Category Archives: Forking Thoughts

Random Forking Items of Interest

A little history of some Notable Historic Phoenix Arizona Salt and Pepper Shakers

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Salt and Pepper Shakers are Food Related….after all they hold salt and pepper! Here’s a little history of some Notable and Historic to Phoenix Arizona Salt and Pepper Shakers.

Pictured above are Apple Shaped Salt and Pepper Shakers that have a Bill Johnson’s Big Apple Logo of a tuxedo Apple headed person about to serve a Plate of Barbecue to someone. There is also a 3757 Van Buren Phoenix Arizona Address under the Glaze on the Ceramic Salt and Pepper Shakers.

Bill Johnson was a celebrity who was known as an actor, stuntman and radio personality. He became a restauranteur in 1956 and hosted a radio show in his restaurant. Famous guest such as Wayne Newton, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings were guest on his show.

Bill Johnson’s Big Apple Restaurant had a Western theme Atmosphere. The menu offered breakfast skillets, pork wings, sliders, snake bite green chili, burgers, country fried steak, burgers, a chuck wagon combo of many things, steaks, deep dish apple pies and much more.

Bill Johnson’s Big Apple Restaurants were a small local Chain in the Phoenix Area with a few locations. The last one closed in May 2015.

References

www.PhoenixNewTimes.com

www.AZCentral.com

www.localYahoo.com

Mid Century Phoenix Home Builder Staggs-Bilt built homes in Metro Phoenix from 1949 – 1973. They built around 14,000 homes. The largest clusters of the homes they built are in Westown, Northtown, Papago Parkway and New Papago Parkway. At the time these homes were considered affordable options that were smaller in size and price.  These homes were mostly one level homes with carports that were built on small lots.

Pictured above are anthropomorphic Ceramic Shakers. They look like Men in overalls that read “Happy Homer” and they hold hammers. They have house shaped Cartoon heads that are cheerful looking. They stand on small bases that read STAGGS-BILT HOMES Phoenix . Arizona.

Reference www.ArizonaReport.com by David Meek.

J.B. Bayless moved to Arizona with Food Market Experience in 1917. He started a local Food Store Chain of 18 locations. The chain was sold in 1929 and a provision of the purchased stated that J.B. Bayless would not open a competition chain for a certain number of years. After some time J.B. Bayless’s son A.J……. purchased Butcher’s stores and started his own chain of Food Markets. In the 1980’s Aj’s went bankrupted and in 1993 Aj’s was acquired by Bashas’ and then Aj’s became A.J.’s Fine Foods an Upscale grocery and Specialty Store that it is today (at the time of this writing July-2018).

The Shaker set pictured above is a two piece salt and pepper shaker set. Each shaker is rectangular in shape and sits together to form a picture of the front of a J.B. Bayless Grocery Store. It appears to be very old fashioned with an antique type car possibly with a rumble seat parked in front of J.B. Bayless. On the bottom of the fronts of the Salt and Pepper Shakers reads Country Store Phoenix, Arizona.

references

www.AFMAAZ.org

www.Wikipedia.com

Here was a little of the history of some Notable Historic Phoenix Arizona Salt and Pepper Shakers.

The Forking Truth

The Forking Truth is that a Sandwich can’t be good unless it’s made with Decent Bread

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The Forking Truth is that a Sandwich can’t be good unless it’s prepared with decent bread. I went to this new sandwich shop located somewhere in Metro Phoenix. This is a very tiny sandwich shop with a very limited menu. They sell a few cheesteak sandwiches and a few hoagies ……….It’s a very casual little tiny place. You order at the counter and they hand you your order in a take out bag. You either take out or you can dine at one of the small tables inside.

Since this restaurant newly just opened and may or may not be working the hiccups out I don’t feel the need to mention the name of this restaurant.

Both of us were excited to try this new place because they say on their website they offer authentic Philly Cheesteaks………. Well I know an authentic Philly Cheesteak can only be purchased around Philadelphia PA but I can hope for a Philadelphia Style Steak Sandwich. I also have to wonder why they call the cold sandwiches on long rolls subs?…..In Philadelphia we call those sandwiches hoagies….

Any who-

We asked about what kind of peppers we could get with the sandwiches…The owner says all they could get were pepadews and jalapeños…. my heart sort of sank when I heard that because an authentic Philadelphia Cheesesteak always has a cherry pepper option…hot, sweet or both.

Any Ways- about the peppers…..we… FOGETTABOUDIT.

We each try a Steak Sandwich. My husband tries the large Cheesesteak.

