Soft Caramels

1. Combine all ingredients except vanilla in heavy 4-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted and mixture comes to a boil. Stir often, the milk solids may settle to the bottom and burn. Continue cooking, until candy thermometer reaches 246°F. Add vanilla. Quickly set the pot on a wet towel for 15 seconds, this stops the caramel from getting hotter.
2. Immediately pour into a parchment lined pan. Cool completely. Cut into 1 1/2 x 1-inch pieces; wrap in parchment paper.

This post was sponsored by Heinen’s. Glenn, the beer guy at the University Heights store, says that when he saw this recipe was for caramel, his first thought was Lindeman’s Pomme (apple) Lambic. He says that the sweet richness of fresh caramel and the light tartness/sweetness of green apples, make this a perfect contrast of flavors. Caramel, being rich, creamy and sweet, needs a light, slightly acidic drink to clean away the sweetness left on the palate. This sparkling drink looks great in a champagne flute, accentuating the fine carbonation. He adds that if fruit beers aren’t your thing, he’d try Breckenridge Vanilla Porter. This is a silky-rich dark beer with a distinct vanilla taste that pairs well with many desserts. It is a medium bodied beer that has a sweet vanilla flavor up front, with a roasted malt, subtle chocolate flavor in the middle. Finishing with very faint hoppiness.  I would think, for my tastes, this would be a wonderful pairing, also, he adds.

These can be found a most Heinen’s, and for sure, at the University Heights location. The Lindeman’s Lambics are available in 16.9 oz bottles for $5.49. Some stores may carry a 25.4 oz bottle, too for $9.99. The Breckenridge Vanilla Porter is sold in 6 packs for $9.99.

Lola // I love black beans. I cook with them all the time and am a sucker for any dish that lists this as an ingredient. I even made brownies last night that called for black beans as a secret ingredient. A few weeks ago I met a client for lunch at Lola, her first visit. I started with the pureed black bean soup topped with cilantro and I believe bits of guanciale. Outstanding. If I wasn’t with my client, I would have easily ordered a second bowl! Incredibly smooth and perhaps the lightest version of this soup I’ve ever tried. I’m still thinking about it. And the best part about going to East 4^th for lunch? Grabbing a cappuccino at Erie Island after. Best in the city.

Shinano // The service is so slow that sometimes I swear they even forget you’re there. But they make a good roll. Several in fact. And that’s why I keep going back. And if you’re not in hurry, it’s a good place for lunch (actually, the food comes out super fast; it’s just taking your order and dropping off the check that they’re fairly leisurely about). The one roll in particular that keeps me coming back is the Volcano – an inside out roll with crab and avocado topped with broiled scallop, octopus tobiko and mayo. This roll is so good, that we ended up ordering a second one for the table on our last visit. The only thing I didn’t care for the first time I tried it was the amount of mayo. So when I get it, I always ask for very little mayo and it’s perfect each time.

Moxie // With its proximity to our office, this ends up being a popular spot for meetings. On this lunch in particular, I met with the coordinator for Flavors, the main fundraiser for The American Liver Foundation (I’m volunteering this year), who suggested we meet here. Moxie has several salads I like off the lunch menu, but this time I opted for something new – the Atlantic salmon with cauliflower puree, cauliflower florets and pomegranate reduction. Part of my New Year’s resolution was to eat more fish (cook more actually, but this counts), and with this dish, I’d eat it daily. I may never order salads at Moxie again.

Phnom Penh // Nothing warms you up during a Cleveland winter like a bowl of spicy hue beef soup with rice noodles, beef brisket and lemon grass. Pair it with their overstuffed and aromatic egg roll, and you’ll leave happy. While my past few visits here have been hit or miss, this place is still one of my favorites and this soup is the reason why.

Participating restaurants include: Momocho, Red the Steakhouse, Moxie, Paladar, Bar Cento and Gamekeeper’s Taverne.

Momocho is going one step further. Chef Eric Williams is donating an additional $250 to the cause, plus extending the restaurant’s popular happy hour until 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25. So take advantage of the extended hours and have a great night out for less and do some good in the process.

I first heard of this cause after reading it in the NY Times two years ago when New York City restaurants asked their patrons to donate $1 (or more) for water they normally drink for free. Since then, it has grown to a nationwide movement that thankfully, our local chefs and restaurants quickly got on board to support.

For the remainder of this month, and throughout September, the restaurant is kicking this effort into high gear. The restaurant will feature several daily specials all featuring 99.9% local products.

Originally, the goal was to feature 100% local daily specials, but since starting this efforts, a few things needed to be tweaked.

