Monthly Archives: July 2009

Red, White and Blue Potato Salad

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For my friend Gabriela, who wasn’t going to ask for the recipe because it seemed complicated, I offer this simple interpretation of the improvised potato salad we enjoyed this weekend. Thank you for your continual hosting panache at your spectacular Santa Cruz digs on the perfect beach with an outstanding cadre of cohorts.

Red White and Blue Potatoes

Red White and Blue Potatoes

Originally, I planned to do an Ahi Poke. Hawaii is part of the USA that probably doesn’t get much love from the mainland on this holiday. It seems to be all about the heartland, when it comes to the food of the fourth. Hot dogs, hamburgers, corn on the cob – you get the gist. But when I went to the store, I faced the conundrum over choosing seafood these days. The Ahi was “sustainably” farmed according to Whole Foods, but the fine print mentioned Fiji and the guy behind the counter said he thought it probably came from Indonesia. I couldn’t do it – too much traveling.

So, I wandered the aisles looking for some inspiration. There were going to be some heavy weight culinairesses in attendance. I couldn’t slack. Then it hit me. In the produce section, lined up in a row there were some local tiny white potatoes, red potatoes and glorious purple potatoes. Close enough to red, white and blue for my sensibility. Smaller is always better with potatoes, in my opinion. Some sweet corn, english peas, local spring onions and dill all were screaming to jump in my bag. For added measure I grabbed some of those TLC Ranch pastured eggs heralded by Rebecca T. in the comments of my previous egg post. Here’s how easy it was, Gaby:

Red White and Blue Potato Salad

Red White and Blue Potato Salad

In a large pot of salted water, boil the potatoes, shucked corn and eggs. I would add the red potatoes at least 10 minutes after the others. They are softer and will fall apart if they go as long as the white and purple (which mine did). Pull the corn out once the water boils and cut the kernels off. Pull the eggs out a few minutes after the pot boils. The objective is to get them soft-hard cooked. Cool them in ice water. After you de-pod your peas, put them in the strainer in the water for a moment to blanch them. Take all of the veggies / eggs and put them in the fridge to cool.

When the potatoes are just fork tender remove them from the boiling water and transfer them to ice water to cool them down quickly and stop the cooking. Slice your onions finely and put them in a large bowl. Add some dijon mustard, champagne vinegar (or comparable) and whisk in olive oil to emulsify.

When your potatoes are cool, dry them, slice them into bite-size pieces and add them to the dressing. Toss in the peas, corn and break up some dill. Gently toss the whole thing together to get everything coated well with the dressing and onions. Salt and pepper to taste and then slice the eggs on top.

I enjoy this simple type of potato salad. There is a little bite from the vinegar but no heaviness from mayo. The flavors of the fresh peas, corn and onions pop to compliment the richness of a good potato. And Rebecca was right, her TLC Ranch eggs were outstanding!! Click on the image to visit her website.

I hope all of your 4ths were as enjoyable as mine. Great time with the family and friends. We are truly fortunate.

Doing Caesar Right

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After my experience at Tony’s the other night I thought I would repost a recipe I wrote in July of 2006 for the first incarnation of the Zealot. Two years later it seems that chefs still can’t get it right. Even with the onslaught of little gems on the scene (which I love!) it’s hard to find a proper, old-school Ceasar salad. So, here it is…….

I love Caesar salads. I suppose because I grew up with perfection (Culmone’s in Atlantic City, NJ) I’ve always had a basis for comparison. Mr. Culmone was a man of few words. But when he came tableside with his cart and instruments, he was a maestro conducting a symphony of taste. Nothing seems to come close. The creamy, garlicky mess that most places serve are difficult to stomach. I always order two things when I see them on a menu: Caesar Salad and Macaroni & Cheese (I’ll give you a recipe for this soon), and I am often disappointed.

