Tag Archives: #foodie

Ocotillo Restaurant in Phoenix AZ is Always Worth a Fork!

Ocotillo is a one mile square compound restaurant, coffee bar, cocktail lounge, wine bar and park located in near downtown Phoenix Arizona. Ocotillo offers a wonderfully varied ever changing menu of astonishing variety. They are farm to table goodness mixed with global fusion. The dinner menu usually is something like several small salads, vegetable plates, small plates, house made pasta plates and large plates. The restaurant is modern and has multiple outdoor dining areas with an outdoor cocktail bar and an outdoor coffee shop.

Tonight we dined outside.

The Ocotillo resident “Mittens” said, “Hi” and rubbed against my leg.

We started out by sharing the eggplant meatless balls.

They had crisp exteriors with little bits of crisp cheese. The eggplant balls were topped with pesto and were served over cheesy, herby polenta.

My husband had the pork shank.

It was very meaty and succulent and was served with a porky corn stew and crispy smoky potatoes. My husband said that this was really GREAT!

I went with the market fish that was Atlantic Salmon today.

All the fresh vegetables, herbs and lemongrass sauce made the plate special.

Here are some of the previous plate that we had at Ocotillo.

cauliflower, kale, pesto, peanuts, herbs, lemon vinaigrette

Thai style chicken

crispy chicken meatballs

charred sweet potato

house made pastrami sandwich

house made smoked salmon with spinach salad

mole chicken salad

Japanese style fish and chips

Tandori chicken sandwich with watermelon salad

mesquite grilled steak sandwich

pork torta

Korean Style BBQ beef brisket sandwich

tomato tartine

crispy pork flats with green chili hominy

fried bbq korean style chicken sandwich with kimchi slaw

house smoked salmon with potato cake

vanilla roasted pear

Mediterranean chicken with black barley, barberries, fennel, salad

spicy Japanese style beef curry

house smoked salmon, tea egg

Ocotillo chicken

Ocotillo is certainly Worth a Fork!

Worth A Fork!

www.OcotilloPHX.com

The Forking Truth

Sweet Corn Pudding by Vivian Howard adapted from Milk Street Magazine Recipe

I was watching Milk Street on TV and watched them make this amazing dessert. They genuinely looked like they were going bonkers on how great it tasted so I had to try it. YES!!!!! This is a FORKING AMAZING RECIPE!!!!! But it really is a soufflé’s so you have to eat it just made because it soon falls. Serving size is difficult to judge here. Original recipe says that it is 6 portions. I cut the recipe in half and I got two decent sized 4 inch ramekins that for me were two generous servings each so I got 4 servings from half the recipe.

Ingredients for around 4 servings

4 Tablespoons salted butter – cut in 4 pieces plus more for buttering the ramekins

1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon sugar + more to sugar coat the inside of the ramekins

2 Tablespoons grated lemon zest – divided

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 cup corn kernels

1/2 cup heavy cream

pinch sea salt

1 egg – separated

1 teaspoon vanilla

optional – finish with powdered sugar ( I skipped this)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and have a rack in the middle of the oven ready for the puddings.

Butter the inside of the ramekins and coat them with white sugar.

Make the sugar – lemon zest topping. In a cup mix together one tablespoon white sugar and 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest. Set this to the side.

In a medium sauce pot whisk together the flour and an 1/8 of a cup sugar. Blend together the corn, cream and salt until smooth. Whisk the corn mixture into the the flour mixture in your pot. Put on the pot to medium heat and stir to it gets to be a shiny paste. Take it off the heat and stir in the butter just a little at a time till it is incorporated. Let it cool a little and mix in the egg yolk, remaining lemon zest and vanilla.

In a separate bowl whip up the egg white till light and foamy. Add 1/8 cup white sugar and whip till you have soft peaks. Carefully fold whites into corn batter. Fill ramekins. Run your thumb along edges to make a channel so soufflé’s get a better rise. Sprinkle evenly with lemon zest sugar.

Place in middle rack of oven till golden brown and risen well (timing will differ….mine took 25 minutes)

Serve immediately and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Sweet Fresh Corn Pudding

A special THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!! to Vivian Howard and Milk Street Magazine for this FORKING AMAZING Recipe.

The Forking Truth

My Forking Thoughts on Universal Yums – December Special Edition Greetings From Everywhere

Universal Yums ( www.UniversalYums.com ) is a subscription service for a box of international snacks. You can subscribe for yourself or gift in number of ways and different size ways. The basic Yum Box is 6 snacks with a 12 page booklet of games, trivial and a recipe and runs around $15.00 a month.

