The Rock, Wood Fired Pizza & Spirits: A Review

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Note:
I didn't learn, until I began writing this review, that The Rock, Wood Fired Pizza & Spirits is part of a chain occupying Canada, Colorado, Washington, and Oregon.   However, while I don't typically review chain restaurants, there are only 2 The Rock, Wood Fired Pizza & Spirits in all of Oregon, so I figure it's not as if I'm reviewing the local Red Robin or Olive Garden.
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Review:
Near the east edge of Hillsboro, Oregon, smack in the center of blocks of middle to upper income high-density housing, there sits an outdoor mall known as The Streets of Tanasbourne. Since the shopping center mostly features high end clothing, I don't go there often. Thus, I was unaware that Rose's Deli & Bakery had been replaced by a place called The Rock, Wood Fired Pizza & Spirits until it was recommended to me.  

I knew the term "wood fired pizza" refers to a thin crusted pie being baked in a brick oven for extra crispness. Since it's a style of pizza I'd always wanted to try, I wasted no time in paying The Rock a visit. The interior of the restaurant is decked in steel, crumbling brick, and neon, giving it an industrial "Rock" & Roll-esc ambiance. Appropriately themed music (Eric Clapton, Brian Adams, etc...) completes the mood while an assortment of HDTVs broadcast a variety of sporting events, both in the dining room and in the bar.

It should be noted, while the place IS divided into a rear bar and a front dining room, to legally allow the presence of children, the overall feel of the place through out is that of a fun bar with food. Like any good bar, The Rock features a variety of appetizers.

Among their appetizers are such dishes as; Garlic Mozz Bread (Dough, brushed with crushed garlic, extra virgin olive oil, Pecorino Romano and topped with mozzarella then baked in their brick oven for $5.99), Rock Chips (Ruffled chips, deep fried to order and lightly seasoned with a choice of original, ranch or chipotle seasoning for $3.99), and Day Trippers (Six mini-sized pepperoni, sausage with mozzarella cheese or Jalapeno peppers, artichoke hearts, herb cream cheese and Mozzarella calzones, deep fried to a golden brown and served with a choice of dipping sauce for $7.49).

They also carry a variety of burgers, sandwiches, pastas, and chicken dishes including their; The Rock Burger (fresh lean beef flame broiled to the diner's liking and served on their signature bun with beer battered fries, 1/2 lb. patty for $8.79, or a 1/3 lb. – $7.79), BTO BLT (Garden fresh Roma tomatoes, crisp lettuce, brick oven baked peppered bacon and mayo on a focaccia roll for $8.29), Get Back Mac and Cheese (Cheddar, Mozzarella, Romano, and Jack cheeses accompanied by peppered bacon and mixed into a rich cream sauce, tossed with penne noodles for $10.99), and Chicken in a Basket (Beer-battered chicken made with their own Suicide Blonde Ale micro-brew, served in a basket along with beer battered fries and a side of BBQ for $9.99).

Of course PIZZA is in the name of the place, so I decided to have one of their nine inch (personal size) pizzas.  The Rock offers a design your own pizza option, featuring ingredients ranging from tradition pepperoni & sausage all the way to more gourmet options such as sliced almonds & crumbled bleu cheese.   Yet, I wanted to try one of their 20, or so, specialty pizzas.

I could have had their After Midnight (Italian meatballs, sweet sausage, black olives and oregano on top of our classic cheese pizza pie - 9″ for $11.79, 12″ for $16.99, 16″ for $22.99), their Flirtin’ With Disaster (Hot Italian sausage, Andouille sausage, caramelized onions, fresh crushed garlic and red chili flakes - 9″ for $11.79, 12″ for $16.99, 16″ for $22.99), or their Satisfaction (Garlic butter, mozzarella, Kalamata olives, sauteed spinach, red onions, roasted garlic, prosciutto, feta cheese and drizzled Italian dressing - 9″ for $11.79, 12″ for $16.99, 16″ for $22.99).

However, being a fan of both cream sauce and peppered bacon I chose their Bad to the Bone (A white cream sauce pie with Mozzarella and Romano cheeses, pepperoni, peppered bacon, ham and red onions topped with a peppercorn  ranch dressing - 9″ for $11.79, 12″ for $16.99, 16″ for $22.99).   When biting into the first slice, the first thing I noticed was the crunch of the wood fired cracker thin crust.   The pepperoni, peppered bacon, and hot red onion worked together to provide a nice kick of heat, while the ham and cream sauce delivered a welcome balance to the spiciness.  I can't say I was conscious of the peppercorn ranch, but it may have been adding a depth of flavor without being obvious.

I washed the pizza down with one of their own micro-brews, specifically their black as pitch Jump’n Jack Black, which they describe as, "A traditional ale that’s smooth and chocolatey without the heaviness.  (5.0% ALC/VOL.)"  Much like  Young's Double Chocolate Stout and McMenamins' Terminator Stout, I got more of a deep rich coffee flavor from the beer, rather than anything I'd describe as "chocolatey."  It went down smoothly though, and was delicious against the spice of the pizza.

I could have written my review at that point, but I felt like I needed to try one or two more things to really give the place a fair shake. So, I returned two weeks later for their Burger Man (Chipotle seasoned flame broiled angus beef with chipotle mayo, jack cheese, peppered bacon, tomato and crispy fried onions, 1/2 lb. patty for $10.49, or a 1/3 lb. patty for $9.49), Beer Battered Fries, and a Bloody Mary. Although seasoned with Chipotle, I could still taste the salty onion straws, peppery bacon, cool tomato, mayo, and even the char on the meat itself. What really impressed me though was the thick strong bun, which kept the load of toppings from collapsing the sandwich. Plus, the fries had a nice crisp slightly salty coating which went well with the burger.

My ONLY disappointment was with the Bloody Mary. I can see how, at a party place like The Rock, a person might enjoy their vodka to tomato juice ratio to be a bit higher than the standard 1 to 2 ratio (3 oz tomato juice to 1.5 oz vodka). However, I like the spicy tomato taste of the standard ratio.  What I got tasted almost entirely of vodka with an ever so slight tomato aftertaste, even after thorough stirring. Plus, there was no celery garnish for balance.

