freshbyFioreMarketCafé1000 Fremont Ave South Pasadena CA 91030 (626) 441.2280 fiore issue01Sunday:Monday-Saturday:marketcafe.com11-5Closed
IT WAS JANUARY 2010. I was working for a restaurant group on the west side. I knew I was going to lose my job. My boss and I didn’t see eye to eye and he felt it was best to go in a different direction. I had never lost a job before. I was always the last one standing, but not this time. D-Day came on my birthday February 5th, 2010. Anne and I celebrated my birthday by having hot dogs at a place called Slaw Dogs. I felt a deep sense of relief.
The story of us 1 1 - 001 -
My plan all along was a restaurant that featured a wood oven. I wanted the restaurant to revolve around the wood oven and nothing else. Everything would be cooked in the wood oven including pizza, vegetables, bread, chickens and meats.
Even the grilling of steaks was done using the wood briquet from the fire on the marble exterior bar with a heavy-duty grill.
Later that day I contacted the broker. We met and she showed me the space. She encouraged me to submit an offer which I did the next day. I also baked a loaf of rosemary bread that I gave her with the offer.
Weeks before that last day my mind went on high alert. I had remembered a wood oven pizza restaurant in South Pasadena across from the Metro station. Anne and I had eaten there once before. I decided to drive by on my way to the 110.The restaurant was closed. A “For Lease” sign hung in the window. I got out of the car and peered in the window. The space was empty, but the light was good. I could see the wood burning pizza oven. It was toward the back, in the corner behind a makeshift bar in what appeared to be the kitchen. My mind raced. Immediately I drew a picture in my head of the space and what I wanted to do. I envisioned butcher block tables with sunlight basking the entire room. I had a feeling Anne and I could do something special with the little restaurant.
With the assistance of a moving company and a couple of forklifts and a glass company who removed the large window pane, I was able to get the oven to our house and into the backyard. It did require me to demolish a wood fence so the fork lift could set the oven on the patio.
Anne and I drove by. The two of us looked into the empty space and then we both started to chat about possibilities. That’s how we work. We talk and talk and form an idea of how something will look. From there we orchestrate a plan and a starting point. In this case we were way too far ahead of ourselves.
I learned shortly that the owner chose someone else. After she gave me the bad news I offered to pay $2,000 for the wood oven if the new tenant didn’t want to use it.
The new tenant was opening an Indian restaurant not featuring pizza, so that oven was mine.
When Anne, James and Patrick saw it they all chuckled. Anne named it the spaceship because it looks like something from outer space. I just saw potential and lots of delicious pizza.
After our adventures in Italy, I saw how many Italian restaurants operated in this fashion. Most of them had a stove for making pasta, but all baking was done in the wood oven.
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Not working provided me with time to bake pizzas. My boys and I made pizza a few times a week. The tricky part was the fire. It took from 2-3 hours to get it to 800 degrees. Every time I lit the fire and the smoke started to billow out of the stainless steel vent I grew fearful that I would receive a visit from the local fire department. I also noticed that helicopters would appear from nowhere following the smoke. There was never a problem.
I walked a lot but found nothing. Mission Street is where I spent most of my time, but after a while I found myself one block south on El Centro. I always loved the space that houses Kaldi and Bistro de la Gare and Nicole’s, but obviously those buildings were not for rent.
I wasn’t too aware of a restaurant that had been open on the north side of the building. The green and white awnings caught my eye. They were embroidered with “gourmet salads.” The front entrance and door were appealing. The window to the right also had an awning hanging above the long window facing the post office. It all reminded me of the country and maybe something I might have found in Italy. It was very warm and exciting. I saw huge potential just from a few seconds of staring at the entrance. I called Anne to tell her about my great find. By now she was getting tired of the excitable phone calls. “
OUR PLAN WAS THETHROUGHOUTBEWASDAY.MADEWASEVERYTHINGFRESH.TOBETHATBREADTOBAKEDDAY.” - 005 -
When I wasn’t building fires and making pizzas I was walking up and down the streets of South Pasadena looking for a space to open a restaurant.
Further east on El Centro was the post office. Across the street was the Fremont Centre Theatre. I didn’t know the building well. It was across the street from where the culinary school once operated before being sold to the Cordon Bleu and moved to Green Street in Pasadena. I remembered that I had given a speech to a group of culinary school students in the theatre. It seemed the school leased space occasionally from the Fremont Centre.
We soon had a lease signed. We got to work. We cleaned and painted every inch of the restaurant. There were a few pieces of equipment in the restaurant and a few others were in public storage across Mission behind Carrow’s Restaurant. With the help of Dublin and Gary and a few other guys we managed to move the stove and a reach-in beverage refrigerator from the storage space. We moved each piece by hand on a very rickety rolling cart that I borrowed from another friend. It was quite a sight, but it was successful. We got them secured in the restaurant. We were making progress. The space was coming together.
Within a few days we had seen the space. Now we both had visions in our heads. Anne had the front I had the back of the restaurant. We talked non stop about our plan. What we would do. Anne is extremely creative and visual and great at designing space. She has always been that way ever since we shared our first apartment together. I have only recently developed an eye for designing stuff.
In the front of the restaurant Gary and I tore down a wall that housed a busboy station. We had no need for that because Anne and I wanted to open the space up. We were creating a café style restaurant that would have a deli case and counters for cookies and cupcakes and other sweets.
My friend Fernando installed the jumbo water heater. He even stuck his ass through the window as he tried to shimmy the water heater to its correct landing position. We had many laughs over that one. When we weren’t cleaning and painting Anne and I were writing menus. We spent afternoons reading magazines and cookbooks looking for ideas and inspirations. Anyone who has been to Fiore Market Café can tell immediately
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Later that day we took a drive back to the Fremont Centre Theatre so Anne could take a look. We were excited, but not overly so. The windows were covered in iron work and it was difficult to see anything inside . The patio was plain but large. Again, it had potential..
Gary did the drawings for the health dept. They passed, but the health department wanted us to install a new water heater and a larger three compartment sink and a new food preparation sink. Minor things for a construction crew, but we were doing this on our own and I did not have too much experience with heavy duty plumbing.
A good friend Tim helped me to install the sinks. We spent two 10 hour days soldering copper pipes. It was grueling work, but it felt so good when it was completed. It was a major DIY job.
The refrigerator was small so I couldn’t purchase more than was needed for the day. We still do it that way. I shop every morning for the day.
Anne and I spent time visiting antique shops. We both love old stuff, nothing modern. We drove to Torrance where we found an antique dresser that we converted into the pastry counter. We white washed it. We put big wheels on the bottom per the health department request.
The cash register counter was purchased from the antique shop on Fair Oaks with the Santa Claus on the roof. It’s also next to the best taco truck in Southern California.
When we first saw the aluminum table that would become the cash register counter we asked the owner how much he was charging for it. He told me $1,200. That was way too high. We left thinking we needed to find something else.
how much we like cookbooks and magazines because they are everywhere. As time has passed the number of cookbooks and magazines has grown quite large. Maybe even too large. Our intention with the food was homemade. We wanted everything to be made in house. Anne took the pastries and I took the meats. We both worked together on the sandwiches and salads. We wanted the menu to be small and tight. I had just worked for a restaurant group trying to re-engineer a large menu, years after they opened. I didn’t want to make that mistake. Our plan was fresh. Everything was to be made that day. Bread was to be baked throughout the day. Every sandwich would be served on bread baked that day. All meats were to be roasted in the morning and used that day.
A few days later I went back by myself. An older lady was minding the store. I asked her for the price of the aluminum - 009 -
equipment and furniture jammed in a small garage off Echo Park Boulevard. When I saw the wear on the 8 foot long table I knew I must have it. I paid him $300 for the table. I don’t remember how we got it back to Fiore. My intention was to use it in the kitchen. I love the feel of the heavy wood. I love the wear. You can tell it has been used well. The table was too long for the kitchen space. The width was fine, but if it was 6 feet in length it could have worked. The health department suggested that I find another use for the table. I didn’t make a fuss. They can be quite difficult.
THE FOOD HAS EVOLVED OVER THE LAST 4 YEARS.”
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My neighbor Sean and I removed the stainless steel legs and constructed wood legs using 4 by 4’s. It’s solid as a rock and feels right as the anchor of the front room. The photographs that line the walls were taken by me. Anne and I always wanted Fiore Market Café to be a space we created in every way. People still ask us “who designed the space?” I am grateful that the answer is that we did it ourselves. The food has evolved over the last 4 years. As we have learned, the operation has gotten easier and smoother, but we still run out of bread occasionally. table out back. She got on the phone and returned a few minutes later with the answer I wanted to hear, $400. We’ll take it. I went back the next day before anyone could change their minds. On that table sits our cash register, chips, and the bottles of soda that we sell at Fiore Market Café. On the shelf below are cookbooks. When we opened on December 20th 2010 there was not one book on that shelf. Today, there are so many books that the wood bows from the weight. I expect the newest Alice Waters cookbook to snap the wood. The large table in the room is an old butcher block kitchen table that I bought out of a garage in Echo Park. This man had restaurant “
Anne and I have stood by this idea from day one and we will continue to stand by this. Our bread is based on the no knead recipe developed by Jim Leahey. Jim wrote a book called My Bread Book which took the world by storm. I bought that book a year prior to our opening. I followed his technique for making bread and had mixed results. The dough was very wet and sticky to the point that it was difficult to form the loaf. The wet dough produced a very elongated loaf with lots of air pockets. The flavor was good, but the holes were not ideal for making sandwiches. We intended on spreading mayonnaise on the bread. This bread was better suited to be served with cheese and charcuterie. I needed a taller, slightly denser loaf for the Fiore sandwiches. 1 - 013 -
The Bread
Anne and I knew that we wanted good bread. We knew we had to feature bread on the menu. We also knew that if we had really good bread our sandwiches would be fantastic.
From the moment we decided on the concept of Fiore Market Café our first big commitment was to baking bread fresh daily. The key commitment is that we only make sandwiches on today’s bread. It’s always baked within a few hours. We never use day old bread.
The other dilemma that presented itself was how to get the loaves from the work table into the pots in the oven. We figured out that parchment paper would work great as a vehicle for transporting the ready to bake dough to the pots. We would sprinkle cornmeal on the parchment paper and then place the formed loaf on the parchment. Before covering the loaves with a towel to rise we sprinkled a little more cornmeal on top of the loaf. The corn meal provided a nice texture to the bread and gave the loaf a rustic appearance. Jim found that baking the bread in covered pots gave the loaves a great crust because the pot created steam from the moisture in the dough. We followed this technique exactly as Jim had. We baked the loaves in a 475-500 degree oven for 38 minutes with the lids on and then an additional 8-9 minutes with the lids off.
The bread has always baked consistently.
Each loaf is made by hand in a stainless steel bowl. The loaves then rise for 16-20 hours. In the morning I form loaves from the risen dough and let these loaves rise another hour to an hour and half before they go in the oven.