The next size up is called the Yum Yum Box. It’s the above Yum Box but contains twice as many snacks (12) the booklet and they say more! The Yum Yum Box runs around $25.00 a month.

The largest box is called the Super Yum Box that contains 20 snacks the booklet and more and runs around $40.00 a month.

At this time I’m just doing the basic Yum Box.

The first Yum we try is the Sugar & Anise Polvoron from Spain.

It’s a powdered shortbread cookie. It’s laced with anise and has a little more powdered sugar on it than the typical shortbread cookie.

Our next Yum is the Roast Turkey & Stuffing Potato Crisps from Scotland.

These chips are cut thick and taste like a combination of poultry seasoning mixed with powdered onion.

Next Yum was very unusual.

Salted egg yolk popcorn from Taiwan. My husband screamed when he tasted them. They are very odd and not like any popcorn I’ve tasted before. They don’t have that crunchy kernel thing that sticks in your teeth. These seem fluffier…… But oddly they almost seem seem wet or liquid in them but they aren’t………..They are sweet but are more salty than sweet. I don’t think that they taste like egg but taste sort of buttery in an artificial but not bad way. I don’t really know why but I like them…….They seem light and are odd but pleasingly sweet and salty but not too salty.

Next we tried the Mocktail Bon Bons from the United Kingdom.

They are small powdered chewy and tangy treats. I think people with false teeth might have trouble with them. (LOL) They sort of remind me of what I think were those Now and Later Candies (haven’t eaten then in decades…might be remembering wrong candy?) but tiny. For me they are too tangy but I am sensitive to tangy and sour.

Alpine Nut Cake from The Swiss Alps were next.

It’s a little crunchy cake…almost like a cookie filled with walnuts and hazelnuts….Not bad….I could eat it again.

Ever try cookies from the Netherlands?

Little spice cookies…..Not bad…pretty good…..I never really ate spice cookies. I think they’d be great in ice cream or in a crust for other desserts.

Last and not least.

Cocoa Dusted Chocolate Truffles from France.

YUM! These are smooth and chocolatey, not too sweet and just right. Wouldn’t mind a bigger bag of them!

Can’t wait to find out what I will be trying next month!

www.UniversalYums.com

The Forking Truth

Patra (Stuffed Taro Leaves) by Urvashi Roe Recipe from www.GreatBritishChefs.com

I picked up these large leaves at the Asiana Market. I thought I was going to stuffed them with fish or something. I noticed that the leaves were marked Patra.

So I looked up Patra.

It turns out that Patra (Stuffed Taro Leaves) is a DELICIOUS dish from Maharashtra & Gujarat Cuisines. It very easy to prepare and is extremely fragrant and delicious. This recipe uses a chick pea flour base that you spice up. You spread the chick pea mixture on the leaves. Repeat four times. Roll them up like. a jelly roll. Steam the rolls, slice and fry and add some more seasoning and fresh cilantro. They come out delicious! I’m not sure about serving sizes. The recipe I followed says to use 15 patra leaves. I only used four leaves but I used the largest leaves in the pack???? In the end my guess is that this makes 4 tasty servings. This recipe makes far more fried seeds than I think it needs. You can save the extra and use them for either a next time or something else.

Ingredients for around 4 servings

15 patra leaves – recipe states that spinach leaves are a substitute – I used 4 very large leaves

60 ml tamarind juice (around 2 oz)

150g chick pea flour (around 5 1/3 oz)

3 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp asafoetida ( I picked some up at Whole Foods )

1 tsp cumin seeds

3 tsp sugar

1 tbsp oil

2 tsp salt

1 tbsp oil (for finishing)

1 tsp mustard seeds (for finishing)

1 tsp cumin seeds (for finishing

3 tsp sesame seeds (for finishing)

1 tbsp fresh cilantro – chopped (for finishing)

Directions

1 – clean and dry leaves. Cut out large vein in leaves with a knife or scissors. Set leaves to the side.

Make the paste. The tamarind juice, chick pea flour, chili powder, turmeric, asafoetida, cumin seeds, sugar, oil and salt get mixed up together in a bowl. (mine came out too dry and I had to add a good amount of water for it to be spreadable.

Now you start out by spreading the mixture on a leaf that is face side down.

Take a second leaf and lay on top (like a lasagna) spread mixture again. Do a third and spread mixture again and do a fourth and spread mixture again. I was out of filling by now but if you have more than you can make more stuffed leaves.

