Monthly Archives: February 2017

Gio’s Pizza in Anthem AZ is Worth a Fork

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Brocoli, Spinach, Ricotta Stuffed Pizza from Gio’s Pizza in Anthem AZ

Gio’s Pizza in Anthem Arizona serves Italian/Sicilian , New York and what they call…Authentic  Pizza and more. This is a small family owned pizzeria located across the street from The Anthem Outlet Mall. On Gio’s Website they state that they use their family recipes and only use the highest quality ingredients. This small restaurant isn’t fancy and only seats about five small tables inside and two tables outside. As you enter the tight entrance you see all kinds of pizzas on display. In the dining room I noticed a few Sicilian trinkets on the walls and I heard thick Italian accents in the energetic noisy kitchen.

This pizzeria differs in offerings from any other pizzeria I’ve been to in Metro Phoenix. They offer Spaghetti Rolls. They are made with very mild red sauce…just right for children or those who are children at heart!

Spaghetti Roll

Stuffed Pin Wheels that look like fancy stars, garlic knots, calzones, wings, salads-

Regular crust pizza……..Not the most unique but every pizza place offers a plain slice.

Regular Crust Pizza

A Regular Crust Bianca Neve of Mozzarella, Garlic and Ricotta Cheese At the time I had it I know they used Polly-O Brand a popular East Coast Brand. I heard the guys chanting in the kitchen. “Yo we use the Polly-O” as mixers were whirling and the sounds of hands were slapping dough.  I saw a big tub of Polly-O ricotta on the table.  This pizza was my favorite at Gio’s so far……

Gio’s offers Sicilian Thick Rectangular pizzas like the-

Nonna – Bread Crumbs, Onion, Tomato and Mozzarella

Stuffed Pizzas like the Broccoli, Spinach and Ricotta (Pictured at the start…..well it seemed healthy…LOL…..Lots of Spinach and Broccoli…….It’s quite enormous and in my opinion is two or more meals) The top is very unique….the crust folds over and turns into a thin crisp cheese crust)

and

Stuffed Sausage, Pepperoni and Potato my husband had the last two times.

They offer cannoli, espresso and sell small tubs of a frozen confections..(gelato or Italian Ice? not sure..didn’t look too close and couldn’t even consider a tub of confection after eating here)

Unique little Pizza Place that offers something different.

I’d say Gio’s Pizza of Anthem AZ is Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork! Not a fancy place……. Small. You might want to give them a try if you are in the area.

www.GiosPizzaAnthem.com

The Forking Truth

 

 

 

Mora Italian Restaurant in Phoenix AZ is Worth a Fork

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Mora Italian Restaurant isn’t your typical Italian Restaurant in Phoenix. It’s more like not your Grandfather’s  Italian Restaurant…..It’s like Las Vegas Quality with Approachable Pricing. The Co-Owner is – James Bead Award Wining, Celebrity Chef, Cookbook Author, Restauranteur, Food Network’s Chopped Judge………and recent Phoenix Transplant…Scott Conant.

Picture taken at recent AZCENTRAL Food & Wine Festival

 

Spotted Chef Conant on the line on my way in.

From my seat the entrance looks like this.

I turn around and see an attractive patio that surprisingly overlooks a busy street.

The dining room features wood, leather or leather like seating, lots of Ferrari Red and Italian Pop Culture adorning the wall.

The Spaghetti Eating Heathen Women are quite memorable.

We start out with Polenta with Mushrooms and Truffle Sugo.

It’s rich and creamy with a variety of well developed mushrooms of different textures. It’s seasoned just so…It’s special occasion delicious!

New we share the Ricotta and Mascarpone Gnudi.

They are like ravioli fillings…Sort of like if a ravioli had a baby with angel food cake, topped with concentrated tomato in a buttery thin sauce.

My husband had a very unique kind of Short Rib. He said it didn’t seem braised and seemed more like a grilled steak. He said it was surrounded with interesting ingredients. He thinks he remembers ingredients like artichoke, arugula, Calabrian Peppers and pumpkin seeds.I think I see endive and radicchio on the plate too. He said it was really all great together.

I had the Whole Boneless Orata ( Gilt Head Bream Fish).

It was so tender, moist and sweet. It just melted in my mouth. Even the skin was crisp and seasoned nicely. The plate came with melted leeks, faro and a grilled lemon. This was just a really great dish….I remember I had this same fish at Bartolotta’s in Las Vegas.