OMG This is an extremely large sandwich and it’s stuffed with a cow! Lots of tender, flavorful sliced ribeye. It’s not chopped up like a Pat’s Steak….it’s more like grilled rib eye slices more like a Geno’s Cheesesteak. It gets cooked on the grill and put face down in the sandwich and the cheese and meat melt into the roll…… I taste some of the beef and it is remarkably tender and flavorful…….But there was one problem with this almost amazing sandwich.

It’s hard to see on my husband’s sandwich but maybe a little easier to see on my sandwich.

Small Chicken Steak Sub

I just unwrapped my Chicken Steak Sub. The roll is already deteriorating. Actually the roll is dissolving.  My sandwich is also overstuffed and falling apart. The squishy Arizona type bread is not able to cradle a Chicken Steak Sandwich. It’s like a BIG FAT Elephant was squeezed into a tiny dress made of wet paper towels. This is a Forking Mess. Everything is falling apart all over.

IT’S A SHAME…….because……..

Believe it or not that this would be a really great sandwich if it was just made with decent bread. The chicken was really so tender and so juicy…It was actually better than the thin sliced chicken you’d get in most chicken steak sandwiches. This chicken was juicy and flavorful.

Both sandwiches could have been very good sandwiches if only they were made with decent bread.

I know it’s difficult in the Phoenix Area to get decent bread….but it’s not impossible.

I can’t help but wonder if the owners tried a few of these sandwiches before opening up a restaurant and selling them?

I wish this new place the best of luck as they have tons of potential for being a great steak sandwich shop if they just find better bread.

As a slight update…..The owner is aware about the bread problem and is looking around for another source for the bread.

The Forking Truth is that a Sandwich can’t be good unless it’s made with Decent Bread.

Everything is subject to change (and here I hope it does) so your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

My Forking Thoughts on Walmart’s Private Label Wine Makers Red Blend Wine…..bonus edition

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There has been some hype on the internet about the release of Private Label Wines being released under the Winemaker Name from Walmart. The majority of the wines cost around $11.00 or slightly more. But the kicker is that in most of the articles about this wine they say the wine buyer from Walmart claimed that these wines drink like a $30.00 – $40.00 bottle.

Like anyone else that enjoys wine I was really pumped to try this wine and see what I thought. I didn’t see the wine at one Walmart but the following week I found a bottle of Winemaker Red Blend at my local Walmart Grocery. It’s made in Italy with Italian Grapes.

Today a week latter I forgot what the aroma was like…….sorry.

I swirled it.

It had slight legs.

I sip some.

ummmmmmm

It taste mostly of burnt wood.

It taste like no frills orange juice with lots of burnt wood with added baby aspirin.

Zero body in the mouth. It feels like water.

It’s difficult to swallow.

I’ll give it a generous 1.5 star rating out of five for the $10.97 price point.

NOT WORTH A FORK!

I do note it is a possibility my local store mishandled the wine as I have in the past many times purchased spoiled or out of date grocery from my local Walmart Grocery Store and other stores.

Corn from my local Walmart Grocery Store

Apples from my local Walmart Grocery Store

I called up Knudsen and they told me the thing I see in the cottage cheese is fungus from being mishandled from my local Walmart Grocery Store

Your results can possibly differ but I doubt it.

Those were my Forking Thoughts on Walmart’s Winemakers Selection Red Blend Wine.

The Forking Truth

www.Fortune.com

 

The FORKING Best Foods I Tried in Metro Phoenix in 2018 so far

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Christopher’s in Phoenix AZ

This is a collection of what I thought was most delicious that I tried in Metro Phoenix in 2018 so far. I note that the foods are in no particular order.

In the beginning of the year I made it to Christopher’s again before the Chef relocated to Geordie’s at Wriggly Mansion. All the food I ever tried at Christopher’s over the years has been superb. The Chef is well known for classic and contemporary French Cuisine.

But my last meal there was lunch and it was exquisite! Things start out with the unforgettable amazing shattering baguette like no other. What not to enjoy about expertly  prepared house smoked salmon that blankets this thin crisp crepe like no other holding this magical lemony salad. It even came with an edible spoon filled with cream…..Dessert was so detailed and equally as STUNNING……Actually MOST of  the very BEST DESSERTS I’ve ever had in Metro Phoenix might have come from Christopher’s over the years…….. This lunch was deserving of a standing ovation.

WOW!

