what’s your excuse? Pick up the phone and call Poole’s at 832-4477 to make your reservations. See you soon!

Ashley Christensen on Iron Chef America July 24

Ashley Christensen, chef and owner of Raleigh’s Poole’s Diner, will be on Food Network’s “Iron Chef America” on July 24 at 10 PM.  Christensen chose Iron Chef Bobby Flay as her competition, which was recorded some time now. Although some news leaked out that Ashley was on Iron Chef, the details have been highly confidential, including the outcome.  I believe she is the second local chef to appear on the show, as Walter Royal of the Angus Barn beat Cat Cora in 2007 several years ago.

Culinary Philanthropy

There is no industry that is more generous, more philanthropic, more community-focused than the restaurant industry.  I certainly don’t have any empirical data to support this, but when I see what goes on in the Triangle, with restaurants and chefs holding fundraisers, giving away gift certificates for silent auctions, and being an integral and visible part of our community’s fabric, I will stand behind this statement.  Most restaurants do not make a ton of money.  The labor costs, the food costs, glassware and flatware, and the rent all result in a fairly narrow profit margin for restaurateurs.  That’s one of the many reasons why restaurants fail so frequently.  The downturn of the economy has made it even tougher for these folks, and yet, they give, and give, and give some more.  Sometimes these charitable events cover the restaurant’s costs, but many times they do not.

Want some examples?

I’ll start with my good friend and rock star chef, Ashley Christensen.  Last night, she held a fundraiser for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, a non-profit that struck a chord with her after she read about the fight of young “Prince Liam,” who passed away a couple of weeks ago after a two-year battle with cancer.  She not only donated all of the profits of the highly lucrative Valentine’s Day dinner to this charity, but she also got so many vendors to provide her wine, meat and produce for free.  On top of that, she got others to sponsor similar fundraising efforts last night, such as local brewer, Fullsteam.

But it doesn’t stop there with Ms. Christensen.  She recently held a fundraising barbecue dinner for the charity that’s near and dear to me, the Lucy Daniels Center.  She holds quarterly fundraising dinners for another organization where I’m a board member, the Southern Foodways Alliance.  This series of dinners has not only raised thousands of dollars for the SFA, but they have brought the Triangle food community together at the potluck dinners held at her home.  She’s donated gift certificates to a number of charities.  She truly gives her time, her goods, and yes, her money to support causes that are important to her.

Ashley’s restaurant, Poole’s Diner, is one of many participants in the Triangle Wine Experience to benefit the Frankie Lemmon Foundation.  The list of these participating restaurants can be found on this link, but this event is an unmitigated success, raising the majority of funds needed to keep the Frankie Lemmon Center in operation.  Put another way, the Frankie Lemmon Center may not survive without the support of the Triangle’s restaurant community.  Oh, one more thing.  Ashley Christensen is on the Board of the Frankie Lemmon Foundation.  Yup, she’s giving back in more ways than one.

Take a look at the Urban Food Group’s website, and you’ll see how important charitable giving is to it — they list the charities they support on their home page.  UFG donates all of the food for Band Together’s VIP area — that’s where all the high dollar donors hang out.  They also support The V Foundation, Safe Child, The March of Dimes and more.  Kevin and Stacey Jennings, the owners of UFG, get hounded to donate gift certificates for charitable events.  This is a common theme with restaurants (and wine merchants): everyone wants something from them.  Money.  Or goods.  Or their time.  And the more popular the restaurant, the more these restaurants get requests for help.

I am really barely scratching the surface about the philanthropic endeavors of these people.  They nourish our bodies, but they also nourish our souls.  Consider that when a restaurant helps to raise $50,000 over a course of a year, that may represent 10% of its revenues.  Think of another industry that has that type of impact on our community.  I’d love to say my law firm helped raise, directly or indirectly, an amount equal to 10% of our revenues, but that’s not the case.  Part of that is because no one has figured out a way to get people to buy $250 tickets to a black tie affair to receive legal advice, but that’s only part of the point.  A law firm — mine included — can give away lots of pro bono legal services, but I would be surprised if the most generous firms provide services that that has a value exceeding 1% of their revenues.