Be that as it may, The Rock, Wood Fired Pizza & Spirits, at 2295 NW Allie Avenue, Hillsboro, OR 97124, is a fun place with plenty of good food and specialty beer to go 'round. All things considered, I give The Rock, Wood Fired Pizza & Spirits 9.4 out of 10 stars.

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Bonus: Bloody Mary Recipe

This is just the way I like it.

Ingredients:

• 3 oz tomato juice
• 1 1/2 oz vodka
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 1 dash of Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• celery salt
• 2 dashes Tabasco sauce
• celery stalk for garnish

Preparation:

• Coat the rim of rim of a highball glass with celery salt
• Build the first 3 liquid ingredients in glass over ice cubes
• Add Tabasco & Worcestershire sauces & stir well
• Garnish with celery

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Bloody Mary recipe prints individually as page 3 for your fridge or recipe file.
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Combat Cancer By Eating Healthy - A Guest Post By Jillian

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Those who know me, or who have read this blog for any length of time, know that I'm a pleasure eater.   As such, I'll never be a health food extremist; I enjoy my red meat, bacon, cheese, eggs, and pate way too much to expunge them from my diet.   That being said I'm 42 years old, and I recognize the need to eat sensibly, and even proactively, in order to maintain good health.  A diet which includes salads, citrus, oil rich fish, and fiber is not only important to maintain, but can also be delicious.

Believing this as I do, when Complementary Medicine Advocate, Jillian McKee asked to post a guest spot on this blog, I agreed immediately.  Following her piece are a few recipes I've come across, which utilize some of the principles she discusses.

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Jillian McKee has worked as the Complementary Medicine Advocate at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance since June of 2009. Jillian spends most her time on outreach efforts and spreading information about the integration of complementary and alternative medicine when used in conjunction with traditional cancer treatment.


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Cancer is a serious disease that can afflict anyone. It is important that everyone regularly has themselves checked for cancer. Upon being diagnosed with cancer, it is important that treatment is received and that there is proper education of the state of one’s condition. Besides the physician prescribed treatment, it is of paramount importance for those with cancer to live well, think good thoughts, and eat well.

For those with cancer, eating well is not a cure or treatment, but it can help the body be in the best possible condition to fight against the cancer. Nutrition is important for maintaining peak energy levels, keeping one’s mood high, and maintaining an overall high quality of life.

Among the most important foods to eat for those diagnosed with cancer is foods containing antioxidants. In our bodies, when stress is induced, harmful oxidation occurs which generates free radicals. These free radicals damage cells within the body and cause DNA mutations to occur which can cause cancer. Antioxidants are compounds that neutralize these oxidizing agents, preventing free radicals from being formed. Thus, antioxidants can help combat the negative side effects of stress placed on the body. Foods that are high in antioxidant concentration are vegetables and fruits.

Any citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons, and limes are high in the antioxidant Vitamin C. Vitamin C is capable of not only neutralizing free radicals, but it is also important in collagen synthesis. Collagen is an important component of skin. Consuming high amounts of vitamin C containing fruits will help improve skin elasticity. Since radiation treatment for those diagnosed with cancer can be quite harmful to skin, Vitamin C containing food should help immensely with maintaining optimal skin quality.

Vegetables such as carrots, oranges, red peppers, and tomatoes contain compounds called carotenoids, which not only act as antioxidants but are also important in maintaining healthy eyesight. Those undergoing cancer treatments should pay special attention to their eyes since chemotherapeutic agents can damage eyesight.
 
Along with all of the antioxidant properties of vegetables and fruits, they all provide high amounts of fiber. Fiber is undigested material, which passes through the digestive tract, and ushers forward the food and debris within the colon. Those receiving chemotherapeutic treatments should consume high amounts of fiber in order to both maintain colon health and to maintain regularity. The chemicals used in treating cancer can cause constipation or indigestion. Fiber from consuming fruits and vegetables on a daily basis can help alleviate these undesired conditions.

Fish, specifically oily fish can also be very beneficial for those suffering from cancer. Fish oil is high in Omega-3 Fatty Acids. These compounds are great for alleviating high blood pressure and depression, improving skin and eye dryness, reducing inflammation, and even slowing the growth of cancerous tissue. Consuming oily fish a few times a week should suffice for providing the body with the Omega-3 Fatty acids it needs. However, avoid consuming too much fish, since certain types of fish can be high in harmful chemicals such as mercury and PCB. In addition to Omega-3 Fatty acids, oily fish, and also peanuts and cashews, have high levels of the natural mineral Selenium. This mineral has been shown in studies to reduce the risk of cancer.

Soy containing foods, such as soya beans or tofu, contain an important family of compounds known as isoflavones. These organic compounds are considered both antioxidants and phytoestrogens. They help regulate hormone levels and through this mechanism, reduce cancerous cell proliferation. However, men should avoid consuming high amounts of phytoestrogens since they can act in a similar fashion to the female sex hormone, estrogen.

Foods high in Ellagic Acid are also great for their anti-carcinogenic effects. A variety of berries along with grapes are high in Ellagic Acid.  This acid selectively inhibits an enzyme, which catalyzes a reaction, which then allows cancerous tissue to grow and proliferate.

Eating healthy to help your body fight against cancer also includes knowing which foods to avoid. In general, foods that are not healthy and nutritious for people without cancer to consume are also not good for people with cancer to consume. As such, those undergoing cancer treatments should avoid foods high in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, sodium, and high fructose corn syrup. All of these compounds increase inflammation and blood pressure, which only increase the rate of cancerous tissue growth. Thus, avoid eating fast food and highly processed foods. Also, be sure to avoid grilled foods with grill marks because burnt food contains Benzopyrene, a known carcinogen.