A cooling rack is critical when baking bread and pizzas. It keeps the finished product off the counter and allows air to circulate underneath keeping the bottom of the pizza or bread crisp. We hold the bread on cooling racks all day.. When making pizza, rest the pizza on the cooling rack for 45 seconds to 1 minute before slicing. This will keep the crust stiff and crisp.
Just cool it.
The loaves come out golden brown. The crust is crisp and chewy. The crumb is very soft and fresh. We set up a system where we baked 6 loaves at a time in the oven. Everything we have done is based on this number 6. We bake 6 at a time and we make 6 loaves at a time.
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Sprinkle with more cornmeal. Cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let rest for at least an hour. Loaf should double in size.
When the dough is ready, pick the loaf up by grabbing ahold of the parchment paper and place in the pot. Cover and bake for 38 minutes undisturbed. Remove lid and bake for another 8-9 minutes until the loaf is golden brown. Remove and let rest for at least 20 minutes on a cooling rack before cutting.
Learn how to make this bread from Bill himself. Ask about the bread making class schedule at the front***counter.
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*tip*
Pre-heat oven to 475 and place a stainless steel pot in the oven for at least an hour before baking. Place dry ingredients in a medium size bowl. Mix well. Add water and stir with a kitchen spoon. After the ingredients are combined use your hands to further knead and pull together the dough. Form a rough ball. Cover the stainless steel bowl with plastic wrap let rise for at least 16 hours. After the 16 hours has passed place a 10 by 6 inch piece of parchment paper on the counter. Sprinkle with cornmeal. Remove the dough from the bowl and form a smooth ball by pulling and tucking the dough under itself. Lay the dough on the parchment paper. 3 cups bread flour ¼ tsp active dry yeast 2 tsp kosher salt 1¼ cup room temperature water
processingredients
Fiore Bread
Baguettes - 019 -
I eat one almost every morning while driving from store to store. While planning the menu we created a few short sandwiches that we called piccolos (small in Italian) to be served on short baguettes. Our intention was to purchase small quantities of baguettes to use for piccolo sandwiches. I located a commercial bakery in Montebello, California . After testing and tasting their product we chose to purchase baguettes from their bakery. The baguettes were crisp and tasty and worked well with the piccolo sandwiches. The guests liked the product, but I was not satisfied. The bakery was located about 40 minutes away. Twice a week I drove to the bakery to pick up loaves to last a few days. I kept these loaves in the freezer. Every morning I pulled 6 to 10 loaves from the freezer for the day. Once they thawed out and were heated in the oven they were fine. I knew it wasn’t going to work out. I wasn’t happy with the product, mainly because I had to store them in the freezer. The first day I purchased the loaves, the loaves were fantastic, but after a night in the freezer they were good but not great. I wanted fantastic all the time. We had created our own fantastic rustic loaf. I wanted the same thing with the baguettes. After a few months I made a change. It was the middle of the week I looked in the freezer and realized I was out of baguettes. I decided to try making my own baguettes using the rustic loaf dough. That morning I took a bowl of the risen dough. I sprinkled flour on the stainless steel table. I formed the dough into an elongated tube about 8 inches long. Using a dough cutter I
ANNE AND I LOVE BAGUETTES.
About 8 months after we opened Fiore Market Café I read an article in the LA Times about focaccia bread from Nancy Silverton of La Brea Bakery. The article discussed her techniques for making focaccia and provided her recipe. Also included were ideas for toppings.
Focaccia - 021 -
I gave it a shot. I bought a one-quarter sheet pan. I rubbed it well with extra virgin olive oil. I placed the dough on the sheet pan. With my fingers and palms I worked the dough managing to push the dough to the corners and sides of the pan. The dough resisted. I let it rest for 15 minutes. I went back to work. Eventually I covered the sheet pan with the dough. I drizzled the dough with olive oil and wrapped it tightly with plastic wrap. I let it rise for 2-3 hours until it doubled in size and rose above the sides of the pan. I seasoned it with very course sea salt and pepper and baked it in a 500 degree oven for 23 minutes until it was golden brown. cut it into 3 equal pieces. With the palm of my hand rolling outwards I created three 12 - 14 inch baguettes. I laid them on a parchment paper lined sheet tray and covered them with a dry towel. I let them rise for about two and a half hours. I baked the loaves in a covered hotel pan for 15 minutes. I removed the lid and baked the loaves for 22 minutes longer. When finished I let them rest on a cooling rack. I believe this decision has been one of the best decisions we made after we opened and started the restaurant. It was one of those ideas that resulted from something not working very well. We have received countless compliments about our baguettes. I especially appreciate the big smile from a French man or woman after they have tasted the baguette. I like it even more when they say it’s the best baguette they have had outside of Paris. Ooh-la-la!
A good friend of mine, Gary White had seen the article and posed the idea that I could probably create a wonderful focaccia bread using our rustic loaf dough.
The inspiration for this cinnamon bread comes directly from my grandmother, my mother’s mom. Her name was Ellen Gallagher. She came to America in the late 1800’s from Ireland. She settled in Chicago and raised her family there.
Cinnamon Bread
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When I was very young I spent time by Nana’s side while she baked. We lived in a duplex in Chicago. I would rise early and sneak up to her apartment and always find her in the kitchen. She loved the kitchen. The smells even early in the morning were strong. They were sweet because it was dawn and if it was the weekend Nana was baking cinnamon bread. She baked her loaves often. The smell was intoxicating and comforting at the same time. I felt warm in that kitchen. I could stay there all day.
When the dough is ready, shake some flour onto the counter. Take dough from bowl and cut in half with a dough cutter. Roll each half into a rectangle about 16 by 12 inches. Generously spread the cinnamon sugar on the dough. Drizzle the butter on the cinnamon sugar and loosely roll the dough. Place on a parchment lined sheet pan with the seam on the bottom. Do the same with the other rectangle. Beat the egg with a little water. Brush the egg wash on the 2 loaves. Sprinkle with the rest of the cinnamon sugar. Cover loosely with a dry towel. Allow to rise for about 2 hours. They will double in size. Bake at 425 for about 30 minutes until golden brown. Allow to rest for about 30 minutes before cutting
Mix flour, raisins and salt in a stainless steel bowl. Measure out 2½ cups warm water. Dissolve the sugar in the water. Add the melted butter. Stir well and add the yeast. Stir again and set pitcher on stove to activate the yeast. This should take about 10 minutes.
Pour yeast/water into dough. Stir thoroughly. After all the ingredients are combined well, knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes. The dough should be firm but soft. If it is too sticky add a little flour and knead for a few more minutes. Wrap the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise until it has doubled in size.
1FILLINGcup sugar 1 tbsp cinnamon 4 tbsp melted butter 6 cups bread flour 1½ cups raisins 1 tbsp kosher salt 2½ tsp active yeast 4 tsp sugar 2 tbsp melted butter 2½ cups warm water 1 each large egg ingredients process - 025 -
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In the end, Anne and I got in our Ford Explorer early Saturday morning and took the I-5 to Paso Robles. We made it in 3 hours. Andre had the two ovens out back by the loading dock. I reversed the truck and slowly backed down his driveway. When I reached the oven I got out and the two of us leaned the ovens and slid them in the back of the Explorer. They fit perfectly with about an inch to spare on top. Anne and I drove back very slowly with our truck much lower to the ground than on the way to Paso Robles. These two ovens have treated us very well. We have baked approximately 55,000 loaves of bread in these two very old ovens. - 029 -
The problem is restaurants are very risky. Eight out of 10 restaurants fail in the first year. They fail because the price to open the restaurant is so high that they can’t recoup that investment. They are behind from the moment they open the doors. Unless they are very good, they will not survive. I learned this through years of working for others. I saw what they did right and what they did wrong. When Anne and I opened Fiore Market Café we had very little capital. We had to be very creative. We lucked out with our ovens. It was a few weeks before we were scheduled to open. I couldn’t find two stacked ovens that would fit in the space next to the stove. It was too narrow. I shopped around. I called around. Everything I saw was about 4-6 inches wider than the space. Lisa Reynolds who owns the building suggested I call Andre. Andre was a previous tenant who built out the kitchen in 1999. He and his wife moved to Paso Robles where they have a restaurant and catering business. I called Andre and left a message. The next day his wife returned the call and said they still had the original ovens that Andre purchased for the café. Andre jumped on the line and I asked him how much he wanted for the two ovens. I expected to hear a few thousand dollars, but he responded with $500 for the two ovens. I was shocked , but extremely excited. Our budget was so tight and this news made me very happy. He gave me the measurements so I could figure out how to transport the ovens from Paso Robles to South Pasadena.
Anne and I didn’t know what to do. It was a Wednesday night when we spoke to Andre and we were planning on picking them up on Saturday. I checked with my neighbor Sean to see if I could use his trailer, but I realized our Ford Explorer didn’t have the proper hook-up for the trailer.
IT’S ALL IN DETAILSTHE 1 1 THE FIORE WAY - 031 -
One little, inexpensive detail that has generated so many “oohs” and “aahs” is the red and white twine we use to tie the parchment paper on the piccolo sandwiches. It’s a little thing but people love it.
FRESH FRUIT ON THE TABLES. One of my favorite parts of the Italian meal is the fruit service at the end of the meal. Italians choose to eat a piece of fruit after a big meal before they have dessert or coffee. It is part of the culture and it’s a part of life. It’s also very healthy. At Fiore we try to keep fruit on the table when we can. We especially like to set the large community tables with tangerines when they are in season. In June, we’ll use cherries and other times grapes. It’s our way of putting a little Italian culture into the Fiore experience.
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Anne has always been so good about the little details that make Fiore special. I love when people take notice of the details. Sometimes they’ll just smile when they notice something special. Other times they’ll say something like “isn’t that cute.”
How we like to do things.
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All about the details.
BROWN WAX PAPER AND WHITE TWINE. We love to wrap a guests leftover sandwich in wax paper and tie it with white butchers string. The wrapping keeps the sandwich fresh for later and it’s better for the environment than to use containers.
COOKBOOKS GALORE. We love cookbooks. At Fiore we wanted to provide an atmosphere where people could sit and relax. We don’t have WIFI or televisions because we want our guests to connect with each other, but in those cases when someone is dining alone we wanted to have something for them to enjoy. That’s where the cookbooks and magazines come in. I am inspired by cookbooks. They give me ideas and they spark my imagination. Hopefully they will do the same for our guests. One of our regulars, Christina told me that when she comes to Fiore she always sees a book she wants to buy. She curses me for making her go cookbook crazy.
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FOOD AND DRINKS ARE SERVED ON PORCELAIN AND IN GLASS UNLESS ORDERED TO GO. When I was a kid growing up my mother always made sure that food was served on porcelain plates and drinks were served in glasses. She made sure milk went to the table in a glass pitcher. She wouldn’t allow a juice carton on the table. She said it wasn’t right. As a kid I never understood it. When I went to Europe for the first time I noticed that there was no such thing as a to-go container. When you had coffee in a café you drank from a porcelain cup or a glass. It brought back memories of my childhood. I understood what my mother was talking about. Food and drink tastes better served on a real plate or in a real cup. We do serve everything to go at Fiore, but we love when people take the time to eat and drink with us. I must admit one thing, we do use plastic cups at the water station. I wish we didn’t.