And this leads me to my final point: chefs are remarkably generous with their time.  If they don’t host a fundraiser at their restaurant, they’ll certainly donate their services to a worthwhile charity.  Look at this Sunday’s Evening With Master Chefs to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.  Although the name may be a bit hyperbolic, the event features 9 local chefs cooking to raise money to support cystic fibrosis research.  This event has raised over a million dollars over the past 14 years, and hopefully the success will continue.  You might know some of these chefs, but for the most part, they’re not individuals whose name you’ll recognize right away.  But they are still donating their time, their labor, and their creativity to the community.  And we are all better off because of it.  So why don’t you go ahead and support them and their cause and get a ticket to this event?  If they can give back, so can you.

I’d love for you to provide comments where you list chefs or restaurants giving back to the community.  These folks don’t get the recognition they deserve, so let’s change that.

Adult Gingerbread for the Holidays

I love gingerbread.  It’s always been one of my favorite flavors, particularly when served warm with some soft cream.  It represents the essence of winter comfort food, not too sweet, with depths of flavor beyond most other desserts.  But that depth was sometimes illusory, as it was just a smack of molasses paired with a touch of ground ginger.  This holiday season, I wanted more flavor.  I wanted more complexity.  I wanted a goddamned adult version of gingerbread.

Thank goodness for Karen Barker.

Barker, the co-owner and Beard Award winning pastry chef of Durham’s Magnolia Grill, has the hand’s-down-bet-the-farm-you-can-take-it-to-the-bank-absolute-best gingerbread you’ll ever taste.  This isn’t one of those pale cakes that you whip together in 2 minutes that will still taste just fine.  This is a dark, foreboding-looking gingerbread, with three types of ginger, coffee, black pepper, and dry mustard in it.  It’s a gingerbread that has some kick, without being piquant.  It’s not a dense cake, but it’s really rich.  And when paired with something somewhat sweet, like Barker’s Hot Buttered Rum Raisin Sauce and some vanilla-nutmeg ice cream — oh, my.

And that’s what my guests were saying last week when I concluded a 6 course dinner party last weekend.  This dish is a winner.  This gingerbread means business.  And hell, yeah, I made three of those cakes, so there was plenty for breakfast the rest of the week.

Not-Afraid-of-Flavor Gingerbread

• 2-1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp peeled, very finely chopped fresh ginger
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup brewed coffee
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9X9X2 square pan or a 10X2 round pan. Line bottom with parchment paper, and butter the paper.

Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, ground ginger, dry mustard and salt.

With a mixer, cream butter with the sugar and the fresh and crystallized ginger. Add eggs one at a time to blend.

Slowly add the oil and then the molasses. Mix to blend.

Gradually add the flour and spice mix until just barely blended, scraping bowl as needed.

Heat up the coffee in a small saucepan to a simmer, add the baking soda, stir, and add to the mix. Add the orange juice until fully combined. The batter will be thinner than what you would expect.

Pour batter into the pan and bake at 350F for about an hour and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan. Invert onto parchment paper, and then flip back over onto serving platter. Eat. And then eat some more.

From “Sweet stuff: Karen Barker’s American Desserts” by Karen Barker, University of North Carolina Press

Restaurant Review Roulette: ONE Restaurant

Shane Ingram has firmly established himself as one of the top chefs in the Triangle, as his Four Square in Durham has been on Greg Cox’s top 25 lists for years.  It’s been over ten years since Ingram opened Four Square, and this past summer, he opened a new place — ONE Restaurant (or, as they like to do on the website, [ONE] Restaurant — not sure if they get a penalty for excessive use of brackets).

Here’s what I know about [ONE]: It’s in Chapel Hill’s Meadowmont Village.  It appears to have an open kitchen.  Its price points are somewhat high for what seems to be a relatively casual place, but they’re not outrageous by any means.  The menu does not appear to be overly ambitious on first glance, but then looking at the accompaniments to the main dishes, you start to think that the menu is intentionally understated.  And then you remember that this is Shane Ingram’s place.  You know it will be pretty damn good.

And so, Greg Cox will be reviewing ONE tomorrow.  Interestingly, Cox gave Four Square only 4 stars last year, hitting it hard for some service issues, but praising the food.  The Yelpster crowd is very mixed on its assessment of ONE.  I don’t really rely on the opinions of Yelp’s reviewers, but there was enough dissent here to throw me for a loop.   I really think Greg will like ONE, giving it at 4 stars.  I doubt, however, that he will be willing to give it that extra half star, and I wonder if he’ll dock it half a star.  That’s the difficulty of this prognostication business.   So I’m going to go with 4 stars, but I’ll be hedging a half star on either side.

