Variety, versatility — what's not to love?

Variety, versatility — what's not to love?

Feeling Corny?

Corn-tastic recipes here!

I can assure you that not everybody loves me.

This is a very nice story and I appreciate it very much. It does however, paint a picture of me as a very lovable person, when in fact I am not. So although slightly factually inaccurate, it is still nicely done. http://triblive.com/mobile/4256918-96/watkins-cooking-classes

Pack a Picnic this Weekend!

http://triblive.com/mobile/4237091-96/park-add-gallon

It's Strawberry Season!

Strawberry Mojito

Lemon Strawberry Blondies

Kids and Homemade Pasta

It was ten years ago that Michelle Peters called me from Sweetwater Center for the Arts in Sewickley, PA asking if I would teach cooking to kids for a summer camp program. As an employment opportunity, teaching kids was something that had never entered the realm of my consciousness. And teaching kids in a room full of knives and fire was something that had probably never entered anyone's consciousness. But, hey, I'm a thrill seeker and a glutton for punishment so why the hell not?As it turned out, I'm actually pretty good at teaching. And if I'm honest, I have to admit that I even enjoy it.

My favorite day of camp is always pasta day. Each year I teach a different shape of pasta paired with an appropriate sauce. The kids and I make pasta  by hand, on a table and flatten the dough with a rolling pin. It's hard work. But the kids can easily memorize and later repeat the recipe at home if they have a parent willing to clean up one hell of a mess. Pasta day typically ends with 12-14 kids and I covered in flour, fairly exhausted and stuffed full of delicious, homemade pasta. The effort plus the somewhat instant gratification equals happy, confident kids, if only for a few hours.

PASTA DOUGH

1 1/4 Cups Flour

2 large eggs

pinch of salt

Depending on what pasta shape you choose, this recipe will make 2-4 servings of cooked pasta. 

Here are photos from a recent class. The kids learned some knife skills and food safety and made wholewheat pasta, turkey meatballs and fresh tomato-basil sauce.

See more photos here!

The Not-Quite-Homemade School Colors Cake Fiasco

Never have I professed to be perfect. Not as a person, a vocalist nor a kitchen wench. I love sharing my successes in the kitchen because I want others to know how simple it is to prepare really good food. If I can do it, certainly most anyone else can too. I'm not magic.

For the most part, I'm a "from scratch" kid of gal. But in this case, I wanted to prepare a cake that anybody else, also pressed for time, could prepare for the specific purpose of completing the menu on which I was working; a "Cater Your Own Graduation Party" menu. It's graduation season and many parents are expected to host parties this time if year. Not all parents have the means to hire caterers and event staff and not all parents know where to begin in regard to planning their own event. So it was intended as a self help guide. In the spirit of the story, I decided that my "School Colors Cake" would be made from a mix. (gasp!!) And I know, just as you know, that many of us resort to mixes despite our prowess in the kitchen, simply because we can. I'm just ballsy enough to admit my kitchen diva transgression to the world.

I believe that the ensuing fiasco was the Gods of kitchen karma telling me not to be a lazy ass.

Here's the cake when it was first assembled 

Here's the story of the cake, omitted in editing from the original story in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review.

School Colors Layer Cake

It would be easy for me to just share some recipes and pretend that everything I attempt cook works out exactly as planned. However, there is no blunder-free magic bubble surrounding my kitchen. The truth is that I’ve never been very good with cakes. Cakes, cookies and other fussy decorative things are not my forte. Cobblers, pies and puddings I can handle. Cakes-not so much. So after spending several hours baking, cooling, cutting and decorating this cake a day in advance, I put it in the back up fridge then went to retrieve it the next day only to discover that the top half of the cake had toppled over. In order to preserve the cake for the photo you see here, my solution was to squish it all together, stick in a few leftover, takeout chopsticks to stabilize it and add another big layer of frosting. Problem solved. I was just as happy to accept the accolades for the delicious, if not picture perfect cake.  The other secret I feel compelled to share is that I cheated a bit as a time saving measure and used store bought cake mixes and store bought cream cheese icing. Any time I use a store bought cake mix, I add an extra egg and replace 1/4 cup of water with additional oil. This makes the cake very moist. The most important thing to remember is that you don’t have to tell anybody you used a mix. Just accept their praises and say “Thank you!”. Of course, you can always just order a cake from your favorite bakery too. A cake like this will require significant refrigerator space, so do what will work best for you.

