Today is Julia Child’s birthday. She would have been 106. I watched Julia on television when I was a kid, and was enchanted with what she was doing. To a good extent, Julia was unknowingly responsible for my love of cooking, and indeed, eating. She was a one-off genuine individual; ground breaking, hard working and very intelligent. I still watch her old black and white shows on DVD and will never tire of her (in opposition to the majority of TV “chefs” currently airing) lack of polish, corny shtick, and mistake-free flair. Her enthusiasm, charm, and sincere love of what she did still come through just as strongly as they did to a youngster that liked to bake pies with his grandmother, and the occasional Chicken Kiev. Thank you Julia, cheers!
Eggs Cazuela at Café Aion; baked eggs, roasted red peppers, potatoes, and harissa. Get yourself to Boulder and try this place out, you’ll be happy you did. I went twice yesterday!
Downtown Las Vegas is brimming with great places to eat and
drink, and what better midnight snack after you’ve deeply indulged in the
latter than pizza. There’s nothing better at taking the edge off of multiple Manhattans, Martinis, or Mojitos than a slice or two of bready, cheesy, tomatoey New York-style pie. Situated on the corner of 3rd Street and East Ogden Avenue, directly across the street from the Downtown Hotel and Casino, Pizza Rock couldn’t have been in a better place (we stay at the Grand without fail every time we venture to Vegas). Just walk in and belly up to the take-out counter, order away and be off to your hotel. Breath in the aroma as you wait…you’ll feel better immediately.
Here’s what I liked; You can buy pizza by the slice, they’re big…really big! I ate two but one would have done me very well. It’s good, too. The cheese had Mozzerella (but not too much) and a red sauce redolent with oregano, basil, and garlic, atop a perfect New York-style crust. After two slices I was ready to hunt cocktails all over again!
Champagne will forever be intertwined with the elegant, the sophisticated, the worldly. It’s advertising has always reflected this, be it corks wearing a monocle and top hat or the iconic Tattinger woman (Los Pope, by the way). Here are a few examples from a bygone era.
Stanley Marketplace, the new multi-retail complex out this way in Stapleton, is fast becoming a hub of all things good; a gourmet chocolatier (
Miette et chocolat ), a nice brewpub (Cheluna Brewing Co.), and a well-appointed liquor store (Mr. B’s Wine and Spirits). Add to this list one of my favorite places for brunch, lunch, and dinner; Annette.
Owner/Executive Chef Caroline Glover opened Annette after honing her considerable skills most recently at Acorn, The Source’s high-end eatery. This is Chef Glover’s first restaurant, though you’d never know it judging by the polish of the space, the staff (several of whom came over from Acorn to work at Annette), and the food. I’ve been twice and it’s been one delicious home run after another.
Case in point: Brunch. I wandered in on a low-key Saturday and found s seat at the bar, the best seat in the house. I got a birds-eye view of the open kitchen and could watch the crew do their thing. I also got to chat with the staff, a really friendly, relaxed bunch. I learned some of the back-story that makes Annette the place it is, and discussed the fine points of Romesco sauce with Daniel who, I think, runs the front of the house. I’ll get to their Romesco here shortly.
I went in expecting to have their grilled cheese, an amalgam of cheddar, apricot, and blackened onion, but ordered the curtido instead after the bartender’s description…kind of like sauerkraut but not as acidic What arrived went way above my expectations and made me a cutrido fan for life.
Curtido is a South American fermented cabbage dish you’ll often find serced with pupusas. Annette’s version mingles a mildly spicy and sweet house-made purple cabbage curtida with bitter arugula for some peppery bite over a bed of simple cooked black beans. Dollops of citrus crema dot the salad and a cap of shredded Manchego completes it. It really was all the flavors, one playing off the other, a little bitter with creamy lemon or some earthy black beans and zesty Manchego. The whole thing became a glorious mixture the further into the bowl I ate. The potatoes were things of beauty…crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Not pictured was a little pot of Romesco sauce which I asked for to to dip the potatoes in. Annette’s Romesco is the best I’ve had in a Denver Restaurant, perfectly balanced and addictive. I managed to save a potato to dredge up the smear of crema and cheese remaining in the bottom of the bowl. Delicioso!
I’ll be heading back to Annette soon to try more of their unique and well-crafted food. I hope you give it a try if you haven’t already, this a rare place from the front to the back of the house.
“The figure of the enthusiast who has just discovered jogging or a new way to fix tofu can be said to stand, or more accurately, to tremble on the threshhold of conversation…” ~ Lapham
Today is National Chocolate Soufflé Day! No that chocolate in and of itself needs any help, but if you want to impress someone with something really delicious and decadent, pull out your soufflé dish or ramekins and get down to business!