Here are the odds.

5 stars — 7 to 1

4.5 stars – 3 to 2

4 stars —  1 to 1

3.5 stars — 3 to 2

3 stars — 4 to 1

2.5 stars — 7 to 1

2 stars — 14 to 1

1.5 stars — 20 to 1

1 star — 50 to 1

Place your bets, and let me know what you thought of [{(ONE)}].

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Edit, December 24, 2010 — It’s a 4 star review for ONE. [REALLY].

Ashley Christensen’s Take on Barbecue — With Fullsteam!

As I wrote earlier, Ashley Christensen of Poole’s Diner is preparing a very special barbecue dinner to benefit the Lucy Daniels Center.  This won’t be any ordinary barbecue, however.

Ashley cures the pork for 3 days, with a special rub of salt and other herbs and spices.  This turns the pork into the most amazingly succulent swine you’ll ever taste.  But then she slowly smokes that pig over nut wood (typically pecan) for hours and hours, until a nice, crust is formed and the meat is redolent of that sweet smoke.  Of course, she has her own take on sauce.

You know it will be good.  No, you know it will be the best damn barbecue you’ve ever had.

But there will also be beer.  And we’re talking about beer that was created to be served with barbecue: Fullsteam’s Hogwash, which is a hickory-smoked porter.  We’ll also be serving the Fullsteam Carolina Common, a lighter beer for those who prefer it that way.

And as far as side dishes are concerned, you won’t be disappointed.  Don’t expect some limp green beens or dried out corn sticks.  There will even be a special Brunswick Stew.  And banana pudding so good, it’ll make you want to smack someone.  I mean, kiss them.

We will have some of Ashley’s roast chicken for those who don’t eat pork.  And if you’ve had that chicken before, it’s the best.  Anywhere.

But I need you to buy tickets to this dinner.  Yeah, it’s pricey, but it’s for an amazing cause.  The Lucy Daniels Center is the Triangle’s leading non-profit provider of children’s mental health services.  Why is this a big deal?  Because in this economy, with so many people unemployed, it’s harder than ever on children.  And parents don’t have the resources to pay for the help their kids’ needs.  The Lucy Daniels Center provides some sort of financial assistance to 90% of the families who receive care.  A large portion of those families receive care for free.

So I ask you — No, I BEG you — please go to the Lucy Daniels website and buy tickets to the dinner. Or call Patti Wilt at 919.459.1611. You’ll have a great meal.  You’ll enjoy the beer.  And you’ll know you’ve done something very special for families in need.  And there’s nothing better than that feeling.  Not even the banana pudding.

Buy tickets thru PayPal here: http://www.lucydanielscenter.org/page/pooles-diner-to-host-q-for-kids-fundraiser-november-7

Or call Patti Wilt at the Lucy Daniels Center at 919.459.1611

Adults are $75, kids under 14 are $35, and all but $25 is tax deductible.  Sorry, no beer for the kids.

Restaurant Review Roulette: David’s Dumpling & Noodle Bar

I know this restaurant!  Hurray, hurrah, hurrooh!  Greg Cox is reviewing David’s Dumpling & Noodle Bar, the new outpost of iconic Raleigh chef David Mao.  I actually took my family to eat there several weeks ago and liked it.  The dumplings are top-notch, the noodles are good (but not great).  The other Asian-American fare is as good as it needs to be.  It’s certainly not great, but it’s very dependable.

As I look into my crystal ball, I see a favorable review for David’s D&NB.  But my vision is cloudy.  Service isn’t as great as it should be.  Some  of the dishes aren’t just good enough.  A number is appearing.  Is it a 4?  Yes, it’s a 4.  But wait, I also see a 3.  What does this all mean?  Ahhh, I get it.  This is a 3.5 star review.  That’s your lucky number.

Here are this week’s odds:

5 stars — 30 to 1

4.5 stars – 7 to 1

4 stars —  2 to 1

3.5 stars — 7 to 6

3 stars — 2 to 1

2.5 stars —  5 to 1

2 stars — 11 to 1

1.5 stars — 19 to 1

1 star — 50 to 1

What did you think of DD&NB?  How many stars will it get?  And did the big photos of David Mao freak you out as much as they did for me???

