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Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Food News Crêpe Cellar adds new items to menu
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Tue, May 19, 2009 at 3:07 PM
The NoDa crêperie Crêpe Cellar has added a new dessert to their menu. They now have a Butter Sugar Crêpe. Mmm, yummy. Butter and sugar. What's not to like? (There is no way Paula Deen could resist this one.)
Also, they have a new side dish -- polenta. Slightly random, eh?
Three-Course Spiel An interview with kitchen manager Pete Tolles
Posted By Christian Yoder on Tue, May 19, 2009 at 12:07 PM
Mixing traditional bar food with higher-end dining can be tricky. This is one of the challenges that Pete Tolles has encountered after becoming the kitchen manager for 1300 Southend Tavern almost three months ago. After living in Florida, Tolles has been in Charlotte for the past two years and is mastering the art of mixing tavern cuisine with a slightly more sophisticated edge, all the while incorporating a touch of traditional Southern taste into the Tavern's menu.
Creative Loafing: How long have you been in the industry?
Pete Tolles: I’ve been in the industry for about 16 years now, as far as after school goes. I started when I was a young kid, back when I was 11 before we even had to have work papers. I started off as a dishwasher, worked my way up to a busser, then a server and finally a chef.
How does working in a tavern or bar setting affect your creativity?
Well it’s actually very new to me. Coming in, I was very used to working in country clubs, where I basically started my career. I worked at about nine different country clubs. As far as working in a tavern setting, I’ve never worked in a setting like this before; it’s a little challenging for me. Of course you have to provide regular bar food for people who come in and watch the games. At the same time you still have to be creative so that you can appeal to people who are just coming in to dine.
Does cooking ever make you hungry?
Actually, no, it doesn’t anymore. I like to taste and everything, but I see food so much that I don’t eat much anymore. As you can see, I’m not very big.
1300 Southend Tavern is located at 1300 South Blvd.
Events Food news: Chef Reinhart's pizza-making class
Posted By Tricia Childress on Tue, May 19, 2009 at 11:30 AM
Chef Peter Reinhart, author of American Pie: My Search for the Perfect Pizza, multiple James Beard award winning author, Johnson & Wales Chef-on Assignment, and co-owner of Pie Town, will teach a pizza-making class at his Pie Town, 710 West Trade St., on Saturday, June 20 at 10 a.m. Class is $50 for instruction and lunch. RSVP required: briana@sonomarestaurants.net.
Events Upcoming: International Night
Posted By Kimberly Lawson on Tue, May 19, 2009 at 9:00 AM
According to the Observer, Foskoskies Neighborhood Cafe (2121-A Shamrock Drive) will be hosting its next International Night tonight. The theme will be focusing on Portugal. Choices include salt cod with grated potatoes and black olives; pork with clams Alentijo-style; and seafood rice; plus flan and Portuguese-style baked apple. Four courses, $20; 704-535-2220.
Read food critic Tricia Childress' review of the restaurant here.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Food News Food news: Food writers on radio
Posted By Tricia Childress on Mon, May 18, 2009 at 9:30 AM
On Friday May 22, CL’s Tricia Childress will be on the WFAE 90.7fm Charlotte Talks with Mike Collins. Also on the panel are area food writers Peter Reinhart, Chef-on-Assignment at Johnson & Wales University; Helen Schwab of the Charlotte Observer; and Heidi Billotto of Charlotte Living Magazine. The one-hour talk show airs live from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. and will be rebroadcast 9 p.m. Listeners can join the conversation during the live broadcast at 704-926-9323 or by e-mail to charlottetalks@wfae.org.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Recipe Recipe: Chocolate Butterscotch Blondies
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Fri, May 15, 2009 at 10:41 AM
After eating a few blondies at the Johnson and Wales cafeteria a few months ago, I've become obsessed with finding a similar recipe. These butterscotch-studded blondies had great chew and a buttery flavor, and they weren't dry and crumbly. After searching far and wide in the Googlesphere, I've finally found a recipe to satisfy my blondie mania.
