madgreek's Profile
What makes a good pizza, to YOU?
I feel like it is a matter of ingredients for me. Thin crust or thick, Chicago Style, New York Style, Cleveland Style (this actually exists lol) can all be great if executed correctly (read as "traditional for the region". The ingredients make all the difference. By that, I mean I think all pizza tastes better with certain additional ingredients which are not always included in pizza. Often, these are things that I must include when making pizza at home, because many pizza places do not do them.
Crushed garlic. About 1 good sized clove rubbed in with EVOO...
Enough salt. Low sodium pizza is is just not right. It's like drinking non-alcoholic beer. You need salt in pizza. It doesn't need to be "salty", but certainly not too far away...
One thing that I think makes pizza better is anchovy paste. I use a very small amount (less than 1/2 tsp on a 14" pizza and rub it in the crust with the olive oil and garlic. Don't cringe anchovy haters. It doesn't make the pizza at all "fishy". It just gives a depth a flavor that you don't always find. My wife hates fish, and always loves my pizza when I add this.
As far as toppings: Roasted vegetables are a necessity. I love carmelized onions, brussels sprouts, and Red Peppers. Raw veggies on a pizza are no good. canned are downright disgusting.
Another thing is a few tsp of EVOO on top. I prefer fruity olive oils, like Spanish Arbequina. "Peppery" olive oils are not for me...on anything.
A pinch of Greek oregano sprinkled on top of the cheese.
Fresh sweet tomato sauce (if applicable). It must not be too "raw" tasting. It needs to be an actual coherent sauce. I've had pizza way too many times which has had what tastes like raw canned tomato paste in the sauce. It's metallic and disgusting. Why the hell would you do that?
New CSA in Northeast Ohio
I'm on my second year of a csa subscription with Simon Farms, and couldn't be happier. They are great people. Their csa subscribers have doubled in the last year, and they look like they'll have a greenhouse for the start of next year. I'm so fortunate to have this farm!!! The fruits and veggies I get from them are incredible!
Trader Joe's Holiday Items. What are you looking forward to? [old]
I never even noticed if TJ's has one. I did find a frozen pumpkin pie locally for $1.25. At that price, I couldn't say no. Not to mention it was all natural (all the same ingredients I use in my recipe) and tasted freakin' awesome!
Trader Joe's Holiday Items. What are you looking forward to? [old]
What are everyone's thoughts on the panettone?
I bought some last year and thought it was good, though admittedly I haven't had the bread from more than 1 other supplier.
Trader Joe's Holiday Items. What are you looking forward to? [old]
Ooooohhhhh. Good Call.
Trader Joe's Holiday Items. What are you looking forward to? [old]
I'd like to know what holiday foods TJ's has that you can't wait to see this year. I'm always happy to see the pumpkin ice cream, peppermint bark, and Vintage Ale.
Looking for local Tofu in NE Ohio.
In our area, either you befriend some kind local asians or make it yourself.
This place has some decent quality packaged stuff though: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=oriental+foods+whipple+canton+oh&fb=1&split=1&gl=us&view=text&latlng=7552321536519130125&dtab=7&oi=md_placemarks&sa=X&ei=NrufSr6RNIOKNvu24c4L
Trader Joe's culture
"The Woodmere neighborhood is a culinary paradise with SurLaTable and Penzeys in the same plaza as TJ's, and a Whole Foods a mile down the road."
Oh yeah. It's easy for me to spend a whole Saturday between those places. Actually, I often start the day at the Stone Oven for some pastry and/or bread (plus my daughter won't let me come home without some of their chocolate-dipped coconut macaroons). I'll hit SurLaTable and Penzey's (if I'm looking for spices) first, then to TJ's and Whole Foods. Sadly, I usually don't have time for Whole Foods, but it's probably for the best, since it's so pricey. Then, it's about an hour home. A big cooler is a must for this trip.
What candy (chocolate) Bars do you still crave?
I still crave snickers, I had one last winter, which is kinda when I'm in the mood for them. Classic childhood memories every time I eat one.