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Edit, October 22, 2010 — Looks like its a 3-star review for DD&NB.  I couldn’t really tell why it got this rating and where points may have been deducted.  Funny how this review game is.

Restaurant Review Roulette: Capital Club 16

I hadn’t really wanted to go to Capital Club 16 in downtown Raleigh, purely because I nonsensically dismissed the place for its name.  It was far too close to the “Capital City Club,” and, quite frankly, I don’t like any operation with the word “Club” in it.  As I said, it’s nonsensical.  And now I’m starting to think that I’ve been missing out on a really good place.  A somewhat upscale diner that features some German influences in its menu.

Greg Cox is reviewing this place on Friday, and I suspect he just may like it.  Just like I suspect that I would like it, too.  The chef, Jake Wolf, appears to have a sense of what would work in downtown, part hipster, part style, and lots of sensible menu choices.  The prices are incredibly reasonable, too.

Cox generally won’t give more than four stars to casual dining places, unless it has something “extra” to offer in the way of food, like Poole’s Diner (and speaking of that cap, it’ll be interesting to see what he gives Bella Mia in next week’s review, which is easily the best pizza in the area, if not the state).  So I suspect that he’ll give this place at least 3.5 stars, but I’m thinking that 4 stars would be the better bet.  We shall see.

Here are this week’s odds:

5 stars — 16 to 1

4.5 stars – 8 to 1

4 stars — 4 to 5

3.5 stars — 8 to 5

3 stars — 3 to 1

2.5 stars — 8 to 1

2 stars — 11 to 1

1.5 stars — 23 to 1

1 star — 39 to 1

I’m sure many of you have been to Capital Club 16.  So how was it?  And how many stars do you think it will receive?

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Edit, September 24, 2010: Greg Cox gave Capital Club 16 a solid 3.5 star rating.

Egos and Icons

I received an email the other day that included a press release about a “celebrity chef” event in Charlotte.  I looked at the list of chefs participating and didn’t recognize a single one.  Now I have to admit that I don’t watch the Food Network all that much, and I couldn’t name a lot of the personalities that they on their programs, but it’s clear that television, and the Food Network in particular, has changed the public’s perception of all chefs.  No longer does a chef have to have a big TV deal, or even a cookbook, to be a celebrity.  The only requirement, it appears from this Charlotte event, is that the chef be, well, a chef.  Now I’m as caught up in chef worship as much as the next person, but we really need to remember that these chefs are just hard-working folks.  Hell, most of the chefs who are on television regularly and can truly be considered CELEBRITIES (Bayless, Batali, Keller, Pepin) are not that much different than you, me or anyone else.  And when we talk about the local chefs who might be considered “stars,” well, once again, they’re for the most part just plain folk.  Ben and Karen Barker of Durham’s Magnolia Grill have each won a James Beard Award, but they’re as humble and nice as can be.  Sure they have egos, but the manifestation of that ego is what’s on the plate.  They bust their butt to make sure that what we eat is top-notch, night after night.

Restaurant Review Roulette: Lucky 32

I’ve gotten pretty good at guessing how many stars Greg Cox will give a restaurant, even when I’ve never even heard of the place.  But this week, I have a different challenge: figuring out the rating of a friend’s restaurant — in this case, Chef Jay Pierce’s Lucky 32.  I’ve previously written about this place, as Jay has invited me over twice to give him feedback on new menu items.  I like what Jay has done with the restaurant, making it a high end “meat ‘n 3” place.  Frankly, the stars of Lucky 32 are often the side dishes.

The problem with this edition of Restaurant Review Roulette is that I’m not sure how well Greg Cox will like it.  If I had to put my own money down, it would be at the 4 or 3.5 star level.  Lucky 32 has a number of dishes that are 4 star level or higher, but its menu is so large that I suspect Cox will think it’s overreaching.   I’ve also heard comments from others that love several of Lucky 32’s dishes, but they’re not enamored with others.

So, I’m going to go with 4 stars, as Lucky 32 is certainly as good as other places receiving that rating, and in some instances, even better.

Here are the odds:

5 stars — 32 to 1

4.5 stars – 32 to 9

4 stars — 32 to 23

3.5 stars — 32 to 19

3 stars — 32 to 13

2.5 stars —  32 to 5

2 stars — 32 to 4

1.5 stars — 32 to 1.2

1 star — 32 to .32

The one thing we know is that Lucky 32 won’t be getting 32 stars.  How many will Greg Cox give it?

