If You Are Familiar With The Texas Term "Knock Off Its Horns, Wipe Its Ass And Chunk It On The Plate", You Will Love Steak In Paris

Take a look at the picture above. If you can't imagine your steak any other way, you will be in heaven in Paris. Here most restaurants assume you would want your steak 'Saignant' which is the correct way, rare. Most of the time since this is the correct way they don't even ask. You can get it cooked more but you will get that 'save me from the uneducated rabble' look from your waiter. Don't be offended. There are some French that don't like their steak rare either. 

Bleu

I can't lie to you. Sally and I as well as most of our family take our steak in the Texas fashion. The French call this 'Bleu". It's a little less cooked than 'Saignant'. Yes, I know that is disgusting to some of you so I'm not going to tell you that we like 'Beef Tartare' and 'Beef Carpaccio' which have even less cooking. Yes, they are raw. Hey, nobody gets upset about eating raw vegetables.

                        

                                      Carpaccio                                                   Tartare

I fell into my addiction for Paris late in life after wasting my "ill-spent youth" and middle age in America and the beach areas of the Caribbean enamored with sun, beaches, skiing, mountains, food, wine, drugs, sex and rock and roll. I wish I had been smart enough to get to Europe earlier in my life but that was not to be. Instead I traveled to American outposts of food and wine like San Francisco, Chicago, New York, New Orleans and many others in search of new and old ideas on food, wine and the aforementioned drugs, sex and rock and roll.

After having read Hemingway's "Moveable Feast"  and "The Sun Also Rises" in college, I fell in love with the Paris I created in my mind. The problem was I had attached that Paris to a young lady I had fallen in love with at the same time. When we broke up I shoved her and Paris out of my mind and didn't seriously think about Paris until I went back to get her twenty years later. When we finally went there together, I realized the Paris I had created in my mind paled in comparison to the real thing.

          "...do you have any more urges?”

          “Yes, I want to go to Paris.”

          “Damn, you’ve been reading Hemingway again. Haven’t you?”

          “A Moveable Feast.”

          “Aren’t you afraid you will fall in love with Paris?”

          “No. My greatest fear is Paris will fall in love with me and won’t ever let               me leave.”

          “Then you should go.”... Warm Against The Cold 

During our preparations for that first trip we happened upon Anthony Bourdain's very first episode of "No Reservations" which of course was Paris. In that first show he went to Chez Robert et Louise, so we decided to check it out. We wanted to see if Tony knew what he was talking about. Click here for the clip on Chez Robert et Louise. We have since become avid fans of his show including the 100th episode which was a trip back to Paris. It was at Chez Robert et Louise that we first encountered the French doctrine of serving all steak underdone.   

 

Chez Robert et Louise

When we placed our order for the Cote de Boeuf pour 2, we were not asked how we wanted it cooked. When it came out "Saignant" we were in heaven. Cote de Boeuf is a standing rib roast that's cut between the rib bones through the meat to produce a bone-in 2 to 3 inch steak. Yes, that makes it about 2 to 3 pounds too. Here, they swab the thing with melted butter and throw it on a huge slab of cast iron over a wood fire in an open hearth. The potatoes cooked in goose fat were a big plus as well. This dish was magnificent and is among many things we love about Chez Robert et Louise.



Cote de Boeuf pour 2 at Chez Robert et Louise

I know for some of you this is a "heart attack on a plate" (or board as it was) and eating meat this rare is just savage. Not everyone feels that way. Certainly not the majority of the French (the most civilized people in the world according to many) and certainly not Sally or me. You can count in your group the German couple sitting next to us that evening. They too ordered the Cote de Boeuf pour 2. When it was served I thought the fraulein was going to have a heart attack of her own after looking at the rare sliced steak on that wooden platter. Without even taking a bite she demanded the steak be taken back and cooked "bien cuit" (well done) in that less than courteous manner some Germans have. If everything is so perfect back home in Germany, why do these people bother to travel. Oh, that's right it's not! This reminds me of some New Yorkers who come to Florida and complain about how everything is so much better at home. They forget to mention that, if they were there, they would be freezing their asses off as they dig their sidewalks out of 3 feet of snow. Okay, okay I'm going to stop as I'm getting to that unhappy place. The Germans got their steak cooked a little bit more but not to the "bien cuit" they were demanding in their less than perfect French. I finally found some one who speaks worse French than I do. My meal and evening were perfect.

The Iron Gate House

Having been in the restaurant business for a number of years this was not my first encounter with some one objecting to rare meat. One particular incident sticks in my mind. My first wife and I had just opened our first restaurant, The Iron Gate House in Virginia Beach. I was the cook and she took care of the front of the house. We had a prix fixe menu with a choice of 3 or 4 appetizers, soup, salad, a choice of 4 or 5 entrees and choice of 3 to 4 desserts for a fixed price. We were very small (50 seats) and had two seatings, one at 6:00 to 6:30 and a later seating at 8:00 to 8:30. We allowed 2 hours between the seatings because it was a 5-course menu. I know, I know by European standards that's a rush job but we were in the United States and people eat quicker. (Especially if they start at 6:00)



This was a Saturday night and we had success at getting most of the early seating entrees served by 7:30. We had a party that presented a problem early on. One member of the party had requested his Steak Diane (Yes, this was back in the day. It'll be back! Everything old is new again.) well done. Back then I was young, arrogant and a bit stubborn. (Sally insists I'm the same today except for the young part. I don't know what she is talking about but back then I definitely was.) I refused to cook our beef past medium rare as I thought to do so detracted from the true flavor and quality of the meat. I know, I know, I'm in the hospitality business so I should be hospitable and serve the steak the way the customer wants. I was young and arrogant. I thought I was bulletproof. Life had not yet taught me that I'm not.