The Bourbon Cellar (now closed but soon to relocate near by) specializes in Burgers by day and in the evening also serves steaks and fish.  I tried the House Ground Prime Filet Burger with Bourbon Pickles on an Apple Cider roll topped with a Wasabi deviled egg and a Bourbon Cherry. WOWEEEEEEEeeeee it  was so FORKING SCRUMPTIOUS it just might flip Vegetarians to eat beef……DAM it was that great! ******FIRST Burger I’ve ever had anywhere that didn’t even need a sauce…..I’ll be honest like I always am that this burger was all the packed with LOTS of mixed greens that were annoying. BUT who cares?  The greens fell out and the actual burger was so incredibly flavorful and juicy….Dang it was Great!. I’m looking forward to the reopening of The Bourbon Cellar in the fall in North Scottsdale. I have hopes that they are more than a one hit wonder. But that one hit is sure worth trying again!

The Luna Flavor Gelato was also FORKING INCREDIBLE from Luna Gelateria in Scottsdale…..it was so smooth……so creamy……just the perfect amount of sweetness…….the most amazing flavor with great mouth feel………THIS WAS THE FORKING BEST GELATO I’VE EVER TASTED…WOW! It must be tasted to be believed!

The Hot Chicken from Starlite BBQ in Scottsdale was Mighty Forking TASTY……It was the most developed with delicious flavors of the hot chickens I tried so far….not just hot but also delicious….The house made pickles, and that really awesome house made mustard also helped to elevate things….

I do have to say the Thai Style Ice Cream Roll from Nomadic Ice Cream Rolls were the best Ice Cream Rolls I’ve Tried…..others I’ve tried were also good…..but Shhhhhh….these were Forking Better……..Nomadic were the most creamy with the best rich and most interesting flavors. This one was made with avocado, a Brazilian Candy, high quality chocolate and agave……sounds weird but it was crazy good.

From La Piazza al Forno in Glendale came the Bianca Pizza – It’s made with a house pulled mozzarella like no other, a high quality ricotta, fresh garlic, extra virgin olive oil, fresh basil, Sicilian oregano and we added Calabrian Chili peppers…..This was insanely delicious. Nobody’s crust is as light, tender and chewy…..This is the one pizza that is lighter than all the others. It really melts in your mouth. The mozzarella here is the best I’ve tried anywhere. When La Piazza al Forno gets it right….there are angels singing…..

The Other BEST Pizza I had this year was the Bufalina from Fabio on Fire in Peoria. The Flavors were unexpected…..Everything was happening here….The Bufala cheese was unlike any Bufala Cheese I’ve ever had before and was very flavorful and not watery….This pizza had sweet from the balsamic and peppery from the arugula. The cheese and San Marzano Tomato sauce was scrumptious……It was just everything you want and MORE! in a pizza. I seriously think this gotta be one of the BEST pizzas in Metro Phoenix.

Cafe Monarch is a fine dining restaurant in Old Town Scottsdale. The two dishes I enjoyed most were the Squash Blossom Relleno and the Tuna on a rice cake with Calabrian Chili Oil and Capelin Caviar……. I could do a serious number of the Squash Blossom Rellenos……I could eat them all day till my gut explodes……….Cafe Monarch should open a side window just for those dam Squash Blossoms……….Yes they were that great!

Pizzeria Bianco is well known for possibly serving the best pizza in the country and sister restaurant Pane Bianco is well known for their original high quality sandwiches……But what lingers in my memory the most from these places was the Nutmeg Ice. It is something to FORKING reckon with…It should be on everyone’s bucket list……It’s a wonder. It’s among the best desserts you should get in Metro Phoenix. It’s so unique light but creamy with that unexpected refreshing surprising taste…..YES bucket list if you haven’t tried it yet.

The dinner I recently had at Prado in Scottsdale was all delicious and very enjoyable. The house baked Sour Dough baked with Brie and served with lemon curd can help to aid the world to make world peace. (providing they supply a steak knife to cut the crusty bread) Prado also makes one of the most delicious Chicken Dishes in Metro Phoenix……Be real…..Who doesn’t enjoy an insanely moist, juicy and flavorful chicken with a thin crisp well seasoned skin. This was Forking Delicious and the rest of the plate wasn’t too shabby either.

Notable Honorable Mentions.

The Pecan  Smoked Chicken from The Rogue Tomato in Glendale AZ with Sweet Potato Hash was pretty darn good!

The Semifreddo from Botegga Pizzeria Ristorante in Glendale AZ was delightful.

The Hot Pot from Shabu Fondue in Phoenix was FUN and Delicious. This makes dinner like a date night. You don’t just eat you dip, swish the meat in the hot bubbling broth and talk the night away.

You might not be aware that is very rare that you will find any restaurant that brines their own corned beef. Most restaurants either purchase already prepared or they just finish the cooking process of the already brined corned beef in house. 3on Smith Cafe in Phoenix impressed me with their in house brined corned beef, Although this corned beef sandwich is a very NON-TRADITIONAL tasting it still is very good and 3on Smith deserves a shout out!