If you are receiving treatments for mesothelioma or any other kind of cancer, eating healthy can help make your fight against cancer much easier. However, nutrition is only an aid to ending cancer, not a cure. More information regarding developing and maintaining a healthy diet during cancer can be found at- The National Cancer Institute. 

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From La Cucina Italiana Magazine, this first recipe combines citrus with my favorite oil rich fish, sardines.

Citrus Sardines (Sarde Agli Agrumi)

4 servings

Ingredients

• 2¼ pounds fresh sardines
• 1 orange, zested and juiced
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• ½ cup chopped herbs (basil, sage, rosemary, parsley)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Lemon, orange or cucumber slices for garnish

 Instructions

Clean the sardines, remove heads and scrub gently under running water to remove the scales; butterfly and fillet. Place the lemon and orange juice in a skillet and bring to a boil. Rest the sardines on top, side by side, slightly overlapping and sprinkle with the orange and lemon zest. Add the olive oil, ½ cup water, salt and pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Sprinkle sardines with the chopped herbs, transfer to a serving platter, spoon the sauce over top and serve warm, decorated with lemon, orange or cucumber slices.

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This salad from Fitness and Freebies combines beans, tuna, and veggies into a high fiber single dish meal.

Italian Bean and Tuna Salad 
Recipe courtesy of American Dry Bean Board.

Ingredients

• 11 oz can baby lima beans, rinsed, drained
• 11 oz can dark red kidney beans, rinsed, drained
• 10 oz can Great Northern beans, rinsed, drained
• 5 cherry tomatoes, cut into fourths
• 1/4 small cucumber, cut lengthwise into halves, seeded, sliced
• 3-1/2 tablespoons bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup tarragon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 cloves garlic
• 11 ounces tuna steak, broiled or grilled, or canned white tuna in water, drained, flaked into small pieces
• 5-1/4 large lettuce leaves
• 2-3/4 basil or parsley sprigs

Instructions
Combine beans, tomatoes, cucumber, pepper, and onion in large bowl. Add the next 8 ingredients (basil vinaigrette) and toss. Refrigerate mixture at least 4 hours for flavors to blend, stirring mixture occasionally. Add tuna to mixture 1 to 2 hours before serving. Spoon salad onto lettuce-lined plate; garnish with basil.

You can make the bean salad one day in advance and refrigerate, adding tuna 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Nutrition information per serving:
Yield: 8 servings
Calories: 625; Fat: 9.6g; Cholesterol: 37mg; Protein: 48.3g; Carbohydrates: 90.8g; Fiber: 24g; Sodium: 85mg; 13% calories from fat
Dietary Exchanges: Vegetable: 1.9, Bread: 5.1, Fat: 1.3, Very lean meat protein: 2.3 

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Finally The Mayo Clinic gives us a recipe for a refreshing high fiber dessert.

Summer Fruit Gratin


Ingredients 

• 1 pound cherries, pitted and halved
• 4 cups peeled, pitted and sliced mixed summer stone fruits, such as nectarines, peaches and apricots
• 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour

For the topping

• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup sliced (flaked) almonds
• 3 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar or firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons walnut oil or canola oil
• 1 tablespoon dark honey 

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Lightly coat a 9-inch (23-cm) square baking dish with cooking spray. In a bowl, combine the cherries and stone fruits. Sprinkle with the flour and turbinado sugar and toss gently to mix.

To make the topping, in another bowl, combine the oats, almonds, flour, turbinado sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk to blend. Stir in the oil and honey and mix until well blended.
Spread the fruit mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the oat-almond mixture evenly over the fruit. Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is lightly browned, 45-55 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutritional analysis per serving
Serves 6

Calories	224	Sodium	52 mg
Total fat	8 g	Total carbohydrate	38 g
Saturated fat	1 g	Dietary fiber	5 g
Monounsaturated fat	3 g	Protein	4 g
Cholesterol	0 mg

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Recipes print individually as pages 3, 4, & 5 for your fridge or recipe file.
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To Tip Or Not To Tip: That Is The Question

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Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the lags and cold food of outrageous service, or to tip those only who have performed their duties well, and by doing so reward the deserving?

OK, flowery Shakespearean dialects aside, the question, of whether to tip, is one which I've devoted quite a bit of time to.  Honestly, I'm not a very fiscally liquid person.  Thus, I don't throw my money around willy nilly.   That being said, I recognize the fact that waiting tables is a very arduous job.

A server may wait on as many as ten tables per hour for eight hours.  If each table averages a party of four, a server can be responsible for remembering and delivering three hundred and twenty orders during a single shift; more if desserts are ordered separately.  A good server accomplishes this feat while maintaining a friendly smile and demeanor the entire time.

With this in mind, I make a point to tip servers who provide top notch service.  In my mind, they've earned that little something extra, usually between fifteen and twenty percent.  But, what happens when such a gratuity isn't extra?

According to a story by WCSH6 News, a Houston woman, and her party, were locked in the La  Fisherman restaurant after refusing to pay a 17% tip.  Because Jasmine Marks, and her four friends, found the wait staff to be rude, the party's drinks didn't get refilled, and they didn't receive their entire order, Marks refused to pay a 17% gratuity, which had been automatically added to the bill.  In response to her refusal, management locked the door and called the police.  Interestingly, because the policy of charging such a gratuity to parties of five or more was posted on the menu, the police made the patrons pay the tip before allowing them to leave.

I have to say, I have trouble with this.  Granted, when a policy is posted, and a customer orders food, the customer is agreeing to said policy.  Be that as it may, when a tip becomes an automatic charge, its no longer a reward for good service, but a contractual obligation.  Thus, the incentive to provide top notch friendly service is greatly diminished, if not eliminated completely.

My advice is to double check all policies before sitting at a table, or even making a reservation.  If they have such a policy, and you don't want to abide by it, either get them to waive it upfront, or eat somewhere else.  On the flip side though, when good service IS provided, tip as generously as is reasonable.  If you do, and you return to that restaurant one day, they'll be likely to remember, and you'll be one step ahead of the game.
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Richi's Tacos Truck: A Review

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Food bloggers, including this one, have a habit of writing about  what's new in the food world.   We love reviewing the newest restaurant, or giving our take on the latest culinary fad.  However, we too often ignore what's been dangled under our our noses for years, or even decades.