EVERY SANDWICH IS MADE ON TODAY’S BREAD. The bread has been baked a few hours before that sandwich is made. We are committed to this extremely important detail.
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FIORE MARKET CAFÉ OLIVE OIL. We use an extra virgin olive oil from Italy called San Giuliano. It’s an exceptional olive oil. It’s also fairly expensive. We use this olive oil for everything. We use it in our dressings and recipes. We cook with it. We also bottle it and sell it. We get wonderful comments about this olive oil because it has such great flavor. Most restaurants have two olive oils: A cheap one that they use in the recipes and a good one that they serve with bread. We only have a very good one. It’s important to us to use a great olive oil.
WE MAKE YOUR FOOD TO ORDER. I realize that our food takes too long to make, but we are committed to making everything to order. We cut the bread to order, we chop the vegetables to order. We cook the bacon and the Tempeh to order. All of these things slow us down tremendously. Overnight we could make a change and increase the speed of our service by pre-cooking all these items, but we refuse to do that. We never will. It is too important to us that your food is the freshest possible. 1
Short Rib 2 slices homemade bread 1 tbsp chipotle mayonnaise 3 oz. short rib 2 ea. pickle slices 2 oz. Asian coleslaw 1 oz. ginger dressing Mix asian cole slaw with ginger dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Taste. Spread chipotle mayonnaise on both slices of bread. Place short rib on one slice of bread. Top with 2 pickle slices and the asian cole slaw. Place second slice of bread on top. Slice in half. ingredientsprocess *tip* We like to spice up the sandwich with a little money juice. No money juice? Use Tabasco or Tapatio. Ask Bill what money juice is! *** - 041 -
2 slices homemade bread ½ tbsp mayonnaise 3 oz. thinly sliced roast beef 1 tbsp balsamic onions ½ tbsp diced red peppers ¼ oz. arugula 1 tbsp crème fraîche horseradish Rare Roast Beef Spread mayonnaise on one slice of bread. Layer beef on the bread creating some height. Stack the balsamic onions on top. Sprinkle red peppers on top, then top with the arugula. Drizzle with crème fraîche horseradish. Slice sandwich in half. processingredients *tip* Not a fan of horseradish? Give it an Asian zing with some Mayonnaise.Wasabi*** - 043 -
Theminutes.timefor roasting always depends on your oven and the size of the roast. Since we do roast beef every day we have a great feel for how long the roast should cook. You will have to experiment with this to see what is best for you and your oven. When the roast is done let it cool for 45 minutes at room temperature. At Fiore we refrigerate it for a few hours before we slice it for sandwiches.
Finely chop the Italian parsley and the oregano. Trim all the exterior fat from the roast. Cut the roast in half and rub with olive oil. Season heavily with salt. Season lightly with pepper. Cover with the chopped herbs. Place on a foil lined sheet pan. Roast at high temperature 475 degrees for approximately 4650
FIORE’S STYLE - 045 -
Roast Beef
When I was growing up in Chicago my mother made roast beef just about every Sunday. She always served it with roast potatoes that she first blanched in a pot of water before snuggling them up against the roast beef in the roasting pan. The potatoes were almost as good as the roast beef. She cooked the beef rare. I never knew well-done meat until I ate an overcooked steak in a Ifrestaurant.wewerelucky and the roast was not completely devoured on Sunday night we might get leftovers the next day. If mom didn’t have enough to make stew we would get a cold rare roast beef sandwich in a brown paper bag for lunch. She always slathered lots on mayo on two pieces of white bread. One of the keys was the salt and pepper she sprinkled on the beef before topping it with the second slice of bread. When we were sketching out the menu for Fiore this was another must have. The Fiore Market Café is a little different. We added a few other tasty components that mom didn’t even think of, but the roast is cooked and served as I remember from my Wechildhood.didchange one thing. We season the roast with lots of salt and pepper and some fresh herbs mostly fresh Italian parsley and oregano. 7 lbs. top sirloin roast 2 bunches Italian parsley 2 tbsp dried oregano or 4 tbsp fresh oregano salt and pepper [to taste] olive oil
PICCOLO Drizzle121111VEGETABLEGRILLEDea.halfbaguette,slicedhorizontallysliceeggplantslicezucchinisliceyellowsquashtbsphomemadepestooz.burrattacheesedicedredpepperoliveoilonthevegetables.
In Italian, piccolo means little or small. Anne and I wanted to make a sandwich that was inexpensive yet satisfying that one could eat as a snack or pair it with one of our deli salads to make a meal. We decided from the beginning to make these sandwiches on a small baguette. When we first opened we purchased these baguettes, but after a few months we figured out how to produce a great homemade baguette. Originally we made the sandwiches before we opened and served them as a grab and go item. We were not happy with the quality of the sandwich after it sat for a while so we decided to make them to order which takes more time but has produced a far superior sandwich. For the grilled vegetable piccolo we grill the vegetables to order which results in a slightly warm sandwich. When paired with the pesto and burrata cheese, it’s truly fantastic.
Season with salt and pepper. Grill on both sides until cooked through. Heat baguette in the oven until warm. Lay the vegetables on bottom half of baguette. Top with red peppers. Drizzle on pesto. Top with burratta cheese.
ingredientsprocess - 047 -
Piccolo
Heat baguette in the oven until warm. Drizzle both sides of the bread with olive oil. Layer the sopressata on the bottom half of the baguette. Top with the olives and bleu cheese.
Heat baguette in the oven until warm. Drizzle both sides of the bread with olive oil. Layer the mortadella on the bottom half of the bread. Place the sliced provolone on the other side of the bread. Spoon the red onions down the center on top of the mortadella. process - 049 -
PICCOLO SOPPRASETTO [ shown ] 1 ea. half baguette, sliced horizontally 1 oz. thinly sliced sopprasetto ½ oz. Danish bleu cheese 6 slices kalamata olivesingredientsprocess
PICCOLO MORTADELLA 1 ea. half baguette, sliced horizontally 1 oz. thinly sliced mortadella with pistachios
½ oz. thinly sliced provolone 2 tbsp balsamic red onions ingredients
Roast Chicken Sandwich 2 slices homemade bread 3 oz. roast chicken breast 1 tbsp homemade pesto 1 oz. Burrata cheese ½ tbsp mayonnaise ingredients Spread mayonnaise on one slice of bread. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken on one slice of bread. Spread pesto on the chicken. Tear and spread out the burrata cheese. Slice in half. process *tip* Before you place the chicken on the bread, pat it with a paper towel. You don’t want it to be too wet, otherwise your bread will get soggy. *** - 051 -
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1 2-3 pound chicken salt and pepper extra virgin olive oil Rub the bird with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Do not be frugal with the salt. Roast for 1½ hours at 475 degrees. Let rest for 30 minutes before carving.
Anne has been roasting chickens for us for many years. She roasts them at a high temperature. The result is a golden crisp chicken. She always served the chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans. The boys loved the chicken especially in the fall on a cool Sunday evening. We somehow felt a little French sitting around our dining room table eating our perfectly roasted chicken.
processingredients
At Fiore I roast the chicken the same way she always has. I rub olive oil on the bird and very liberally season it with salt and a little fresh cracked pepper.
Roasting Chicken
People ask all the time “What do you do to the chicken? Do you add herbs? Do you add lemon? Why does it taste so good?”
While planning for Fiore Market Café we knew immediately that Anne’s chicken would be part of the menu.
What’s the big secret?
Not such a big secret is it? Most restaurants use chicken breast for everything. They broil it or grill it and then slice it and serve it on a salad or sandwich. The problem is the chicken is terribly dry. Because we keep it in broth, it’s always moist and tasty.
The secret is to utilize the bird’s juices. When the chicken is ready we remove the breast meat and reheat it in chicken broth and the pan juices. We then hold the chicken in a warming pot with this wonderful liquid.
processingredients
1 chicken carcass 2 celery stalks 2 peeled carrots ½ onion 6 sprigs parsley 2-4 bay leaves 6 peppercorns Put all the ingredients in a stock pots. Cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer for about two hours. When cool strain and refrigerate.
Chicken Broth
We make broth everyday in the winter. Every two days in the summer. It’s super easy and fresh. It’s much better than a bouillon cube.
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*tip* Roast 2 chickens on a Sunday afternoon. Serve one for dinner with roast or mashed potatoes. Remove the chicken meat from the other bird. Dice it or shred it for the rest of the week. Freeze it if you like. Make broth with the carcass. Put the diced chicken in a plastic container with some of the pan juices and the freshly made broth. Use this chicken for soup or chicken***tacos.
1 GARDENTHE - 057 -
One of the first things I noticed when Anne and I landed in Rome was the pure beauty of the land. It was so green and rich and beautiful. I especially appreciated the open spaces.
Something that became apparent quickly, as soon as we got close to a house was the abundance of little gardens or farms. Every house that had some land had an edible garden that was full of seasonal vegetables and herbs. I saw this phenomenon everywhere. I was most impressed by the dwellings that sat yards from the metro tracks that took us to Rome. These homes were small. Clothes always hung on lines out back. Herbs and vegetables monopolized the small yard providing food to the families that lived so close to the noisy train tracks.
The Italians grew seasonally. These gardens were green from the rain. The vegetables always looked healthy compared to what I see in California where the summer is dominated by high temperatures and no rain.
From our trips I learned that Italians are very knowledgeable about so many things and specifically the garden.
This Italian adventure with the garden inspired me. I had very little experience with the garden. We grew a few vegetables in our backyard in Monrovia, but a large oak tree from the vacant lot to our north shaded everything. I grew some zucchini and herbs but gave up as the big oak reached further over our world. OFTEN WONDERED WHY MORE PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA DIDN’T GROW THEIR OWN VEGETABLES.”
1 “ I
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My friend Stefano Fagiani who is a builder by trade, could easily work at the Arboretum with his vast knowledge of plant Whilelife.out in the garden behind our apartment in Italy, Stefano could name every single plant that grew. Many of these plants grew in the wild and Italians would forage for them when they were in season. A few of the things growing in our garden were fennel, nettles, bay leaves, rosemary, sage and capers.