We regularly enjoy the Banh Mi Baguette sandwiches and more from Banh Mi Bistro in North Phoenix. I like these Banh Mi Sandwiches best.

Both plates we tried from La Mejor Comida Barbacoa Restaurant in Glendale were quite good. I enjoyed my Corn Smut Quesadilla. I might be slightly more impressed with the Bisteck Huarache. It starts with a hand made flat bread that might be made from corn and it was topped with a house made green sauce, Mexican Crumbling Cheese and the tastiest tender nicely caramelized steak…I’m impressed because I usually don’t enjoy steak…It has to taste really good and be very tender like butter for me to eat it and it really was.

April – 22 – 2018

My last meal from Zabari Mediterranean Grill was a pita sandwich but it truly was the best pita sandwich I’ve ever had. They made a tastier, juicier and more caramelized Chicken Shawarma than any other I ever had anywhere. The pita bread was amazing and they also made all these delicious interesting  sauces and salads that none of the other Mediterranean Restaurants that I know of offer. I was particularly found of the Matbucha (cooked tomato salad) that was also in this pita. Sadly Zabari Mediterranean Grill has closed their brick and mortar restaurant. But who knows..maybe they aren’t done yet.

Saffron Jak Bakery and Cafe is located in North Phoenix and offers Modern Persian Food. They do make a great caramelized Chicken Thigh platter served with DELICIOUS charred vegetables. Most of the food they offer come with Persian Sangak Bread also known as Pebble Bread. It’s a flat bread that’s tasty and chewy…Saffron Jak also offers Persian Tacos and Pizzas made from Sangak Bread. This is a Great Value restaurant…delicious reasonably priced food and big portions.

The FORKING BEST FOODS of what I tried in Metro Phoenix AZ so far in 2018….

There’s so much more out there!

Don’t know what I’ll taste next!

Feel free to leave your favorite food finds in Metro Phoenix in the comment section……If you care too.

Everything is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

A Few of the Novelty Restaurants of Metro Phoenix AZ

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Slick’s Garage Peoria AZ

Metro Phoenix AZ offers a WIDE variety of restaurants to try. Some of the restaurants out there are the Novelty Restaurants. They all offer a unique atmosphere or theme.

****UPDATE****SADLY SLICK’S GARAGE BAR AND EATS HAS CLOSED FOR BUSINESS***

In Peoria AZ is Slick’s Garage Bar and Eats. They offer a casual menu that includes Burgers, Sandwiches and New Mexican Cuisine spiked with New Mexican Chili Peppers. ……Oh so yummy! …………Besides filling up on the food it is like dining in a museum of model trucks, vintage gas memorabilia and other things. The surroundings will keep your motor roaring and the vegetables they use don’t give you unwanted gas.

www.SlicksGaragePeoria.com

*****UPDATE****SADLY CAMP SOCIAL HAS CLOSED FOR BUSINESS*******

Camp Social is located in Phoenix. Camping can be fun..it’s a also a family friendly thing. You don’t need to bring a tent or bug spray to dine here…..the hostess steps out of a camper and then you get seated.  There is one camper on the floor to be seated in. There are also tire swings at the bar….Maybe you can be a swinger at the bar here while camping out?

The menu has changed since my visit but it’s still all casual and they offer Burgers, Sandwiches, Pizzas and MORE! I have to wonder if they added a bush to the restroom…because everyone pees behind a bush when you go camping.

www.CampSocial.com

The Fictional Mel’s Diner from The Alice TV Show is alive and hopefully still doing well in Phoenix.

You are not going to see Alice, Flo or Mel and you don’t have to kiss anyone’s grits. The people working there offer breakfast and lunch items at very reasonable prices. ………..(gosh the burger was only like $5.99 at the time I was there.)

As a child growing up I used to enjoy the TV Show but I never thought I’d actually dine at Mel’s Diner.

Look Mel’s Diner Phoenix AZ on Facebook, watch the re-runs! Or just stop right in.

Corleone’s is a Philadelphia Cheesesteak Themed Novelty Restaurant with more than one location in Metro Phoenix.

You can have a taste of Philadelphia without the traffic. You can a try a Cheesesteak on a genuine Amoroso Roll with hot and or sweet cherry peppers. Lots of Philadelphia Memorabilia to make you feel you are there and you don’t have to ride down the Schuylkill Expressway to get there.

www.Coreleones.net

Out here in Phoenix we really are a part of the Wild West and in Chandler AZ you can dine at Rawhide Western Town at Wild Horse Pass.

