Cleveland Foodie

more ways to do good this summer

Michelle V — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 17:15:00 +0000

Here’s an event that is sure to ignite the appetite of many. On July 27, join Michael Symon, Cory Barrett, Karen Small plus several of the top female chefs and winemakers in the country at Lola for a benefit to end childhood hunger.

In addition to our own Karen Small of Flying Fig, the 8-course dinner and wine pairings will be prepared by:

Michelle Bernstein, Michy’s, Miami
Karen DeMasco, Craft, New York
Tracy Des Jardins, Jardinire, San Francisco
April Bloomfield, The Spotted Pig, New York
Koren Grieveson, Avec, Chicago
Anita Lo, Annisa, New York
Celina Tio, The American Restaurant, Kansas City, MO

The cost for the evening is $250 per person and supports Share Our Strength, a national non-profit working to ensure that no child in America grows up hungry.

cleveland magazine: the tastemakers

Michelle V — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:29:00 +0000

I finally got around to going through last week’s mail, which included my copy of Cleveland Magazine with Michael Symon, Karen Small and Dante Boccuzzi on the cover. I’ve been eagerly anticipating this issue, which focuses on taste, because I had the pleasure of interviewing both Dante and Karen, as well as Jonathon Sawyer and Jonathan Bennett for the special section.

I had such a good time interviewing each of these talented chefs. First there was Dante, who was surprisingly a little shy but definitely had that mysterious cool vibe going for him. Talking to him was very easy, maybe because he looks like (and reminds me of) half my family members.

Then there is Jonathon Sawyer, who talks even faster than I do. This guy is full of energy and passion and is unbelievable nice. The day I interviewed him, his wife and kids were in the restaurant – talk about a beautiful family. There was such a buzz at Bar Cento that night; it made me miss my bartending/serving days.

As for Jonathan Bennett, he reminds me of the guy next door – the type of person you would want to fix your friend up with. Genuinely friendly and easy to chat with.

Last but definitely not least, Karen. I was the most excited – and nervous – for this one. I have been trying for nearly a year to snag an interview for the blog, only to learn that she pretty much avoids computers and typing altogether! She was also very pleasant – and busy, everyone wanted to talk with her. Much like Sawyer, her passion for the local farmers really shined during our conversation.

Between this article and the blog interviews in general, I have really been fortunate to get to know the people behind the plates a little better. I am just as impressed by the overall kindness, generosity of time and passion as I am with the food itself. What a group we have here.

flying fig in this month’s food & wine

Michelle V — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:39:00 +0000

The positive national ink for Cleveland’s food scene continues, this time with the spotlight on Flying Fig in this month’s Food & Wine.

The ‘last bite’ centers on the new trend of combining sweet and savory and showcases Chef Karen Small’s crostini topped with goat cheese mousse, red-wine caramel and strawberry compote. The recipe is also included, and it’s one I’m definitely going to try at an upcoming dinner party.

Speaking of the Flying Fig, I had the pleasure of meeting Karen Small this week. I’m working on a small piece for the May issue of Cleveland Magazine and happily had to interview a few area chefs (Jonathon Sawyer, Jonathan Bennett and Dante Boccuzzi in addition to Small). I’ve been a huge fan of her restaurant for years (definitely tops my favorites list) so it was nice to finally meet her and chat about food.

Of course I couldn’t leaving without ordering dinner to go (much like I did after my Sawyer interview – I’m so happy we recently bought a treadmill!). I ordered the sweetbreads with Medjool dates, goat cheese and pomegranate reduction sauce and two small plates: scallops with braised beef, potato puree and a horseradish sauce and veal and ricotta meatballs with greens and pine nuts. Even for take out and surviving the 25-minute drive home, everything was enjoyable (especially the scallops and sweetbreads). However, I’d much rather eat there than try to recreate Flying Fig at home. While I love our kitchen, you can’t beat the atmosphere of her restaurant.