If you have 10 minutes to spare this weekend, I highly recommend you bake a batch of these. The secret ingredient is graham cracker crumbs. The graham adds flavor and makes the blondies chewy. I've tweaked the recipe a bit from the original, which therefore allows me to change the name and claim them as my own, right? I should give the recipe a Bennifer name and call these "Chocoscotch Blondies" or maybe "Butterlate Blondies."
Chocoscotch (or Butterlate) Blondies
Ingredients:
- 4 ounces unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup fine graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans, optional
Preparation:
Grease and flour a 9-inch or 8-inch square baking pan. Heat oven to 350°.
Beat melted butter and brown sugar together until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla extract until well blended.
Slowly beat in the flour and salt until blended, then stir in the graham cracker crumbs, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and nuts, if using.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until set in the center but still soft. Do not overbake. I repeat: Do not overbake. (I baked mine for 22 minutes and they came out perfect.)
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Food News Food news: Charlotte Shout suspended
Posted By Tricia Childress on Thu, May 14, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Due to the extraordinary economic conditions, Charlotte Center City Partners, Compass Group, NA and Johnson & Wales University, Charlotte made the joint decision to suspend the production of the Charlotte Shout Culinary Arts Experience 2009. “This would have been our 8th year of the Charlotte Shout Culinary Arts Experience,” said Robert Krumbine, Executive Director of Charlotte ArtsFest, Inc, and Executive Producer of the event. “However, in this difficult climate, we believe it will be extremely difficult to raise the amount of money we need to produce the high caliber event we all expect.” However, the Memphis Barbecue Network-sanctioned Blues, Brews and BBQ 2009 will be back September 11 and 12, 2009, with a move slightly south on Tryon Street.
Liquid Diet Esquire's 'Best Bars'
Posted By Kimberly Lawson on Thu, May 14, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Esquire posted its Best Bars of America list, and only one made it from North Carolina. Charlotte, N.C., to be exact.
Are you ready to see which one of our fancy, schmancy bars made it on the list?
*Drunken drum roll please ...*
Mouthful Top 5 places to get cool treats
Posted By Priscilla Tsai on Thu, May 14, 2009 at 11:29 AM
1. Cookout - Order one of their premium milkshakes that come in over 46 flavors. For under $3, it's a steal.
2. Elizabeth Creamery - This mom and pop shop makes their own ice cream. A few great flavors they have: mango, green tea, and coconut.
3. Dairy Queen - Get a chocolate dipped cone of snowy white vanilla ice cream.
4. Cold Stone Creamery - Make your own ice cream mixture with candies and cookies of your choice. Tip: Stay away from the York Peppermint Patties -- they get hard and uncomfortably chewy when they get cold.
5. Kilwin's - Indulge in rich flavors of ice cream like peanut butter cup and chocolate. Bonus: Pick up some fudge on your way out. There's no such thing as sugar overload.
Food News Food news: The changing of the chef
Posted By Tricia Childress on Thu, May 14, 2009 at 11:28 AM
Chef Blake Hartwick, formerly the Executive Chef at Bonterra Dining & Wine Room, Las Ramblas Cafe, and The Lodge, is now Executive Chef at Blair’s American Bistro & Wine Bar, 1600 Montford Drive, 704-525-8282.
Chef Cory Sharpe is now Executive Chef at Bonterra Dining & Wine Room, 1829 Cleveland Ave.. Sharpe had been the Sous Chef there since 2002. Marcelino Santos has been promoted to Executive Chef at Las Ramblas, 2400 Park Road, where he had been the Sous since the 2006 opening. Joe Leischner is now Chef at The Lodge, 7725 Colony Road. Leischner had been a cook at Bonterra.
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Recipe: Rose Water Tea Cookies 1
Cookies, tea and shouting. In that order. Ascending order.
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Dish on this: Charlotte-based chefs join ACF Culinary Team USA 2016
As fall approaches, local chefs prepare for a culinary battle in Germany.
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Recipe: Pomegranate Gingerbread Granola
Breakfast logic: Things that are crunchy are good. Granola is crunchy. Therefore, it is good.