“On a daily basis we feature at least three and sometimes up to five menu items that are 99.9% local. Believe it or not, it is a bit more difficult than anticipated. Obviously, we would like to continue this trend and support local farmers, butchers, and other fine food purveyors,” explains Hamilton.

Some of the local producers / sample menu items include:

• Chef’s Choice Meats – I have been featuring his (Kris Kreiger) finocchiona, Polish salami, Copa ham, and Sopressata. He does really nice work and has some of the best I have had outside of Italy! It is very unusual to see this sort of operation as each product can take months to prepare, adds Hamilton.
• Organic lamb from Miller Livestock / A duo of rack and chop, grilled corn chow chow, heirloom tomato and zucchini byaldi
• Pork from an Ohio Co-op
• Lake Erie perch and walleye / crispy perch, creamy wax beans, tarragon, heirloom tomato and candy onion “jam” – these two fish are beautiful and plentiful this time of year, says Hamilton.
• Black raspberry tart with whipped house-made ricotta and thyme

I love good cheese and Moxie boasts a pretty impressive selection. While my husband opted for the massive burger, I went for a taste of five cheeses, all chef’s choice, served with small bites of toasted bread.

My selection, from mild to intense, included Dante, Sevenwood, Roth’s Reserve, White Buck and Berkshire Blue.

My favorite was the White Buck. This soft, creamy cheese was slightly stinky, smooth and had a great taste overall. My second favorite was Sevenwood. A bit too mild, but a nice balance with the White Buck. My least was the Berkshire Blue. I do like blue cheese, but this version was too intense overall and would probably be better in a dish then by itself.

A few minutes into dinner, Chef Jonathan Bennett stopped over to apologize for Jamie’s burger being served sans bacon and grilled onions. This surprised me because Jamie didn’t mention his burger was missing anything (he later said he noticed but didn’t really mind). After Jonathon apologized and offered to by us dessert for the mistake, I took the opportunity to introduce myself (most of my chef interviews aren’t in person). He then shared that Roth and White Buck cheeses did really well at the recent American Cheese Society. After Jonathon left, we both commented on how nice it was for him to personally come over and fix the minor situation, a situation that didn’t even bother Jamie. He clearly gets good customer service.

1. What are the top 5 spices every home chef should have? Whole black tellecherry peppercorns (so much better than pre-ground), crushed red pepper (really can pick up a boring vegetable), fennel seed (love it on veggies, fish, pork, chicken, etc.), thyme (backbone for so many braises, stews and such) and cumin (can’t have that “true” Mexican flavor without it).

2. What is your favorite and least favorite thing to make? Favorite – anything roasted, least – consommé.

3. What is your favorite thing about Cleveland and what drives you nuts? Favorite – the people, least – weather.

4. If you could cook for one person, real or dead, who would it be? My mother.

5. You’re having a dinner party, top 5 songs on your play list? Alison Kraus – The Lucky One; Bonnie Raitt – Dimming of the Day; Dave Matthews Band – Bartender; Jerry Garcia, David Grisman & Tony Rice (Pizza Tapes) – Amazing Grace; Nora Jones – Feeling the Same Way; Willie Nelson – The Party’s Over (sure let’s people know when to leave).

6. Favorite restaurant in Cleveland? Without getting into trouble with some of my friends, I will stick to ethnic – Bangkok Thai on Mayfield Road.

7. What restaurant do you miss? Sticks – love that BBQ.

8. What hidden gem have Clevelanders yet to discover? Moosehead in Westlake.

9. What’s your last meal on Earth? A Pig Pickin’ (or better known as a pig roast above the Mason-Dixon Line).

10. Most unusual food you have ever tried? Chicken brains; didn’t go back for seconds.

11. Most famous person you have cooked for? Cooked a burger for Dave Thomas (most ironic) and for George W. Bush (most famous, liked or not).

12. If someone hasn’t been to Moxie in awhile, what can they expect to find that’s different? We’ve been slowing upgrading the look of the space, tableware and food consistency.

13. What’s your favorite cheese on the menu? Right now, Timberdoodle from Woodcock Farms in Weston, VT (timberdoodle is another name for the woodcock bird).

14. Where do you grocery shop? Heinen’s and some local farms around my house in Bay.

15. Favorite guilty please when it comes to food? Sweets – any kind, any time.

16. What is the one thing you learned from working with Doug Katz that you will always remember? He really reminded me that you can use tried and true classical techniques in the real world today.

17. How much of your menu features items from local farmers and which farmers do you frequent the most? Winter 10 percent and summer between 30 and 40 percent. I like Pickering Hill, Nagel Farms, Speigleburg, Veggie Valley, Patterson, and a few others on the west side.