My few pictures here don’t do justice….This is a really neat place to visit. It’s really a small theme park with some entertainment, a train ride, panning for gold, activities, some cute shops and a restaurant. I don’t recall what I ate here (the few times I’ve been here) but at the time they served steak and my niece and nephew were very excited to eat the rattlesnake. My husband also entertained co-workers here and they seemed just as thrilled with Rawhide as my niece and nephew. It’s a place that you want to re-visit.

www.Rawhide.com

Maybe the most UNIQUE NOVELTY RESTAURANT THAT IS LIKE NO OTHER might be Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa AZ.

Check it out! Look! Some guy is at the BIGGEST WURLITZER ORGAN IN THE WORLD and Belts out all kinds of music. Themes from Star Wars, Star Trek, Lots of Disney…..Classics….lots of Americana…….It’s all Amazing!

Organ Stop Pizza

The pizza isn’t the type you’d drive across town for but the experience is like no other anywhere!

www.OrganStopPizza.com

These are just a few of the Novelty Restaurants in Metro Phoenix AZ.

Every Forking Thing is Subject to Change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

WTFork is MATBUCHA? and my Forking Recipe

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Matbucha

One of the best things I tasted in the past year was the Matbucha from Zabari Mediterranean Grill in Phoenix (Sadly now closed for business). I never heard of or knew of the dish called Matbucha until I tried it at Zabari. Matbucha is so delicious……I can’t believe this appetizer isn’t on the menu at most of the Mediterranean Restaurants in Metro Phoenix. Matbucha is also so delicious it should also be sold on supermarket shelves. You can think of Matbucha as a Middle Eastern/North African kind of Salsa. Matbucha in Arabic translates to Cooked Tomato Salad. The ingredients of Matbucha are Tomatoes that have the skin and seeds removed (so they taste extra sweet and yummy), roasted bell peppers (either red or green or both), garlic and chili pepper (s). Some variations do include some spices and some herbs. I’m lucky that I got in a recent last visit to Zabari Mediterranean Grill. I was only there days before they suddenly closed.  I had the most AMAZING Chicken Shawarma Pita with Matbucha and a few other fillings. The pita was incredible too and I have no clue how they stuffed it with so much food.

April – 22 – 2018

We couldn’t believe how great the food was…..Me and my husband are very saddened they closed because to date this was the tastiest Mediterranean Restaurant we’ve found in Metro Phoenix. If I knew they were closing I would have purchased a bunch of food to go. At least they left me with a happy food memory and I can thank them for introducing me to the delicious Cooked Tomato Salad called Matbucha. Since I tried the Matbucha from my first visit I kept thinking about it. I was hoping I’d come across a really great recipe for Matbucha but most of them didn’t sound as special as I thought this salad really taste. I read maybe every recipe I could find on the internet for Matbucha. I picked the ingredients I wanted to use and winged it.  This dish takes two hours to cook. It’s just like making home made tomato sauce. After you season it will taste different by the end of cooking time so the seasonings will need adjustments about a hour and a half into cooking time.

Ingredients for about 10 servings

1 Tablespoon course sea salt

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves – shredded….(really 5…I added one more near the end for adjustment)

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

2 Tablespoons Aleppo ground red pepper (it’s a fruity pepper with mild heat) ((similar fruity with mild heat peppers but different tasting   are Nora Pepper and Piment d’ Espelette))

4 Tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon hot paprika

1/2 teaspoon  Hungarian sweet paprika

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

5 lbs tomatoes (big round ripe) seeds and skins removed – rough chopped

1 large onion – diced

1 lb roasted red bell pepper – skin, stem, seeds removed and rough chopped

1 bay leaf

optional * up to 2 Tablespoons sugar – you may or may not need any sugar…depends on your taste and how sweet tomatoes are.

2 serrano chili peppers (fried or roasted) and fine chopped – (you might want more…two chilies gives a very mild heat)

Optional 1 garlic clove shredded – I thought it needed one more garlic at the end

Optional just a pinch of parsley and cilantro at the end after salad is chilled

Optional fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

In a pot get the olive oil on medium high heat. Add the onions and salt. Mix. When the onions look about half cooked add the garlic on top of the onions on one half and on the other half of pot cook up the tomato paste at the same time.

Keep the 4 tablespoons of water on the side.

When the onions are cooked add the Aleppo pepper and the paprikas, cumin and coriander and stir around the best you can. During this time use as little of the water as possible. The mixture will get very thick and you will need to use the water but use as little as possible.

Add the tomatoes. They must have the skins removed and also be deseeded.

An easy way to remove the skins is by removing the core and making an x on the botton of tomatoes like this.

