Black & White Cafe in Glendale AZ – Worth a Fork!

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The Black and White Cafe is located in North Glendale in the area that is considered to be the upper west side of metro Phoenix. They are hidden in a shopping center with a Home Depot on west Behrend Dr just off of 59th avenue. This is an adorable small cafe that only has 6 tables inside and a few outdoor tables. They offer an interesting breakfast menu, nicely made salads, sandwiches, fresh pastries, soups, cappuccino, latte, espresso, juices and more.

Look how cute it is inside.

On one side are big tall mirrors reflect lots of light and there are bright colored paintings for sale on the wall.

In general I’m not a fan of most breakfast food but the banana kahlua French toast and the Florentine Benedict with avocado and fruit got me interested.

Today I ordered the California Chicken Salad ($13.00)

WOW! What a nice salad! The chicken was fresh grilled to order and is nicely seasoned. There’s mixed greens, candied walnuts, sliced grapes, fresh sliced mandarin oranges, avocado and balsamic vinaigrette.

My husband got the BBQ Chicken Salad.

This salad also had fresh grilled to order chicken, romaine lettuce, corn, black beans, cheese, tortilla strips with ranch and bbq sauce. ($13.00) That’s a nice salad too!

We also shared a croissant for dessert.

It was so fresh and seemed so light it just melted in the mouth. ($2.00)

I didn’t even know this place was here until a few weeks back when we went to the Home Depot. What a great surprise!

Black & White Cafe in Glendale is Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

www.BlackandWhite.cafe

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

The Forking Truth

My Visit to Torc Restaurant in Napa California

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Torc is a contemporary American Restaurant that offers a seasonal daily changing menu located in downtown Napa California. The Atmosphere is classic with an open kitchen and with an impressive wine list. I noticed that they have a busy bar.

Rock and roll fills the air but it’s not too loud and is at a comfortable level.

What drew me into Troc were not all the many recommendations from the locals but it was the truffle offerings I read about.

We tried the $39.00 peigord truffle grilled cheese sandwich to start out with.

The bread is grilled nicely to perfection and the plate is embellished with truffle scented aioli that’s dusted with fine French crushed red pepper.

This sandwich is light with cheese and stuffed with a generous layer of truffles. I’m very excited to try my first bite because I’ve enjoyed peigord truffles many times from the original Binkley’s Restaurant that was once located in Cave Creek Arizona. This kind of truffle can have such a great flavor that it makes your mouth try to suck up all the flavor just like a vacuum cleaner to suck in all that flavor even after you eat it. I bite into this sandwich and although its a nicely prepared sandwich for whatever reason the truffles are mostly tasteless. Every few bites I got a little of the truffle taste…….. I know that fresh truffles do lose their flavor quickly….I also know that truffles come dried , canned, bottled and frozen….I should have asked questions about the truffles before I ordered. It also is common for restaurants to show you your truffle before it’s served to you but that didn’t happen here.

For dinner I went with the house made spring green ravioli gigante.

The ravioli look amazing and are covered with black trumpet mushrooms, wild arugula pesto, pistachios and flowers.

The plate is stunning to look at…….but is best to eat with your eyes. The pesto is very busy tasting with bitter arugula, mint, basil, pistachios, raw flowers and several other flavors. Inside is just as busy…..

My husband had the house made rigatoni with Winkler Farm boar sausage sugo, spring onions and pecorino Romano.

This one was much better received.

Service was friendly and food arrived in a timely order. This restaurant was highly recommended to us by almost every local we met.

That was my trip to Torc in Napa California.

www.TorcNapa.com

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

The Forking Truth

My 1st Taste of Detroit Style Pizza at the REC in Peoria AZ – Worth a Fork! ******with updates The Rec Pizza & Dogs

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The REC is a TINY Detroit Style Pizzeria located in Peoria Arizona. They offer two outside tables. (*****Update name change to The Rec Pizza & Dogs)

One indoor table.

Four hightop community stools. (****Update they added on a dining room)

You order at the counter and seat yourself.

The pizzas come in three sizes personal, medium and large and are cut in squares. They take about 25 minutes to prepare. Many varieties of Faygo Brand sodas are offered. They offer the usual variety of pizzas and also the unusual such as hatch chili with pulled pork and spicy pickle with bacon……… As you wait you look at all the Detroit Music Memorabilia all around and a few novelty collectibles.

Then you look out the window.

I just went for a plain personal size pizza.

It’s very hot just out of the oven…I spread out the little squares of pizza.