“OUTSIDETHEBACKDOORWASASMALLPATCHOFDIRT.” - 061 -
I often wondered why more people in California didn’t grow their own vegetables. Was it lack of knowledge or time or a bit of both? When we signed the lease I knew a garden was in the plans. Outside the back door was a small patch of dirt. I took a few boards lying by the side of my garage at home and with the help of my neighbor Sean built our first raised bed. I filled it with soil. I pulled a sprig of mint from my garden at home and planted it the new bed. I amended the sprinkler by adding a slow drip irrigation line so the mint would receive good water. It grew quickly. I planted chives, oregano and red veined sorrel. As
“ I CHILDHOODMEITSHUTTING.SCREENSOUNDLOVEDALWAYSTHEOFADOORREMINDSOFMY...” - 063 -
There are two 4 by 8 feet beds and 3 1½ by 8 feet beds. The narrow beds are planted with basil and arugula and eggplants. The two larger beds are reserved for the big producers. This past summer I planted heirloom tomatoes in one of the larger beds. The tomato plants grew well. I had some fantastic tomatoes. I used the heirlooms for heirloom tomato sandwiches.
time went by the mint grew stronger and overtook everything but the sorrel. I completed this bed while working on the refurbishing of the café. It was my outside work after spending so much of the day inside painting and cleaning. I added an old screen door to the back door. I liked how it looked. It fit well with the herb garden. I always loved the sound of a screen door shutting. It reminds me of my childhood in the Midwest when my mom would open the screen door to yell at us to come home for dinner. When she walked back in the kitchen the screen would slam and the sound would echo all the way to where my brother and I were playing. As time passed, and we got closer to opening, Sean and I built more raised beds along the perimeter of the patio. They were different sizes, but the height was 18 inches. I filled them with soil. I planted them with winter greens, cauliflower, kale. The new plants popped against the black soil background. The new beds made an immediate impact to the patio and café. It was starting to feel like Italy. The garden has spread over the last four years. I like to call it the Fiore farm. I like the sound of the word farm. We are probably much too small to be called a farm, but so be it. The beds have multiplied. They now occupy the space adjacent to the patio.
2 slices Fiore Market Café bread 3-4 thick slices Heirloom tomatoes to taste sea salt to taste fresh ground pepper 1 tbsp mayonnaise 2-3 tbsp pesto 2 oz. burratta cheese 2-3 ea. Small cherry tomatoes 1-2 ea. fresh basil leaves Liberally spread mayonnaise on both pieces of bread. Layer on the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon on pesto. Lay burratta on pesto. Top with a few slices of the cherry tomatoes and a few basil leaves. Lightly season again with the sea salt and fresh pepper. HeirloomprocessingredientsSandwichTomato - 065 -
1 sheet lavash 2 oz. white bean spread 3 oz. soy chorizo 1 tsp diced pimentos 1 tbsp sliced kalamata olives 1 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette ⅛ head grilled radicchio 2 leaves romaine lettuce Spread white beans on the lavash. Place the chorizo down the middle of the lavash. Top with the diced pimentos and sliced olives. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette. Place the radicchio on top and the lay the romaine on the radicchio. Roll up and slice in half. Lavash Wrap ingredientsprocess - 067 -
Tempeh blt
ingredientsprocess TEMPEH BACON MARINADE processingredients - 069 -
Spread vegenaise on both sides of the bread. Top one slice of the bread with the tempeh. Layer on the sliced tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Thinly slice avocado and lay on top of the tomatoes. Season lightly. Finish with the sliced romaine Trim the lettuce to fit the bread.
leaf.
8 oz. block of unseasoned tempeh (can be purchased at Whole foods) ¼ cup maple syrup ¼ cup soy sauce ¼ cup apple juice Mix ingredients well. Slice tempeh into one-eighth inch slices. Marinade for 2-24 hours. 4 slices marinated tempeh 2 slices beefsteak tomato ¼ ea. avocado 1 piece romaine lettuce 1 tbsp vegenaise (taste) 2 slices bread
Place tempeh in a skillet with a tablespoon of canola oil. Fry until golden brown. Be careful not to burn the tempeh. Since there is maple syrup in the marinade the tempeh will burn quickly.
AdventureItalianAN
Photo: Flaviano Fabrizi
Looking up at the town of Casperia.
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April 2003
IN APRIL 2003 ANNE, PATRICK, JAMES AND I TOOK A TRIP TO ITALY. AT THE TIME IT WAS JUST A TRIP. WE DIDN’T HAVE ANY IDEA HOW THAT ONE TRIP OURCHANGEWOULDLIVES. 1 1 - 073 -
We chose to stay in the countryside outside of Rome. I found a small house for rent in a town called Selci. It was about 45 minutes north of Rome off the A-1 autostrada. We rented the house for two weeks. Upon checking in, the owner of the home, a very nice woman from Rome asked me to follow her in my car for a short drive. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I followed. The road was made of gravel. It was narrow. I noticed chickens running everywhere. Dogs barked loudly and the view was absolutely beautiful. Olive trees littered the landscape. Where there weren’t olive trees there were rows and rows of vineyards. After a few minutes she indicated that I should make a left into a dimly lit entrance where there was a parking lot covered with a large white tent. I followed her directions. I parked the car, got out and entered a rustic restaurant that sat directly under a huge oak tree. 1 - 075 -
I immediately noticed how warm Pino was. I also became aware of how comfortable I felt in his small restaurant. It was around 6:30 in the evening. I could smell something cooking in the kitchen. There was some rustling about. It was clear that dinner was beginning soon. I went back to the house and told Anne about Pino and La Vecchia Quercia, the old oak tree. We ate there twice on that trip. More importantly we made two new friends.
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She introduced me to an older gentleman named Giuseppe, who everyone called Pino. She explained that we were renting her house for two weeks and she wanted to make sure that we knew where his restaurant was.
“DURING THE FIRST TRIP TO ITALY A DESIRE TO ROOT MYSELF TO ME.STIRREDCOUNTRYWONDERFULTHEWITHINITWASDEEP.”
“ SHE DREAM.”CRAZYWITHALONGSHEIEXCITEDNEARNOWHEREWASASASWAS,BUTWENTMY
The first night we ate at Pino’s we arrived at 7:45 p.m. We knew dinner started at 8:00 p.m. but we couldn’t wait any longer. In Los Angeles we ate by 6:00 p.m. The extra two hours were too much. I knocked on the door. It was dark inside, actually pitch black. It seemed odd that there were no lights on. It appeared to be the end of the night, not the beginning. An older gentleman answered the door. He looked angry. He was wearing a green vest and appeared to be the waiter. He wanted to know why we were there. I mentioned we wanted to eat dinner, but he just growled. Luckily Pino came out from the back. He welcomed us and sat us at a table next to a heater which he turned on with a remote control. He left and went to the kitchen. When he returned he had a bowl of garbanzo beans in broth with finely chopped parsley. He set it in the middle of the table and handed us each a small plate. He then placed a platter of grilled bread on the table. A piece of garlic was secured to each piece with a toothpick. He 1 - 079 -
explained to rub the bread with the garlic. He then produced a bottle of olive oil which he said to drizzle on the garlic bread. Finally he instructed us to season with some coarse salt. “This is bruschetta,” he stated as he quickly turned and headed back to the kitchen. I had never eaten bread like that. It was so good. The salt, olive oil and the garlic danced in my mouth. The broth with the garbanzos was so simple, but toThissatisfying.wasourintroductionrealItalianfood.Itwas a start. Over the years we have eaten many meals at Pino and Anna’s. Each one has a wonderful memory attached to it, but this was the first.
“ HE WANTED TO GROWLED.”BUTDINNER,TOWEMENTIONEDTHERE.WEREWHYKNOWWEIWANTEDEATHEJUST - 081 -
THE TRUE ITALIAN BLOOD LINE
When I met Bill I invited him over for dinner at my parents’ house for my brother’s birthday. I told him to expect a Fellini movie experience. My brother Paul always had Frank Sinatra on the old record player. It was loud and gave the house an old time feel. There were always too many people for the amount of space and card tables were squeezed in to accommodate the kids. My father (pictured right) always made too much food. If he roasted a chicken he’d also make a roast beef. He loved to serve hot wings as an appetizer so that people could nibble on them while they waited for him to finish. He would scurry back and forth from the kitchen table where he carved the meat on a very old cutting board to the stove. He cut the roast beef thin and separated the chicken. He also saved the leg for my cousin Walter. Walter always ate the chicken and turkey legs. My dad would be offended if you didn’t eat until you were ready to burst. He would ask if you wanted some more. I remember that first time that Bill ate with us. The look of shock on his face as my mother and my siblings talked over each other with stories and gossip from the neighborhood. Each one trying to grab the spotlight from the others. My Italian grandmother (pictured right) would sit quietly in the corner observing all the craziness. Occasionally she’d try to get a word in.
Anne’s Family
1 1 - 083 -
My Grandmother lived in the back guest house when I was growing up. My grandfather had died years before. She had a daily routine where she walked miles throughout the neighborhood. She ate very well. She loved bitter greens, fruit and most vegetables. She refrained from desserts most of the time and never wanted anything too sweet. She also hated mayonnaise. She used only olive oil. One of my first “aha” moments occurred after being in Italy for only a few hours. We had just left the airport and were driving to Selci to the house we rented. We were lost and stopped in a small village to ask directions. Bill got out of the car leaving James, Patrick and I to wait. The window was rolled half way down. We were very tired and disoriented from the long flight. Bill was only gone a few minutes when a little old lady stuck her head in the rolled down window and said “bambini, bambini, bambini.” She looked nothing like little grandma back home in Los Angeles, but she reminded me so much of her. Over the next few weeks I was reminded of my grandmother often as I noticed the older women sitting on their stoops talking and trimming vegetables.
Roast Chicken Salad 4 oz. romaine and mixed greens 1.5 oz. roast chicken breast 1 slice apple wood smoked bacon glazed with maple syrup .5 ea. hard boiled egg 1 oz. bleu cheese 4 slices black olives 2 oz. creamy dill dressing (see page 100) *tip* Wait to dress the salad just prior to serving to avoid the greens from wilting and getting too soggy. *** Toss greens with creamy dill dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Taste. Place in the center of the plate creating height. Distribute the ingredients evenly around salad. They should be separate and distinct on the plate. ingredientsprocess - 085 -
Not a fan of the black licorice flavor that Fennel seeds project? This slaw is just as good without them, or just back off the seed quantity.