Now you roll from the fatter end up like a jelly roll.

These rolls need to set in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.

When you are ready the next step is to steam the rolls for 20 minutes.

When the rolls are cool enough to handle you sliced them up and fry them up on both sides with some oil on medium high heat.

Serve with the oil, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, sesame seeds and fresh cilantro.

Stuffed Taro Leaves
Patra

Enjoy! They really are delicious!

A special THANKS to Urvashi Roe and www.GreatBritishChefs.com for this amazing recipe.

The Forking Truth

My Trip to Ofrenda Latin Restaurant in Cave Creek AZ*****Closed and OPENED Again!

*****Ofrenda Latin Restaurant recently opened in the beautiful little town of Cave Creek Arizona. At the moment (subject to change) they are currently open for dinner and bar starting at 3pm and weekend brunch. This is a unique restaurant that is two stories with two stories of wrap around patios. Inside is full of hand crafted things. Lots of warm wood and bright lively colored accents.

They also have an open kitchen.

We took advantage of dining outside.

We shared an appetizer called al carbon board. We received a very generously sized board. Nobody brought us silverware or napkins so we got up and got our own.

There are lots of grilled vegetables (carrots, yellow squash, asparagus), a soft cheese, pepita hummus, guacamole, fried hominy and fresh tortillas. I didn’t notice crispy pork skins on the menu so they were a surprise. (pork should never be a surprise on a menu …………certain people don’t eat pork) Anywho- The tortillas, cheese and some of the vegetables are very good.

I tell The Forking Truth so here it is……….This restaurant is newly opened so some of the execution is off.

You can see in the above picture one carrot is shriveled and very chewy and the one next to it is raw. The carrots were either raw or chewy. The hummus is unusually thick…..It should be a creamy dip and not crazy thick….like modeling clay.

The fried hominy is hard and chewy and is next to inedible. Our waitress did stop by to ask how things were but she came before I dug into the plate. I do have to note again that some things really were very good. The tortillas were fresh and delicious! The squash and asparagus were excellent. The cheese was very tasty. It also was a very large platter and I took a lot home.

Dinner was better. (but the staff left us mostly alone and we had to pour our own wine.)

Both of us had the trout tamal.

This dish is made of trout, fresh masa tamal with smoked trout seasoned with hoja Santa leaf and wrapped in a banana leaf with pea tendrils, water cress and apple mole. The fish was prepared reasonably well. We both really loved the apple mole….that really made everything special. The apple mole was really delicious! I think the tamal would have been even better without the smoked trout because the trout turned dry in it when it was cooked. But other than that it was a good dish.

It was nice that this wasn’t a heavy meal so we could share dessert. We tried the key lime pie.

The nut crust was PHENOMENAL…WOW I never had anything like this before. Trust me it was really great! It has this incredible light texture. It’s like a mouthful of snow that taste really great! I could eat a bowl of it…It’s just so light and delicious! Now we get to the curd…….

OMG….It must be a kitchen error. It seems like an accidental slip with lots of corn starch. The curd has a pleasant flavor but it’s so thick and heavy I can’t eat it.

Well that was my trip to Ofrenda Restaurant in Cave Creek AZ.

*****This restaurant closed for business briefly and re-opened May 28 2022

www.TheOfrenda.com

Everything is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

A little taste of Parma Italian Roots Scottsdale AZ

Parma Italian Roots is a California coastal style Italian restaurant located in North Scottsdale Arizona. They offer high quality ingredients and a wood burning oven. The opening chef wrote the menu and worked under Brian Malarky, he also worked in Michelin restaurants and The French Laundry.

The seating is a mix of modern and blue velvet chairs, metal chairs, benches, booths, an indoor/outdoor bar and dog friendly patio tables with misters for cooling and heat lamps and personal heat lamps for those few chilly days.

Patio seating wraps around the building.

Lunch choices are sharing plates, sandwiches, pastas and salads and Pick two of either – 1/2 soup, 1/2 salad, 1/2 sandwich or 1/2 pasta.

Today I went with the 1/2 soup of of the day (tomato) and 1/2 strawberry balsamic salad with added chicken.

The soup is rich and thick with a generous amount of an Italian cheese (taste similar to pecorino to me). The 1/2 salad is a good size. I appreciate the stronger than usual balsamic flavor in the salad and the pecans were just right..and not too sweet.

My husband went with something a little more Italian.

