Elements of Surprise

In The Idler, Samuel Johnson wrote, “Our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks.” And you know, he was right. So many of life’s memorable moments come about due to some type of coincidence, happy accident, or just dumb luck. I’m chalking this one up as happy accident, a casual mention of a favorite food that turned into an incredibly enjoyable, and delicious, evening.

Let’s rewind for a bit and set the stage. If you read my last post, you’ll know that I have a very large soft spot in my heart for Grand Junction, Colorado. Recently, my wife and two great friends spent a long weekend there and gave ourselves a private winery tour in Palisade, the heart of Colorado’s Western Slope wine country, a small town that sits 15 minutes east of GJ (Grand Junction). While we were there GJ threw a Farmer’s Market in the heart of old downtown. As we were wandering around, we came across a booth for La Fleur by Livvy, a local perfumery (you can also get soaps, candles, and locally made chocolate there). Everyone in our party was pretty impressed and we took a spin by their brick and mortar store the next day.

While buying some of the afore mentioned chocolate, I casually struck up a conversation with the owner Olivia Larson. As it turned out, she was born in India and I naturally started talking enthusiastically about Indian food. Out of the blue, Olivia pulled out a flyer and explained that she and Keane Karnan, the fellow that, among other things makes the outstanding chocolates, host private events at the shop one of which was “Tales of India”. In addition to the tales, you also get scents and tastes of India, a true sensory experience. I got pretty lathered up about this, and as we were all coming back to GJ two weeks later for the Air Show, thought we better make reservations. And we did. And wow, were we glad we did.

The event started off in the perfumery show room with Olivia explaining many of the traditional scents from India she uses to make her unique perfumes. These were all passed around for everyone to inhale, which really put us all in an exotic place that was perfect for the forthcoming tasting. Olivia’s perfumes are excellent and very high quality. I’ve been sporting around smelling of Jadon (Roots) since our visit. Yes, there’s scents for men, too.

After about 20 minutes Olivia escorted us into their event room. The theme of the dishes that night was Indian street food, an entire culinary world of its own and for my money more interesting and fun to eat then typical restaurant food. I’ll preface this by telling you that all the recipes were Olivias and served by Keane. Everything was absolutely top-notch and authentic, in fact some of the best Indian cooking I’ve ever had.

First up, Samosa Chaat. We did chat about it, but Chaat in India refers to a broad variety of street foods found all over the country. It literally translates to ‘delicacy or tasting’, but encompasses so much more. If you haven’t had samosa chaat, it’s bit different than the normal fried pyramids of dough encasing spiced potatoes and peas. The difference, when you serve it, smash the samosa flat and pour on some yoghurt, then sprinkle with cilantro, pomegranate seeds, and sev (crunchy fried chickpea noodles). Served on the side were a date and tamarind chutney along with a cilantro chutney. Everything all at once is the only way I can describe it and it was utterly delicious. All the flavors and textures contrasted perfectly and had we stopped there, the night would have been a success. But we didn’t.

Samosa Chaat

Next, Panipuri, one of my all-time favorite chaats. The puri are little puffed wheat dough shells filled with potato, onion, cilantro and chickpeas. You’ll see a little hole at the top. You make it with your thumb so you can put in the filling and then pour in the pani. Pani translates to ‘water’ but that’s just a euphemism for the highly flavored water, this time presented in test tubes (really cool) and flavored with cilantro, chilies, and kala nemak (black salt). Once you pour in the pani there’s no time to waste as it’ll fall apart if you linger, so po the whole thing in your mouth and hold on for an explosion of goodness. Panipuri, if made right, are tart, sweet, savory, and just a little bitter all at once. These were extraordinary and hit all the right notes in the right places.

Panipuri

The third course consisted of onion pakora and, my special request, aloo tiki. What the heck is aloo tiki? An Indian fried potato cake. Imagine taking the filling from a samosa, shaping it into a disk, and frying until golden brown on the outside. Serve them with mint and tamarind chutneys and you have a first-rate snack. These were really delicious and took me back to the time I first had them with one of my Indian friends (big thanks to Olivia and Keane for adding these to the menu). The pakora were outstanding as well, sliced onion deep-fried in a spiced chickpea batter, but you’d never guess considering how light and non-oily they were. Not necessarily an easy feat. They made all this look so easy.

Onion Pakora and Aloo Tiki

If you thought that was it you’d be wrong, two more courses to go! The final savory dish we were served were naan-bites with an eggplant chaat. Eggplant, onion, and tomato were spiced and cooked to perfection, spooned onto miniature naans, and then topped with sev for a little crunch. I’m not a huge eggplant fan, but I was fan of this! It was almost like an eggplant salad, very refreshing after the fried course. The mini-naans were the only not straight out of India element in the entire meal, but they worked and I’d happily have them again.