Dining Room The Iron Gate House

I reminded the server, Kirk, that we didn't serve beef well done and tell the gentleman if he wanted something well done we had Veal Piccata or Roast Duckling. Kirk came back and said the man wanted beef and he would take it medium rare. We served the appetizer, soup and salad courses and then started on the entrees. That party's entrees were the last out the door for that seating. A minute later Kirk was back with the Steak Diane and said the man wanted it cooked more. It had been sliced to expose a perfect medium rare but not a single bite had been taken. I reminded Kirk that the man said he would take it medium rare and I showed him it was a perfect medium rare. "Yes but the guy wants it cooked so there is no blood." I looked at the clock on the wall and saw I had some time to play. (Arrogant? I think so) I told Kirk to send the gentleman back and he could cook his steak more but that I wouldn't.

I set a skillet on a burner and added some drawn butter to heat up. Kirk in his descriptions of this party failed to mention the size of this gentleman. He had to dip his head and turn sideways to get in the kitchen door and this was a standard 36" wide door. This gentleman was a refrigerator with a head! He was huge! Nonetheless I shook his hand and introduced myself. I explained to him that I searched out the best beef possible and paid top dollar. My only criteria was that it be the best and I couldn't in clear conscience serve this tenderloin past medium rare. However I had no problem if he wanted to do it. I pointed to his plate sitting on my worktable, the hot skillet on the stove and handed him a pair of tongs.

He took the tongs, addressed the stove and placed his meat in the pan. He then proceeded to pace in front of the stove which was a little difficult because of his size. As he paced back and forth, slouched over, he said he understood my desire for seeking perfection and that was one of the reasons he had brought his party to my restaurant. "I deal with red meat all day long and I just can't bear to see it when I'm eating." He said with a bit of apology in his voice. Thinking he must be a butcher or involved in the meatpacking industry I inquired as to what he did for a living.

"I'm an undertaker", was his reply.

Well, I nearly bit my tongue in two, to keep from laughting. I nodded my head and told him to let me know when his steak was to his desired doneness and I would finish the sauce. He looked at the skillet and said: "It's done!" Then he made his way out of the kitchen and back to his table. His entree was about 45 seconds behind him.

My sous chef Todd and I stepped out the back door and laughed ourselves silly as we recounted what had just happened. I am sure that our "undertaker" went back and told his party he had admonished the cook and got his steak done the way he wanted. I admit he should have gotten it that way in the first place but you forget the arrogance of youth. I will also say that his steak didn't spend enough time in that skillet to get any more than re-heated. It certainly wasn't well done. I did top it with copious amounts of sauce to hide any blood.

Steak Frites and Red Wine

In preparation for our second trip to Paris, I came across an article written by Mark Bittman for the New York Times on steak frites restaurants in Paris. His favorite at this juncture was a place called Le Severo in the 14th Arrondissement. I love steak and fries so I put this restaurant on my list.

After our trip to Rome Sally and I started renting apartments instead of staying in hotels. We felt you get more of an understanding of the culture if you stay in a neighborhood rather than a room at the Ritz. An apartment also gives the advantage of a kitchen so that you can take advantage of all the street markets and market streets. Paris is loaded with these. You can't imagine the torture a cook goes through seeing some of the best produce in the world and not being able to do something with it. As it is with all great food items, simple is best. Let the fruit, vegetable, fish or whatever speak for iteslf. We typically go out to the morning market pick up some of the really good stuff and fix that for dinner. So we hit a lot of the restaurants in Paris at lunch instead of dinner. Sometimes this makes it cheaper but not all the time, especially not at Le Severo.
 

Jambon de Bayonne

We were into our 10th day of our trip and hadn't yet gone to Le Severo. We had been that morning to the Raspail Market and had sliced Jambon de Bayonne, fresh fruit and a wedge of Brie de Meaux. We stopped on the way back to get chocolate macarons from Pierre Herme, a baguette from the boulangerie at # 78 Rue Saint Louis en I'lle and a nice Cote du Rhone from a shop a few doors down from the bakery. I suggested that since we were going to have such a light dinner we should hit Le Severo for a light lunch of their world famous Cote de Boeuf pour 2 with some frites.

Noticing that it was approaching 12:30, Sally suggested we call and see how late they were open for lunch. I seemed to remember in my research that it was 2:00 but I wasn't sure. (I have since corrected that problem and always get the open and close dates and times for restaurants on my lists.) I called and got a rather busy Monsieur William Bernet, the owner. He didn't speak English. My French is just about as bad as my Italian but I make the effort in hopes that I can cross the cultural barriers and show that I am at least trying. After 2 quick phone calls (quick on Monsieur Bernet's part not mine.) and some language difficulties, (on my part) I ascertained that they were open for lunch that day but I still wasn't sure of their cut off time.

We dashed to the Ile de la Cite Metro station. (Okay, leisurely walked.)  We hopped on the # 4 Metro headed south to the Porte d'Orleans. We rode it deep into the 14th Arrondissement and hopped off at the Alesia station, the next to last stop. We raced (Okay, more than leisurely walked.) up the Rue d'Alesia to the Rue des Plantes and to the door of # 8.

# 8 Rue des Plantes

I entered and immediately confronted Monsieur Bernet. It is a very small place, only 30 seats and he was the only server in the tiny dining room. In my perfect French I greeted him with "Bonjour Monsieur" and requested "C'est possible dejeuner pour deux? S'il vous plait." He eyed me up and down and I could tell from the look in his eye that he recognised my accent. He reached into the pocket of his white  jacket and pulled out his iPhone. He looked at it for a moment and then nodded his head and said in perfect English: "Yes, you are before 2:00. Just as I told you. Right this way."

Le Severo Beef

Yes, he speaks some English. The French get a bad reputation for being rude pretending they don't speak English when they do. I think that they fear they do not speak correct English so they don't try. When they hear someone like me slaughtering their beautiful French language they don't feel so bad about their English and in an attempt to equal my politeness they try. I had gotten through to Monsieur Bernet. He sat us in the middle of the dining room at one of the two empty tables. I didn't see any other tourist. His customer base was French businessmen.