Hot short rib 1/2 sandwich with 1/2 pappardelle bolognese made with more short rib. He kept saying that the sandwich was very good….he really enjoyed that. He also enjoyed the pasta. He said it was well made but stuck together slightly.

Here are some of the previous plates that we have enjoyed at Parma Italian Roots.

Ora King Salmon
Gnocchi
Mushroom Toast
1/2 campanella truffle pesto pistachio and ricotta pasta 1/2 veal meatball sandwich
1/2 panzanella salad with 1/2 salmon sandwich
Lemoncello dessert

That was a little taste of Parma Italian Roots in North Scottsdale Arizona.

www.ParmaItalianAZ.com

Everything these days is subject to change.

The Forking Truth

Parmesan and Potato Mousse with Parmesan Crisps Recipe based on Pascal Aussignac’s Recipe

I was reading the Samurai Gourmet’s food blog. I saw this incredible looking parmesan and cauliflower mousse that I was very intrigued with. I wasn’t sure about making Parmesan Mousse and shaving raw cauliflower into it. I looked on line for such a recipe and none where to be found. However I did find on www.GreatBritishChefs.com Pascal Aussignac’s recipe for Parmesan and Potato Mousse with Parmesan Crisps recipe. I thought this recipe looked attractive and I was sure that it would taste good and it does. The chef uses a siphon to whip the mousse. I just whipped the cream and added the potatoes and cheese. I seasoned mine with less nutmeg from the original recipe. Added some white pepper and also used piment d’ espelette pepper. I made the parmesan crisp and mine came out delicious but weren’t real crisp.as I would like. I think next time I will add some corn starch or potato flour instead of all purpose flour. This recipe makes way more crisps than you need but they are delicious so they won’t go to waste. This recipe make 4 very small but rich servings. I converted the metric recipe as best as I could.

Ingredients for around 4 servings

5 1/2 ounce potato peeled , cut in half or quarter so it cooks faster (for mousse)

3 1/2 ounce parmesan – grated (for mousse)

3 1/2 ounce heavy cream – whipped (for mousse)

a few grates fresh nutmeg (for mousse)

big pinch ground white pepper (for mousse)

sea salt – to taste

piment d’ espelette pepper – to taste

5 1/2 ounce parmesan – grated (for crisps)

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

2.65 oz egg white (about three small ones)

1 ounce flour

12 basil leaves to serve with

Directions

You suppose to use a food processor and power the 5 1/2 oz. parmesan. Then you add the oil, flour and egg white. Process till smooth.

Next you with spread this dough thinly and evenly on a non-stick baking sheet or silicon mat. Then use a fork to create long lines in the dough. (I thought it was easier to squeeze out this dough with a pastry bag and top) Chill this in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Boil the potato in medium/high boiling water till it’s fork tender. (around 15 minutes). Rice the potato.

To the riced potato add the remaining parmesan, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg. (keep warm till ready to use)

The parmesan dough goes in a preheated 256 degree oven for 14 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool.

Assemble.

Each serving is delicious with a sprinkle of pigment d’ espelette, a few parmesan crisps and three fresh basil leaves.

Parmesan and Potato Mousse with Parmesan Crisps

A special THANKS to Pascal Aussignac and www.GreatBritishChefs.com for sharing this amazing recipe.

The Forking Truth

EAZY Quick Delicious Shishito Peppers Recipe

These peppers are tastier than many shishito peppers you might get at restaurants. These only take 15 minutes in the oven and it only takes a minute or two to whip up the sauce.

Ingredients for around two servings

1 teaspoon peanut oil

1 Tablespoon hoisin sauce

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 garlic clove – ground to paste or finely grated

1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (for finishing)

1 teaspoon furikake

8 oz shishito peppers

non stick spray or a little oil for pan

Directions

Set oven to 400 degrees F

Use a little non stick spray or oil for your baking sheet.

In a bowl combine the peanut oil, hoisin, soy sauce and garlic clove. Mix well and then toss in the peppers and mix them up well to get the sauce all over them. Spread the peppers out on the baking sheet. Place sheet in the middle rack of the oven till peppers are charred. Timing might differ but in my oven this took 15 minutes.

Take out when done and add the sesame seeds and the furikake.

Easy Quick Delicious Shishiito Peppers

Enjoy Immediately.