Fennel Slaw
*** - 087 -
ingredientsprocessingredients *tip*
1 ea. green apple 1 ea. fennel ½ ea. green cabbage 1 tbsp fennel seeds 1 ea. fennel frond Core the fennel and slice thinly by hand or with a mandoline. Put in lemon water to keep from browning. Do the same with the apple. Peel quarter and slice thinly. When ready to make the salad. Drain the apple and fennel and dry thoroughly with paper towel. Slice the cabbage very thinly by hand or with a mandolin. Place in a stainless steel bowl with the fennel and apple. Season with salt and pepper. Add some of the fennel dressing a little at a time. Taste and season. Place in a serving bowl. Garnish with the fennel seeds and the fennel Mix½11½1FENNELfrond.DRESSINGcupmayonnaisecupsourcreamtbspapplecidervinegartbsphoneyeachlemonjuicedalltheingredientsinastainless steel bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
¼ ea. napa cabbage ¼ ea. red cabbage 1 ea. grated, peeled carrot 2 ea. green onion ¼ cup chopped cilantro ¼ cup ginger sesame dressing (see page 103) Mix thoroughly. Asian Slaw ingredients - 089 -
16 oz. green lentil ¼ ea. radicchio (chopped) 3 oz. sugared walnuts (chopped) Balsamic vinaigrette 2 oz. goat cheese (crumbled) 2 ea. green onions (thinly sliced on the bias) Place lentils in a stock pot with cold water. Cook until al dente. Keep checking. At around 5 minutes before lentils are finished, season water with salt. Drain and let cool on parchment lined sheet pan. When lentils are cool add to a stainless steel bowl with radicchio and walnuts. Season with salt and pepper. Add balsamic dressing a little at a time. Season with salt and pepper. Taste. Add more dressing if needed. Taste again. Serve in a large bowl. Garnish with the goat cheese and green onions. Lentilprocessingredients Salad *tip* Need a subtle kick? Add some Dijon mustard to the “mix.” Do it little-by-little and by taste so you don’t overpower the other flavors. *** - 091 -
Vegetarian Toss lettuce with balsamic vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. Place in the center of the plate creating height with the lettuce. Distribute the garbanzo beans, diced avocado, diced tomato, diced cucumber and sliced olives around the salad. Top with the feta cheese. Chop the candied walnuts (see next page) and sprinkle on top. 4 oz. romaine and mixed greens 2 oz. balsamic vinaigrette 1 oz. chick peas 1 oz. diced cucumber ¼ ea. diced avocado 1 oz. candied walnuts 1 oz. feta cheese 1 oz. diced tomato 6 slices kalamata olives processingredientsChopped Salad - 093 -
Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a stock pot. Add walnuts and cook for about 2 minutes. Drain immediately in a colander and toss with the powdered sugar. The heat of the water will disolve the sugar. Completely coat the walnuts. Make sure the sugar has dissolved completely.
Place on a sheet pan and bake until crisp and dry. Check frequently and turn over frequently so as not to burn them. Cool and store. Will last for about two weeks.
Candied Walnuts 1 lb. walnut halves and pieces 4 oz. powdered sugar ingredients process *tip* Add chili powder or cayenne powder to the sugar to give the walnuts some heat. Use other nuts in the same***manner. - 095 -
Cook noodles in boiling salted water until al dente. Do not over cook. Drain and rinse. Allow to cool on a parchment lined sheet pan. In a stainless steel bowl add Udon noodles, jalapeno, Asian cole slaw and ginger dressing. Mix thoroughly. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds or chopped cilantro. Udon Noodles 1 package Japanese udon (approx.noodles 6 oz.) ½ ea. julienne sliced jalapeno (taste) as needed Asian cole slaw as needed ginger dressing (see page 103)processingredients - 097 -
Saute onions in olive oil for about 20 minutes until soft. Season with salt and pepper. Add sugar and saute for about 5 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar and cook for about 15 minutes until slightly dry. Taste and season as you go. Allow them to cool on a parchment lined sheet pan.
STUFFGOODMOREsalad. 1 1 - 099
CREAMY 1DRESSINGDILLtbspfreshchopped dill ½ tbsp fresh garlic ½ tsp fresh pepperground 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar ½ cup sour cream 1½ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup buttermilk Whisk` all the ingredients until creamy. Yields 2 cups dressing.
½ cup water Heat skillet. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil in the pan. Add onions and rosemary. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook until onions are soft. Do not let them burn. Drain and rinse beans. Add garlic to onions. Cook for 15 seconds. Add beans and water. Cook until beans are soft and most of the water has evaporated. Season and taste. You may need to add a little water if the beans are not soft enough. Using the back of a spoon smash the beans until they are slightly smooth. Let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate until ready to until very hot. Cut the radicchio into quarters. Cut the quartered radicchio in half giving you 8 pieces. Place in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill until the radicchio is wilted. Be careful not to burn the leaves. Cut out the core before using. Radicchio is a bitter Italian green that is used frequently in Italy. It can be difficult to find in the US. Whole Foods always offers it but it’s expensive. When it’s grilled it loses some of the bitterness and is a great accompaniment to meat. It also works well with kale in a
HeatGRILLEDuse.RADICCHIOagrillpanforabout30-45minutes
3 large red onions (thinly sliced) salt and pepper (to taste) ¼ cup sugar ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp olive oil
WHITE BEAN SPREAD
processingredients
Balsamic Red Onions
1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary ¼ ea. onion, finely diced 1 tsp chopped garlic 1 can cannellini beans salt and pepper (taste)
Walnut-Basil Pesto 2½ cups fresh basil ¼ cup grated parmesan 1 tsp chopped garlic 1 cup olive oil ⅛ cup toasted walnuts ingredients Place basil, garlic, walnuts parmesanandin a blender. Slowly add olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. process STUFFGOODMORE 1 CRÈME FRAÎCHE HORSERADISH 1 cup crème fraîche 1 tbsp prepared horseradish squeeze of lemon juice salt and pepper (taste) Mix the ingredients well. Season with salt and pepper. Add more lemon if necessary. BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE 1¼ cup olive oil 1¼ cup canola oil 1¼ cup balsamic vinegar 1¼ tbsp Dijon mustard ¾ cup honey ½ tbsp chopped garlic ¼ tbsp kosher salt ¼ tsp fresh ground pepper Mix the ingredients well. Season with salt and pepper. Yields about 4 cups. - 101 -
GingerVinaigretteSesame processingredients
Blend zest, red pepper, ginger, garlic with the orange and lemon juice. Add the soy sauce, cider vinegar, white vinegar, honey, sesame oil. Blend again. Add sesame seeds and blend. Slowly add the canola oil and blend until dressing is smooth and creamy. Do not blend for too long. It can get too thick due to the sesame seeds.
Zest and juice of one orange Zest and juice of one lemon ¼ cup soy sauce ¼ cup apple cider vinegar ¼ cup white vinegar ¼ cup honey ¼ cup sesame oil ¼ cup sesame seeds ¼ tsp red pepper flakes 2 tbsp grated ginger 1 tbsp chopped garlic 1 cup canola oil
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Both of my grandmothers influenced my sense of taste. They both were steeped in their own cultural traditions: one French Canadian, the other Italian. Their simplicity, and instinctive culinary impulses seemed to lead the way; available resources were often a huge player; what tasted good; what combined well; what they knew how to do .
Now to my inexperienced mind that was frustrating because how would I know what is right? And I guess that’s the point when you are learning something, anything, you do it until it’s right. And when it’s right, you know it.
CAN YOU SHARE A FOND FOOD MEMORY FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD? (MELANIE) My grandmother Elsie Mae Fortin without knowing it taught me most of what I know about cooking. Ultimately, I think it is about listening - to the food that is. Inevitably when I would ask about a recipe or how a thing was done, she would say that you add this, or you cook that, until it’s right.
One of the simple treasures she shared was making pickles, not the kind you think of with vinegar, but pickles you could make without the fuss of canning with fresh new cucumbers from her favorite farm stand just outside of town. She adored August in Michigan. That always meant fresh corn on the cob and pickling cucumbers. It went something like this. She would get out her old ceramic crock—she didn’t have a lid—it held about 4-6 quarts. She would clean and quarter lengthwise a hand-full of cucumbers, a few cloves of garlic peeled and roughly chopped, fresh dill if you had it, and kosher salt. She added all of it to the crock; filled it with water and a few ice cubes and just let it sit out for the afternoon. By supper time they would be ready to enjoy. They were crunchy, fresh, salty and aromatic. We would sit and eat the whole crock sometimes.
Only one of them had a cookbook, “Betty Crocker’s Picture Cookbook.” I can find no publishing date, but there is a recipe taped inside the back cover dated December 22, 1957. Honestly, I never recall her referring to it. And if I wanted a recipe of hers, there was nothing written down - it was all tucked inside her mind. We would have to take on making something and I would have to break out the measuring cups and spoons in order to be able to recreate it later. What I came to discover is that just allowing her to work with a tape recorder was the best way to do it. I loved their traditions and their relationship to food as the center of what they had to offer their family and friends. Sitting around the table, talking and sharing was an antidote for most anything. A holy communion I believe. Try it, you will like it.
Melanie CicconeandJoe Henry
WHO IS SOMEONE WHO INSPIRED YOU WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP?
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WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING? My favorite read about food and life this year was “Blood, Bones and Butter: The inadvertent education of a reluctant chef” by Gabrielle Hamilton.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE VEGETABLE? HOW DO YOU PREPARE IT? Greens without a doubt cooked or in a salad are tops. You simply can’t go wrong with greens. I crave them daily. I feel bereft if a haven’t been nourished with greens on any given day. When you can’t have hot cooked greens, then a salad is the next best thing if not equally satisfying. The simplest, delicious greens recipe is made by my husband. (check out Joe Henry’s Swiss Chard recipe on the following page.)
CAN YOU SHARE A YET UNREALIZED DREAM? I suppose one of my wishes is that when I cook if I make something that did not turn out as hoped or planned then I won’t burden my family or guests with over apologizing about that disappointment. Inevitably they just feel badly and feel the need to reassure the cook. Who would want to run out of unrealized dreams anyway? I hope always to have some simmering.
The squirrels have taken over. I don’t know what to do. My family does not approve of my ideas on how I want to address this situation. They are also eating all the new bud growth on my fruit trees - even the lemon blossoms. Man versus nature, an age old problem. They leave wild arugula and hot peppers only!
“ I LIKE TO SELECT SPIRITED MUSIC OFTEN TO COOK BY.” 1 - 107 -
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FRUIT? My desert island fruit is an apple, fresh picked in season. Tart, firm and sweet in equal measure. I grew up in Michigan and long for the autumn season for so many reasons, but including apple season. An apple a day is a great treat and I look forward to the season each and every year. Luckily in California you can find just such a thing at the local farmers market. Pink Lady is my current favorite. Not to be ignored is the mighty lemon. It’s a game changer for savory and sweet endeavors. I can’t imagine making a fruit pie, a salad, guacamole, cooked greens, chicken, green beans without a dash of high quality olive oil or butter and some proper salt (that would be from the sea!)
IF YOU DIDN’T LIVE IN LOS ANGELES WHERE WOULD YOU WANT TO LIVE AND WHY? There are so many wonderful places to consider. The people and geography make the place. Seasons matter. Ultimately the Spanish proverb is what I believe will lead me to any new home I might make outside of Los Angeles. “Adonde el corazón se inclina, el pie camina.” (where the heart is inclined the feet are sure to follow.)
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO COOK WHEN YOU HAVE FRIENDS OVER? This depends on the friend, their diet, the season, and the occasion. It depends upon the circumstance almost always.
WHAT IS CURRENTLY GROWING IN YOUR GARDEN?
WHAT’S ON THE SOUNDTRACK FOR THE DINNER PARTY? Music is as fundamental to the air as oxygen around here. There is no escaping (not that I want to). My husband, Joe Henry, whose religion is music, takes this task on for any and all occasions. He has the best iPod in town. Ibrahim Ferrer is one of my favorites, and anything by the members of The Buena Vista Social Club.