It’s a little bit Trenton Style……..(little fact…I actually worked in a Trenton NJ Pizza Shop for a while long long ago) The sauce is on top of the cheese……that is done so you don’t get over cooked cheese……But this Detroit Style pizza is very different than Trenton Style pizza. It’s mainly the crust that is unique and different. (****Update the crust is different see down below)

It’s a bubbly thick crust that isn’t very doughy. On the edges it’s almost like eating a cheese crisp….those crackers that are only made of cheese.

The bottom has a thin layer that taste almost like a grilled cheese sandwich……It seems almost buttered but is very crisp like a really good grilled sandwich.

On top of the bubbly bread is a gooey blend of cheeses……..you can taste grated Italian Cheese………

On top of the melty flavorful cheese is rich tasting chunky tomato sauce….with the perfect amount of oregano in it. It’s delicious!

I have to say my first taste of Detroit Style Pizza at the REC Pizzeria in Peoria is Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

www.theRECPizzaria.com

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

The Forking Truth

Did a 2nd taste on the patio.

Tried a plain again.

This one had slightly less sauce but was pretty much just as delicious.

Tried a white pizza.

This one has too much thyme for my taste…..but I wouldn’t avoid it either…..maybe you should request light on the thyme.

My husband likes meaty pizzas and enjoyed the pepperoni with added sausage.

My dogs got to enjoy some crunchy cheesy ends.

Been back a few times and more changes have been made.

main entrance

The name has changed to The Rec Pizza & Dogs (Coney Island style hot dogs)

They have added on a dining room.

They have changed the recipe for the dough. Today we tried three different pizzas. One was a seasonal pizza with pumpkin and ricotta cheese.

The dough is different.

It’s fluffy with a soft bread bottom.

The dough seemed fermented.

The crust used to have a delicious crispy bottom.

What I got today was very different.

The Forking Truth

My Trip to Protea in Yountville CA

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Protea is a very small casual Caribbean/Global Restaurant located in Yountville California. Protea offers a daily changing menu. You might find things like empanadas, Philly cheese steaks, tacos, bison burgers and shishito peppers on the menu. You order at the counter, grab a number and seat yourself.

After you order and pay pick a table inside or outside.

In reasonable time our order arrives to us. We got swordfish tacos and roasted pork tacos and tried their specialty home made macaroon.

We both thought the proteins in both orders of tacos were absolutely stunning. They both were so fresh and tender. They couldn’t be more perfect. The sauces and slaws were more simple than both of us were expecting….as my mango pineapple slaw was simply cabbage and mostly just pineapple adorned with some cilantro leaves……..These are the type of tacos were the protein shines.

The macaroon was quite notable and was the best macaroon I ever did try. It was cinnamon scented, chewy and coconut tasty and also drizzled with high quality chocolate. It was just divine.

www.ProteaYV.com

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

The Forking Truth

Bottega in Yountville CA – Worth a Fork!

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Bottega is an Italian Restaurant by celebrity chef Micheal Chiarello in Yountville California. The first thing you see is the hostess desk with lighted stones when you walk in…

Behind the hostess desk is one of the dining rooms and to the left is a bar area.

Dining rooms have a patio feel to them.

Tables are formal with linen, heavy silverware, polished glasses and copper hammered cups for water.

Beware of the little container that reads “sale.”

It looks just like grated cheese but it’s salt.

They now charge for bread but it’s only something like a dollar a person. The bread is so good that I woke up the next day tasting it in my mouth.

It’s so crusty and developed with flavors……They also serve the bread with a tasty garlic cheese spread…

We started out by sharing the Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad.

It was made with Marcona Almonds, egg, pecorino and Meyer Lemon Dressing…It was just delicious.

I had the Calabrian Marinated Chicken under a brick.

It’s one of the best chickens I ever tasted. So moist like butter but with a delicious not too spicy Calabrian Chili flavor developed in it and above……Insanely scrumptious………This is really masterful high quality chicken…..Ummm………There is plenty of chicken to eat…actually too much for one person…but nothing else. I think this plate would be best as a sharing plate so you could eat something else with it…..but the bread soaks it up well.

My husband got the Acorn fed Pork Shoulder that came with a Potato Croquette, Pancetta wrapped fruit and Broccoli Rabe.

What a nice combination protein, vegetable, meat wrapped fruit and potato……He loved it!

I saved room for dessert because they are usually great here.

Today we tried the Semi Freddo di Lemon.

It’s good but I don’t taste much lemon. It taste more like kumquat with ice cream topped with meringue and a thin burnt cookie.

The last dessert I had here was really great and I still remember it.