18. If you weren’t a chef, what would you be doing? Architect. The two are so similar – we design and build for the enjoyment of others, per se.

19. If you could have one chef leave their post and come work for you, who would it be? Tough question. I don’t know if that is possible, but if I must choose, it would have to be Thomas Keller. The man has such a solid foundation of skills, but I’d rather him work with me not for me.

1. What is the first thing you notice when you walk into a restaurant? There is plenty to notice before you even step into a restaurant, like the looks on the faces of those just leaving. But once inside, I’d like to be warmly acknowledged immediately, or as soon as possible if the host is occupied. And again, you can tell a lot about a place by the expressions on diners’ faces. If they are all having fun, chances are good you’re in for a good meal.

2. What restaurant do you recommend to people visiting Cleveland? If they are staying downtown, I always suggest Flying Fig, Lolita and Crop. If they are staying on the east side, it’s Fire or Moxie. Out west, it’s Three Birds. I think these places are great representations of our regional dining scene. They offer glimpses into a cuisine that is both local and worldly. And all of them are hip, fun, comfortable places.

3. What restaurant do you miss? The Wagon Wheel. This was a cozy French bistro in the basement of a bar. It was run by a kooky old Frenchman who served frog legs sautéed in garlic, trout amandine, steak with the most amazing béarnaise on the planet. Although it closed when I was young, it taught me to be an adventurous diner, to love all sorts of food, and to see what a truly happy place a thriving restaurant can be.

4. What do you love and hate about your job? I love chatting with chefs and operators who are as passionate about food as I am. I never get tired of discussing great restaurants, both here and in other cities. (And being invited to the taping of the Next Iron Chef finale didn’t suck, of course.) But as glamorous as being a food critic might sound, there are plenty of times when you’d rather swallow anti-freeze than get in your car, drive across town, and spend money at a restaurant you know stinks because you’ve eaten there once already. And just try describing a scallop for the 1000th time!

5. What’s your last meal on earth? Do you know something I don’t? I wouldn’t turn my nose up at a half-dozen steamed lobsters, fresh sweet corn, lots of crusty bread to mop up the tomalley and a couple bottles of Grgich chardonnay. You can toss in a nice salad if you’re buying, but chances are good I won’t get around to eating it.

6. What hidden restaurant/gem have Clevelanders yet to discover? Cheesecake Factory. I kid, I kid. I think Chinatown — forgive me, Asiantown – is often ignored overall. There are tons of great restaurants, markets, funky shops. It is the most foreign-feeling place in the region, apart from Avon, of course. One of my new faves is Wonton (33rd and Payne), where you can get a big bowl of soup loaded with noodles, plump shrimp dumplings, fresh greens and hot broth for about $4. Weekend dim sum at Li Wah or C & Y is an absolute blast, sober or not.

7. Where will Cleveland be culinary wise 10 years from now? I hope not far from where we are now. For our size, Cleveland is blessed with a large number of amazing indie chef-owned spots that more and more are utilizing the wealth of resources being grown in and around Cuyahoga Valley. And if gas prices continue to rise (cross your fingers), folks will stop sprawling into the boonies and the urban core will strengthen and become even more dynamic.

8. What’s your favorite comfort food? Fried chicken livers, weinerschnitzle and chicken paprikash from Balaton at Shaker Square. That or a big bowl of pho.

9. Why do so many indie restaurants close their doors each year in our city? I’m not sure that that is really the case anymore. Yes, places close. But compared to closings, at least lately, the rate of success seems quite better. Most often the reason behind a failed restaurant is either a wealthy, clueless owner or a talented, underfunded chef. There is so much more to a great restaurant than great food. It takes vision, planning, heart and deep pockets to weather a slow start. Also, we can’t stress enough how many independent restaurants the big chains seem to destroy in their wake. Think about where you want to spend your money and who you want to support or else we’ll all be celebrating Valentine’s Day at the Olive Garden. Mmmmm bread sticks.

10. If you could have one chef leave their post and become your personal home chef, who would it be? Michael Symon, because I love kicking his ass at Cornhole. He may be an Iron Chef, but the man can’t toss a bag o’ corn to save his life.

11. What restaurant’s opening do you look forward to in 2008? There are two: Jonathon Sawyer’s Gastropub, because the thought of being able to get good poutine in Cleveland makes me salivate. And Anatolia Cafe, the wonderful Turkish restaurant that is relocating from Cedar Center to Lee Road. It is truly the kind of food you can eat every day and never tire of. And being located about a block from home, that’s a good thing, as Martha would say.