Once the chard has cooked down to about half its original bulk, turn off the heat, add fresh ground pepper to taste, then squeeze the juice of about a half a fresh lemon over all, and serve immediately. If desired, some red or white wine vinegar can be used instead of fresh lemon. I like to salt and pepper generously. 2 ea. Swiss chard bunches 3 ea. cloves of garlic peeled and chopped in half 2 tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil coarse salt and freshly ground pepper (taste) ½ ea. fresh lemon
Henry’sRecipe-109-
Photo: Natalia Bulatova
Swiss Chard processingredients
Rinse chard thoroughly, and shake dry, or strain well in a colander. Stack the whole leaves, then cut into “ribbons,” about 2 inches wide. Heat the olive oil over medium flame in a pot or pan big enough. A lid will be important. When oil is heating, add garlic cloves until beginning to turn translucent (but not brown). Add the chard and toss to coat in the oil, then sprinkle with a couple pinches of coarse salt. Reduce heat slightly and cover; let simmer until the greens begin to reduce in mass –about 7 or 8 minutes, tossing occasionally. (Note: the small amount of water remaining on the rinsed, strained leaves will provide a little steam and aid in this process.)
Phil Donohue and Afton Figueroa
"Well, for starters we love food. Since Phil is originally from Arizona and I'm a South Pasadena native, during the holidays (and pretty much every other chance we get) we spend a lot of our time driving in and around the Southwest. For the past six years, in an attempt to use the holiday season as a portal for experience and adventure, we started to create these intricate detours that have led us to gems we might not have otherwise uncovered. When we're not eating at Fiore, these are some of our most memorable and definitely delectable roadside eats."
DIN TAI FUNG, ARCADIA, CA
UNION ON YALE IN CLAREMONT, CA.
I took Phil here when we first started dating. He had never had the steamed "soup" dumplings before and now, 6 years later, 2 Xiao Long Bao, 2 Veggie Dumplings, and the sautéed green beans are a near weekly staple that we can't seem to live without.
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CRAZY COYOTE TACOS, CABAZON, CA Three words: Ghost Chili Salsa. A small taco stand outside the Cabazon outlets boasts the best burritos in Southern California, while also serving up apocalyptically delicious ghost chili salsa for those who are a glutton for punishment.
COOK'S TORTAS, MONTEREY PARK, CA Void of atmosphere and nestled in the Chinese food mecca of Monterey Park, Cook's transcends the traditional torta by elevating the Mexican sandwich to a fastcasual art form that comes in at under $10. We highly recommend the "La Diabla" for those who love heat.
THE BEST OF THE WEST 1 - 111
Off the Strip and situated in a fairly questionable strip mall, this celebrated Thai restaurant may be the best in the country. Marrying traditional Thai cuisine with a chef inspired twist, Lotus of Siam's pièce de résistance are the Garlic Pawns--with a crispy shell akin to a garlic potato chip--and Mango Sticky Rice with Coconut Ice Cream--both of which will render you a devotee.
LOTUS OF SIAM, LAS VEGAS, NV
NORIEGA'S, BAKERSFIELD, CA Central California is home to a large concentration of Basque restaurants outside the Pyrénées and the James Beard Award-winning Noreiga's is the best of the lot. Noriega's operates as both a boarding house for migrant workers and a restaurant--and is really the last of it's kind in the world. For just around 20 dollars a head (which includes table wine) you sit communally sharing pickled tongue, bleu cheese, and oxtail stew. We often recommend this place for people looking to surprise their friends with an equally quirky and intimate shared dining experience. - 113TINDERBOX IN FLAGSTAFF, AZ.
Another gem nestled in Monterey Park, Bollini's cooks up the best Neapolitan pizzas on the West Coast in their wood fire oven that can burn up to 1200 degrees. Our order in perpetuity is a build your own pizza with Mozzarella, Fontina, Chopped Garlic, Pepperoni, and Sicilian chili.
SWANN OYSTER DEPOT, SAN FRANCISCO, CA
TINDERBOX, FLAGSTAFF, AZ
On days when we feel like being on the road but life's scheduling dictates otherwise, I always ask Phil to take me here. Featuring an outdoor seating area with a Bocce ball court (something that is not easy to come by in the greater Los Angeles area) -- Union on Yale is a perfect coupling of New American small plates and family-style comfort foods. We recommend the "Mason Jar" and the "Rosemary Fried Chicken."
For the past three years we've spent our New Years Eve in snowy Flagstaff, Arizona. Tinderbox is a culinary delight where nothing ever seems to be repeated, and that's a good thing. Dishes like Dr. Pepper marinated Pork Jowls and Duck Confit Mac & Cheese have proven to be great dishes to close out the year and begin anew.
We are admittedly not big on lines but the reliably long wait at Swann is well worth it and kicking back a questionably legal Anchor Steam on the sidewalk doesn't hurt either. Freshly shucked oysters and that famous SF Sourdough are made even more palatable by their habanero "tapenade." If the food wasn't already other worldly, the shuckers behind the counter give real credence to the term "Shuck and Jive."
COCHINEAL, MARFA, TX Marfa, an eclectic town of less than 2000 people in the High Desert of West Texas, vaunts what may be one the most remarkable restaurants in the continental United States. Their Tequila Gimlets, and Sticky Toffee Pudding are sinfully delicious, but your sins are absolved as church bells and tumbleweeds sway in the periphery.
BOLLINI'S PIZZERIA NAPOLETANA, MONTEREY PARK, CA
UNION ON YALE, CLAREMONT, CA
CAN YOU SHARE A FOND FOOD MEMORY FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD?
resembles a construction brick. To make suhariki’s, bread is cut into half an inch slices, then each slice is cut in half inches to make a long shape bread stick. Cooked in the oven till they harden on the outside, you take them out while they are still soft on inside and add a little salt.
“
(SHAGANE) I grew up in Vladivostok - a port city in Far East Russia - in a Russian Armenian family with an interesting culinary divide. One side of the family cooked very plain Russian food composed of basic vegetables such as beets, carrots, potatoes, onions and cabbage. The Armenian side of the family cooked with lots of spices and many different Middle Eastern flavors. One of my favorite food memories from playing as a kid at my Russian grandmother’s house is her making us “suhariki” translated as dry small things, an equivalent of croutons. Made as a quick snack for kids to munch on from aging bread while dinner is made. Suhariki’s were also an equivalent of little cookies you’d run home to grab a little bag and then go on playing outside with your friends. These Russian croutons are made from Russian bread nicknamed as “brick” for it’s shape and color that
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Maximilien, Ulfile and Shagane
ME BACK TO NORMANDY IN THE NORTH WEST OF FRANCE WHERE I GREW UP.”
(MAX) My culinary memory takes me back to Normandy in the North West of France where I grew up. I was born and raised on the coast not far from the Mont-Saint-Michel. The tides on the coast of the Manche are unique – during high tides, the water level rises by nearly 40 feet, such that the sea is literally gone miles away. During the high tides, the water uncovers salt marsh meadows on which lambs and sheep are raised. The animals eat the halophyte grasses with high salinity and iodine content, which give their meats a distinct taste and flavor. We call them “agneaux de pré salé”, or “salt meadow lambs.” These lambs were a staple of my family – we would buy a whole animal and share the parts within the family. The best part – the legs – were reserved for my grand-father, who had a particular and unique way of cooking them for special family gatherings. He slowly cooked them on a broach – a spit for roasting meat – in front of a fire using his own apple wood. Apple trees are a staple of MY MEMORYCULINARYTAKES
WHO INSPIRED YOU WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP? We both had very young parents, and by extension young grandparents who were very active and played a big part in our lives. Our grandparents were a big source of inspiration both on the artistic and culinary sides. At that time, food was entirely home grown and cooked from jams, poultries, meats, vegetables, dairy products, and even full suitcases of rare goodies were brought from abroad. Cooking was a full time job, and having the children be part of that process helped develop our taste for good homey food.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FRUIT? All seasonal fruits in galettes with a jam or frangipane base layer. Right now, coings [quince] are a favorite.
WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING? We have been seriously influenced by all the cookbooks at Fiore Market Café to the extent that we are piling up cookbooks at home lately. The latest is “Frenchie” by Greg Marchand. Of course, Alice Waters “Art of Simple Food I and II” and David Lebowitz’s stories are always a staple of the house.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE VEGETABLE? HOW DO YOU PREPARE IT? We like them all!
Normandy. The lamb has to be “massaged” with butter and jabbed with garlic prior to roasting. The fat and juices are gathered at the bottom of the broach and soaked in shallots. Truly (ULFILE)delicious!Theweekly chicken sandwich at Fiore Market Café! My WHOfavorite!ISSOMEONE
WHAT IS CURRENTLY GROWING IN YOUR GARDEN? We live in an apartment, but Ulfile grows her own little garden.
“ OUR CULINARYARTISTICBOTHOFWEREGRANDPARENTSABIGSOURCEINSPIRATIONONTHEANDSIDES.” 1 “ OWNING A “DACHA” IN POINT REYES.” 1 - 117 -
CAN YOU SHARE A YET UNREALIZED DREAM? Owning a “Dacha” in Point Reyes Seashore (north of San Francisco) and home growing all our food products.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO COOK WHEN YOU HAVE FRIENDS OVER? Usually a Russian appetizer followed by a French main WHAT’Sdish.ON THE SOUNDTRACK FOR THE DINNER PARTY? Mostly francophone artists like Serge Gainsbourg, Jacques Dutronc, Renaud, Stromae…, and some favorites like Bob Dylan and the Rolling Stones.
IF YOU DIDN’T LIVE IN LOS ANGELES WHERE WOULD YOU WANT TO LIVE AND WHY? San Francisco - our adopted hometown – for the food, the bay, the fog, the culture, the people. Paris for the city. Hong Kong for its energy.
WHAT IS CURRENTLY GROWING IN YOUR GARDEN? I’m not good at gardening so right now nothing edible. But I do have a variety of succulents, they seem to keep alive well.
IF YOU DIDN’T LIVE IN LOS ANGELES WHERE WOULD YOU WANT TO LIVE AND WHY? I would love to live in the Pacific Northwest. Only because the air is cleaner, and I love being surrounded by trees.
Irene Diaz
WHO IS SOMEONE WHO INSPIRED YOU WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP? My older brother inspired me. He would do well in school, get straight A’s, so I aimed to do well in school and get straight A’s, and I did. I would also borrow his music collection time to time.
DOWNLOAD IRENE’S “I LOVE YOU MADLY” EP ON iTUNES. 1
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO COOK WHEN YOU HAVE FRIENDS OVER? I like friends to be well fed, but have something nutritious. I’ve made a mango bean salad the last few times I’ve had friends over.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE VEGETABLE? HOW DO YOU PREPARE IT? I really like spinach sautéed with lemon juice, garlic, and salt.