 2 boxes generic white cake mix

2 boxes generic yellow cake mix

green food coloring (or food coloring of your choice)

6 containers generic cream cheese frosting

“DIY” tube of dark green decorator frosting and tip attachments

Mix one box of yellow cake mix, adding an extra egg and substituting 1/4 cup of oil for water. While mixing, add the food coloring until the batter reaches the desired color. Grease a 9x13 pan, pour in the cake mix and allow it to settle into the pan on a flat surface. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix the other box of mix the same way and also add it to another greased 9 x 13 pan, allowing it about 5 minutes to settle into the level pan. Bake as per the directions on the box, making sure to turn and switch the pans on the oven racks halfway through the baking time. Follow the same steps with the white cake mixes, with or without adding color. My colors were green and white so I chose to leave the white cake batter alone. After the cakes have cooled, use a long, straight edged carving knife to level them while still in the pan, using the edges of the pan as a leveling guide. Cut the cakes in half, then remove them from the pans. Use wax paper to separate the pieces. Stack one piece on the other to cut them into the same size and shape. Repeat that process until they’re all cut. Remove the frosting from the containers and whisk it in a bowl until slightly creamier. It will be easier to spread after it is whisked. Set some frosting aside and add food coloring to it if desired. Frost the cake and assemble it on the platter on which it will be served. Put a little icing on the platter before you lay down the first layer of cake. Frost the layers, adding alternate colors, one at a time. You can use chopsticks or cake stabilizing spindles (available at craft stores and cake decorating stores)to hold your layers together. After you've stacked and frosted the layers, frost the outside of the cake and decorate as desired. Do this a day or two ahead of time. Lightly cover and refrigerate the cake. Remove it from the refrigerator shortly before serving. 

And here's the cake after the squishing and icing process-

And guess what? 

It was freakin' delightful!

Simple Graduation Party Menu

http://triblive.com/mobile/3918620-96/event-party-menu

Easter Menu for any Special Occasion

Several of the recipes in this story were among my absolute favorite to research, write and test. Special occasion foods are just that; meant for special occasions. Just like the occasions themselves, they are often labor intensive but worth every minute in the end. From this Mediterranean Easter Menu, published in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review on March 27, 2013, I highly recommend trying any or all of the recipes for your next special occasion meal. The Italian Easter Pie will knock your socks off! The Spanish Potatoes of Importance are decadent and mouth watering. The Roman Lamb Stew is delicate and velvety smooth. The Warm Brussels Sprouts Slaw is good for any meal. And the Asparagus with Leeks and Spanish Easter Cakes are simple to prepare and incredibly delicious. Savor the time it takes to prepare a meal like this for the people close to you, whether it's a holiday or just a weekday and enjoy every bite!

Easter Menu Features Recipes from Italy, Spain and France
http://triblive.com/lifestyles/fooddrink/3647985-74/pan-asparagus-add#axzz2PQI55y1g

First Day of Spring? Finally!

There are government officials in Ohio who want to kill Phil, the groundhog. But Pittsburghers know this extended winter is nothing new at all and can certainly not be blamed on an uneducated little critter like Phil. There are certified meteorologists out there that didn't predict this correctly either. What should we do with them? Regardless of where you stand on the groundhog death penalty, the fact that spring is a little late this year, only means that we have to wait a bit longer before enjoying the first, young "fruits" of the season. This "First Day of Spring Menu" was published in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review on March 20, 2013. But now that it's April 3, the local ingredients should actually start to become available locally. Enjoy!!

Welcome the Season with this Bright and Light Menu

http://triblive.com/lifestyles/fooddrink/3609040-74/green-chicken-spring#axzz2PQI55y1g 