So this post is as much for Bay Area Restaurant Owners as it is for the laymen. Let’s step it up a bit! This is how Caesar Salad is made:

Serves 2

1 Egg Yolk
3-5 Anchovy Filets, Depending on size and preference
1 Fresh Garlic Clove – stale garlic will be bitter
1 Small to Medium Lemon
Teaspoon of Dijon Mustard
Dash or two of Worcestershire
Dash of Tobasco
Parmigiano Reggiano – freshly grated – don’t even think about anything else
Light flavored, not grassy, olive oil. Tuscan style works well. I use Bariani.
Fresh cracked black pepper
1 Medium sized head of Romaine (it’s an art to pick the right one – it does matter!)


Use a large wooden bowl – do not use metal, ceramic or plastic.

Rub the inside of the bowl with the garlic clove. Separate an egg yolk (preferably pastured). Take two forks and add the anchovies. Mash them between the tines of the forks until they are in tiny pieces. There are two ways you can approach the garlic. I like to rub the bowl before I start and then take the remains and chop it finely and add it to the sauce. It’s powerful stuff, so you must like garlic to do it this way. You could just rub the bowl and toss it. Add the Dijon, Worcestershire, tobasco and mix it all up with your two forks (you’ll have a paste by now). Add enough lemon juice to thin out the paste (sometimes I only use a half of a lemon, sometimes a whole – you’ll get a feel for this). Next, with both forks stirring, drizzle in the olive oil. The amount you use should be based upon taste. Add some until it is incorporated, taste, add more. If you are not using a quality, light flavored oil (think $15+), you can cut it a bit with canola oil. Add some black pepper and cheese to the dressing.

Wash and dry your lettuce. Make sure they are VERY dry. Nothing ruins the salad like watery lettuce. I like to cut my romaine into 1″ pieces. If you have nice tender stalks from a smaller head, use them whole. Little gems can go in as-is (and have become my roughage of choice). Toss them with the dressing. After you plate the salad, add more cheese on top and fresh pepper at the table.

Little Gems

Little Gems

If you make this, tell me how it turns out and compares to your favorites. Also, I have to give a nod to Zuni Cafe (1658 Market St) as they seem to be one of the few places that “get it”!

Tony, the Pizza Champ?

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I’m nearing the end of my patience with pizza posts. It’s incredible how many places are pushing the Neapolitan-style pizza in such a short period of time. I’ve tried to keep up. I’ve tried to impart my experience and wisdom. I’ve tried to stay positive. But lo, I think I’m going three-for-three in a string of reviews – yes another dud. A big steaming, loaded-with-expectations disappointment dud. But first, let’s take stock:

Pizzeria Delfina, Flour & Water, Pizza Nostra, Piccino, Pizzeria Picco, Pizzaiolo, Gialini, Ideale are all kicking out high-temperature oven, thin, Neapolitan style za, many of which are new to the scene. This doesn’t even include the non-Neapolitan varieties like Arinelle, Paxti’s, Little Star, Pauline’s, Gaspare’s, Amici’s, Goat Hill, North Beach, Tomasso’s, Golden Boy and countless others that capture the imagination of many a pizza lover. The stuff’s everywhere.

I’ve been waiting for Tony’s Pizza Napoletana since I first heard about it last year. According to his web site (by the way, if graphic design is any clue to the ability to run a restaurant, this place was doomed from the get-go). His credentials seem strong.  Tony Gemignani is the first Master Instructor in the United States. Tony has won more World tiles and international awards than any competitor in history, including the Neapolitan Champion at the 2007 World Pizza Cup in Naples, Italy for the Best STG Neapolitan Pizza Margherita. Tony is the only Two Time Food Network Gold Medalist and is a certified master from the Scuola Italiana Pizzaioli.

Not only was Tony opening a school to teach other Pizzaoilis, but he was taking over La Felce on Washington Square Park to open a restaurant focused on pizza. He would have New York style, California style and the coveted Neapolitan style with 73 of his famous Margheritas made daily. I dreamed about this place. I waited patiently, as there never seemed to be any news about it. I called to inquire about signing up for classes (the schedule for the fall is not yet available).

Finally, last week I heard that Tony’s was opening. We immediately made a plan and waited a few days to make sure they sorted out any initial issues. I new this was going to be a step above. But the disappointments started mounting up from the moment we entered. The design of the restaurant is straightforward enough. A lot of tile and pictures of pizza on the walls. We were seated in the first booth and the afternoon sun was bouncing off of the floor, practically blinding me. There were no shades, so I sat blinded the entire meal. It’s not a huge deal, but you’d think a restaurant owner would consider all facets of the customer experience.