He knew we were serious when we ordered the Cote de Boeuf pour 2. (80 Euros at that time.) No, he didn't ask how we would like our $110 steak cooked. When he served it perfectly "Saignant" and saw the gleam in our eyes as he set it on the table, he knew he had found kindred spirits. We didn't order any additional courses because we thought 2 to 3 pounds of beef would be enough. He served us excellent bread and that fantastic French butter. I had to stop myself from eating it so I would have room for the steak. When he served a huge mound of frites alongside of the steak, I told Sally that I wouldn't be having any because I was going to concentrate on the beef. That lasted about ten seconds. These frites were thick and had been cooked in duck fat. They are the best frites I have ever tasted. We finished the whole mound of frites and all the steak. (Yes, I did eat the last piece of beef off Sally's plate when she called, "Nuff".)

We washed this down with a bottle of water and two glasses of a very nice Cote du Rhone. (Yes, I was into Cote du Rhone on this trip.) The wine list here is quite extensive and takes up the majority of the chalkboards on the main wall. Monsieur Bernet is happy to guide you through it or to make a recommendation.

Monsieur Bernet And His Wall

I'm a cook and I like to collect menus. Monsieur Bernet's menu was on the chalkboard on the wall but he also had some handwritten menus for customers who couldn't read the wall. I knew we had come to an understanding when I asked if I could purchase one. He said "No." Then he crossed the room, picked a menu up off the bar, returned and handed it to me. We smiled. I thanked him. He said it was nothing.

That night after several long walks and a short nap (Yes, it was mine), we decided we didn't need any dinner...except for the chocolate macarons from Pierre Herme.

The next morning as we were crossing the bridge from Ile Saint Louis to the left bank we noticed a commotion on the quai. An area had been roped off and there were several gendarmes, a couple divers and a police boat. The tarp covered body lying on the quai told us that another Javert had taken his life by jumping off a bridge into the murky waters of the Seine. Even in the "City of Light" there is sometimes darkness.

I admit I'm a little sick. As we are standing there looking at this sad scene, the only thought going through my mind was: "I wonder if French undertakers have a problem with red meat?"

No, that's not possible!

  



I Drank A 1989 Iron Horse T Bar T Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon And I Liked It!

When you look to any expert source about the 1989 vintage in Northern California they all say it was a less than stellar year because the rains came during harvest. Most experts also say that unless you are talking about a few exceptional mountain vineyards a 23 year old Cabernet Sauvignon from California is going to have oxidized, turned brown, fallen apart, and generally is going to taste like poo so don't bother to pull the cork. Well I say "poo to that"! I had a magnum of 1989 Iron Horse T-bar-T Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon last night and it was killer.

The vast majority of the wine produced in the world is intended to be consumed as soon as it is bottled or boxed as the case may be (6 month to a year after the vintage). I'm talking about 99%. Yes, most wine is meant to be drunk while it's young, fresh and fruity. The American palate loves fruit forward wines. Only a few wines are going to benefit from aging. Cabernet is one of them. Jancis Robinson has written an in depth article about aging wines. The gist of the article is an idea I have embraced for a long time, it is a greater crime to drink wine too old than to drink it too young. As all my friends and acquaintances will tell you, I have never had a problem pulling a cork.

Then why do I have a bottle of 1989 Cabernet sitting around in 2012, a good 13 years after I should have pulled the cork and enjoyed it with friends? Yes, wine should be enjoyed with other people. You can drink a single malt scotch by yourself but wine is meant to be a shared thing. Well, it is a large bottle (1.5 L) and they age slower than a 750ml.... Okay, okay I lost it! I put it on the bottom shelf of my wine closet and it has been hidden away for a few years. I'm human. I made a mistake. So shoot me. I'm sure I'm not the only person who has ever done this.

I found it by accident a few days ago and thought it would be a good mystery wine for a group of wine aficionados at a local wine shop where I hang out. They would never guess this was a 23 year old California Cabernet. So I pulled it out and set it upright so the vast amount of sediment I knew had to be there could drop to the bottom of the bottle.   

Well, it never made it to the wine shop. I had a family dinner at my house and during the dinner my aforementioned tendency to "have no problem pulling a cork" struck. I opened it and poured a glass. It was ruby red in color. There was no brown tinge around the edge like I had envisioned. It was clear not cloudy. It smelled of plums and cherries not raisins as I expected. It tasted of ripe fruit, acid and soft tannin in balance. There was the soft velvety mouth feel of a mature wine. (Yes, I have this problem with the cork but I have been lucky enough in my life to have tasted some great older wines. That's what friends are for.) The components of the wine were combined so that they were greater than the sum of their parts. It was like the flavor you get from a stew or chili after it sits for a couple days. The last two glasses contained just a little bit of fine sediment, but not enough for us to not drink them. The wine was absolutely 'killer'. I have no higher praise word than 'killer'. 

Forrest Tancer

I have a history with Iron Horse Vineyards and it goes back to 1987 when I was the chef of the Greenhouse in Captiva Florida. Hans Boortman, one of our wine reps walked in one day with Mr. Forrest Tancer the winemaker at Iron Horse Vineyards in Green Valley, Sonoma, California. We tasted through the wines and I bought a case of the Sparkling Brut. It was the wine Reagan used to toast Gorbachev at the summit in Geneva that ended the "Cold War" in 1985. Our list at the time was exclusively American wines and this was the best American sparkling wine I had ever tasted. They left but then came back around 9:00 that night and had dinner. After they finished, I sat down and talked with Forrest. Yes, we drank a few more bottles of wine too. Forrest is one of those really nice, "easy to talk to" people and he was very passionate about Iron Horse and their wines.