A Handy Guide to Not Being an Ass on St. Patty's Day

Not a Party for Everyone

For some restaurant staffers, St. Patrick’s Day is the most dreaded day of the year. As the head chef of an Irish pub for several years, for me it always meant a very long and laborious week that ended with a trip to the chiropractor. For the Irish and Irish themed bars in Pittsburgh as well as all of the bars and restaurants in Market Square, the day of the St. Patrick’s Day parade is as completely insane a party as on St. Patrick’s Day itself. This year both events fall on the same day and I am positively elated that I won’t be anywhere near Market Square or any Irish pub to witness the madness. My sympathy will be with my friends in the industry who have no choice but to be in the thick of it, up to their knees in mayhem and drunks. Working in the “Irish for a day” hot spots, you experience the worst of people on this one day on a level unlike the worst of any other day. Customers that you only see once a year, customers that you’ll never see again and often customers that you see on a regular basis throw all decorum out the window and tie one on like it’s their first and last day of drinking on this earth. The unfortunate few that have to attend to the inebriated hordes will have front row seats for fist fights and face-plants. They’ll have to clean up puke and remove one or many revelers from their premises. They’ll cut many people off from alcohol service and may have to call the police to handle a belligerent customer more than once. They’ll be covered in beer and onion gravy and all manner of unidentifiable substances. Yes, they’ll make some money but they’ll have earned every penny of it, particularly as a more than a few of you will be too drunk to remember to tip properly if you remember to tip at all. And by the end of the day, they will hate you with a passion that is white hot. Many of them will consider new careers and a few will leave the restaurant industry in a spontaneous and dramatic March 17th departure. It is with these service industry workers in mind that I offer up this guide to not making an ass of yourself to everyone planning to partake in the party of all Pittsburgh parties that is St. Patrick’s Day.

St. Patrick’s Day Guide to Not Making an Ass of Yourself

1.      Have a designated driver prearranged or a safe escape plan.

If nobody in your group is willing to be the DD then plan to spend money on a cab or car service or reserve a hotel room. If you’re downtown and need a cab then your best bet is not to call the Yellow Cab number but to walk to one of the hotels, tip the doorman ($5or more) and ask him/her to get you a taxi to wherever you’re going. Calling for a cab in Pittsburgh is, under normal circumstances, an exercise in futility. Walk to a hotel and make the doorman your new best friend. If you drive into town, don’t park illegally.

2.      Pace yourself.

Drinking all day requires some planning.  If you’re not accustomed to drinking from breakfast to last call then the fact alone that it is St. Patrick’s Day will not improve your tolerance. Eat breakfast and avoid doing shots. One drink an hour is enough if you’re in for the long haul. Also try to drink a glass of water or other non-alcoholic beverage between each round.

3.      Have your credit card or cash in hand and at the ready.

There is no “honor system” on St. Patrick’s Day. No bartender in their right mind is going to trust you to pay at your leisure so be prepared. You’ll speed up service for everyone.

4.      Don’t forget your manners.

A “please” and “thank you”, not positioning yourself in the middle of the service bar area and resisting the urge to scream song requests at the band or bang your glass on the bar for the bartender’s attention will go a long way in creating good will between you and the staff at any bar.

5.      Keep your group together.

If you’re out with a group, make sure everyone is accounted for when leaving one place and heading to another. This will eliminate a lot of the potential for drama later in the night. Nobody wants to be interviewed on the news the day after an outing because a friend went missing. And for goodness sake, if one of the members of your group is too trashed to continue to the next stop, please send him or her home. If you can’t put them in a cab then it’s time for you to call it a night. There will be another St. Patrick’s Day and parade day next year but you can’t replace a friend. And cab fare is much cheaper than bail. Do the responsible thing and look out for your buddy’s safety and well being as well as your own.

6.      The most basic, everything you learned in kindergarten, rules of acceptable behavior should be observed.

No pushing and shoving, no fighting, no stripping or urinating in public, no spitting, no screaming, no leaving the party with strangers, no driving while under the influence and no lewd and lascivious public displays of affection. Do not attempt to sit-in with the band, get behind the bar or walk into the kitchen or venture into any other “employees only” area of any bar or restaurant. Don’t touch anyone without his or her permission, don’t drink from anyone else’s glass, use your indoor voices and don’t forget to tip servers, bartenders, valets, doormen and the like.

7.  Finally, have a happy, safe and enjoyable St. Patrick’s Day without risking incident, injury or incarceration. Sláinte! Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Daoibh!

Fat Tuesday; Decadence is Key
http://triblive.com/lifestyles/fooddrink/3357215-74/tuesday-fat-dinner#axzz2Ktwn6NmN

Nobody Cares; Pro Restaurant Reviewers are Obsolete; Abridged

The professional restaurant reviewer is as relevant to today's dining masses as the rotary phone is to the social lives of today's teens. When most of us decide to try a new restaurant, we typically rely on the recommendations of those close to us or online resources like Urban Spoon, Yelp and Google Reviews. We all have the opportunity to wade through the ocean of information and opinions offered by a multitude of fellow consumers in order to determine which food and beverage retailers will be the recipients of our hard earned dollars. The more consumer reviews available, the better. The diversity of those sharing their experiences allows for a much broader and more objective picture of what can be expected from one's visit to any given venue; thus rendering the traditional role of the professional food critic obsolete.