I was too full for dessert 🙁

I’ll save room for dessert next time 🙂

Mora Italian is Worth a Fork….but…it’s important to read below

Worth a Fork! I NOTE at the time of this review Mora Italian is a newly opened restaurant and is subject to mishaps in service and delays in the timing of serving food……but what I tried was outstanding so I’m giving them the Fork.

www.MoraItalian.com

The Forking Truth is that EVERYTHING is subject to change and your experience may…or may not…differ.

The Forking Truth

Forking Awesome Kicked UP Waldorf Inspired Salad Recipe

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Forking Awesome Kicked UP Waldorf Inspired Salad

The Waldorf Salad was created in the 1890s at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City. A typical Waldorf Salad is made from apples, celery, grapes and walnuts dressed with a mayonnaise dressing. That sounds sort of boring and heavy to me so I went with that idea and used some unusual ingredients like kumquat, rambutan and tomatillo that made it more interesting. There is a lot of flavors and textures in this salad with a little heat. It really is Forking Great….most people will like all the flavors and textures. Even if you don’t want to make this salad you will still want to make the walnuts like I do. I cook the walnuts with water for 3 minutes in the microwave to release the bitter flavor and toss the walnuts in the oven with minimal amounts of sugar, oil and seasoning and they are just delicious! My recipe makes more walnuts than you need for this recipe. I don’t think you will have a problem using them or snacking on them.

Ingredients for about three servings

1 cup walnuts

2 cups water

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

a few cracks black pepper

12 rambutan – peeled (you can substitute lychee fruit or large grapes)

2 celery ribs – peeled and cut in bite size pieces

1/2 fennel bulb – core removed and sliced thin (save some fennel fronds to toss in)

1 tomatillo – cut in quarters, then eights and each eight in fourths

1 apple – cored and cut in bite size pieces

3 Tablespoons jumbo raisens

2 radish sliced thin

2 kumquats sliced thin (remove seeds if you come across any)

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

few cracks fresh black pepper

Directions

Place the walnuts in a microwave safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and heat for three minutes.

Set oven to 350 dries F. When the walnuts are cool enough to handle remove from the muddy looking liquid and blot as best as you can on paper towels. This is to remove even more of the bitterness. Place the walnuts in a small mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil, 1 Tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne and a few cracks of fresh black pepper. Toss well and spread out the walnuts on a baking sheet. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Cut the peeled rambutan off the pits and place in a large mixing bowl.

Add celery, fennel, fennel fronds, tomatillo, apple, raisins, radish, kumquats and remaining ingredients.

Toss.

Top with desired amount of walnuts.

Forking Awesome Kicked UP Waldorf Inspired Salad

It’s really very light delicious and different.

Most people will enjoy this salad!

The Forking Truth

 

 

 

 

PHOENIX AZ Tops Travel & Leisure Magazine List for Best Pizza in America

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My Heirloom Tomato Pizza

Travel and Leisure Magazine Reader’s Poll Results place Phoenix as Best Pizza in America……… Much of the success might be due to Pizzeria Bianco. This particular Pizzeria is celebrity endorsed and is on many lists and TV shows for The Best Pizza in the Country. This is the Pizzeria where people have waited for HOURS in line to get in. Pizzeria Bianco Chef/Owner might be the first and perhaps only Pizzeria-Chef to earn a James Beard Award. Well what for ever reason many kinds of Pizzerias are mushrooming up everywhere here in Metro Phoenix. Some how Phoenix has become BEST Pizza in America. (according to Travel and Leisure Magazine)

Here’s the top ten from Travel and Leisure Magazine.

#1 PHOENIX

#2 Detroit

#3 Buffalo, New York

#4 Chicago

#5 Providence, Rhode Island

#6 New York, New York

#7 Maison, Wisconsin

#8 Wilmington, North Carolina

#9 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

#10 Knoxville, Tennessee

Below are some of but not all the Pizzas We Tried in Metro Phoenix in no particular order.

La Bocca Wine Bar and Urban Kitchen Scottsdale AZ

Char Pizzeria Peoria AZ

NYPD Pizza Peoria AZ

Craft 64 Scottsdale AZ

Forno Fabbri 1949 Scottsdale AZ

Sardella’s Pizza and Wings Peoria AZ

Di Carlo’s Litchfield Park AZ

Fired Pie Phoenix AZ

Organ Stop Pizza from Mesa AZ

6in Plain Stuffed Deep Dish from Giordano’s in Peoria AZ

Paridise Valley Pizza in Phoenix AZ

Margherita D.O.C. La Piazza Al Forno in Glendale AZ

Pomo Glendale AZ

This Pizza is named “The Lou” from Lou Manatti’s Pizzeria

Gio’s Pizza in Anthem AZ

Humble Pie in Phoenix AZ

 

Apologies for not adding a Pizzeria Bianco Pizza Picture and some of our other well known pizzas as I couldn’t find all my photos.