Back then, we closed the restaurant at the end of June and didn't re-open until the first of October. Every year my first wife, Sherill and I spent part of the time-off in Northern California visiting wineries, restaurants and produce growers. We bought a lot of specialty items from Wine Country Cuisine, a specialty produce company located in Santa Rosa. Forrest invited us to come visit Iron Horse Vineyards and be his guest at a "Harvest Lunch". Of course we accepted. 

At Iron Horse Vineyards we met Mr. Barry Sterling, his wife Audrey, their son Laurence and their daughter Joy. The Sterling family and Forrest are the owners of Iron Horse and I would be hard pressed to tell you which one is the more gracious hospitable person. They are nice people and they want you to feel at home at Iron Horse, so they treat you like family. You can get their whole story and information on their current releases here. The one thing you will not get from that website is the passion these people have about Iron Horse Vineyards. You have to do that face to face, so if you get the opportunity please visit them at the winery or try to catch Joy at one of the many wine tastings and dinners she does all over the country. Or you can open a bottle of their wine. Only a passionate person could have made that wine.

Harvest Lunch at Iron Horse Vineyards

The "Harvest Lunch" was quite unique. It was multi-course but only one meat, confit of duck. The rest was composed of vegetables and fruits from the gardens below the main house, their gardens. The group was unusual as well. There was a Senator, a official from the FDA, two up and coming chefs from southern California, a restaurateur from Chicago, a writer from Gourmet Magazine, two wine aficionados from New York and a young couple who had just stopped by the winery to get information and taste the wines. Everyone is welcome at Iron Horse Vineyards.

Over the years, I have always had at least one of their wines on my restaurant's wine list. Over the years, I got divorced and ended up in Atlanta selling wine for Empire Distributors. One of the wineries I represented was Iron Horse Vineyards. I had good success getting restaurants to put these wines on their list. It's easy to sell something you believe in and I had the story, the Iron Horse Vineyards story.

Over the years, Joy and Forrest got married. Their wedding was the inspiration for the Wedding Cuvee and was the first wedding where it was served. Over the years Joy and Forrest got divorced. It happens, even to nice people.

Sally and I were in Northern California in early September of 1991 or 1992 (I'm old, my memory is not what it used to be). Joy invited us to "Harvest Lunch" and it was just as fantastic as the first one I attended. They even let us stay a couple days in their "Pool House Accommodations", a building between the Sterling's home and the winery. It was quite nice and well stocked with wine. Sally and Mr. Sterling got along great, they are both green thumbs. Joy invited us into her home for a dinner she had for some of her friends. She went out of her way to make us feel her home was our home.  

When I got out of the wine business and opened Crazy Conch Cafe with Sally, the first wine we put on our list was Iron Horse Sparkling Brut.

Over the years, Iron Horse started to focus on Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and their Sparkling Wines. Forest has retired and Iron Horse no longer makes wines from his T-bar-T vineyard.

When I found this magnum, I tried to find out about it's history and get a tech sheet with the tasting notes. Because Forrest is retired, I had no luck tracking him down. I'm sad about that because I would like for him to know how good his wine is even after 23 years. I sent a note to Iron Horse Vineyards in hope that they might still have a tech sheet. Joy immediately sent me a reply that she was on the road but would be at home over the weekend and would let me know if she could find one. This is her reply:

Joy Sterling

Dear Michael,

I am so sorry, but I am afraid I could not find the Tech Sheet on file. I can tell you a bit about the vineyard. The grapes came from the T-bar-T Vineyard in the northeast corner of the Alexander Valley, which belonged to the Iron Horse founding winemaker Forrest Tancer. Forrest sold the vineyard in 2002. It now belongs to Kathryn Hall. The property sits in the foothills rising to an elevation of 800 feet. It is very steep and rugged, with great outcroppings of serpentine – California’s state rock. Out of 475 acres, only 60 acres at the time were planted to vine. True to the Alexander Valley, T-bar-T always gave us luscious fruit with soft, melting tannins. The wines aged remarkably well, thanks to a beautiful acid balance. I sincerely hope this turns out to be a wonderful "lost treasure".

With all my best,

Joy

Like I said, nice people.

The next time you are in Sonoma head north out of Sebastopol on Route 116 West following the signs to Jenner. After about 5.5 miles take a left onto Ross Station Road and follow it all the way to the very end and you will be in the heart of Green Valley.  Relax and have a little wine. You will realize as I have that the real treasure of Iron Horse Vineyards will never be lost, it's the people.

Iron Horse Ranch and Vineyard, 9786 Ross Station Road, Sebastopol, CA 95472 Tel. - 707.887.1507 Tours by appointment Monday - Friday at 10:00 a.m. Sales room open daily from 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  



What The Hell Is Remoulade Sauce?

Remoulade Sauce is one of the stepchildren of sauce mayonnaise. Credit for the invention of mayonnaise has been taken by the Spainish (it was first used in the Spanish town of Mehon) and of course, the French (it comes from the old French word "moyeu" which means yolk of egg). The French certainly popularized mayonnaise and there is no question that they were the inventors of 'remoulade'. As with most foods with a history, remoulade has hundreds of variations, from classic French to Louisiana Creole. Everyone has their own version and they add or remove whatever they want and still call it 'Remoulade Sauce'.

I'm human so I have my version too. I have been using this recipe for so long that I have forgotten where I got the original. I think it came from Reed Perry at the Golden Pheasant in Bucks County, Pa., back in the early 1970's. I have played with it and made changes so it is truly mine now. (Yes, I know I did steal the original). Escoffier's 'The Complete Guide to The Art Of Modern Cookery' has the classic recipe which has gherkins, anchovy essence, tarragon and chervil. Mine doesn't have those items but it goes with just about any savory food I can think of. I've used it as a salad dressing, as a sauce for shrimp, crab, oysters, beef, chicken, pork, veal, as the binder for tuna salad, on a shrimp po' boy, as the sauce for fish (flounder to salmon), as a condiment to french fries (Yes, that sounds horrible to some of you but not to all of you and certainly not to me!), as a potato salad base, condiment on meatloaf sandwiches and as a vegetable dip. Remoulade goes with anything. Give it a try and if you come up with a use I haven't mentioned let me know so I can give it a try.