WHAT’S ON THE SOUNDTRACK FOR THE DINNER PARTY? I usually like hearing the Lauryn Hill station on Pandora, gives a good variety of music I enjoy.
WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING? Right now I’m reading “Diet for a New America” learning about the food industry.
CAN YOU SHARE A FOND FOOD MEMORY FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD? When my brothers and I were growing up my Abuelita (grandma) would take care of us when my mom was at work. She would always try to feed us, always made sure we had enough to eat. One of the fondest memories I have of her was her giant pancakes. They were as big as an entire dinner plate. She would cut them in squares for us kids. They had the best texture, slightly crispy and soft in the middle.
- 119Cardoza.Carolynpartnerherwith(left)Irene
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FRUIT? I love guava.
CAN YOU SHARE A YET UNREALIZED DREAM? I’m working right now on my dream, which is to have a career in music.
WHO INSPIRED YOU WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP?
IF YOU DIDN’T LIVE IN LOS ANGELES WHERE WOULD YOU WANT TO LIVE? (IZZI) Paris, France. There’s nothing like it in the world. Incredible food, weather and culture. Or Northwest Montana, where I’m from. (BLAINE) Lower Manhattan and Northwest Montana. I love the city, its incredibly inspiring to me and I would love to live in SoHo or Nolita for a time and then when I get older eventually move to the country in Northwest Montana. Izzi is from there and it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. HAVE STUDIO IN A FARMHOUSE IN MONTANA.” 1 - 121 -
“ TO
(IZZI) My Dad. He made dinner every night for us and he inspired me to be creative and to try new things. (BLAINE) My grandpa. He was always super productive fixing things and growing fruits and vegetables and I’ve never once seen him lose his temper.
RECORDINGA
Blaine Stark and Izzi Ray
WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING? (IZZI) “Walking on Water” by Madeleine L’engle. (BLAINE) “Vintage: The Story of Wine.”
CAN YOU SHARE A FOND FOOD MEMORY FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD?
(IZZI) My family would take trips to Italy every couple of years while I was growing up, so I have lots of memories from fantastic little restaurants of the most amazing fresh pasta. (BLAINE) My grandma was the classic Mexican grandma, always cooking for us. She would cook chorizo, tacos, tamales, enchiladas and salsa. The house always smelled amazing and I was constantly stuffed. It’s a miracle I was never a chubby kid.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE VEGETABLE? HOW DO YOU PREPARE IT? (IZZI) Cauliflower! Roasted in the oven with olive oil and salt and pepper with some fresh thyme. (BLAINE) Zucchini, quick pan fry with olive oil and salt, then throw it under the broiler for a few minutes until they blister. A little squeeze of fresh lemon juice and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FRUIT? (IZZI) Cantaloupe. (BLAINE) Huckleberries.
Cut florets from the cauliflower. Place in a stainless steel bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add curry powder, mustard seeds, coriander seeds and cumin seeds. Mix thoroughly with your hands. Cauliflower should have a light coating of olive oil and the cauliflower will be bright yellow from the curry. Roast in a 425 degree oven for about 20-35 minutes. Cauliflower should be lightly browned, but still al dente. Let cool for 10 minutes. Toss with the sugared walnuts and the dried cherries. Whisk the honey and lemon juice and add to cauliflower
Place in a serving bowl. Top with the chopped parsley. 1 head cauliflower 2 tbsp olive oil salt and pepper (taste) 1 tbsp curry powder ½ tbsp mustard seeds ½ tbsp cumin seeds ½ tbsp coriander seeds ¼ cup dried cherries ¼ cup sugared walnuts 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp honey 1 tbsp chopped parsley
CAN YOU SHARE A YET UNREALIZED DREAM? (IZZI) To have a recording studio in a farmhouse in Montana. (BLAINE) A recording studio in an old barn on a ranch in Montana.
WHAT IS CURRENTLY GROWING IN YOUR GARDEN? (IZZI)I don’t have a garden now but I used to, and my favorite things to grow were Strawberry Blonde sunflowers and Purple Potatoes. (BLAINE) No garden yet but I am currently gathering compost to start soon! I dream of various herbs, berries and tomatoes.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO COOK WHEN YOU HAVE FRIENDS OVER? (IZZI) Desserts! Rhubarb Crisp and macarons specifically. (BLAINE) Hangar steak or fresh pasta from scratch. And fresh bread, always bread. WHAT’S ON THE SOUNDTRACK FOR THE DINNER PARTY? (IZZI) Ryan Adams or Keith Urban. (BLAINE) Ryan Adams.
processingredients
Curried Cauliflower
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CAN YOU SHARE A FOND FOOD MEMORY FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD?
WHO IS SOMEONE WHO INSPIRED YOU WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP?
WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING? “The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying.”
First, my dad who was a professional motorcycle racer, and created quite a lot coming from nothing. I admire his courage, his belief in himself and his dedication to family and to teaching us honesty, integrity and responsibility. Second, my grandmother. She was surely a social butterfly, even when I moved to the United States, my own friends would stop at her house just to visit her. She always found a way to make them laugh. I admire many of her talents and still miss her every day.
IF YOU DIDN’T LIVE IN LOS ANGELES WHERE WOULD YOU WANT TO LIVE AND WHY? Anywhere where the water is blue and the sand is white like the Caribbean.
CAN YOU SHARE A YET UNREALIZED DREAM? A bed and breakfast by the beach, with yoga and healthy food.
For sure it would have to be gnocchi. My Grandmother used to prepare them and she would allow me to add the final touch (which means pushing your finger on the freshly made gnocchi as to create a sort of a hole in them for better cooking) and I could hardly wait for them to be ready with a fresh tomato sauce.
Antonella Vigorito
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FRUIT? Cocomero! (Watermelon).
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO COOK WHEN YOU HAVE FRIENDS OVER? Pasta of course because I am Italian, but I also love to make WHAT’Ssoups.ON THE SOUNDTRACK FOR THE DINNER PARTY? Andrea Bocelli. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE VEGETABLE? HOW DO YOU PREPARE IT? Kale. Stir-fried with garlic, olive oil and sea salt. Very easy, but very tasty.
WHAT IS CURRENTLY GROWING IN YOUR GARDEN? Unfortunately I don’t have a vegetable garden now, but I used to love to grow and eat string beans. - 125“ KALE. STIR-FRIED WITH GARLIC, OLIVE OIL AND SEA SALT.” 1
My Grandma Jo used to have me over for weekends at her house. We would spend the days adventuring around town. She and I both share a love for theatre, design, delicious food, classical music and good company. She helped cultivate those passions by taking me to live theatre performances, to the Pasadena Showcase House of Design, to delicious restaurants like Yamashiro in the Hollywood Hills, the 94th Aero Squadron in Van Nuys and so many others. I like to share my favorites with her now, so naturally, we’ve had a few lunches together at Fiore. One of my very favorite memories though, was staying up very late with my night owl grandmother to bake yummy desserts. After a fun-filled day of adventure, we would stay
WHO INSPIRED YOU WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP?
Like my Grandma Jo, my Grandma Maria was also someone who cultivated my passion for food and baking and she inspired my family at every holiday. She was 100% Italian and a phenomenal cook and baker. Every year she hosted Christmas dinner for her children and grandchildren. She would start preparing days in advance and by Christmas night, we would have the most amazing Italian feast of stuffed shells, lasagna, sausage and peppers, meatballs, aglio olio with sardines, and the most bountiful dessert table you’ve ever seen, complete with biscotti and cannoli. None of us could understand how she managed to make everything on her own, but she did it. She was such a stubborn woman and rarely accepted help in the kitchen, but she was an inspiration to all of us. Her dedication to
Jolynn Enz
CAN YOU SHARE A FOND FOOD MEMORY FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD?
“ I WOULD LOVE TO OPEN A WITHTREATSMOREIIMAGINESOMEDAY.BAKERYICAN’TAJOBWOULDENJOYTHANBAKINGTOSHAREPEOPLE.” 1 - 127 -
up past midnight baking little tarts, or cookies, or whatever recipe she wanted to share with me that day. I think that’s why to this day, I still do my best baking late at night.
WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING? Puff the Magic Dragon. As a mom of a toddler who also works full-time, I rarely have time to read anything these days. The last real book I read was Wildwood, by Colin Meloy. Otherwise, I really only have time to read cookbooks, Sunset and Real Simple magazines and of course anything Jonah wants me to read to him.
“ I WAS BLESSED TO HAVE OPPORTUNITYTHE TO LIVE IN FLORENCE FOR A YEAR.” 1 - 129 -
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE VEGETABLE? HOW DO YOU PREPARE IT? I love sweet potatoes. I can eat them baked fresh from the oven, or mashed, or covered in vegetarian chili. Whatever, whenever. Beets come in at a close second.
IF YOU DIDN’T LIVE IN LOS ANGELES WHERE WOULD YOU WANT TO LIVE AND WHY? There are so many places on this list! My first choice would be Italy. I was blessed to have the opportunity to live in Florence for a year and I’ve wanted to go back since the day I returned home. A more realistic place would be Portland, Oregon. The California sun is nice, but I think it would be so much fun to experience a real fall and winter season. Also, there are so many great restaurants and some of our best friends live in Portland! I think we could have a lot of fun there.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FRUIT? My favorite fruit is a persimmon. I wish they had a longer season. They are so delicious and I swear they have flecks of cinnamon inside.
CAN YOU SHARE A YET UNREALIZED DREAM? I would love to open a bakery someday. I can’t imagine a job I would enjoy more than baking treats to share with people. If I ever have a day where I feel like I’m losing my sense of self, I check the ingredients in our pantry and pick something to bake. It works every time.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO COOK WHEN YOU HAVE FRIENDS OVER? I have to admit that I’m not much of a cook. Ryan and I have an arrangement - he’s the cook and I’m the baker. If I had to cook something in a pinch though, I would make carrot soup, served with fresh warm bread or panini, followed by an apple or cranberry pie. And we would start off with some good cheese served with crackers and fruit. Good cheese is very important.
her family was like none other. Since she passed away from ALS in 2012, our holidays have been missing her special touch, but we all try our best to recreate as many of her dishes as possible. I hope we’re making her proud!
WHAT IS CURRENTLY GROWING IN YOUR GARDEN? We live on the second floor of a duplex, so right now our “garden” consists of a variety of succulents on our terrace. Before we lived here though, we used to live in a sweet little guest house with lemon, fig and persimmon trees growing right outside our house. What a blessing it was to walk outside and pick fresh fruit from those trees. My love affair with persimmons began there.
WHAT’S ON THE SOUNDTRACK FOR THE DINNER PARTY? We really like the Madeleine Peyroux station on Pandora.
BIG LOU
He passed away three months after Fiore Market Café opened. He didn’t get a chance to see what Anne and I created, but we did talk a lot during the time up until we opened and for those first three months before he passed away. He was so excited about Fiore. He knew how hard I worked for so many years for other people and he was so happy I would be working for myself.
MY DAD’S NAME WAS LOU.