Phoenix AZ Makes list for BEST Pizzas in America! (According to Travel and Leisure Magazine)

The Forking Truth

 

 

 

 

 

 

Juicy Cheesy Chicken Meatballs for Man or Beast Recipe

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Juicy Cheesy Chicken Meatballs for Man or Beast

I originally made these meatballs for my 15 1/2 year old dog that is dying from cancer but my husband ate some of these meatballs and said they are delicious and too good for the dog. That is the reason I named the chicken meatballs “for man or beast.” I do note that not all dogs can digest milk and cheese. Some dogs can only eat a small amount without problems. Most but not all of the dogs I have and had do or did well with milk products. My childhood Miniature Schnauzer used to drink up the cats milk bowl every day and lived to be 18 years old. These are the only meatballs I ever made that don’t have onion or garlic in them. They still came out flavorful and delicious. The suggested serving size is for people. For a dog it depends on the tolerance of dairy and size of dog.

Ingredients for about 5 servings

1 lb ground chicken

1/3 cup whole oats (not instant)

1/3 cup whole wheat panko

1 XL egg – slightly beaten

1/2 cup ricotta cheese – preferably home made

1/2 cup Italian blend cheese – shredded – (I make big batches of blend that I keep frozen till needed of 1.5 lb mozzarella, 1 lb provolone, 8 oz sharp provolone, cup parmesan)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F

In a large bowl mix everything together except for the olive oil.

Get baking sheet(s) and oil the pan.

Use a small scoop and shape meatballs (I made 23 meatballs)

Place in oven till done. (15-20 minutes)

“It smells Forking Awesome.” “What am I getting?”

 

Juicy Cheesy Chicken Meatballs for Man or Beast

“Them Meatballs are Forking Great!” “What are you going to make me next?”

The Forking Truth

 

Scott’s Generations NY Style Deli at NEW Location Phoenix AZ is Worth a Fork

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Scott’s Generation’s Deli was sort of a fixture for close to 30 years on 7th Street and has relocated in a nice new fresh restaurant only a mile and a 1/2 away. The story is that they closed around 2:00 Friday afternoon, moved everything and opened for business bright and early Saturday morning. The new location is bright and cheerful looking. The deli case is still there in the front of of restaurant and a big portrait of Scott with his Father graces the front by the door.

I got seated in the back dining room.

I ordered one of my favorite plates on Scott’s Menu.

It’s actually among the finest smoked fish plates that you can get in Metro Phoenix AZ. The Smoked Fish Supreme Plate. You pick three smoked fish. The Choices are, Lake Sturgeon ($3.00 extra) Sable, Belly Lox, Nova Lox, Baked Salmon or White Fish and it comes with your choice of NY Bagel. It’s really a great value because it’s enough for two meals and not all but the majority of fish choices cost $40.00 or more a pound! The Belly lox is silky, the Sturgeon is sweet, meaty and careful laced with smoke. White Fish is just yummy! As far as I know NONE of the other NY Style Deli’s in Metro Phoenix offer Sturgeon, Sable and only one other (Chompie’s) sells Belly Lox. You are truly getting a NY Taste. It’s not a deal breaker but the bagel is among the very few served in Metro Phoenix that is similar to a real east coast type of bagel. It’s the size bagels are suppose to be and are not like the giant bagel shaped rolls they serve at most sandwich places. The texture differs slightly but it’s close.

My husband got the “Scottwich” Pastrami Sandwich.

A very stuffed sandwich of Pastrami, Kraut, Swiss Cheese, Grilled Onions and grilled Garlic Rye Bread. It certainly is a delicious sandwich. We both think the pastrami they serve here is the closest to what we remember pastrami tasting like from back east.

Sadly I have yet to try a dessert because I’m always too full. The Brownie’s sound fun. They offer Male and Female Brownies. (with or without nuts)

Other things we tried at the Scott’s Generations NY Deli

The Reuben Reuben

Potato Knish

The Harvey Triple Decker

“The Cuisine of the Delicatessen comes from a world that no longer exists.” from the movie Deli Man.

Deli Food is made by people preserving not only corned beef and pickles but history. (that quote is from me!)

www.ScottsGenerations.com

Worth a Fork!