You drop the tomatoes in boiling water. They only need 30 seconds – to a minute usually….depends on how hard the boil and the amount of tomatoes cooling down the pot.

The skins peel off very easily. Actually they just slip off.

Then you remove the seeds. It’s easier than you think. Just cut the tomato in half. Pretend it’s a lemon and squeeze. The seeds just disappear.

All the tomatoes and CLEANED UP roasted peppers got in the pot rough chopped.

Add a bay leaf and one hot chili pepper (finely chopped)

Turn down to simmer and let it go 90 minutes and stir occasionally.

Test and adjust seasonings.

I thought mine needed sugar so I added two Tablespoons but if my tomatoes were better I don’t think I’d need it. I also added one more shredded garlic and some black pepper.

Let it simmer another 30 minutes.

I don’t think seasoning will need any more adjustment but you should test and adjust anyway.

Mixture is hot and needs to sit out at least an hour to cool some before you can refrigerate.

Matbucha SHOULD be chilled to serve.

Optional a light amount of fresh parsley and cilantro. (I recommend  just a small amount)

…It’s basically easy and is just like making really good marinara sauce. You just make it once you know what type of ingredients go in it.

Matbucha

Matbucha is a cooked tomato salad that is served cold like an appetizer. Here I have it pictured with a soft healthy style Lavosh Bread. Please don’t tell anyone because Matbucha is suppose to be served cold…..But I love Matbucha served hot over meats too. My husband freaked out in a good way when I served it with brisket. It was prize winning good…I’m not kidding either.

The Forking Truth

Sometimes Your Taste Will Differ From The Chef’s Taste

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I recently went to a nice restaurant that I have enjoyed before somewhere in Metro Phoenix. They were offering three course specials for Restaurant Week so we decided to give them a try. I started with the Smoked Tomato Gazpacho. My first taste and I’m thinking to myself…….. Wow it’s powerfully smoky. To me it taste like a half a spice jar’s contents of smoked paprika is in there plus something else that is smoky too. For me this is painful to eat. In the middle of the Gazpacho is a mound of creamy Buratta Cheese…it seems odd to me that it’s in there but it does bring some relief to all the strong smoke. Maybe it’s just that my taste does differ from the Chef’s Taste…..I know I do have some sensitivities to certain flavors of smoke and I do prefer foods to be gently smoked and not strong with smoke. Perhaps it was MY BAD that I ordered this dish?……

For my main course I had the Seared Red Snapper.

The fish was a large portion that was slightly over cooked but seasoned well. It rested over the toughest gnocchi I ever tried to eat in my life. WOW the Chef here is talented for sure and does other things quite well but needs to try some really good gnocchi so he knows what gnocchi should be like. No matter what variety of gnocchi this is the gnocchi are suppose to be light pillows that melt in the mouth. Not tough, chewy and crispy. This was not my taste….These Gnocchi were really bad to me. Gosh now let’s tell The Forking Truth……These Gnocchi were Forking Awful.

I made a mistake and tried a small bite of my husband’s Relleno.

All I taste is smoke………… 🙁 …………..My husband wasn’t found of this either but really more because he didn’t like the chicken inside……It was very smoky but I think he didn’t like the fine shredded texture even more……..It was like they put the chicken in a blender…..My husband’s taste did differ too from the Chef’s. This plate wasn’t his cup of tea.

For Dessert We shared the Lemon Poppy Bread Pudding and the Flourless Brownie.

I liked the lemon cream that came with the Bread Pudding but the Bread Pudding might have been over cooked because the end was burnt tasting and the pudding was dense and dry. No complaints about the flourless brownie as it was quite good.

Sometimes Your Taste will indeed Differ from the Chef’s Taste.

The Forking Truth

 

Forking Random Thoughts on Thai Cuisine

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Chicken Fortune Bags from Thai Time in Santa Rosa CA

Thai Cuisine is usually aromatic, usually is made with lots of vegetables and often is spicy. What’s not to like?

Spicy Lemon Salad – Sala Thai Peoria AZ

One of my favorite Thai Dishes is the Spicy Basil dish also called Pad Gra Pow usually known as Sweet Basil on menus. Not all but the majority of (Spicy) Sweet Basil Dishes offered at most North Phoenix Thai Restaurants really lack with the basil and sometimes the heat so I’m always looking for someone that makes this dish delicious like the way the dish should be made.

Pad Gra Pow is a simple dish. It translates to Stir Fried Holy Basil. Basically it’s meat (chicken, beef or wild boar) that is usually hand chopped and stir fried with garlic, something like 10 Thai chilies, soy sauce, fish sauce and at least a handful of holy basil. It should be topped with a fried crispy egg if you desire to eat it Thai Style.