Since I began using public transportation in the early 90s, long before food trucks were "the in thing," I remember seeing Richi's Tacos truck parked one hundred, or so, feet from Beaverton's Transit Center (public bus and train hub).

Bustling commuters board and deboard, buses servicing over a dozen different routes, and frequently arriving trains.   Yet, most of these travelers, myself included, routinely ignore the simmering meats and sauces of the familiar vehicle, leaving its savory contents to be consumed by savvy locals in the know.

It's recently come to my attention just how many local haunts I've passed without having ever stopped to sample their fare.  Bothered by my ignorance of my own community, I  decided to begin sampling some of these places.  After all, no  business can survive for years, in this economy, without producing a pretty decent product.

As the menu shows, one can chose anything from $1.25 Carnitas (roasted marinated pork) Tacos to the $7.00 Beef Tongue Tortas (Mexican sandwich on a bun).  A trusted source told me the pork tacos were delicious, so I ordered two of those & a bottle of Coke.

 

The soft corn tortillas, while somewhat smaller than I'd expected, were served two to a taco & warm and were piled with; marinated pork, onion, and fresh cilantro.  Accompanying the tacos were fresh wedges of lime which could be use to season the tacos with lime juice.  The tart juice added a nice balance to the savory spiced pork, hot onion, and peppery bite of the cilantro.

I was through my first taco when I noticed the complimentary bottle of  Sriracha teasing me from the nearby counter.  Being in the mood for a bit of spice, I doused my second taco with the rooster marked chili sauce.  Not only did it add a spicy kick, but the addition of sauce also seemed to enliven the previously described flavors.

It took  two additional tacos to satisfy my appetite and make me feel full.  Even at that though, I was able to enjoy a pretty flavorful lunch for well under $10.  All things considered, I give Richie's Tacos truck 8.7 out of 10 stars.
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Easter Dinner

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Easter is this Sunday.  For most of us, the occasion is marked by baskets of candy for the kids and a dinner of; baked glazed ham, roasted asparagus, potatoes (twice baked, mashed, or au gratin), a salad of fresh spinach and/or spring greens, deviled eggs, hot crossed buns, an appropriate wine (I recommend a Gewurztraminer), and various pies & cakes for dessert.

This week, it struck me as interesting, if not odd, that ham has become the traditional Easter fare.  First of all, Christ was a Jew who kept a kosher diet, in which ham is strictly taboo.  Additionally the Easter story features a meal known as The Last Supper, which was actually a Passover meal, or Seder.

Being a traditional Seder, The Last Supper would've consisted of;

• Zeroah: roasted lamb shank, symbolizing the paschal sacrificial offering,
 

• Matzoh: unleavened bread, which symbolizes the Jews' haste when fleeing Egypt,

• Maror: bitter herbs, such as horseradish, symbolizing the bitterness of slavery,

• Beitzah: a roasted egg, as a symbol of life and the perpetuation of existence,

• Karpas: a vegetable, preferably parsley or celery, representing hope and redemption; served with a bowl of salted water to represent the tears shed,

• Haroset: a mixture of; apples, wine, cinnamon, and nuts; is a reminder of the mortar used by the Jews in the construction of buildings as slaves, and

• Kosher Wine: four glasses of wine are consumed during the service to represent the four-fold promise of redemption.

While Christians, and agnostics whom observe Easter, don't typically keep kosher diets, I couldn't help but notice that the one meal to be sighted within the Easter story has been entirely removed from the Easter tradition.

As it turns out, my observation was flawed.  According to Peggy Trowbridge Filippone of homecooking.about.com, many Europeans do prepare a meal of roasted lamb on Easter, as a nod to the Passover meal.  Americans, on the other hand, adopted ham as our Easter staple simply because the previous fall's cured hams happened to be ready around Easter time.   Thus, the tradition stemmed from practicality, rather than religious symbology.

A big part of me would love to try a roasted lamb dinner, this Easter.  However, lamb for nine people is prohibitively expensive in my neck of the woods, so we'll be sticking with the American classic ham dinner.  Well... kinda.  Instead of doing roasted asparagus PLUS a starchy side, we're going to serve a side of Alfredo based Asparagus Lasagna.

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I came across this recipe 10 or so years ago, from Ceci Carmichael's Food Network show, and found it to be a wonderful alternative to a typical red sauced lasagna.  Unlike its heavier counterpart, this version is light and creamy with a salty kick, delivered by the goat cheese.  In fact, it's my all time favorite version of lasagna.

Asparagus Lasagna

4 pounds medium asparagus, trimmed
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth, heated
1/2 cup water, heated
7 ounces mild goat cheese, such as Montrachet
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest, or to taste
6 (7 by 6 1/4-inch) sheets instant (no-boil) lasagna noodles
1 2/3 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.  Cut the tips off each asparagus spear and reserve them. Cut the stalks of asparagus into 1/2-inch lengths. In each of 2 large shallow baking pans toss half the asparagus stalks with half the oil, and salt to taste coating them well, and roast them, shaking the pans every few minutes, until they are crisp-tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Set them aside. Lower oven temperature to 400 degrees F. In a saucepan melt the butter, add the flour, and cook the roux over moderately low heat, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the broth and the water in a stream, whisking, simmer the mixture for 5 minutes, and whisk in the goat cheese, zest, and salt, to taste, whisking until the sauce is smooth.

Arrange 1 sheet of pasta in each of buttered 9 by 13-inch baking dishes, and spread each sheet with 1/4 of the sauce. Top the sauce in each dish with 1/4 of the reserved roasted asparagus, and sprinkle the asparagus with 1/3 cup of the Parmesan. Continue to layer the pasta, sauce, asparagus, and Parmesan in the same manner, ending with a sheet of pasta. In a bowl beat the cream with a pinch of salt until it holds soft peaks. Arrange the reserved asparagus tips on the pasta, spoon the cream over the pasta and the asparagus tips, spreading it with the back of a spoon, and sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan on top.  Bake the lasagna in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes, or until it is golden and bubbling, and let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 45 minutes Inactive time: 10 minutes

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HAPPY EASTER!!!!!!!!!!!!