Clafoutis Type of Dessert From Bottega in Yountville CA

Below is another dish I enjoyed from a past visit.

Potato Dough Raviolo with spinach and Egg in Brown Butter Sage Sauce from Bottega

That was my 2019 visit to Bottega in Yountville CA. – Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

www.BottegaNapaValley.com

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

The Forking Truth

Bistro Jeanty Yountville CA – Worth a Fork!

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Bistro Jeanty is a charming French Restaurant located in Yountville California that serves classic French Foods. According to Restaurant Guru Bistro Jeanty is a Michelin Selection and has two black knife-and-fork symbols.

It was perfect beautiful weather so we sat on the patio that was full of marble topped tables and lots of greenery with roses.

One of the specials of the evening were truffled deviled eggs so we tried them.

The deviled eggs came out quickly and were topped with fresh clipped chives and a side truffled mache. We also received a basket of baguette and butter. They eggs were creamy and seasoned well and laced with truffle. The baguettes were delicious and the butter tasted like it was from France.

For dinner I tried the Sole Meuniere.

The petrale sole was sweet and mild…..and was embellished with the tiniest sweetest capers I ever had. The fish rested over delicious creamy mashed potatoes and there was a pool of lemon caper butter sauce around everything.

My husband tried the cassoulet.

It was a pot of happiness full of falling apart duck confit, sausage, juicy apple smoked bacon, creamy beans and topped with herbed crumbs.

I’d say my trip to Bistro Jeantry was Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

www.BistroJeanty.com

Every Forking THING is subject to change and your experience may or may NOT differ.

The Forking Truth

Popular and The Highly Rated Recipes at The Forking Truth with updates***

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These aren’t necessarily my best recipes but they all are very good to excellent. Up above is a picture of the Cook’s Country Potato Cheddar Pierogi I made. I can’t even tell you how often this recipe is pinned. At Holiday times and when this is featured on TV up to 350 people a day look up this recipe on my site.

So far 139 people Yum’d Forking Easy Classic Boule Bread.

Portuguese Inspired Roasted Chicken got 56 Yum’d so far.

Korean Inspired Leek Salad got Yum’d 128 times so far!

So far 93 Yum’d Duchess Style Parsnips.

Healthy Creamy Low Fat Roasted Cauliflower got at least 71 times Yum’d.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza got Yum’d at least 240 times and 5 stars.

Pumpernickel Bread got Yum’d 43 times so far.

Spicy Thai Basil Salad got an official 4 stars. (might have made 5 stars if they didn’t switch up ingredients. The person rating this recipe didn’t add the oil, basil, Chile or soy sauce and used sambal instead.)

Spicy Mexican Style Cole Slaw is officially 5 Stars.

Socca Bread is officially 5 stars.

Eye Roast is officially 5 stars.

Indian Inspired Green Beans with Chia Peas is officially 5 stars.

One of The Forking Truth’s Recipes made it to our local newspaper.

Since I published this I just got a new official 5 star rated recipes.

and

Tumbleweed Potato Chips

Enjoy!

The Forking Truth

Addendum in Yountville CA – (Chef Thomas Keller’s Fried Chicken) – Worth a Fork!

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Addendum is a picnic area that serves boxed lunches behind Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc Restaurant in Yountville California. Addendum means to add on and Addendum is an add on to Ad Hoc. Addendum is only open Thursdays threw Saturdays 11:00-2:00. The limited menu offers Thomas Keller’s Famous Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Pork Ribs and Pulled Pork Sandwiches that come with two changing sides. On the day of my visit they were also selling chocolate chip cookies and brownies. You can pre-order your lunch online or wait in line. The day I was there it wasn’t busy at all but that was on a Thursday.

You let them know that you are here at that shack and in a while they ran our order out to us.

Drum Roll………….Here it is!

We got two different chicken boxes. I got a breast, a leg and a wing. My husband got a thigh, a leg and a wing.

The Chicken is hot but not soggy at all. It’s sprinkled with fresh rosemary and fresh crushed salt of a good quality.

It’s VERY CRISP with incredibly moist chicken. It sure is delicious. It’s like there isn’t any skin. It’s just crunchy and flavorful. The chicken has a somewhat silky texture to it and is super moist and delicious. Then after a piece you want to try the sides.

Both sides are creamy today. On the left is very creamy Cole slaw. I can taste a lot of celery seed in it. It also taste more sour creamy than mayonnaise-ee. On the right is red skin potato salad. It is also very creamy and it also has a lot of celery seed in it. Neither salad is drippy. Both are well seasoned but heavy with celery seeds.