I became a big fan of take two bars, but am now a bigger fan of a rolo topped with a pecan on a square pretzel, cooked in the oven until the rolo just starts to melt, then cooled (or frozen)
Chocolate
Wal-Mart of all places has a decent dark chocolate that been recently stocked in my area. It is a Costa Rican trinitario chocolate called Hageland. It is made in belgium, and imported to California. It is one of the smoothest dark chocolates I have ever had. It tastes extremely fruity and smokey to me. The price is good too. Just $2.12 for a 3.5 oz bar.
I'm not too thrilled about spending my money at Wal-Mart, though recently, I have been happy that they are trying to be a bit more responsible in their business model. More importantly, though I like the taste, I'm a little worried about this bar. I'm not exactly sure who makes it, there is what seems like a purposeful lack of information about the company, and the importing company has an address outside San Fransisco at docks which have a heavy Asian Mafia influence. Maybe I'm crazy, but it just seems suspicious.
Tastes good though-lol!
How is it possible that I just discovered this guy?
Watch more shows. We're exaggerating a bit, of course, but sometimes, he uses a lot more to rinse than one would expect, particularly when he has another person on the show tasting with him. It raises an eyebrow, especially with $100+ bottles. A clean glass for each would create less waste. I wouldn't have him change it, though. It kind of de-mystifies wine a bit for me, which is a good thing.
How is it possible that I just discovered this guy?
One better: I love when he pours out half a bottle just to rinse the glasses.
How is it possible that I just discovered this guy?
http://tv.winelibrary.com/about/
I need to see your thoughts on this person. I have much to say about him, but want to see comments first.
Best Cheap Beer
It is sold at the Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland for $2/can. I guess it makes sense. It's a cheap beer that isn't well known enough any more to carry the negative stigma of PBR or Bush.
Cleveland Trip for Our Anniversary...
It was great. I definitely have a different perspective of the city. Here's a cool pic I took from the balcony at WSM.
Cleveland Trip for Our Anniversary...
Ok, short and sweet. I took my wife up to the Cleve for a weekend away (we're in Canton, so it's only an hour or so), and was pleasantly surprised with the food going on in my neighboring (kinda) metropolis. We stayed at the Radisson across from Quicken Arena (only had to pay for one night out of the two, so the $200/night B+B's in Ohio city were quickly ruled out, as romantic as they sounded when planning.)
Friday, we had some white pizza from the Winking Lizard. I had a Dogfish Head Festina Peche. Sour, but fruity and summer...y. I enjoyed it, especially with the salty popcorn. We grabbed our food to go and headed to the hotel to enjoy our usual celebratory pizza and champagne dinner. I know, we ooze class. Try it sometime, though. You'll never look at champagne the same once you pair it with pizza. If you feel better about it, pick up a Tarte d' Alsace from TJ's instead, or pay a french restaurant to make the same thing and charge you ten times more for it. Anyway, we were off to a great start...
So Saturday, we spent our day in Ohio City. First stop? West Side Market, of course! (http://www.westsidemarket.org/about.html) I was excited, since I'd never been there. Alright, so we got there at 7:15. It was just too damn early. At least 1/3 of the shops were still closed, and many were still opening up. I grabbed acarmel coffee and wife got a mint hot chocolate from City Roast. We wandered through for 15 minutes or so to get a feel for the place, then stopped at the cafe (http://westsidemarketcafe.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=32&Itemid=49) for breakfast. She got some sausage and hash browns, and I had a benedict arnold. Good fresh poached eggs, and I liked the addition of avocado. Creamy and satisfying with a nice crunch from the muffin, I loved the hash. It had minced peppers and onions in it, and it was all toasty and delicious. It stayed nice and crispy even when it cooled.
