Five-minute recipe…
Aidan’s Farm Tour: Part 2
Here we come Scottsdale…
Town & Country Shopping Center
October 7th 2009 – June 23rd, 2010
Wednesdays from 8:30am to 2:00pm
4881 North 20th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85016
Old Town Scottsdale Farmers’ Market
November 7th, 2009 – May 22nd, 2010
Saturdays from 8:30am to 1:00pm
Located on the Southwest corner of 1st Street and Brown in
Scottsdale. Brown is one block East of Scottsdale Road. 1st Street is
two blocks South of Indian School Road.
What to do with a Persimmon…
Urban Picnic
Need a little mid-day reprieve from cubicle-land?
Tuesday Night Round Up…
Tuesday night is now Hamburger Night at Rancho Pinot in Scottsdale. Such a great idea – why didn’t this happen earlier?
It is always a positive sign when you walk in a restaurant and see the regulars greet one another and staff by name. Rancho Pinot is just such a place. Chrysa Robertson has created a restaurant completely unique while at the same time being very Arizona. Rancho Pinot has a gentleman cowboy character that is present in the menu, décor and their gracious service. But don’t let the rustic touches fool you, Rancho Pinot’s menu is sophisticated in its selections, focused in working with seasonal organic produce, and they always live up to their reputation for outstanding dining.
With the old Western motif and large Saguaro in the dining room, it felt completely natural that Chyrsa would introduce Hamburger Night, a nod to the ultimate in cowboy fare, with her own exceptional take.
And what a burger!
Thankfully Rancho Pinot has an open kitchen. Not only does it lend to the down home feeling, but you also get a first rate show in their expert preparation. Sean and I said hello to Charlene as she was handling the mesquite grill. Sean is right when he says no one can grill like Charlene. Chrysa then told us about how they worked with the bakery, owned by one of her former employees, to get the perfect bun with an almost English-muffin consistency to the bread. Perfect!
I did miss ordering the Crispy Stuffed Squash Blossoms, one of my favorites at Rancho Pinot. But we made up for it by having the Candied Meyer Lemon Sorbet for dessert.
Don’t let the construction at Lincoln Village Shopping Center put you off. It is worth the effort. A real cowboy would fight his way through to find this burger! As a fifth-generation Arizonan, I love Chrysa’s tip of the cowboy hat to our state’s old West heritage.
Rancho Pinot
6208 North Scottsdale Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85253
480.367.8030
Aidan’s Farm Tour: Part 1
Hello Brussels…
Eureka!
I have a compulsion that, on occasion, drives me to madness trying to replicate dishes I have loved. At times it isn’t pretty. Who knows the hours I have spent trying to decipher Pizzeria Bianco’s pizzas. Trust me, it can’t be done.
That said, I am recently fell down another recipe rabbit hole, but this time came up a winner. It was a much easier dish, but the stomach wants what the stomach wants.
This recipe is an adaption of an adaption, mostly because I didn’t have aged White Cheddar or Gruyere. I give credit to Ina Gartner for the original recipe. That said, I think this works just as well with Sharp Cheddar.
Cauliflower Gratin
1 (3-pound) head cauliflower, cut into large florets
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3/4 cup freshly grated Sharp cheddar
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup of Panko bread crumbs (fresh bread crumbs will work too)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, ½ of the Cheddar, and the ½ cup of Parmesan.
Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Cheddar and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Staying True…
One of our go-to places for good food is True Food Kitchen. I didn’t say healthy food, vegan food, or vegetarian food, although it has all of those, I just said good food. Because even though True Food Kitchen is all about conscious eating, they just make really wonderful cuisine. That you are also eating healthy is the bonus.
True Food Kitchen is the marriage of Fox Restaurant Concepts, known for their stylish eateries, and Dr. Andrew Weil, noted author on well-balanced lifestyles and nutrition and the director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. The menu was developed to promote a balanced diet with recipes that focus on seasonal, locally grown organic produce, sustainably harvested seafood and hormone, anti-biotic free poultry and beef. There are a number of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options, although all of the dishes created by Chef Michael Stebner have a wide appeal, whatever your dietary preference.
Each table also has a copy of Dr. Weil’s anti-inflammatory food pyramid. This pyramid was developed as a practical eating guide to help reduce risks of age-related diseases and to promote optimum health. An anti-inflammatory diet is designed to provide the ideal nutrition to help counteract chronic inflammation, which is the root cause of diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and heart disease. While I realize that this is a lot to consider when dining out, there is something reassuring about knowing you are making good choices, especially when you have a menu full of them right in front of you.
Plus, let’s face it, True Food Kitchen is just a cool place to spend an evening. I had spent many hours in my twenties in this same space when it was the Coffee Plantation. I am now happy to return (slightly older) and spend time again. Aunt Pat – come to Phoenix and we will take you there!
P.S. Happy Birthday Annie!
Biltmore Fashion Park
2502 East Camelback Road, #135
Phoenix, AZ 85016
602-774-3488
McClendon's Select 