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Edit, September 3, 2010:  Greg Cox gave Lucky 32 3.5 stars in this week’s review.  This is one of those reviews where the description of the place, including the food, doesn’t really match up with the rating.  Greg is quite positive about the place across the board, with a couple of minor exceptions, which led me to think he wanted to give it 4 stars.  But I sense that Greg just couldn’t bring himself to give them that extra half star.  What I will say is that a LOT of the dishes on that menu are worthy of 4 stars,  but I also have no problem with Greg’s final verdict.

My Kids and Food

Many of you might think that my kids eat everything and anything put in front of them.  Not so.  Each of our four children has his or her idiosyncrasies,  things that are loved or loathed.  My oldest loves most food, but he hates legumes of any kind — except for roasted peanuts, perhaps.  He just can’t stand the texture and now the taste.  My older daughter doesn’t like seafood or red meat.  My younger son doesn’t like cooked fruit, except for applesauce.  My younger daughter doesn’t like bananas or fresh peaches or pineapple.  Only one of the kids will eat raw tomatoes and none of them like cilantro.  I sometimes stress out, as my (unrealistic) expectations are that they should like everything.  Yes, that’s a completely ludicrous position, and I’m coming to grips with it.

I recently visited Vin Rouge in Durham, taking my younger two children (they’re 9 and 11).  I’ve known chef Matt Kelly before he started there, but I’ve only eaten his cooking a couple of times.  Vin Rouge has become the place where other chefs eat, primarily because of Kelly’s dedication to the craft of cooking.  He’s one hell of a cook, and if you ever visit on a Sunday night, you’ll find a handful of local chefs eating there on their night off.

Anyhow, shortly after we sat down, a huge charcuterie plate landed on our table, featuring 5 different kinds of pate’, a pork rillette (or was it rabbit?), plus some bacon confiture, salami and other goodies.  The kids tried some of the items on the plate, liking some and saying, “That’s different” with others.  My son later tried and liked my sweetbreads.  The kids ordered hanger steak — rare (although they were torn between that and the mussels).  For dessert they had chocolate mousse and creme brulee.  It was a pretty safe meal, except for the pate’ and the sweetbreads.

Last night I attended a potluck where a number of chefs were in attendance, including Matt Kelly.  I thanked him again for the charcuterie plate and told him that my kids had fun with it.  He responded, “It’s great to serve normal food to kids, as it’s so rare for that to happen.  I get all kinds of crazy requests to accommodate kids.”  I thought about that for a moment, and then realized that Matt’s statement might be the highest complement he could have paid me as a food-loving father.  Suddenly, images of my kids’ food adventures started running through my head.  I took those same two children to Publican in Chicago last month, where they sampled lamb neck, sturgeon, octopus and pork rinds.  They loved the frites with fried eggs on top (someone needs to do that dish around here — are you listening, Ashley Christensen?).  They didn’t think the food was weird at all.

And so, after all these years, I think that I’m finally able to handle the kids’ dislikes.  They’re by no means picky eaters, and I realize that.  They may never have a passion for food the way that I do, but they’ll always understand its importance.  Yup, I’m damn lucky indeed.

Stir the Pot — Basque Style!

I had the pleasure of attending the Stir the Pot event at Poole’s Diner a couple of months ago that featured the cooking of Charleston chef and wonderboy Sean Brock, and what a great event it was.  It was great because Brock and Chef Ashley Christensen put together some fantastic food, mixing the traditional and the contemporary.  It was great because Matt Fern hooked us up with some incredible wines.  It was great because I got to eat and mingle with chefs, food writers, and folks like me who love food.

But it was truly great because this event supported the Southern Foodways Alliance.  I’ve written about the SFA a number of times, but this is an organization that truly understands what food is all about.  It isn’t about adding notches to your restaurant belt, showing how many of the hottest places you eaten.  It isn’t about the hottest or latest trend.  What it is about is the role of food in our society.  It’s about the camaraderie of individuals who care about food.  It’s about what food — and particularly Southern food — means to me and you and anyone else who cares about what he or she eats.  I’ve made dozens of great friends through the SFA.  I know so much more about food because of the SFA.  I’ve convinced chefs that they need to get involved in the SFA, and once they did, they haven’t stopped thanking me.  And even though I’m not a chef or food writer or TV producer, I’m still accepted by those who are.   It’s a non-judgmental organization.