The waiter came and had horrible breath. It was salt in wound. Imagine being blinded and then getting a face full of munk? Eat a breath mint buddy. We ordered a Chalk Hill Sav Blanc (not much excitement happening on the wine list, BTW) which arrived room temperature. Add it all up now, blinded, breathed and yeasty warm wine.

We ordered a number of things on the menu. While I know this is supposed to be a pizza place, if you’re going to have other things on the menu, you might try to make them appetizing. The Caesar salad could possible have been the worst I’ve ever eaten. Really. The lettuce was wilted (mind you they have only been open for 4 days – how could their produce go bad?), watery and flavorless – probably bagged and shipped half way across the country. The croutons were stale and also flavorless. It was a huge mess. The radicchio salad might have been even worse. The greens were actually browning. There were chewy bits of pancetta, Costco-variety bocconcini mozzarella balls and a smattering of balsamic. I made better salad in the 80s. One would expect that since they have a burrata on the menu, they would have avoided the crappy mozza for this salad.

Speaking of the burrata, we ordered it with San Daniele proscuitto. It was ok. Meh. A couple of slices of meat and some watery cheese. Again, I have to state that despite being a pizza restaurant, I can’t let the entirety of the experience slide. So many people are providing the whole package that it’s just inexcusable to be so negligent on the auxiliary experience. We also had a calzone. It was deep fried. Reminded me of boardwalk fare from my Atlantic City days. It was like eating a meatball and ricotta-stuffed-doughnut. I kinda liked it, except that it had too much garlic.

Ok, so on to the pizza. We ordered two of the Margheritas. They were good. Pretty darn good. Comparable to the best in the city. Nice balance of cheese, great crust, sweet sauce. It was really close, but I found it lacking something, and my 4-year old provided the answer. He was looking for a shaker of cheese on the table and mistook the salt. We caught him in time to not totally ruin his slice, but ultimately I wound up scavenging his scraps. It was the best piece I ate! After that, we all added a little salt to improve the pie.

Tony's Famous Pizza Margherita

Tony's Famous Pizza Margherita

So here’s where I go off a little. Considering Tony’s credentials, I am expecting to compare this to the pizza I eat in Italy. I’ve stated this numerous times that even the best pizza in the US somehow cannot stand up to your average pizza in Italy. At Tony’s nearly everything is imported and he’s got the cred (and had no problem touting that he’s a master). It’s gotta hold up. But in the end, I found that it was comparable to the Neapolitan pizza in the USA. I think Tony could stand along side Charlie and Craig and hold his head high. He might even win a competition. But against the stuff I ate in Italy, it’s still not there.

As I am editing I can see how some might actually find this to be a positive review. Bottom line, if you are in North Beach and you want some pizza, you might saunter up to the bar at Tony’s and order a Margherita and you won’t be disappointed. I actually still might take the certification course. It’s all about the pizza. Or, you could walk around the corner to Ideale and get comparable pizza with great starters, salads, sides, ambiance and service. The whole package.

I’m done with negative reviews for a while. I don’t care if I eat crap for the next month, I will find something positive about which to write. I may be a Zealot, but I’m a nice one. Promise.

Living Without Food: My Cleanse Experience

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At the end of last year I embarked upon my first long-term cleanse. It was the “Master Cleanse” or “lemonade diet” whereby you eat no solid food and acquire your only calories in the form of a drink consisting of water, lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper, for at least ten days, up to three weeks or more. There is a lot of debate surrounding the Master Cleanse and I find the arguments incredibly intriguing. Since I wasn’t writing the Zealot at the time and I’ve had a lot of time to process my experience, I feel this is as good a time as any to share my experiences.