Remoulade Sauce

                3 - Cups Hellman’s Mayonnaise              ½ - Cup Grey Poupon Mustard
                3 - Ribs of Celery Chopped Fine              1 - Tsp. Tabasco sauce
                2 - Tbsp. Prepared Horseradish                2 - Tbsp. Fresh Lime Juice
               ½ - Cup Parsley Leaves Chopped Fine     4 - Green Onions Chopped Fine
                4 - Tbsp. Capers                                       2 - Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
                1 - Tbsp. Old Bay Seafood Seasoning      Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Chill and serve.

 . 

Rum Cake Made With Rum? What a Novel Idea!

This recipe originally had the rum diluted half water, half rum. I made it all rum and I use dark rum, more flavor. I know, I know, this comes out of a box, actually two boxes. You serve it in a restaurant and it comes out of a box? I've seen this recipe all over too, on the internet, at parties and in magazines everywhere. I got this recipe from Mrs. Pat Ashburn of Virginia Beach and I have served it since 1976. In my restaurants it was the most requested recipe and the biggest selling dessert. We served it with sliced strawberries tossed in sugar and triple sec with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a sprig of mint on top. I could have made a genoise and put a little egg-custard in it but this works and people love it. What can I say, if it ain't broke don't fix it!

No you can't make it with Tequila! Why? Because it doesn't taste the same! Some people hound you for a recipe and when you give it to them, the first thing they do is change it. Then they wonder why it doesn't taste the same. Well, there is a reason for that. No! No! ...I'm going to stop now because I'm getting "worked up" and I'm not going to that terrible place. Here's the recipe. I hope you enjoy it.   

Rum Cake

Preheat Oven to 325 degrees.

 Cake

                                    1- Package Duncan Hines Golden Butter Cake Mix
                                    1- Package Jello Instant French Vanilla Pudding Mix
                                    1- Cup Rum
                                  ½ - Cup Wesson Oil
                                   4 - Whole Eggs
                                  ½ - Cup Chopped Pecans

Glaze  

                                  ¼ - Pound Unsalted Butter
                                   1 - Cup Sugar
                                  ½ - Cup Rum

Grease bundt pan with Pam.  Sprinkle chopped pecans in bottom of pan and shake to spread evenly.  Mix the rest of the cake ingredients in a bowl of a mixer until well blended.  Pour batter on top of nuts and bake in pre-heated oven for 50 to 60 minutes.  Cake should be browning on top and just pulling away from sides of the pan.

Ten minutes before cake is done, melt glaze ingredients in small pan over medium heat.Let boil one minute stirring to dissolve the sugar and then remove from the heat.  Let cake cool for five minutes and then with cake still in the pan poke with a skewer all over and pour glaze over cake a little at a time until it is all absorbed.  When cake is completely cool invert and remove from pan.    

  

Rome - Pizza, Pasta, Piazzas and Pickpockets!

"As they walked through the tall wide wooden door, the one they rarely open, he felt a chill. It was late December right after Christmas. He was awed by the enormity of the building. The place was overwhelming and yet he felt safe. He marveled at the construction and the beautiful artwork. They explored the massive place for about half an hour and then it happened. Out of nowhere a choir started to sing ‘Silent Night’. Music always moved him but never like this. The volume grew and as he looked around for the source he felt a serenity he had never felt before. He was lost in the moment. Problems, difficulties and negativity were gone. In their place was a quiet sense of calm. The music was beautiful. He looked over and saw that it had the same effect on her. He had worried that when they walked through the door they would be struck by lightning. She was not a believer. He loved her anyway. They enjoyed the moment. As the music ended they smiled at each other. As he looked into her wide beautiful eyes he thought of another time and place. It was a time and place when they had innocence. Things never work out the way you think they will. Even in his largest house, God doesn’t make things that easy." ... Keep Us Warm Against The Cold.

I have been to Italy a bit, for business and pleasure. Because of my food and wine background, I get a lot of request from friends and acquaintances for restaurants and food shops in different cities. I recently got one for Rome which made me recall a trip Sally and I made over the Millennium. We left Florida on Christmas Day and flew the overnight flight from New York to Fiumicino - Leonardo da Vinci, which sits outside Rome on the coast. We arrived in the early morning and took the quick train into town. We arrived at Roma Termini, the transportation hub in central Rome around ten o'clock.

Roma Termini Station 1953

It was a beautiful sunny day so we decided to walk to the Hotel Dorica on the Piazza Viminale, a mere five blocks away. We were a little jet lagged so not as attentive as we normally would be. We also had rolling suitcases which immediately labeled us as tourist. The white athletic shoes made us American tourist. We suspected nothing as a young Gypsy lady approached with a baby in a sling around her neck and a twelve year old boy in tow. The next thing I knew I was being forcefully cajoled into giving them money to feed the baby. I couldn't see the baby because of the sling but the other two looked rather healthy and robust. Then the old light bulb went off in my head and I reached for my money clip that I kept in my pants pocket. We had already secured our passports and major cash in a money pouch under my clothing but I always carry some cash and my credit cards in a money clip. The baby sling provided this young lady a place to hide her hands. One of them had picked my pocket and taken my money clip. In an action born out of anger rather than clever thought I swiped my hand under the baby sling and out popped my money clip. We chased them off yelling "Al Ladro, Al Ladro in my horrible Italian. Yes, I know that means "stop thief" and I certainly didn't want them to stop but like I said my Italian is horrible. Then as I was making sure all my credit cards and cash were intact, I looked across the piazza to see two members of the local Polizia pointing at us and laughing. There is no compassion for stupid American tourist.