12. If you could review one restaurant anywhere in the world, which one would it be? Speaking of poutine: there is a place in Montreal called Au Pied de Cochon (the pig’s foot) that I’ve been dying to hit ever since watching Bourdain tear it up there on No Reservations. The place serves pig every imaginable way, including meatloaf, cassoulet and stuffed with foie gras. Great for us pious Jews. This place serves duck in a can, where they cram a duck, some foie gras, garlic and god knows what else into a coffee can and roast it. Then they turn it out onto your plate. I mean, who wouldn’t lose their marbles over that?

13. If you weren’t reviewing restaurants, what would you be doing? I’d love to run a small farm raising goats, chickens and honey bees. I’d make cheese, steal honey from the bees and write the great American novel. But in all likelihood, I’d still be practicing law and hating every goddamn minute of it.

14. Do you like to cook? If so, what’s your specialty? I love to cook. After I left the practice of law, I seriously entertained thoughts of culinary school. But the idea of piling new student loans on top of old law school loans made me reconsider. Thankfully. As they say, working as a chef is a great way to ruin a good hobby. I’d much prefer cooking for fun at home than pulling 12-hour shifts in a hot kitchen. Lately, I’ve been perfecting my smoking, pigs, that is, not pot. I make absolutely killer ribs, pulled pork and smoked fish. I just murder that shit.

Over the past two weeks I was in your city for 3 evenings. Here’s where and what I ate.

1. Fire Food and Drink: I went with my colleague and I think we had a fairly decent meal. I started with the braised beef ravioli with wilted spinach. Nice starter, and perhaps a bit small. Decent mix of flavors and fairly light, especially for beef ravioli. Very enjoyable way to begin, and would’ve liked more. I followed with the crispy Hudson Valley duck legs. Whereas the beef ravioli may have been a little small and light, I found the duck to be very (too) plentiful. It seemed autumnal on the menu (gnocchi, apples, squash) and that was correct. Frankly, it came off as Thanksgiving dinner with dark meat and sweet potatoes. The duck certainly wasn’t crispy, just sort of oily and falling off the bone. It wasn’t bad at all, but it was big and not very subtle (again, like Thanksgiving).

The room was nice and cozy; the wine was decent (though now I’ve forgotten what I had). My colleague seemed to enjoy her ribeye, and didn’t offer me a bite! I hadn’t put two and two together to figure out that the “Fire” was that everything is cooked in a tandoor. Cute idea, and it’s nice you can watch them cooking.

All in all, I’d go there again, but I wouldn’t be tempted to pass up something like Lola for it.

2. Flying Fig: Of the places I went on this trip, this place was most up my alley. Unlike Fire (too much), this place threatens to give you too little. I ordered the three savory small, which consisted of gnocchi, arugula and beef salad and a soft cheese. All three were enjoyable, but literally so small it was just a taste. That’s not too problematic with the gnocchi and soft cheese because they packed a punch, but a bigger salad then about a dozen leaves and two pieces of beef would’ve been good. I tend to have a small appetite, so that was fine, but they certainly didn’t add up to a full-sized entree as promised. All three of the small plates were quite nicely done though, with attention given to all three.

I really liked the room, too, which surprised me. The pictures on the site make it look like a neighborhood pub and average restaurant. But it was really cozy and pleasant, and the bar staff was somewhat friendly. Strangely though, I was waiting for them to offer me dessert or coffee, and instead got the bill plunked down. Well, I guess I’ll be on my way then. I also could feel the small community of Cleveland though when I recognized that one of the servers had worked at Lucky’s when I went there — I’ve been to about 8 restaurants in Cleveland and there was someone who had worked at two! Made me feel like a regular.

3. Moxie: On my last trip, I was getting in late and staying on the east side, so I decided to forego another trip to downtown or the west side and eat near my hotel. So I ended up at Moxie. You warned me it was kind of lame, and lame it was. Not bad, but just an independent, upscale version of other suburban restaurants.

They had a largish cheese selection and offer five for $12.50. As I wasn’t starved and it was late, I asked if they could sell them individually (I didn’t want a whole plate). No, was the answer. I decided to skip the appetizer. Just to seal my own lame fate, I ordered the chicken. It was pretty dull, admittedly — very large white meat chicken breast, cooked in an fairly oily sauce. Fine and all, but nothing to write Cleveland about. I had it with a passable glass of wine, and wondered whether I would’ve preferred to go downtown. Well, at least I wasn’t driving for 30 minutes on a full stomach and glass of wine.

Of the above, I sort of got the feeling that only Flying Fig was genuinely good, but that’s an unrepresentative sample. Moxie is the kind of food a hotel serves in NYC, and it wouldn’t survive as an independent restaurant very long without something else to sell it. Fire – that may be able to make it, but hard to say.