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Once I had agreed to purchase an apartment in Italy I called my dad to see if he would join me in December to purchase the apartment. To be honest I also asked him for some cash to help me with my crazy adventure. We met at the Rome airport and immediately drove out to Casperia. My dad and mom had met us in Italy on the first trip back in April. So this was our second time together in Italy. The scenario was familiar. We had walked through the village of Casperia in April, but my dad didn’t remember too much. We parked outside the city walls. Before walking up the steps to the apartment we stopped in the Blu Bar for a caffe. I don’t drink alcohol anymore, but I do drink very strong coffee frequently. I fell in love with the coffee culture in Italy. My dad even joked that I was buying this apartment for the coffee. We started up the walkway to the apartment. It was on Via Nardi Bruschi. There are lots of long wide stone steps. It can wear on you because the walking can be strenuous.
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My dad’s first comment was about the steps. How are you going to bring your luggage all the way up these steps. He was very concerned about them. When we arrived, he took a peek in the doorway. A white plastic chair blocked the entrance. It was dark, cold and damp. Nothing stirred but those same birds. He turned his head around and looked me in the eye and said something like “Are you sure about this?” We walked around the back and up the few steps into the garden. The grass was a bit taller than the last time I was there. It may have been waist high. My dad looked around. He asked me if I was crazy.
After a few moments of silence we retraced our steps out of the garden and back down the walkway out of the village. Across from the Blu Bar was a general store. We stopped in to look around. My dad was talking a lot and fairly loudly in English. This set us apart because no one spoke English in this village. A few people stared. One woman stopped and listened to my father. She then approached him and said her name was Nicole Franchini. She worked for a travel book company and had an office in Chicago. She spoke very good English and my dad was happy about that. He asked her about the village. He told her about me and my plans. She claimed to have heard about the American. She also told him that it was a great plan. The village was booming and this would be a good investment. A smile appeared on my dad’s face. Up until that point he was very somber. Her approval set him right. He felt better, a little more secure. Maybe his oldest son wasn’t so crazy after all. She bid us good luck. We left. and drove to Selci to stay at La Vecchia Quercia, Pino and Anna’s Albergo. I think my dad needed some rest and a drink.
all.aftercrazysowasn’tsonoldesthisMaybe- 137 -
1 cup butter 1 cup sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 tsp baking soda 1 cup creamy peanut butter 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp salt 2 ea. eggs 3 cups flour 1 cup chocolate chips
ingredients process *tip* It will be tempting to dig in, but we suggest letting them cool for 20 minutes before serving. You will get crunch on the outside and moistness on the inside. *** - 139 -
Beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs one at a time. Mix until well incorporated. Add vanilla. Add in the peanut butter. In a separate bowl mix flour and salt. Slowly add flour to the egg/sugar/peanut butter mixture. Mix thoroughly. Spoon cookie dough into a parchment lined sheet pan. Make cookies to the size you desire. Push down slightly on the cookie dough with the tines of a fork. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes.
Peanut Butter Cookies
process - 141 -
Beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs one at a time. Mix until well incorporated. Add vanilla. In a separate bowl mix flour and salt. Slowly add flour to the egg/sugar mixture. Mix thoroughly. Add walnuts and chocolate chips. Spoon cookie dough onto a parchment lined sheetpan. Make cookies to the size you desire. Push down slightly on the cookie dough. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes.
Chocolate Chip Cookies 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup butter 1 cup sugar 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 1¼ cup brown sugar 2 each eggs 3 cups flour 2 cups chocolate chips 1 cup walnuts ingredients
1 cup butter 2 cups flour 1 cup sugar 1¼ cup brown sugar 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp vanilla 2 ea. eggs 3 cups oatmeal 1 cup raisins chocolateor chips ingredients Beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs one at a time. Mix until well incorporated. Add vanilla. In a separate bowl mix flour and salt. Slowly add flour to the egg/sugar mixture. Mix thoroughly. Mix in oatmeal and raisins or chocolate chips. Spoon cookie dough onto a parchment lined sheetpan. Make cookies to the size you desire. Push down slightly on the cookie dough. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. process Oatmeal Cookies - 14 3 -
Brownies 6 ea. eggs 2¼ cups Ghirardelli sweet cocoa powder 2¼ cups sugar 1½ cups melted butter 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp vanilla 3 cups all purpose flour 1 cup chocolate chips ingredients *tip* Don’t scrimp on the cocoa powder. Cheap powder will give you cheap flavor. If you want less chocolate, back off on the powder, not the ***chips. - 145Mix all dry ingredients. Add eggs and blend well. Add melted butter. When well-combined, add chocolate chips. Pour batter on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. process
CHOCOLATE VEGAN 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp baking soda 1 tbsp white vinegar 1 cup water ¼ cup cocoa powder ½ cup canola oil 1 cup sugar 1½ cups flour Mix the vanilla, water and canola oil in a mixing bowl. Add the sugar. In a separate bowl mix the flour, cocoa powder and baking soda. Slowly add to the wet mixture. Mix for a few minutes until well blended. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray and then line with baking cups. Spoon batter into cups. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Vegan Chocolate Frosting 1 cup Earth Balance ⅓ cup cocoa powder 4 cups powdered sugar ⅓ cup soy or almond milk Beat the Earth Balance in a mixing bowl. add the cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Slowly add the soy milk.
Cupcakes
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1½VANILLAcup butter 1½ cup sugar 2½ tsp baking powder 2 each eggs 1 tsp salt 2 tsp vanilla 3 cups flour 1¼ cup milk Beat butter and sugar for about 3 minutes until creamy. Add eggs one at a time. Beat for a few more minutes. In a separate bowl mix the flour, salt and baking powder. Add to the egg mixture alternating with the milk. Add the vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray and then line with baking cups. Spoon batter into cups. Bake in preheat oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
ingredients
processingredients process
WE HAVE BEEN BAKING THESE SCONES
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Scones
SINCE THE DAY WE OPENED. Our intern at the time Daniel unearthed this recipe on the internet and we have used it ever since. At one time it was written down and kept in a book, but now the recipe is just passed along. I have taught both my sons how to make these scones along with Jon Lucques, Edgar and a few others. The recipe is very simple. We change the fruit often depending upon what’s in season. In the summer we make it with the blackberries from the garden. We only get a few recipes from the garden blackberries because we eat too many of the blackberries as soon as they are ripe. I have made savory scones a few times with this recipe. They turned out great. I made it once with sundried tomatoes and lemon zest. They were was surprisingly good.
Frozen*tip*fruitworks, but there’s nothing like freshpicked. Berry plants are quite easy to grow and require very little***maintenance.
THE KEY TO GOOD SCONES is to make the dough the day before. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and freeze it overnight. The next morning pull it out of the freezer and let it sit for about 15 minutes. Cut the scones into triangles using a dough cutter and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with raw sugar and bake at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes until golden brown.
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1¾ cups all purpose flour 1 tbsp baking powder ⅛ cup sugar ⅛ cup brown sugar 4 oz. cold butter cut into cubes 1 basket fresh fruit 2 each large eggs ¾ cup buttermilk
processingredients
In a stainless steel bowl mix the flour, baking powder and sugars. Add the butter. Use your hands to break down the butter. The mixture should be coarse with good size chunks of butter. Do not work it too much. Add the fruit. Mix gently with your hands. Beat one egg with the buttermilk. Pour the mixture into the flour mixture. Stir with a kitchen spoon. Be careful not to break the fruit. Use you hands to pull the dough together. It will be sticky. Sprinkle flour on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Place the scone dough on the sheet pan. Form it into a 5 by 12 inch rectangle. Sprinkle some flour on the dough to help you form the rectangle. Try to make it smooth and crisp. Use plastic wrap to help you shape the rectangle. When you are done wrap the rectangle with plastic wrap and then wrap the tray completely.
The barista slid the short coffee across the bar. The coffee was dark with a slight bit of steamed milk on top. It was dusted with what looked like cocoa powder. I pulled the glass to my lips and took a sip. It was warm and slightly sweet. The coffee was strong which is how I like it. I finished the coffee quickly. Marco smiled at me. He seemed proud. We left and went back to work. Later that night I was with Stefano and Marvi. We were at a different bar in Casperia. Stefano was drinking a beer and since I no longer drink I was getting ready to order a coffee. I told Stefano about Marco and the coffee at the bar near his factory. Stefano smiled. He asked me to describe the coffee which I did. He smiled again. This time I could see mischief in his eye. He looked across the bar and got the attention of the barista. He gave her some type of hand signal that seemed very Italian to me. I stood there with a blank look on my face. A few moments later a coffee was set in front of me. To my amazement it appeared to be the same coffee I had 10 hours earlier. Stefano and Marvi were laughing at me. There was no special Marco coffee. It was a macchiato cacao and I had been fooled by my new friend Marco. I don’t really care. I love the story and tell it often.
The next day I showed up early and got to work. We spent a few hours making pecorino cheese. It was fairly simple and I enjoyed the work. His crew worked hard, but they also had fun teasing each other. After a few hours Marco pulled me aside. He said it was time to have a café. We drove about a block to a small bar at the Metro station. I knew the place fairly well. I had coffee there occasionally while waiting for the train. As soon as we walked in the door. Marco was noticed. Heads turned. People smiled. The barista called out to him. He nodded while we made our way to some vacant space at the bar. Marco said that he would introduce me to his drink, a drink made specifically for him at this particular bar. Since I was his new friend he wanted to give me some special treatment.
Macchiato Cacao I WAS IN ITALY A FEW YEARS BACK. I asked Stefano if he knew someone who made cheese. I was hoping he knew a small artisanal cheese maker. He didn’t but he had a friend Marco who owned a small commercial cheese production facility. He called Marco and asked if I could work with him. 1 - 153 -
THESE HANDS 1 - 155 -
My grandmother did all the same things with her hands. I was much younger when I first saw this. I was five, living with my parents on the bottom floor of a duplex in Chicago. Nana was on the second floor. I spent a lot of time by her side watching. Years later when I met Anna and spent time by her side I was reminded of my Nana and her hands and the fact that my desire to cook sprouted out of that time in Chicago on that second floor where my grandmother rolled out her cinnamon bread with her arthritic hands.
The reason I am so reminded of my grandmother is because I saw Anna work. Her hands were her most significant tool. She used a paring knife all the time, but she used her hands for everything. She rolled out dough for bread. She made pasta and then rolled that out. She trimmed vegetables. She washed dishes. She pitted cherries in the summer. She used her hand as one might use a spatula to get that last bit of sauce from a bowl.
These hands belong to Anna Olivieri of La Vecchia Quercia. She is Pino’s wife and she runs the kitchen at La Vecchia Quercia. I love this photograph because it’s a photograph of her hands. These are working hands. They remind me of my grandmother’s hands. My grandmother’s hands were not as attractive as Anna’s. She was older and had worked for many more years when I first noticed her hands. They were bent to the side from her arthritis, but they were strong. When she took my hand in hers I could feel the wear of her toil, but I also felt her strength.