Naan Bites with Eggplant Chaat

How do close out such a fantastic dinner? With a fantastic dessert of course! We were treated to ras malai, a homemade soft cheese dumpling simmered in milk infused with saffron and pistachios. It may sound heavy but on the contrary was very light and bright in flavor, bringing the palette back from all the heady flavors that came before. Served with house-made chai they were just delightful (as was the chai). But the hits kept coming! We were treated to a plate of truffles that Keane made which were wonderful and hopefully will make their way to the shop. If you stop by be sure to pick up some of the several varieties of his chocolate, you’ll be very happy you did. I brought back some as presents for friends and they’ve all loved them. Finally, a small spoon of mukhwas, candy coated fennel seeds that Indians swear aid digestion and give you sweet breath. Then off into the night, raving about how good everything was, and how nice Olivia and Keane were.

Ras Malai and Chai
Truffles and Mukhwas

If you find yourself going to Grand Junction, please visit these folks. Check out their website, La Fleur by Livvy, for more details about special events, their products, and so forth. As for me, I can’t wait to get back over there and do this again!

Ports of Call

Destination: Grand Junction, Colorado.

When I first went to Grand Junction for the Colorado Mountain Winefest, somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 years ago, I had no idea it’d become a haven from the nearly constant whirl of Denver. I thought of it as a quaint town on the western slope with a few good restaurants, some gorgeous scenery, and more than its share of good wine. But then something slightly remarkable happened; I spent a chilly February non-Winefest weekend there on a solo trip and discovered an entirely new place! There were dinner reservations to be had, seats at the bars, and very affordable hotel rooms. As the pace slowed down so did I, which was precisely the reason I was there. I could feel the tension gradually slipping away with every step as I meandered up and down Main Street (THE main street in Grand Junction, its Old Town, which has now become more new than old). On a snowy afternoon I sat reading a book in Carlson Vinyard’s tasing room, soaking up the local vibe, soaking up some local wine, and chatting with a few of the local folks. Great vibe, great wine, and great folks. I knew I’d be back.

And I have been back for weekend getaways many times. I’d like to introduce you to a few of my favorite spots.

My first stop is invariably Carlson Vineyards downtown tasting room (545 Main St.). Spacious, bright, and inviting, you can’t help but feel a wash of calm come over you when you step in. The staff will make you feel right at home, knowledgeably navigating you towards a full tasting or just a glass (make it two). I’m proud to say I know them all by name, and they make spending time here incredibly enjoyable. You’ll find local art on the walls as well as some shelves stocked with oenophilia and local artisanal items. If it’s your first time, I recommend a tasting selected from their extensive list, truly something, or several somethings, for every preference. I wouldn’t miss the Exodus (Blaufränkisch) and Terra (blend of Blaufränkisch and Petite Sirah). As a bonus, Carlson donates some of the proceeds from selected wines back to the community. The main winery is located in Palisade (461 35 Road), a short hop from Grand Junction, and has a huge outdoor seating area that’s perfect when the weather’s cooperative.

Next stop is 626 on Rood (626 Rood Ave.), a sophisticated American eatery located just a block off the main drag. What first drew me there were the vegetarian selections on the menu, not always easy to find in a city the size of Grand Junction (interesting selections to be clear, anyone can sub a Garden Burger for hamburger), and the menu’s just gotten better over the years. Not to miss is the Coconut Curry. I expected the taste profile to tilt towards Thai, but found it more of a Thai-Indian hybrid, thick and rich and packed with flavor. On the bottom of the dish you’ll find pan-toasted red lentils which impart an almost tandoori smokiness. On the top, nori-infused tofu “scallops” grilled to perfection which pair beautifully with the curry. In the middle, a pop of deep sweetness provided by braised peach slices, peaches being one of the most prominent and justifiably popular fruits grown around the area. The dish eats beautifully, but I have to admit I’d kill for a side of jasmine rice to sop up the curry when all the other ingredients are gone. I made do by scraping up as much of it as I could with my fork instead of resorting to licking the bowl clean. Rice or not, I’ll have this again and again when I’m in town. In addition to some of the most creative cooking in the Grand Valley, you’ll find top-notch cocktails and an ever changing wine list, as well as fantastically indulgent desserts. 626 is another place with an outstanding staff, welcoming and able to enjoy a few words with each customer even on the busiest nights.