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The Asparagus Lasagna recipe prints as page 3 of 6, for your fridge or recipe file.

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'Pink Slime' Update: Safe Shopping - Micro Blog

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When I did my blog on the ground beef additive, Pink Slime; Oregon chain, New Seasons, Publix (in the Southeastern U.S.), HEB (the Texas based grocer), Costco and Whole Foods; already did not use the controversial filler. This week according to NPR, Supervalu Inc., The Kroger Company, and Safeway Inc. have all pledged to stop buying and selling ground beef containing Pink Slime, as well.

Supervalu Inc. Owns & Operates	Safeway Inc. Owns & Operates	The Kroger Company. Owns & Operate
Acme Markets (DE, Northern MD, NJ, Eastern PA) Albertsons (Southern CA, ID, MT, ND, NV, OR, UT, WA and WY) Cub Foods of which 31 are franchised (Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN, WI, OH, and IA.) Farm Fresh Food & Pharmacy (Norfolk/Virginia Beach and Richmond, VA, plus Elizabeth City, NC) The Market (Norfolk and Richmond, VA) Hornbacher's (Fargo-Moorhead, ND/MN) Jewel-Osco in IL, eastern IA, northwestern IN and southeastern WI) Lucky Stores (Las Vegas and Southern CA) Save-A-Lot (Nationwide) Shaw's and Star Market (MA, ME, NH, RI and VT) Shop 'n Save (St. Louis, MO, Southern IL and Springfield, IL) Shoppers Food & Pharmacy (Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD and Northern VA)	Carrs-Safeway (Alaska) Dominick's Finer Foods (Illinois) Genuardi's Family Markets (Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania) Pak'n Save (California) Safeway Food and Drug (Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming) Randall's Food Markets, Simon David, and Tom Thumb Food & Pharmacy (Texas) Vons Food and Drug, and Pavilions (California, Nevada)	Baker's (Nebraska) City Market (Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico) Dillons, and Dillons Marketplace (Kansas, Missouri) Food 4 Less (Southern California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Portland, Oregon; Chicago, Illinois; NW Indiana, and they have a former location in Allentown, Pennsylvania and Tahlequah, Oklahoma) Foods Co. (Northern California) Fred Meyer, Fred Meyer Marketplace, and Fred Meyer Northwest Best (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington) Fry's Food and Drug, Fry's Marketplace, Fry's Mercado, and Fry's Signature (Arizona) Gerbes (Missouri) JayC Food Stores (Indiana) King Soopers King Soopers Fresh Fare, ans King Soopers Marketplace (Colorado, Wyoming) Kroger Food and Drug, Kroger Fresh Fare, Kroger Marketplace, and Kroger Signature (Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana) Kwik Shop (Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska) Loaf 'N Jug (Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wyoming)   Owen's Market (Indiana)   Pay Less Food Markets (Indiana)   Quality Food Centers, and QFC  Fresh Fare (Oregon, Washington)   Quik Stop (California, Nevada)   Ralphs, Ralphs Fresh Fare, and Ralphs Marketplace (California)   Scott's Food & Pharmacy (Indiana)   Smith's Express (Utah) Smith's Food and Drug, Smith's Fresh Fare, and Smith's Marketplace (Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming)   Tom Thumb Food Stores (Alabama, Florida, Texas)   Turkey Hill Minit Markets (Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana)

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The Vodka Blog

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I don't typically pass on humor/chain type emails, mostly becauuse I don't care about; what MAXINE thinks about retirement, what household item some cute puppy got stuck in, or what some guy's sculpted out of beer cans this week; and I certainly don't post them to my blog.  That being said, my Aunt Donna sent me this list of 15 uses for Vodka.  I almost forwarded it, but thought it might look better on my food blog.

Since the topic is Vodka, the list will be followed by my two cents about the Martini & Fauxtini drinks.
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15 Uses For Vodka
 1. To remove a bandage painlessly, saturate the bandage with vodka. The solvent dissolves adhesive.
 2. To clean the caulking around bathtubs and showers, fill a trigger-spray bottle with vodka, spray the caulking, let set five minutes and wash clean.  The alcohol in the vodka kills mold and mildew
 3. To clean your eyeglasses, simply wipe the lenses with a soft, clean cloth dampened with vodka. The alcohol in the vodka cleans the glass and kills germs.
 4. Prolong the life of razors by filling a cup with vodka and letting your safety razor blade soak in the alcohol after shaving. The vodka disinfects the blade and prevents rusting.
 5. Spray vodka on vomit stains, scrub with a brush, and then blot dry.
 6. Using a cotton ball, apply vodka to your face as an astringent to cleanse the skin and tighten pores.
 7. Add a jigger of vodka to a 12-ounce bottle of shampoo. The alcohol cleanses the scalp, removes toxins from hair, and stimulates the growth of healthy hair.
 8. Fill a sixteen-ounce trigger-spray bottle and spray bees or wasps to kill them.
 9. Pour one-half cup vodka and one-half cup water in a Ziploc freezer bag and freeze for a slushy, refreshable ice pack for aches, pain or black eyes.
 10. Fill a clean, used mayonnaise jar with freshly packed lavender flowers, fill the jar with vodka, seal the lid tightly and set in the sun for three days. Strain liquid through a coffee filter, then apply the tincture to aches and pains.
 11. To relieve a fever, use a washcloth to rub vodka on your chest and back as a liniment.
 12. To cure foot odor, wash your feet with vodka.
 13 Vodka will disinfect and alleviate a jellyfish sting.
 14. Pour vodka over an area affected with poison ivy to remove the urushiol oil from your skin.
 15. Swish a shot of vodka over an aching tooth Allow your gums to absorb some of the alcohol to numb the pain. DON'T SPIT IT OUT; SWALLOWING IT HELPS THE TOOTHACHE , TOO.-
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My Two Cents About The Martini & Fauxtini Drinks
A Martini consists of
Vodka or Gin,
+
Tonic or Vermouth,
+
Ice or Water,
and is garnished with an olive.  That’s it, that’s a Martini.  Adding olive brine makes it a Dirty Martini, and garnishing it with an onion makes it a Gimlet, but that’s where the variations end.  You certainly can’t add fruit juice or other silly ingredients and still call it a Martini of any kind. 