A few days ago, Melissa McCart, the new dining critic for the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, wrote what can only be loosely defined as a "story" about her visit to the Monterey Pub; a quaint and cozy little Irish themed pub in the Mexican War Streets section of Pittsburgh's north side. Had I no history with or connection to this establishment, I would have only read this piece of journalistic offal, one eyebrow raised in confusion and wonderment, and discarded it along with the rest of the day's trash. However, as the previous head chef at the pub (that's chef, not cook, Ms. McCart) and the wife of the bartender, that's the Pittsburgh City Paper's Best Bartender in Pittsburgh, I had to, most unfortunately, give it a second and third read and did so while in a state of utter amazement. Monterey Pub Visit by Melissa McCart.

Melissa McCart

I have since taken the time to reveiw some of Ms. McCart's other handy work and have done a bit of research into her career. Melissa McCart was a blogger from the Washington D.C. area who turned professional critic after somehow landing a job with Ft. Lauderdale's New Times. Her imminent arrival was skeptically announced on the Inside Ft. Lauderdale website in July 2011. The same website bade her goodbye and good riddance less than a year later in May of 2012. Melissa McCart is Gone. 

Ms. McCart's retelling of her visit to the pub is nothing if not lacking in relevant content and teeming with gossip, misinformation, thinly veiled insults, catty and snide remarks, unenlightened observations and unethical violations of the privacy of the pub's customers. My overall feeling about this so called story, which is really only a vehicle for the conveyance of eavesdropped private conversations, is that Melissa found herself alone at the bar in a popular neighborhood pub and feeling quite the outsider in a place where everybody really does know everybody else by name. And although I can guarantee that her service was friendly and efficient, it appears that she decided to paint a snarky portrait of the pub and the pub patrons; a warm and tight-knit group of friends and neighbors in which she was not and now, probably will not ever be included. If her goal was for everyone at the pub to know her name, well then- mission accomplished lady.

In her story, Ms. McCart refers to the neighborhood as stately and grand while sharing that she finds the pub to possess neither of those attributes. She refers to the customers and staff as all alike in that they are neither young nor old. She names names and shamelessly and carelessly shares tidbits of conversations in which she was not included or invited or given consent to repeat. She insults the menu, implying that it is pedestrian and not thoughtfully constructed, referring to only one section of the whole menu, not the section from which she ordered mind you, as "pseudo-novel".  Through such implications she further insults the customers, many of whom are real journalists by the way, in stating that this carb and meat heavy menu is suited to fit the pub's regulars. 

McCart goes on to proclaim that the pub is "NO gastropub" by her definition. This detail, in particular, is one I'd like to address. First of all, the term "gastropub" is one that is used by self-important and annoying foodie types who like to hear themselves talk about things they don't completely understand. Nobody in their right mind, in a proper neighborhood pub, in this down to earth city where she now resides, would want to be labeled a "gastropub". It is a pretentious and stupid word, the definition of which is subject to a wide variety of interpretation. One man's gastropub can easily be another man's dive.

 Ms. McCart also somehow determined that there couldn't possibly be a real chef in the pub kitchen. Let me correct that misconception for her as well. In the Monterey Pub kitchen is Chef Michael Crawford, formerly the chef and owner of Southwest Bistro, which was located on 6th Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh. Not only is Chef Crawford a "real chef", he's an award winning chef with extensive and impressive credentials and experience. 

Clearly and unfortunately for her, Ms. McCart doesn't "get" the pub. That being the case, she probably doesn't "get" Pittsburgh either. The Monterey Pub is a great representation of the people and the spirit of our city. It is an unpretentious, charming and comfortable environment that welcomes all alike; young, old, black, white, gay, straight, strangers and familiars. Based on her body of work, my opinion is that our newest dining critic is far from qualified to offer an informed, objective and insightful review for purposes of "educating" Pittsburgh's dining public. 

There are, without a doubt, more qualified and far more talented people in the immediate area who would do a vastly better job as the PG's dining critic, however obsolete a job it may be. I can immediately think of 100 people who are more intellectually and technically prepared to fill this position. Hell, I know a couple of fifth graders who would have written a more informative and content rich story about the pub than this pile of dung that somehow made it past editing.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding the intent. Maybe Ms. McCart meant for this to read like a gossip column. I can't say for sure. I can only suppose that the pub isn't quite up to the high falutin' standards and greatly refined palate of one Melissa McCart. Get a look at the picture folks. If you see Ms. McCart sitting next to you the when she's out on the town, by herself, enjoying an Irish pint and a couple of chicken wings, be sure to keep your voices down.