We quickly found the Hotel Dorica. It sits in a piazza opposite the Ministry of Interior's Viminal Palace which is on one of the historical seven hills of Rome. The Dorica is a small family-run affair and is quite delightful. The rooms are comfortable with nice sized bathrooms which are sometimes hard to find in Italy. Our room was on the first floor which in Europe is the second floor overlooking the piazza and the palace. It was quite beautiful and relatively quiet at night. It is also within walking distance of pretty much all the sights tourists want to see. Click the link above for more information and current rates. Piazza Viminale #14 Roma 00184 - Tel.- +39  - 06.483615 or 4818952. Email - hldorica@tin.it

 

The Holy Door

Most people when they travel want to avoid the "tourist spots" and if you have already been to these places then by all means find the spots that are off the beaten path. If you haven't been to these "tourist spots" you are missing the whole point of travel. To wander the neighborhood of your hotel round a corner and there in front of you is this gigantic structure that you recognize as the Colosseum is a feeling like no other you will ever experience. To walk in St. Peter's Square and feel its vastness and then see it overflowing with people on New Year's Eve is awe inspiring. To walk through the "Porta Sancta", Holy Door which is only opened in a Holy Year ("Jubilee" every twenty five years) and marvel at the beauty and massiveness of St. Peter's Basilica and then hear a boy's choir sing a stirring "Silent Night" is an overwhelming emotional experience. It's an experience you will never get from a picture or a video. It makes a physical connection creating a memory that lasts a lifetime. That is the reason to travel and the reason to hit the "tourist spots" at least once.

Campo de Fiori 

Another one of these spots is the market at Campo de Fiori. It is a charming square that indeed was a "field of flowers" at one time. Now it is covered with cobblestones and adorned with interesting old buildings and small palaces. Every morning (until 1:00pm) except for Sunday it is filled with a bustling food market. It has stalls selling the best flowers, fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood and anything else you need for a meal or snack, in all of Rome. Now some may argue that the Testaccio Market a couple of Metro stops to the south is better but it's indoor and therefore not the same. It has  just moved (Spring 2012) into a brand new building so it has a different feel than the Campo de Fiori. They are both great markets.

 Forno Campo de Fiori

You can get a nice ripe pear, a chunk of parmagiano reggiano and thin slices of prosciutto crudo to put in your backpack for lunch. What no bread? Never fear because at the far end of the piazza next to La Carbonara is Forno (Oven) Campo de Fiori and they have the best pizza bianca in all of Rome. When we were there they called it "Scrocchirella". Now that they are famous ( Jeffery Steingarten wrote an article about them and Antico Forno Roscioli )  it's called pizza bianca, a lot easier to pronounce. A lot of people argue that the pizza bianca at Antico Forno Roscioli is better but I like Forno Campo de Fiori's. It's a six foot long olive oil brushed, sprinkled with sea salt and sometimes rosemary, chewy, moist, airy flatbread that is chopped into portable rectangles by nice ladies with big knives behind a counter that looks like it has been there since before the war. (WWI or WWII?)  Two pieces is usually an order but these ladies will cut as much as you want. With this all you need is a bottle of wine or water and you have a feast. We did this for lunch just about every day we were there. Piazza Campo de Fiori # 22, Tel. - +39 - 06.688.06662. Closed Sunday and Saturday afternoon in summer.

Two Slices

One Slice Before Going Into Forno
  

We got our bearings over the next few days and settled into a routine. We would rise early and enjoy a typical Italian hotel breakfast of fruit, pastry, coffee, breads, sliced meats and cheeses which was included in our room tariff.  Then we would walk over to the Campo de Fiori and pick up items for our lunch less the bottle of wine or water, no sense carting that weight around when we can pick up a bottle just before eating and it will be cool or cold as need be. Then we would be off to see the sights.

The one problem we could not solve was the onslaught of the pickpockets. It was like we had signs on our backs saying: "Please take my wallet!" They were everywhere, on the steps of the churches, at the museums and art galleries, alone or in packs on the streets, on the bus, on the street waiting for the bus. Every time I put my hand in my pocket I ended up shaking hands with a "Citizen of Rome". On an earlier trip to Rome I had purchased Sally a small black leather backpack that she used as a purse and carryall. They treated that like it was their own. She stopped wearing it on her back and started wearing in front and that still didn't keep out the prying fingers. There was no typical profile either, although a large portion were gypsies. (I know, I know. I'm a racist for pointing that out but it was true) They ranged from street urchins of 8 or 9 to young girls of 16 or 17 to men in suits with ties, to little old bent over grandmothers. We just couldn't seem to shake them especially on the bus. We mentioned this to the daughter of the owner of our hotel one morning at breakfast. She said, "Yes they are a problem. You should not ride the buses in the historical district. They call the # 64 bus the "Pickpocket Express" and the # 40 the "Pickpocket Buffet". You should use the Metro. It is much safer."

We started using the Metro that same morning.  As I stepped onto the very first train I was surrounded by a pack of Artful Dodger wannabes, none older than 10. I reached into the front pockets of my pants and grabbed two small vainly searching hands. I admonished their owners, deposited them on the platform, growled in my aforementioned horrible Italian and sent them on their way. So much for the safety of the Metro. At Sally's insistence, that morning I had placed my money clip in a zippered inner pocket of the light jacket I was wearing. I love smart women and don't understand why she sometimes calls me stubborn. 

Felice a Testaccio

If you go and check out the Testaccio Market make sure you try Felice a Testaccio - in the same area as the Market. It has been there since 1936 and it's customers, the decor and menu are the same after three generations. This may well be the best trattoria in Rome. It is hidden in a nontourist area down a nondiscript street. Go for the tonnarelli cacio e pepes. Via Mastro Giorgio # 29 Tel. - 06.5746800 Closed on Sunday.  