These Apple-tini/Fruit-tini things are, what I call, Fauxtinis, or fake Martinis.  These drinks are for people who want their cocktail to taste like soda pop, which is fine, by the way.  If you want a fruity Vodka based cocktail, by all means have a fruity Vodka based cocktail.  Just don't call it a Martini, please.

Classic Vodka Martini Recipe: Vodka Martini Ingredients 2 oz (approx 60 ml) of your favorite vodka 1/8 oz (approx 5 ml or 1 teaspoon) Dry Vermouth 1 green olive 1 oz crushed ice Vodka Martini Directions In a cocktail shaker, pour the Vodka and Dry Vermouth.  Add ice.  Shake well.  Strain and pour into a frosted martini glass.  Drop the olive into the martini.

Dirty Vodka Martini Recipe: Dirty Vodka Martini Ingredients 2 oz (approx 60 ml) of your favorite vodka 1/8 oz (approx 5 ml or 1 teaspoon) Dry Vermouth 1/8 oz (or approx 5ml) olive brine 3 green olives 1 small lemon wedge 1 oz crushed ice Dirty Vodka Martini Directions Into a cocktail shaker, pour the Gin, Dry Vermouth and olive brine.  Add ice.  Shake well.  Rub the rim of the martini glass with the wedge of lemon.  Strain and pour contents of cocktail shaker into a martini glass.  Drop the olives into the martini before serving.

Martini thoughts & recipes print as a single page (page 2 of 6), to easily put on your fridge or behind your bar.
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Burger, Anyone?

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I love a good hamburger.  I'm far from alone, when it comes to affection for the hamburger.  According to Health News at Health.com, "Americans eat about 13 billion hamburgers a year."  Perhaps one reason for the popularity of the hamburger, is its virtually limitless capacity for diversity.

Eaters can have their burgers; fried, broiled, or grilled; to any level of doneness from rare to charred black (as long as it reaches a minimum internal temperature of 160°F as measured with a food thermometer), topped with a vast variety of things including; Ketchup, Mustard, Mayonnaise, Aioli, Pesto, Horseradish Sauce, Ranch Dressing, Salsa, Chutney, Spicy Cheese Sauce, BBQ Sauce, Guacamole, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles, Onions, Spinach, Sautéed Mushrooms, Green Chilies, Relish, Avocado Slices, Jalapeños, Fried Bacon, Canadian Bacon, Prosciutto, Ham, Chili, just about any Cheese on the market, and/or a number other goodies I've never thought of; and served on almost any kind of; Bread, Bun, Tortilla, or Roll; imaginable.   This doesn't even take into account the array of flavor enhancers; Salt & Pepper, Spice Rubs, Hot Sauces, Dried Onion Soup Mix, etc...; one can add to the meat itself while it cooks.  Given its versatility, it makes sense that the hamburger would be lovingly adopted by a nation, who's citizens value their unique individuality.

 Grilled to perfection, placed on a Kaiser Roll, and topped with; mayo, ketchup, blue cheese, and pickled slices of jalapeño peppers; is my favorite version of the classic America sandwich.  I was enjoying this delicacy, and watching the news, when Diane Sawyer delivered a story, just as if she'd known what I was having for supper.

A story by ABC News claims, 70% of ground beef, sold at supermarkets, contains "pink slime."  Beef trimmings, once only used in dog food and cooking oil, are now sprayed with ammonia, to make them safe to eat, then added to retail sold ground beef as a cheap filler.

The filler is made by gathering waste scraps, cooking them at low heat to separate the fat from the muscle, and using a centrifuge to complete the separation.  Then, the mixture is piped to a spraying room where its coated with ammonia gas to kill bacteria. The product is finally pressed into Play-Doh-esc bricks, frozen, and shipped to grocery stores and meat packers, where it's added to ground beef.  These trimmings were first called “pink slime” by USDA scientist, Gerald Zirnstein, in a memo recommending labeling requirements when the product is present in ground beef.  However, the USDA determined that, since the trimmings come from beef, additional labeling isn't warranted.

My initial thoughts, upon hearing the report, were flooded with Upton Sinclair induced images of disease ridden sausage factories and meat packing plants.  The thought of ammonia soaked goo in my meat made me nauseous.  Once my initial revulsion subsided though, I felt like a moral fraud was being perpetrated on the buying public, but I was foggy when it came to the concrete downside.

My question was answered the next night, when ABC News aired a follow-up story.  In the segment Kit Foshee, who was a corporate quality assurance manager at Beef Products Inc. (the company that makes pink slime), explained that, because it's primarily made from connective tissue, pink slime is filling, but has no nutritional value.  Thus, the ingestion of this filler literally robs the eater's body of vitamins and other nutrients, which they'd intended to consume.

So, how can eaters avoid pink slime?   Well, there are a few simple ways to make sure you're avoiding this filler.  Perhaps the easiest way is to buy whole cuts of meat and grind them yourself.  Of course, unless you have Ina Garten's budget, this can get expensive.

Another way is to look for terms such as 100% ground chuck or 100% ground sirloin.  These are legally binding statements, which are meant to ensure consumers that ALL the meat in the package is from that specific part of the animal.  Similarly, if a package of meat is stamped USDA Organic, it must, by law, be pure meat with no filler.

Laws aside though, nothing beats knowing the place where you shop.  ABC News emailed the top 10 grocery chains in America. Only Publix (in the Southeastern U.S.), HEB (the Texas based grocer), and national chains; Costco and Whole Foods; responded, saying they don’t use pink slime. 