The Forking Truth is that EVERYTHING is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

My Trip to the Great Wall Dim Sum Restaurant in Phoenix AZ

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The Great Wall Restaurant in Phoenix AZ is considered to be the best for Dim Sum in Arizona. In case your not familiar with the term Dim Sum it sort of translates to a lingering Chinese Brunch. Many different carts of foods get pushed around the dining room and some of them stopped at our table. The server says to you, “do you want something?” I admit I’m not the most familiar with dim sum and had to ask what they had on the cart.

The first plate we try are the familiar looking Sesame Balls.

I had sesame balls before but these were different. Instead of being filled with sweetened bean paste these were stuffed with fruit.

Not what I was expecting but still tasty.

The only chicken they offered us were chicken feet and fried chicken so we went with the fried chicken.

What was special about this chicken was the ultra crispy coating that was amazing and delicious. This chicken had many good flavors going on.

We also enjoyed the Chinese Broccoli. This vegetable looks like the Yu Choy my local Asian Market sells.

It taste better than broccoli and is more like spinach on tender not bitter stems.

We took a chance with Bean and Mushroom Stuffed Tofu Skins and Sticky Rice. We’ve had these before at other Chinese Restaurants…..but these items prepared from Great Wall are for an acquired taste.

The check came out to around $27.00…not bad for all we tried.

I saw the fresh fish tanks in the restaurant and asked the cashier what time they start serving the menu. She just recited the opening hours so I figure that English is her second language and she didn’t understand me.

Great Wall doesn’t have a website but you can find Great Wall in Phoenix AZ on Facebook

The Forking Truth

Avocado Cilantro Caesar Dressing Recipe

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Romaine dressed with Avocado Cilantro Caesar Dressing

Real Caesar Dressing is never white and is suppose to be very bold in flavor. It’s not Caesar unless you have flavors of garlic, anchovy, lemon juice, fresh cracked black pepper all equal in flavor with none outshining the others. Believe me I know…..back in the day I did this professionally. Here is an avocado variation of what caesar is suppose to taste like. I don’t usually use the oil from the anchovies but I found that the King Oscar brand that my local store sells to be the mildest, tiniest, (worst) anchovies I have ever come across and for the recipe to work out I needed to fortify the flavor with the anchovy oil. If you got good anchovies you might want to substitute olive oil instead to the one Tablespoon of anchovy oil that’s listed in the ingredients. A good anchovy is one that has some body to it. It should be about as long as your thumb. You should be able to lift each filet out of it’s container. The King Oscar Anchovies almost dissolve instantly. Sadly King Oscar Brand were the only brand of anchovies my local Safeway Store sells.

Ingredients for 4 servings

2 garlic cloves – ground to paste

4 anchovies – (note- quality and size of anchovies differ greatly, 4 from a small can, I used King Oscar because that was my only choice and found out the anchovies were very mild and very tiny….Good quality big ones you might need less)

1 XL egg yolk

2 Tablespoons dijon mustard

4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon lemon juice – fresh squeezed

1 Tablespoon oil from the anchovies

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 avocado – just the creamy flesh

1/2 cup cilantro – finely chopped

3/4 teaspoon black pepper – fresh ground

sea salt – fresh ground to taste

Directions

If you are doing caesar table side you need a large wooden bowl and you use two forks to break down the garlic and then break down the anchovies with the two forks like this. Or you can simply ground the garlic on a garlic grounding board and then use the two forks to break down the anchovies.

With the fork beat in the yolk till it thickens.

Mix in dijon till it thickens.

Mix in one Tablespoon olive oil till it thickens.

Mix in one Tablespoon vinegar till it thickens.

Mix in one Tablespoon olive oil till it thickens.

Mix in one Tablespoon vinegar till it thickens.

Mix in one Tablespoon olive oil till it thickens.

Mix in one Tablespoon lemon juice till it thickens.

Mix in one tablespoon olive oil till it thickens.

Mix in Worcestershire sauce.

Mix in anchovy oil till it thickens.

Mix in avocado till it’s smooth.

Mix in remaining ingredients, taste and adjust.

Avocado Caesar Dressing

Serve..Spread the dressing heavy on a cleaned 1/2 head of romaine that is chilled or grilled (or tossed in torn romaine). Top with roasted red pepper strips, either parmesan or cotija cheese, some more anchovies, toasted pumpkin seeds or seasoned croutons, scallions and maybe a little fresh cilantro. A few pieces of grilled chicken will turn this salad into a dinner.