And this Sunday and Monday, you can help the SFA while having some incredible food.  Ashley Christensen and Poole’s Diner will be having their second round of Stir the Pot, featuring the talents of Alex Raij and Eder Montero, the wife and husband owners of New York’s Txikito, the city’s only Basque restaurant and El Quinto Pino, the city’s best tapas place.  These are big-time New York chefs, and just because you haven’t seen their faces all over the Food Network, they’re the real deal.  And we’re lucky to have them.

On Sunday, Poole’s will be hosting Raij and Montero for a wonderful dinner, which will start at 6:30 PM with lots of sparkling wine (Spanish, I’m betting) and creative Spanish finger foods.  This will be followed by a 5 course dinner, with wine accompaniments.  The cost is $150, plus tax and tip.  I know our dining budgets are tight these days, but remember, you’re also supporting an incredible organization with the SFA.  You’ll also get to have discussions with the chefs.

On Monday evening from 6-9, Ashley Christensen will be hosting a potluck at her home.  The potluck is for everyone–restaurant industry folks, writers, beverage enthusiasts, home cooks and people who with a general love for food and its history.  A main course of black cherry smoked beer can-roasted chicken and wine to match will be provided, along with some fantastic beer from my buddies at Fullsteam Brewery and signature cocktails from the mixologists at Foundation.  Just bring a dish for the potluck (I’m bringing some vodka that has been steeping in blackberries for 2 months) and a check for $35 payable to the Southern Foodways Alliance.

Please call Poole’s at 832-477 to make reservations for either or both of these great events.

Fearrington House — Best Restaurant in the Triangle???

Yeah, you read that headline right, and before you get too excited about this possible claim, realize that I’m not saying The Fearrington House is definitely the best restaurant in the Triangle, but it is certainly a contender.  It’s that good.  But first, a little story of my relationship with this great Chatham County place.

Swedish Chef Rocks to Popcorn

Do you love the Muppets?  I know you do.  And you really, truly love the Swedish Chef.  Well, you’re gonna love this one, with the Chef rocking out to the electronica classic, “Popcorn.”

Restaurant Review Roulette: Courtney’s Bistro

If you ask a local for a good breakfast spot, Courtney’s will get mentioned as much as anyone else.  There are a few Courtney’s locations in the Triangle, and many people swear their breakfasts are the best in the area.  I don’t agree, as the food has always been decent, but not great, but I can understand the appeal.  Courtney’s also serves lunch, offering soups, salads and sandwiches.  Courtney’s has not, however, traditionally served dinner.  Until recently.

Enter Chef Orobosa John Uwagbai.  And Courtney’s Bistro.  Chef Orobosa is a native Nigerian who has been cooking low country fare in the Charleston area for some time, and then worked at Gregory’s in Cary.  The Courtney’s Bistro website claims he’s listed as one of the top 25 chefs in the country (although they don’t list the source of that list).  He’s now partnered with the owners of Courtney’s to offer a “unique and exquisite dinner service.”  Now this is quite a combination, combining crystal and linen with the diner-like feel of Courtney’s.  The menu certainly focuses on low country specialties such as shrimp and grits and gumbo, but he also offers traditional fare such as rack of lamb and pasta dishes.

And now Greg Cox gets to review this bizarre combination.

I have no clue how good the food is.  I have no clue how this concept works.  I have no clue if Greg Cox will love or loathe the place.  What to do, oh, what to do?

Punt.  That’s what I need to do.  But, alas, this being Restaurant Review Roulette, I cannot run away.  I have to establish the odds.  There is a substantial amount of betting going on, I’m sure (snicker), and so I offer this week’s prognostication: Courtney’s Bistro will garner 3 stars.

5 stars — 200 to 1

4.5 stars – 20 to 1

4 stars — 9 to 2

3.5 stars — 2 to 1

3 stars — 3 to 2

2.5 stars —  5 to 2

2 stars — 3 to 1

1.5 stars — 7 to 1

1 star — 17 to 1

I don’t know a soul who has tried Courtney’s Bistro.  Let me know your thoughts.  And your predictions.

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Edit, July 16, 2010: Greg Cox gave Courtney’s Bistro 3 stars, just as I predicted.  However, the description of the food sounds as if Courtney’s Bistro could have merited at least another half star.  I guess the guy has a problem with formica tables.