Ristorante Camponeschi  

This was my 50th year and this trip was my wife's birthday present to me. We wanted one night out to be really special, obscenely special, if you know what I mean. I had read about Ristorante Camponeschi in my research for our trip. It is located in the Piazza Farnese, one piazza over from the Campo de Fiori closer to the Tiber. The square houses the Palazzo Farnese, a stunning example of classic Renaissance Architecture built in 1541 which is now the French Embassy. The Piazza Farnese is elegant and charming as is Ristorante Camponeschi. The restaurant caters to the movers and shakers in the Italian capitol in several small rooms. It's like eating in some one's home, if they live in a centuries old home with massive flower arrangements, thick white table linens, heavy silver flatware, Villeroy & Boch china, thin crystal glassware and a legendary staff of chefs, cooks, waiters and sommeliers. The restaurant is known for its seafood, copious amounts of truffles, game dishes in season as well as an outstanding wine list, one of the best in the city. 

 Ristorante Camponeschi Dining Room

If you gasp at the thought of spending $200 - $300 per person for dinner this is not the place for you. If you are a whiner about getting value for your money, this is not the place for you. This is like "21" in New York or "Galatoire's" in New Orleans. It's about a love affair with an old school culinary ghost, not the the latest food trend with that hot new chef. Everything about the meal was fantastic, including the suave gentleman tucked in a nook with a guitar softly singing Italian love songs. I have been in restaurants where I have eaten better but never where I've had a more decadent romantic dining experience. It was worth every penny. The Camponeschi father and son team, Marino and Alessandro, have recently opened a wine shop and wine bar in adjacent buildings. The wine bar serves light fare and they are willing to open any of their 600 selections of wine, so that you can have a glass. Piazza Farnese # 50 - Tel. - 06.6874927  Closed on Sunday.

For this special night out, we dressed appropriately. I wore a jacket and tie with dark trousers and black wingtips. Sally also dressed in elegant dark hues. This "broke the code" for us with the pickpocket problem. We now blended in with the local Italians (until I opened my mouth to speak). No fashion conscious Italian is going to wear white athletic shoes or khakis out on the streets of the city, day or night. That attire screams "rich American with money for me" to every pickpocket in sight. I don't mean to pick on Rome. Every major city in the world has a pickpocket problem, New York in particular. When you travel you need to blend in and constantly be aware of your surroundings. Be smart and don't become a target. After this we dressed in dark clothing and didn't put ourselves in unsafe situations. We didn't have any more problems with the pickpockets.

La Carbonara

After walking past La Carbonara every morning, of course, we tried it for dinner. This is the place in Rome for pasta and please have the carbonara. They use Guanciale (Roman bacon) instead of pancetta, it gives a more intense flavor. It comes from the jowl not the belly of the pig. The carbonara is delicous but it's not the reason the restaurant is named "La Carbonara". The name comes from the fact that the founder of the restaurant, Andreina Salomone's father had a coal shop in the neighborhood called "Il Carbonaro" (The Coal-seller) and when he closed the shop it was made into an inn of the same name that she ran. When she married she moved the inn to the Campo de Fiori and changed the name to fit the fact that she served food too. The majority of the crowd is local and it has been there for a hundred years (1912-2012) so they must do something right. They have an alfresco dining area in mild weather and if you eat inside ask for a table upstairs by the window for a fantastic view of the piazza. Piazza Campo de Fiori # 23 Tel- 06.6864783  They are open daily for lunch and dinner.

 Carbonara 

When we travel, we don't make reservations to eat. I know that sounds crazy but I've been in the business long enough to know that if you are flexible you won't go hungry. I typically have a list of 30 to 40 restaurants or food spots I want to try. In our cultural and historical wanderings we usually pass these places. I stop and take a look at the menu, eye some dishes if they are open and I take into account the smell and look of the place. Do they have a bar or counter? We will eat at the bar, no problem. Does it smell like bread baking or are there bags of bread by the door? They get their bread daily. Is there someone in the kitchen? Stocks, sauces, butchering, filleting and pastry take time, therefore someone should be there pretty much all day. The silver, the glassware, the linens, fresh flowers, smells  and general cleanliness all tell a story. Do I want to eat here? I'm a gambler so I will admit that I will eat at a restaurant by reputation alone or if someone I respect has recommended it. And I will also admit to just taking a chance on some. You look at the outside of a run down hole in the wall and think "No way am I going to eat here" but something in your gut says "Try it! So you try it. I will admit that I have made errors in judgment in some of these latter cases but I have also been disappointed by some big guns too. The key is to find the little jewels and every city has them.

To go to a place without a reservation requires a bit of flexibility. We usually go early before the locals eat. In Rome this means 7:00 to 8:00 maybe 8:30. I go in and in my aforementioned bad Italian I say: "Buona sera. Un tavolo per due, per favore?" No matter what the response, 'Si or No" I always end with "Grazie". Looking at my sizable girth they know I'm not there for an salad and a glass of water, so this works 80% of the time. Next I try for a seat at the bar or I ask to wait. (with a nice glass or two of wine I have no problem waiting 30 or 40 minutes)  If I am shut out we just go to another nearby restaurant on my list. I can count on one well-nourished hand the number of times I have been shut out.

Trattoria Armando al Pantheon 

We were lucky at the extremely busy Trattoria Armando al Pantheon. We don't usually eat at places this close to major tourist attractions but this is an exception to the rule. Started in 1961 by Armando Gargioli it is now run by his two sons, Claudio and Fabrizio. Although the restaurant is within a stone's throw of the Pantheon the majority of the patrons are Roman. Perhaps it's the unassuming entrance or the fact the menu is only in Italian (that's a good sign) that prevents tourist from giving it a try. That certainly didn't stop us. After scoping it out while we were visiting the Pantheon, we arrived at 7:15. After pleading monumental hunger and with a promise to be gone before the arrival of the 9:30 reservation we were given one of the 2 vacant tables. The menu is full of seasonal Roman classics. We had bruschetta, one with wild boar and another with goose breast and then roast lamb, beef carpaccio and their famous rum torte.(Don't be afraid of all the meat. They also have a completely vegetarian menu) We share everything by dinging (The side of your glass with a spoon, like at a wedding when you want the bride and groom to kiss, well not that loud but you get the idea) and passing the plate. Dining is much more fun that way, you get to try everything.  Salita Dei Crescenzi # 31  Tel.- 06.68803034 Closed Saturday for dinner and all day Sunday.