Romaine dressed with Avocado Caesar Dressing

Forking Good!

The Forking Truth

 

 

 

A Few Biryani Plates I tried in Metro Phoenix AZ

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Chicken Biryani from Biryani and Bites in Glendale AZ (now closed for business)

I tried Chicken Biryani at a number of places in Metro Phoenix and each one tasted completely different. According to www.CookThink.com Biryani is a popular dish that originated in Persia and is popular in India and the Middle East. Biryani is a Basmati Rice based casserole dish. Common flavors in Biryani are cloves, cinnamon, cardamon, bay leaf, coriander, mint, ginger, garlic, onions and saffron.

The Chicken Biryani pictured above came from Biryani and Bites in Glendale AZ(this location now closed for business). It consist of fluffy rice that was infused with spices, fresh mint, fresh cilantro, an egg fried and raw onions and was served with yogurt based raita condiment and a tomato condiment.

www.BiryaniandBites.com

Chicken Biryani from Zad Al Khair in Glendale AZ

At Zad Al Khair in Glendale AZ I tried Iraqi Style Biryani. The flavors that were easy to pick out were turmeric, allspice and cinnamon. The rice was studded with peas, french fries and the condiment served with it was a tomato bean soup.

www.ZadAlkhairUS.com

Chicken Dum Biryani from Daawat Indian Cuisine Phoenix AZ

The Chicken Biryani from Daawat Indian Cuisine in Phoenix AZ was the most floral and aggressive with exotic spices. Very heavy with cloves and cardamon…lots of mint…and other flavors. Here I had to pick out the cloves and cartoon pods and came across some cinnamon bark too. Not sure but I think I tasted rosewater in this one or my taste buds might be confused by the very heavy scents of potpourri in the air. (I actually saw bags of potpourri in the dining room here)  This Biryani was topped with raw onions and an egg. Came with raita and a very fragrant tomato condiment.

wwwDaawatAZ.com

Taj Mahal Scottsdale AZ – The Chicken Biryani is on the right side.

Taj Mahal serves quite a different Chicken Biryani. It’s aromatic with great exotic flavors, It packs a little heat and the sweet golden raisins and toasted almonds added the right touch of complexity. The chicken in this dish was the most moist juicy and flavorful of the biryanis. I don’t recall if this Biryani was served with condiments but it was the only one that came with tasty Naan Bread.

www.TajMahalPrescott.com …………(not in Prescott this is a second location in Scottsdale)

I got a bunch more to try….

Those were just a few of the Chicken Biryani Dishes that are out there in Metro Phoenix AZ

The Forking Truth

Vivian Howard’s Best Pickled Beets She Ever Ate Recipe

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Chef Vivian Howard’s “Best Picked Beets She Ever Ate”

Chef Vivian Howard is a James Beard Foundation Award Semi Finalist, She also runs her own AAA Four Diamond Restaurant, she is a host on her Award Wining PBS “A Chef’s Life” TV Show and Cook Book Author. If Someone like Chef Vivian Howard says these are the “Best Pickled Beets She Ever Ate then they must be Forking Great!

Ingredients for about 12 servings

3 lbs beets

3 cups cider vinegar

2 cups water

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

3 cloves

3 bay leaves

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon chili flakes

3 star anise

Directions

Put the washed skin on beets in a pot and cover with 2 inches of water.

Boil covered for about 20 minutes or knife tender.

Drain and cool. – Peel when cool.

Slice in 1/2 inch half round and quarter if they are real big.

Combine the rest of the ingredients and bring to boil.

Pour over beets.

Refrigerate and they will be good for three months or can if you want to hold them longer.

Chef Vivian Howard’s “Best Picked Beets She Ever Ate”

These pickled beets are more firm than how I usually do pickled beets. They also are spicier and are infused with more flavors and are not sweet. For me they needed a week for the flavors to develop.

On the TV PBS TV Show A Chef’s Life they had a Beet Farmer on the show doing his version of pickled beets and his trick was to boil the beets leaving the greens on. He said the beets bleed out when you cut the leaves off. I tried it doing a basic pickled beets recipe with just plain white vinegar, sugar and water like the farmer did and the beets do have a much earthier flavor leaving the greens on.

With the extra beet brine from all the beets I’ve been pickling I used some for mini cucumbers for salads.

I also pickled some eggs and made tiny open faced sandwiches.

Chef Vivian Howard’s “Best Picked Beets She Ever Ate”

Enjoy!

The Forking Truth