Here’s Holy Basil Chicken from Thai Time in Santa Rosa California. (I don’t recall if egg was an option…I usually don’t add the egg. The egg if offered is usually an add on option)

Holy Basil Chicken from Thai Time in Santa Rosa CA

In California I lucked out and some of the restaurants I visited do say they use Holy Basil…….It does taste different. Holy basil is more fragile with less shelf life so nearly every Thai Restaurant in Phoenix uses Thai Basil instead of Holy Basil. Holy Basil is more peppery and is filled with more nutrients….Thus…”Holy Basil.” Holy Basil is believed to aid many health ailments. Thai Basil is Sweet Basil with a slight hint of an anise taste. A few times I came across Holy Basil at the Scottsdale Farmer’s Market.

The FIRST best Pad Gra Pow dishes I came across was from the LONG CLOSED Lao Thai that used to be in Scottsdale.

From Lao Thai of Scottsdale AZ (LONG Closed for Business)

Wow it was sooooooocrazy good! I enjoyed this dish with pumpkin so what I had was Spicy Sweet Basil with Pumpkin. I think this is my number one favorite Thai Dish. I get the best of both worlds. Creamy sweet pumpkin and spicy basil chicken. IT JUST POPS!

We had bunches Pad gra pow (or similar dishes) from many restaurants in Metro Phoenix.

Pad Gra Pow with Beef – Thai Plates Mesa

Phad Kaprow  – Krachai Thai Kitchen Phx

Pumpkin Basil with Chicken – Sala Thai Peoria

Holy Basil Chicken – Little Tigar Scottsdale

Wild Boar Grapao – Little Tigar Scottsdale

Basil with Ground Chicken – Thai Spices Mesa

Kappa Thai Style – Cha da Thai Scottsdale

Sweet Basil Chicken – Chanpen Thai Phx

Pad Gra Pow – Siam Kitchen Glendale

Pad Gra Pow – Siamese Kitchen Glendale

Pad Gra Pow – Kura Thai Phoenix

It’s very easy to see that some were much better than others.

It’s also a big win to find Northern Thai Dishes. Two Sisters Thai Restaurant used to be located in the Moon Valley part of Phoenix. (since closed for business) They specialized in serving North Thai Food. One of the dishes I really enjoyed there was the North Eastern Thai Dish called Esan Gang Gai also called White Curry.

Esan Gang Gai (White Curry) made with fresh dill and Lao Basil (Lao Basil is also known as lemon basil) from Two Sisters (since closed for business)

This dish was the most different of all the Thai Dishes I tried anywhere. It was flavored with fresh dill and Lao Basil (lemon basil) it was so different. It also had an Asian Vegetable in it that was something like a Chinese Broccoli in a very Chicken-ee broth. I still remember the waitress at Two Sisters telling me that White Curry is a “REAL THAI DISH.” She said that Thai People in Thailand really do eat this dish. That was very telling to me. I can now only imagine that most Thai Food on menus might not actually be Thai Food that Thai People eat?  I watched many of the Anthony Bourdain’s (Food/Travel) TV Show called Parts Unknown. Every-time he went to Thailand he didn’t eat anything that resembles food we eat in Thai restaurants……I remember in one show I watched Anthony Bourdain said, “You ain’t going to find your Pad Thai here.” Then he ate something cooked in Pig’s blood that was spicy…..and I don’t remember the rest of the dishes but that was maybe the first one.

Recently I came across another difficult to find Northern Thai Dish called Kang Pa Curry in North Phoenix. I read that Kang Pa Curry is also known as Jungle Curry and Forest Curry.

I don’t really know if this dish is Authentic Thai Cuisine or not because …….. this dish was HOTTER THAN FORKING HELL! (Kura Thai Phx)    MY GOD………and I only ordered hot……..this dish was also offered extra hot and Thai Hot as hotter choices……….It was so hot my lips felt like they were soaked in acid……..I don’t believe the heat actually came from chili peppers. It felt like some sort of chemical powders were used…….the texture of the sauce was very granular.  I’ve recently read at www.LonelyPlanet.com that it is very hard to actually find authentic Thai Cuisine even in North Thailand. Generally Northern Thailand Dishes do not contain coconut milk, they do a lot of frying, often feature pork and generally don’t serve spicy food…???????? Well that’s according to www.LonelyPlanet.com   ? I reckon it’s a possible that Kang Pa Curry makes up for all the spicy dishes they don’t serve….and it does…my God it does.

I have tried many curry dishes too….at many Metro Phoenix Restaurants….but I don’t order curry as often as the other dishes but here are just a few of the curry dishes I tried.

Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery- Scottsdale, Chanpen Thai -Phx, ……………..& Thai Spices -Mesa

Some were better than others.

But The Forking Truth is that the majority were delicious!

Those were some of my Random Forking Thoughts on Thai Cuisine.

Everything is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

I’ve Forking Tried Dragon Breath Dessert at Arrowhead Towne Center in Glendale AZ

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Dragon Breath is a frozen dessert made from cereal dipped in liquid nitrogen. The ingredients listed on the bag are corn flour, baking powder, sugar and a bunch of coloring.

Made in Korea

Behind the counter we see a girl whipping up something that looks frozen. The bottom half of the mixer is covered in ice.

The cereal comes to you in a cup. You skewer the balls to eat them.

You can dip the ball in a sweet sauce that taste like 10x sugar mixed with water.

Vapor comes out your mouth when you eat the cereal.

The cereal is very cold. If nothing hurts you don’t have any cavities. This Dragon Breath sure doesn’t taste like much. The cereal is similar to Trix Cereal but unflavored …but  also larger like on steroids.. maybe sort of  generic…..(pardon bad pun)……like Cheap Trix.

Trix Cereal…… $1.49 is some Cheap Trix

I did find a few random pieces of cereal that did differ some in taste and shape….They were bigger and held even more coldness to them…They scared me a little I thought I could burn my mouth or lip on the bigger pieces.

I just wish this dessert tasted better….I’m thinking by adding a strawberry sauce it can be tastier………or maybe bumping up the refreshment and making it mint flavored would also be fun…so I could feel “REAL” cold refreshment like a York Peppermint Patty.

Even though this dessert didn’t taste awesome it was still fun to try. I could see people trying this at Disney Parks, Festivals, Amusement Parks, Parties. Every kid and every old kid might want to try this at least once.

That was my Forking Thoughts on Dragon Breath Dessert. Your Forking Opinion may or may not differ.

Dragon Breath is located at Arrowhead Towne Center on the lower level not too far from The Apple Store.

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

The Forking Truth

My Forking Thoughts on Philadelphia and Temp Tee Cream Cheese – they Taste Different

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As a child growing up I always preferred Temp Tee Whipped Cream Cheese over Philadelphia Brand Whipped Cream Cheese……(Was I a foodie as a child?)…… Latter when I left home as a young adult I didn’t eat much cream cheese……but these days I do eat cream more. In Arizona Temp Tee brand cream cheese isn’t sold at any major grocery store. Every once in a while East Coast Foods show up at the 99 cent store. Breakstone’s and Hellman’s products show up every now and then along with Temp Tee Brand Cream Cheese. Today I happened to pick up some Temp Tee Brand Cream Cheese. I happened to have a tub of Philadelphia Whipped Cream Cheese at home so I wanted to see the taste difference for myself and how accurate my childhood memory of Temp Tee was.

I turn both tubs around and look at the ingredients. To my surprise both cream cheeses are owned by Kraft?????

 

Philadelphia Brand has more ingredients.  Pasteurized milk and cream, Skim milk, Whey protein concentrate, Whey, Modified Food Starch, Salt Carob bean gum, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Lactic acid, Natamycin ( a natural mold inhibitor), Vitamin A Palmitate, Cheese Culture.

 

Temp Tee has less ingredients but more fat. Pasteurized Milk & Cream, Salt, Carob Bean Gum, Cheese Culture.

I go to smell them.

I think they smell similar but slightly different.

I taste Temp Tee first.

 

It’s very creamy and also buttery and bright. It is very smooth in my mouth. It has a very rich mouth feel. Temp Tee taste like heavy cream and whipped sweet butter with a little tang. It taste natural and very good.

Now the Philadelphia Brand Whipped Cream Cheese.

Do I have an off batch?….. It’s almost like those Jello deserts that people used to make like Jello and Whipped Cream mixed together.  This cream cheese is very flat tasting after the Temp Tee and has some flavors I can’t identify. It lacks that natural cream and butter kind of taste with sour instead of tang. After the Temp Tee it doesn’t taste or feel natural. It’s very disappointing after the Temp Tee. Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese seems slightly gross to me after the Temp Tee. I do note that Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese usually does taste good to me but it’s only after tasting Temp Tee that I really notice the difference.

I hate to admit this but This Philly Girl (I was from the Philadelphia Area) Proclaims that New York Temp Tee Brand Cream Cheese is Forking Better than Philadelphia Cream Cheese by a long shot.

I do note your opinion may differ.

Those were my Forking Thoughts on Philadelphia and Temp Tee Brand Cream Cheeses – They do indeed Taste Different!

The Forking Truth