Back to the chicken it is just delicious and I can’t stop eating it.

It’s still hot and not oily or soggy anywhere……agian it seems like skinless chicken but I know it isn’t.

Going to try the corn muffin. It’s sweet……It’s like a pound cake mixed with a corn muffin but more the texture of pound cake. I’ll save it for the end.

I really did enjoy the Addendum’s (Thomas Keller’s) Fried Chicken……the only down side was that I was too full to enjoy a dinner later.

Addendum is Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

www.ThomasKeller.com

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

The Forking Truth

Gott’s Roadside Napa California – Worth a Fork!

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Gott’s is a small group of casual restaurants located in California. They offer burgers, other sandwiches, salads, sides and some specials in a semi fast casual environment. You order at the counter-

Then you pick a table outdoors or indoors.

In reasonable time your pager goes off and your off to the counter to pick up your order.

Today we tried the double cheeseburger, the ahi grade seared tuna with Asian slaw, ginger wasabi mayo, cilantro on an egg bun, fries with cheese jalapeño sauce and off the special menu fried Indian Style cauliflower.

The stand outs had to be the Ahi Tuna Sandwich and the Indian Style Cauliflower…..Nothing was bad about the cheeseburger or fries but they seemed average after the others. The burgers at Gott’s get cooked medium well but still turn out juicy. The Tuna Sandwich and the Cauliflower were full of bold exotic flavors. The tuna had ginger, wasabi and crunch from the slaw. It was spicy but delicious. Sure wasn’t an average burger. It was refreshing but it also woke you up. The Indian Beer Battered Cauliflower also had many great flavors going on with it….turmeric, ginger, chili and the dipping sauce was on the sweet side but very refreshing.

Gott’s uses Sir Kensington Brand Ketchup and mustard. We both never tried them before and I have to say WOW! They are great! That ketchup has so much more tomato flavor than the Heinz Brand I usually buy. That mustard is also delicious too!

I have to say Gott’s Roadside is Worth a Fork!

Worth a Fork!

www.GottsRoadside.com

Every FORKING THING is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

Forking AMAZING Southwest Rice and Corn Recipe

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This doesn’t look as special as it taste. The corn gets sort of brined as they are cooked and absorb to get southwest flavors. The liquid that cooks the corn transforms into a southwest seasoned corn stock that is incredibly delicious. You pull out all the big stuff from the liquid and add rice and cook till done and when done add scallions and mix together….You won’t believe how FORKING TASTY this really is…..You just won’t believe it.

Ingredients to make 8 servings

8 ears of corn – peeled

4 oz unsalted butter

2 Tablespoons sea salt

2 large jalapeños – sliced in half

6 scallions – cut in half

8 garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground achiote (also called anatto)

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

2 dried chiltepin peppers – crush with finger tips (very difficult pepper to find ….but it will make your food taste better….you can order it online)

I Tablespoon epazote leaves (sometimes Whole Foods sells them…but you can buy from any Mexican Grocery…..I buy them and freeze them so I always have some….if you freeze them take leaves off the stem because the stems get mushy from freezing)

1 bunch cilantro stems

4 teaspoons adobo sauce (from a can of chilies in adobo)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

water to cover corn about 3/4s

2 cup rice

1/2 cup scallions – sliced thin.

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F.

Use two 1/2 pans and put 4 ears of corn in one and 4 ears of corn in the other. Half of almost everything goes in each pan. In each pan add 2oz butter, 1 Tablespoon sea salt, 1 jalapeño, 3 scallions, 4 garlic cloves, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon ground achiote, 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 chiltepin pepper (crushed), 1/2 Tablespoon epazote, 1/2 bunch cilantro stems, 2 teaspoons adobo sauce, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano.

Fill with water till the water covers about three quarters of the corn. Cover both pans tightly with foil.

They stay in oven till done….about 90 minutes.

When corn is done remove ears from the liquid.

Remove most of pieces of stuff from the liquid and throw out pieces but keep liquid…..you should have 4-5 cups of liquid.

Put all the liquid in one pan.

In your empty pan add the two cups of rice.

Measure out 4 cups of liquid and add the liquid to the pan of rice…..(this is really going to be forking amazing delicious rice)

Cover tightly with foil and it goes back in the oven till the rice is done……about 50 minutes.

During this time cut the corn off the cobs and set in a bowl.

Pull out the rice and fluff. Add the corn and scallions and mix.

You and yours will be surprised on how Forking Delicious this really is.

FORKING DELICIOUS Southwest seasoned Rice and Corn

Enjoy!

The Forking Truth