Celebrities Use the MC to Lose Weight Fast

Celebrities Use the MC to Lose Weight Fast

Essentially the MC is a controlled form of starvation. Common sense would lead you to believe that this wasn’t a rational endeavor from the get-go. The concoction drink is designed to provide just enough calories to feed your basic needs (anywhere from 600-1200 calories per day depending on how large you are and how intense you are cleansing), while your body ultimately turns on itself and starts burning your natural fat reserves. One of the immediate results (I’ll refrain from calling it a benefit for now) is rapid weight loss. In the 10 days that I did the MC, I lost 15lbs. Many people do this cleanse solely for the purpose of losing weight fast. It works.

On the cleanse side of things, the concoction contains lemon juice and cayenne, which supposedly act as agents to loosen and scrape your colon clean. The maple syrup is just a simple, digestible form of calories. The MC requires a nightly dose of herbal laxative tea and a morning flush with warm salt water. I sincerely believe that it is arguable whether toxins are actually being flushed since our bodies are already naturally designed to flush toxins. There is contentious debate about whether this actually does anything to aid the process. Some argue that it might have negative effects. Frankly, even the most learned doctors have little information to support either side of this debate.

So the daily routine goes like this….. Wake up and drink the warm salt water flush, about a quart. Wait an hour or so. Waterfall. More waterfall. Get ready for work. More waterfall. First batch of lemon concoction. Note that I preferred to cook my ingredients together and then put it over ice. It was much easier to drink all day, every day – less grainy. Continue about your day, drinking concoction as needed, especially when pangs set in. Dream about food. Before bed, drink a cup of Senna laxative tea. Repeat and repeat and repeat.

Master Cleanse Supplies

Master Cleanse Supplies

The first question people ask: didn’t you feel hungry? My answer was a resounding NO. This was the first discovery and insight I gained from performing the cleanse. During the first few days it was somewhat difficult, but I was excited by the experiment and after day three, my whole perspective changed. The biggest revelation I had with the MC is that we have NO IDEA what it means to be hungry. Rather, our bodies are conditioned to a societal ritual of consumption around breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack times. I certainly had cravings every day, especially during the times of the day when my body expected to be fed, but it wasn’t hunger. It became very clear that our bodies were designed to endure periods of famine, tapping into fat reserves to provide emergency energy. As a well-fed, often gluttonous, member of modern civilization, I could go a long, long time without feeling true hunger.

Which leads to revelation number two. During my controlled starvation, I’ve never felt more alert, energetic and inspired. My mind kicked in to overdrive and became more conversational, outgoing, interactive, creative and excited. It was a if a fog had been lifted and was able to experience life as never before. Which lead me to wonder why. While I couldn’t answer for certain, I have a feeling about it…..

Living with Evolution

Living with Evolution

Humankind has never had the abundance of food that we experience in modern times. As hunter-gatherers our ancestors always lived on the edge of starvation. They needed to be more in touch with their surroundings and alert to the perils of nature. We are simply over-fed, lazy and out of touch with our surroundings. We use food as a false comfort mechanism that actually serves the opposite purpose. A pint of ice cream to someone who is depressed will give an immediate rush but then they will sink into a food coma and find themselves deeper in their funk on the other side. As a long-term habit, over-eating (which isn’t only for the morbidly obese, most of us over-eat) creates the fog, under which many of us live, perhaps without even knowing.

At the end of my cleanse I truly had a new perspective on eating and vowed to change my habits, long term. Yes, I lost 15 pounds and perhaps I cleansed my colon (I did lose an undiagnosed, chronic case of IBS I had been toughing out for years). If you’re doing the cleanse for only these reasons, you’re missing out on the big picture.

Moreover, what I got out of the Master Cleanse was true insight into our propensity to over-eat and how we are conditioned to consume huge portions at regular intervals for no good reason. Living a little closer to the edge of hunger seems to be a good practice and I’ve read a number of scientific arguments that support this as a more natural state. I’ve heard that we should try to only eat until we are 80% full (true full, not bloated full). Until you experience the clarity of mind that goes along with this, it’s definitely hard to break our habits.

As for me, I’ve been up and down over the past six months. I definitely have reduced my overall consumption and my weight has remained under my high. But I think I need another dose of the MC to refresh my memory. If there is enough interest, I may document it here on the blog for all to share. I know (sometimes secretly) many of you are interested in the MC yourselves.