Being an Oregonian, I visited my local New Seasons Market (an Oregon based grocery chain, similar to Whole Foods) this morning, and asked their butcher, point blank, if there are any fillers in their ground beef?  His face instantly told me I'd been the forty-jillionth person to ask the question since the story hit the air.   Nevertheless, he politely explained they grind their beef on the premises, to ensure that no connective tissue or other fillers are added to the meat.

Thus, my best advice is not to be shy, and to have this exact conversation with the butcher at your local grocery store.  Seriously, if you get a, *shrug,* "Gee, I don't know," run like the wind.  They only won't know what's in the ground beef if they're buying it pre-ground, and pre-ground beef carries with it a 70% (7 out of 10) chance of containing the ammonia drenched non-nutritious pink slime.  It may cost you some shoe leather, but finding a meat counter you can trust is, by far, your best bet.
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I'm Back + My Birthdy Meal At The Horse Brass

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Before anything else, I want to say, it really feels good to be blogging again, after so many listless weeks.  Those who read my last blog, know I began the year on a weight loss diet, while simultaneously trying to maintain my low sodium regimen, in order to reduce my mid-life ponch.  It didn't work.   Well OK, I MAY have lost a pound, but my energy level pretty much bottomed out.  I spent days playing online SCRABBLE and drawing fictional characters, but my "giddy up" certainly didn't have enough "go" for me to write, or be productive in any meaningful way.

My friend recommended a B12 supplement to put some hitch in my get-along.  While it may have contributed to my recovery, I didn't really begin to snap to 'til I got a double cheeseburger & fries into my belly a few weeks ago.  The diet I was on is based on hard science, so I'm not going to claim the burger delivered key nutrients, I'd been denied, or anything like that.  Such a claim would be scientifically unsupportable, and I don't want to sway anyone from following the advice of their doctor/dietician/personal trainer.

Diets and eating plans may be similar to religions, in a way.  Each carries with it its own wisdom and set of good ideas, but what works for one person may not necessarily work for someone else.  All I know for sure is that over the last two weeks, as I've weened myself from the diet, I've had more energy and I finally feel productive again.  I'M BACK!

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Now for the fun stuff.

In addition to being a food enthusiast, I'm a huge mystery buff.   Last year I came across Pie In The Sky, a British mystery series chronicling the exploits of a Detective Inspector who moonlights as the Executive Chef of his own restaurant, which features traditional English cuisine.  Of course, loving what I love, I had to check out the series, and have been watching it on Netflix ever since.

The protagonist's specialty is *Steak & Kidney Pie, which is  a savory pie filled principally with a mixture of diced beef, diced kidney (often of ox, lamb, or pork), fried onion, and brown gravy.  Having never had the dish, my curiosity finally got the best of me, so I decided to spend my birthday at a British Pub I'd wanted to try, called The Horse Brass.

The Horse Brass is a traditional English-style pub, located along SE Belmont St., in Portland. The old-world style window front rests in the middle of a red brick wall, shaded by a row of sidewalk dwelling trees.  The interior of the pub is kept dimly lit, except for the dartboard area near the back.  An array of British memorabilia, from pictures of royalty to football (soccer) posters, adorn the wooden brown-umber walls and ceiling.  Tables displaying bottles of HP Brown Sauce, the popular English condiment, add the final touch to the British pub-like atmosphere, and the pleasant absence of loud music makes it comfortable for patrons to sit, drink, and converse comfortably.

I began my meal with a *Scotch Egg, which consists of a hard-boiled egg (with its shell removed) wrapped in a sausage meat mixture, coated in breadcrumbs or rolled oats, and then deep-fried.   This one is served with a sweet-hot homemade pub mustard for dipping, a carrot stick, a slice of dill pickle, and "chips" (which I'll return to later).  Never having had one before, I was expecting a golden fried two bite starter, roughly the size of an Easter Egg.  I had the golden fried part right, but once the sausage and fry coating are added, the final multiple bite product is roughly the size of a softball, and is served sliced in a way which is reminiscent of Terry's Chocolate Orange.  The egg was salty and savory with a mild spiciness from the sausage, without being greasy.  While the sweet-hot homemade pub mustard was perfectly tasty in its own right, I preferred the straight undipped flavor of the egg itself.

Then I had the *Sausage Roll, again served with the same sweet-hot homemade pub mustard, carrot stick, slice of dill pickle, and "chips."  The English sausage wrapped in a homemade pastry shell was flaky on the outside with a scrumptiously tasting sausage in the center.   As with the egg, you can dip it if you want, but it just doesn't need it.

Finally, it was time to devour the reason for my visit, the Steak & Kidney Pie, pieces of steak and kidney baked in a homemade pie shell, served w/ chips and pickle.  Unlike store purchased pot pies, the pie shell completely encased the densely packed portion of savorous meats.  In fact, the pleasingly high meat to gravy ratio was enough to keep the content of the pie moist without being overly runny and messy.  For those who have never had kidneys, they have a rich flavor & texture much like chicken livers, and are delicious in a pie such as this.

I washed everything down with a draught pint of Young's Double Chocolate Stout from Bedford, England.  The dark, practically black, beer has very creamy texture.   Although "Chocolate" is in the name, it delivers more the flavor of dark roast coffee with a slight hint of bitter-sweet chocolate on the finish.

Lastly, my two cents about the "chips."  Being at a English-style pub, when I saw, "served with chips," on the menu, I assumed chips meant fries.   I was surprised to find it referred to kettle-style potato chips.  They were crispy, salty, and warm out of the oven, and it was only my expectations which lead to my surprise.  It said "chips" and I got chips.

All things being considered; food, beer, and atmosphere; I enjoyed my time at The Horse Brass, and I give it a 97 out of 100.