The Forking Truth

Spicy Beer Mustard Recipe

I’m brining a pastrami and I need beer mustard to go with it. I’ve made mustard before…then I branched off to spicy mustard and now I graduated to beer mustard. This one might be my best. I think it’s pretty good. My husband enjoys mustard more than me and he said that it is REALLY GOOD! It’s pretty easy to make but over night it thickens up slightly so you might want to thin it down a tiny bit more with more beer. It’s easy to make but you do need a spice grinder to grind up the seeds. This makes around a cup of mustard. I’m guessing that might be around 16 servings.

Ingredients for around 16 servings.

4 Tablespoons black mustard seeds (+1/2 teaspoon at end)

2 Tablespoons yellow mustard seeds (+1 Tablespoon at end)

2 allspice berries

7 juniper berries

4 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup beer (I used a lager)……(you will need about two splashes……one at the end if desired……and maybe one The NEXT DAY because overnight it thickens…..if desired)…..(so don’t finish your beer)

1 Tablespoon honey (maybe slightly more…I estimated)

2 garlic cloves – ground to paste

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 Tablespoon ground mustard

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 Tablespoon yellow mustard seeds (these are left whole)

1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds (these are left whole)

Directions

In your spice grinder grind up the top 4 ingredient and blend not all the way to powder but a little chunky (mustard seeds, allspice seeds, juniper berries) and add to a small bowl or container. Add the apple cider vinegar, beer, honey, garlic, black pepper, turmeric, ground mustard and sea salt and mix. Now add the remaining mustard seeds. Add a splash of beer if desired. It will be best the next day. It might thicken some and you might want to add another splash of beer the next day.

It will go great with many things.

Beer Mustard with Rye Rolls

Enjoy!

The Forking Truth

Fabio On Fire Restaurant in Peoria AZ is Always Worth a Fork!

Fabio On Fire is an Italian Restaurant, Bakery and Pizzeria located in North Peoria Arizona. Fabio On Fire is also well known for selling his delicious baked goods and fresh baked pizzas via his mobile pizza oven at food festivals, farmers markets and catering.

I did mention that Fabio On Fire is well known for his delicious Italian Food. Don’t hesitate making a reservation because usually by 4:30 the restaurant is already on a wait and you might not be able to get in.

(This photo was taken before the pandemic…many tables have been removed for distancing)

Fabio is often seen making pizzas….He also chats with guest when he can.

A year or so back the restaurant was expanded with a second dining room behind the pizza oven. Fabio’s portrait is painted on the back dining room wall.

Fabio’s fresh baked goods are featured in a case

The restaurant has a NEW out front patio in addition to the side patio that they already have.

Below is the side patio.

No matter where you are seated they also start you out with Fabio’s amazing crusty bread and olive oil dotted with balsamic.

I don’t really like to eat bread when I’m ordering pizza but it would be a horrible mistake not to eat Fabio’s delicious bread. We have to eat one piece and take the rest home for breakfast tomorrow.

Tonight I’m having the bufalina pizza.

It’s made of San Marzano tomato sauce, imported buffalo mozzarella, oregano, garlic, arugula, balsamic reduction and extra virgin olive oil. It’s a mix of all kinds of wonderful flavors. The buffalo cheese here isn’t watery and is firm like the way I prefer.

The crust is nice and thin…This kind of pizza is light and easy to eat. Mine is very crisp today.

My husband got the salciccia (San Marzano Tomato sauce, mozzarella, sausage, mushrooms and extra virgin olive oil).

If we get dessert usually but not all the time we often get the house made gelato because it is truly FABULOUS and possibly might be the best gelato in the country. Fabio should bring his gelato to Shark Tank and have them invest in him. So today we took a leap of faith and went with the cannoli.

It’s a good cannoli. I am usually disappointed with cannoli that I get out at restaurants because I make my own from scratch. I even make the cheese. If I say that this is good then it is good!

Here are some of the food items we tried previously from Fabio On Fire.

pear salad
strawberry spinach salad
beet goat cheese and arugula salad
gnocchi pesto
veal tortelloni special
spinach ravioli with walnut sauce special. This one was really amazing!!!! Both me and my husband loved this one…This one is extra special.
eggplant parm special
short rib ravioli special
sausage ravioli special
napoletano (anchovy) pizza
take out- halibut special, meatballs, orecchiette
takeout – funghi porcini ravioli special, strawberry gorgonzola salad, gnocchi sorrentina
limoncello tiramisu
blood orange gelato (we’ve also had passionfruit, chocolate and the strawberry. They are all amazing.

Fabio On Fire is certainly Worth a Fork!

Worth A Fork!

www.FabioOnFire.com

Everything is subject to change.

The Forking Truth