There are a slew of breakfast spots around the downtown area, and after trying most of them I find myself returning to Cafe Sol (420 Main St.) over and over again. What’s to like? Try the breakfast sandwich; Melted Cheddar, avocado, and a perfectly runny fried egg enrobed in a croissant, accompanied by a pile of outstanding rosemary roasted potatoes and a fine mocha. I suggest eating the sandwich with a knife and fork after wearing a small portion of the yolk on my cuff. Perfectly runny eggs come with inherent risks, after all. The atmosphere’s quiet and relaxed, the service is friendly and relaxed. Everyone’s cool and unassumingly hip. Here’s a place to duck into, place your order, grab a table, and crack open a book. Slow it all down. Shed the chill of a winter’s morning. Wait for your coffee and food. You’ll be rewarded.

For more information about Grand Junction, head over to Visit Grand Junction and explore the wide range of activities the area has to offer. I hope I see you there sometime!

Mr. Lucky

Who’s Mr. Lucky? In this case I am, feast your eye on the parting gift from Keystone Resorts created by their in-house dessert staff. A perfectly done riff on the Mr. Lucky logo (a great 2 season TV show from the early 60’s, original logo below), it was in fact a chocolate box filled with truffles. Thank you @KeystoneMtn, it was delicious!

 

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Spaghetti-Western

It’s always a big treat when my wife, Linda, cooks for me. She makes incredible things like creamy sherried  mushroom soup , vegetarian chopped liver, and meatless kibbeh, all now favorites that I ask for often. The one I’m writing about this morning, while sitting in a Sun-bathed lounge at Keystone Resort, was especially good and especially simple.

We’re a couple that appreciates and embraces a theme whenever possible. Whether it’s an Einstein-inspired bow tie and robot headband for a night at Science Lounge or wine bottle and cork-festooned everything for Mountain Winefest, we’re that couple, reveling in the spirit of the event. We have a pretty good time.

Last week brought another excuse to get gussied up and hit the town, one of our favorite yearly performances of The Good, the Bad, and the Devine, an homage to the music of Ennio Morricone, the Italian composer responsible for the soundtracks to the most famous Spaghetti Western trilogy: A Fistfull of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. And what better thing to eat beforehand but spaghetti cake!

It’s so easy it’s criminal, but don’t be fooled by the simplicity; this is all about quality ingredients. San Marzano tomatoes are the key as is really good fresh Mozzarella. You can get fancy and use bucatini or vermicelli, but I suggest plain old spaghetti.

The sauce is Marcella Hazan’s tomato sauce. All you have to do is empty a 28 ounce can of the best quality San Marzano tomatoes with their juice into a medium saucepan. Add 5 tablespoons of European salted butter cut into pieces and a medium onion after you peel it and cut it in half. Bring to a simmer and let bubble away for half an hour. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides once in a while. When done, remove from the heat and remove the onion, reserving for another use.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil after adding a few shakes of Kosher salt. Put a pound and half of spaghetti in there and stir around for 6 minutes, no more. Drain. Return to the pot and toss well after dumping in the tomato sauce. All the strands should be coated with sauce.

Chop 12 ounces of fresh Mozzarella and make sure you have 4-6 ounces of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano standing by.

Coat the interior of a 9″ springform pan with olive oil spray and place a disk of parchment paper on the bottom. Cover the bottom of the pan with a third of the spaghetti (we use gloves and do this with our hands),  patting down to fill in any gaps. Scatter a third of the Mozzarella over the pasta. Repeat to make a second layer. Repeat to make a third layer, and this time shake the Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top. Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove and let cool for a little bit which helps the cake retain it’s shape.

When you’re ready to behold what you just made, run a plastic knife or very thin spatula around he perimeter of the cake, put the pan on a short can to get it off the counter top, and release. You will be in awe. And then you can cut it into wedges, sprinkle with a little fresh basil you’ve chopped, and be in even more awe. Feel free to sprinkle with a little more Parmigiano-Reggiano if the mood hits you. This stuff is delicious!

 

 

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Linda Stolmack Church’s Spaghetti Cake

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The Churches in their finest Western ware 

Eat Here When You’re There

If you happen to find yourself in Melbourne, Florida and, more importantly, find yourself longing for a solid, downhome, and totally unpretentious breakfast, look no further than Oh Biscuit. Friendly to a fault, the folks at Oh Biscuit dish up a menu featuring sandwiches, burgers, and an à la carte create your own breakfast section with just about everything you might want. I wanted 2 eggs over easy, cheese grits, and a biscuit. I poured myself a cup of coffee from the urn and sat down. About 10 minutes later, everything showed up, cooked perfectly (the eggs were absolutely spot-on), served on paper and in Styrofoam, and eaten with a plastic fork and knife. As I said before, no pretention here whatsoever. Instead, the focus is on what’s on your plate, and it was great down to the last biscuit crumb. Oh Biscuit? Oh yeah!

Find out more here:  Oh Biscuit

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Moments before the yolks started flowing.