L'Eau Vive Now With Signs & Menu

In searching for the Pantheon, we walked down a narrow side street past a restaurant with a brass plaque over the modest entrance that told us this was L'Eau Vive (Living Water). There was nothing else outside that indicated this was a restaurant, no signs, no menu, nothing other that the stately dorway to the right that is the main entrance to 16th century Palazzo Lante della Rovere. (This has changed as they now have their menu posted and added some plant boxes)  Once inside we found a French restaurant run by a cloister of French nuns in the middle of one of the oldest sections of Rome. Nuns, you say? Yes, nuns.

Cooking at L'Eau Vive

  

Well, not technically nuns. We found out later that the restaurant has been there since 1965, at one time had a star in the Michelin guide and is run by Travailleuses Missionnaires de la Conception Immaculee (Missionary Women Workers of the Immaculate Conception) a secular association that does charity work in Third World countries. The ladies who comprise the staff of the restaurant come from all over the world but take no formal vows unlike novices in religious orders. They do commit to observe the rules of their community and they live together in convent-like residences so as far as I am concerned they are nuns. The ladies dress in their native costumes. The food is classic French with a nod to international influences. They have an excellent wine selection, predominately French with some Italian.  

We were seated in one of the two rooms on the ground floor and we thought this was a small quaint restaurant. At the end of the meal I went in search of the men's room and was directed upstairs. I discovered two additional dining rooms with towering frescoed ceilings and the huge kitchen. We were indeed inside a palazzo and this was no small quaint restaurant. It is the flagship of their mission and they have operations in France, Belgium, the Philippines, Argentina, Peru, New Caledonia and Upper Volta. In these countries the young ladies also teach in schools, visit the sick and tend to the old and the poor while spreading the word of Jesus. The profits from the restaurant operations pay for their charity work.

The "Little Theatrical"  

Their customers are largely Roman families and local and visiting clergy. There is a large statue of the Virgin Mary at the entrance and mid way through your meal there will be a "little theatrical" performed by the nuns. This consists of singing hymns, usually "Ava Maria" and the reciting of bible stories in a ballet-like art form. We were there for the 2000th birthday of Jesus so ours included the passing of a doll-like baby Jesus for everyone to kiss. These ladies always have a smile on their faces and are some of the most gracious people I have ever met. Eating here I feel like Jean Valjean at the bishop's table eating good French food and drinking good French wine, all with a sprinkling of God's word. No, I didn't take the candlesticks or the silver flatware. Via Monterone # 85 Tel.- 06.68801095 Closed, of course, on Sunday.

These are the restaurants and places we always return to. When in Rome you are surrounded by history. We have a history with these places and have fond memories of the food, drink and moments we have shared here. 

Here is a list of some other good places that we hope will some day be added to your fond memories of Rome.

Primo al Pigneto is hip and comfortable with warehouse chic decor. The food is creative, respectful and delicious. Excellent wine list. $40-$50 per person. Via del Pigneto

Trattoria Monti ia a contemporary spot with mom in the kitchen and two sons running the front. It has a definate Le Marche feel in the food and wine list because that is where they are from so lots of meat game and fish. Lots of options for vegetarians as well. Try the Tortello al Rosa d'Uovo. No website. $50-$60 per person. Via San Vito # 13a  Tel. - 06.4466573. Close Sunday evening and all day Monday.

Il Paliaccio is creative French Italian Far East fusion cuisine in a seasonal changing menu. It has a decently priced wine list that has interesting small producers mixed in with the big names everyone knows. Seared scallops with teriyaki-marinated beef, foie gras with a citrus granite and spectacular desserts. $90-$100 per person. Via dei Banchi Vecchi # 129a  Tel. - 06.68809595 Closed Sunday and for lunch Monday and Tuesday.

Trattoria Der Pallaro is traditional roman cuisine with a fixed-price menu. There is no choice, you eat what they fix but everything is included in the price including wine and bottled water. According to the owner the restaurant sits on the site of the assassination of Julius Caesar. That might be a stretch but food is good and only $30 per person. Largo del Pallaro # 15 Tel. - 06.68801488 Closed Mondays.

Hostaria Antica Roma is classic dining in an archaeological site on the Appian Way. Lunch or dinner in an ancient tavern that has been used as such since the mid 1700's. This is a unique dining experience that will definitely let you know you are in Rome. Traditional menu with some contemporary influences and excellent wine list. They even have a menu of dishes from recipes by Apicius who is credited with writing the first cookbook. $60-$80 per person. Via Appia Antica # 87 Tel. - 06.5132888 Closed Monday

Casa Beleve is an enoteca in a palazzo. This is Roman grandeur. You can drive a Lamborghini between the tables. Great food, more than just antipasti and an unbelievable selection of wine. Worth the price as a fantastic wine and food experience. $60-$70 per person. Via del Teatro Valle # 48-49  Tel. - 06.6864045 Closed Saturday evening, Sunday and Monday.

La Rosetta is dedicated to fish, no red meat on this menu. This is one of Rome's best seafood restaurants. Sophisticated pristine fish preparations with an excellent choice of wines to match. Bring your wallet. $100-$150 per person. Via della Rosetta # 8-9 Tel. - 06.6861002 Open every day except lunch on Sunday. 

Il Convivio Troiani is regarded by Romans as one of the best restaurants in the city. Opened in 1990 by three brothers it has elegant rooms and beautiful tableware. The food is an exciting mix of old and new. Great wine list with all the big guns. They have tasting portions of most items on the menu. $100-$150 per person. Vicolo dei Soldati # 31 Tel. - 06.6869432  Dinner only Closed Sunday.