*= link to recipe, not written by me, for a particular dish

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Good Food, Great Medicine

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Those who've read my butter blog know that I have a ponch, and have been "strongly encouraged" to go on a diet. After a good deal of dragging my feet, and defending the merits of; a little round belly, that shakes when I laugh, like a bowl full of jelly; I finally capitulated. On New Years Day, I began a diet based on the spiral bound book Good Food, Great Medicine: A HOMEMADE COOKBOOK by Mea Hassell & Miles Hassell M.D..  On the cover, the book is described as, "An evidence based guide to using the Mediterranean diet and your kitchen in the pursuit of optimal health."

When I told my friends I'd begun The Mediterranean Diet, more than one of the asked if it had been hard to give up dairy? The question confused me, since I hadn't given up dairy. In fact, one reason I agreed to do THIS diet was the fact I wouldn't have to sacrifice cheese. I decided to do what I always do when I'm confused, I looked things up online.

"Ask ten different scientists about the environment, population control, genetics, and you'll get ten different answers..." While J. Michael Straczynski's quote didn't originally apply to the field of eating plans, it very easily could have. As I surfed the web, I found almost as many variations of The Mediterranean Diet as there are interpretations of The Bible. OK, maybe not quite that many, but you get my point. After a good bit of research, I realized my friends had been referring to The Paleo-Mediterranean Diet. According to http://drkayeshealthandwellness.typepad.com/k4health/2011/05/the-paleo-mediterranean-diet.html, The Paleo-Mediterranean Diet makes the following bulleted recommendations.

"Eat all the lean, wild, organic meat, fish, and seafood you desire if eaten according to the recommended schedule and quantities.  Whey protein or egg protein powders and soy or pea protein are good choices when you don’t have time or access to meat protein. 

Eat all the in-season, non-starchy vegetables you want:  cooked or raw; not peeled, juiced, or processed.  Chopped up is OK.  Blending in smoothies is OK.  You need the fiber!  

Avoid excess fruit:no more than 1 piece per day and it should be whole fruit, with the peel.  If diabetic or prediabetic, no fruit at all.  Sugar is sugar.

Avoid eating cereals or grains or white potatoes, sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.  Particularly avoid any grain with gluten (wheat, barley, rye).  If at your ideal body weight and composition, you could have up to 1/2 serving per day of a non-gluten-containing grain such as quinoa or wild rice.

Avoid artificial sweeteners.  Xylitol and stevia and small quantities of raw honey, agave, or real organic maple syrup are acceptable natural sweeteners in very small quantities.  But, again, eating none of this category is best, particularly if you are prediabetic or have type 2 diabetes.

Moderate legumes (beans, lentils, soybeans, peas, peanuts) and nuts. OK for 1 serving per day, but too many calories for regular eating at meals.  Legumes have been shown to help stabilize blood sugar in diabetics if used instead of grains/refined carbohydrates.

Avoid dairy products.

Use only cold pressed olive and canola oils for salads or cooking; Ghee (clarified butter) is OK as well.  Avoid margarine, shortening or any Trans-fats or vegetable/corn/safflower oil.  Take 2 tablespoons of fish or cod-liver oil daily or take an EPA/DHA/GLA supplement.  Flax oil is a good omega-3 oil, but it is not a substitute for fish oil.

Don’t eat processed foods; stay out of the middle aisles in the grocery store!  Processed means anything that was done to a food to alter it (ground, smoked, colored, mixed up, cooked, chemically adulterated).  Most processed foods are in boxes, jars, or containers and have multiple, often unpronounceable ingredients."

Like the Paleo version, the Hassell's diet is about excluding enriched white flour and prepared foods, and focuses on eating mainly; fresh fruits & veggies, seeds & nuts, whole grains, good oils, and lean proteins. Yet, by contrast, the Hassells allow dairy products in their version off The Mediterranean Diet, most notably; cheese, yogurt & kefir (a drink with similar flavor & health benefits to yogurt), butter, and eggs.  The authors describe the health benefits of each of these traditionally forbidden foods, but offer strict guidelines for the inclusion of each food into ones diet.

For example they state, "Although high in saturated fat and cholesterol, it (butter) also has many valuable nutrients. This is in sharp contrast to margarine, a chemically manipulated food which I view as nutritionally worthless, or worse." Yet, they go on to recommend the use of extra-virgin olive oil, in place of butter, whenever possible.

Similarly, they claim that, "Arguably the healthiest people in the world live in Southern Europe and eat generous amounts of cheese." Because hard aged cheeses; sharp Cheddar, authentic Italian Parmesan, and alike; fill people faster, on fewer calories, than soft cheese they recommend mostly eating the hard cheeses and saving the Brie, and other soft cheese, for special occasions.

While sugary, and diet, soft drinks are strictly forbidden by the Hassell's plan, they do allow for the inclusion of alcohol, especially red wine. Page 19 explains that moderate amounts seem to, "substantially lower the risk of dying (by up to 50 percent) from heart disease, and are associated with a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes, stroke, and dementia."

Although reasonable amounts of; yogurt, butter, eggs, cheese, wine, and beer; are allowed, making the plan doable, at least for me, there will still be a few things I'll miss. Cured/processed meats are out, so I must wave good bye to; salami, pastrami, corned beef, ham, bacon, pancetta, capocollo, prosciutto, liverwurst, and hot dogs. Organ meats such as chicken liver are out too. Plus, excluding enriched white flour marks the departure of bagels and big soft pretzels from my diet.

Fortunately, the Hassells acknowledge the necessity of splurging on occasion, in order to maintain one's sanity. I foresee myself splurging around the time of my birthday, next month, on a *Scotch Egg and *Steak & Kidney Pie at a British Pub I want to try, called The Horse Brass. This meal, and one other possible birthday generated bar trip, will serve as rewards for having stuck with the Hassell's plan the rest of the time.

Breaks and rewards aside though, the more I think about; cooking fresh vegetables in EVOO, using whole grains, eating lean meats & fish, snacking on fruit & nuts, and enjoying cheese with a glass of wine or beer; the more the Hassell's plan makes sense to me.

*= link to recipe, not written by me, for a particular dish

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