We headed back to the market recharged and ready for a big morning of food overload. It was a little after 8:45 at this point, and more shops had opened up. We started at the cafe side, and worked our way up and down the aisles, gawking at all the great stuff. I was mesmerized by the smell of the fresh baked bread from Mediterra, and the cupcakes from Grandma Freda's. Everything looked so good. People were already lined up for Bratwurst at Frank's, which was obviously a good sign. 95% of the meat shops looked as they should. Many larger/primal cuts were in the cases, and it all looked so fresh it was almost other-worldly. Ohio City had fresh pasta flavors I love to see like mushroom, red pepper, spinach... The gnocchi looked beautiful. This was pasta art. Urban herbs had lots of dried herbs and spices, blends, and many typed of grains and legumes. The blocks of Himalayan salt were a cool thing for them to have, smartly positioned right at the corner of the stand. Mediterranean Imported Foods was a nice little shop, with Feta, olives, cold cuts, canned goods, everything you would expect in a Greek import store. Steve's Gyros had the standard Kronos cone on a vertical roaster, (http://www.kronosproducts.com/p-meats1.html) which isn't necessarily a problem, but the tzatziki sauce wasn't really tzatziki. It was red, and I was told it was made from sour cream and their "secret spices". LOL. Maha's Falafil looked more appetizing, since I have a couple of local gyro shops selling Kronos gyro meat. Both the beef/lamb and chicken schawarma at Maha's consisted of whole cuts seasoned and layered on the rotisserie stick. That's what I'm talking about. The Falafil looked like it had plenty of parsley in the patty (green is a good thing). Dani's Seafood looked a little run-down, but all accounts indicated that this place has the best fish. There was always a long line, and people waiting were talking to each other about how good the fish was, so detective work wasn't exactly necessary to find this info out.
All the produce (in an interesting u-shaped building surrounding the main market) looked fresh, and was well priced. There wasn't as much local and organic food out in those stands as I was expecting, given current trends. Much of it was definitely from out of state (California mainly), and a good amount looked as if it was from out of the country. The fingerling potatoes caught my eye, as did the white cherries, but I held back, since I have a share in a great CSA near home, and could only carry so much back to the hotel. I did see the biggest, freshest figs ever at one of the stands, but still resisted. I should have gotten some. Figs are cheaper in my area, but are hard to find, and never look as beatiful and fresh as the ones I saw at the WSM that day.
I went home with a ton. First was two bags of local baked pita from Maha. Then, some chili powder, beans, saffron rice, and red quinoa from Urban Herbs. I had to get some Dave's insanity hot sauce from Narrin's. Also, I got a few great loaves of bread from Mediterra. The rustic bread was had for dinner the next day, I froze the multi-grain, and the baguette was eaten that night. Imported Greek Feta andKalamata Olives from Mediterranean foods was great with the bread, and I picked up some Dagoba chocolate there which was a good price. Ohio City Pasta was a must. I decided on a few packs of the fresh red pepper linguini. Candy corner had some great looking chocolate covered, pecan caramel topped pretzel rods which had to come home with us, along with some buckeyes. Finally, on the way out, I grabbed a Falafel from Maha's. It was the best. Plenty of onion and parsley in the patty topped with a tangy spicy tahini sauce.
After the market, we checked out Ohio City. There really wasn't much to see in the area. It was around 10:30 a.m. Bar Cento wasn't open yet, and neither was Great Lakes. Farka's Pastry Shop was open, and thank god it was. I got a raspberry bar, which was nice. They're known for their napoleons, but I just wasn't in the mood for that much dairy. We also saw Athen's Greek Store ( much bigger than the Greek shop in the Market), and the German market just down the road. When Great Lakes opened (http://www.greatlakesbrewing.com/), we got a sampler of all the draft beers, and some soft beer pretzels. Great pretzels. Great Beer.
That evening, We sat at the chef's table at the Greenhouse Tavern (http://www.thegreenhousetavern.com/). The place had good food, but slow service, which I couldn't believe given my proximity to the chef himself, Jonathan Sawyer. The market fish was very fresh and simple, with tons ofbrothy goodness. The chicken wings were so tender, it was amazing. For dessert, the pear tart with cognac creme was perfect. The crust was buttery and flaky, but with just enough chew so that it held up to the fork, and the sauce was creamy with a hint of cognac flavor which cut through the sweetness of the pears nicely. Yum.
Sunday morning, we slept in and had a nice brunch at the Flying Fig (http://www.theflyingfig.com/). I had the mushroom flatbread (really just a pizza), and she had some pancakes which tasted exactly like french toast. The flavors were good, we just didn't get what we were expecting. The portions were small, and prices were a bit high. The fruit plate was very fresh, and I liked the strawberry preserves which came with the bread. I had a michelada, which really hit the spot. Afterward, we hit Trader Joe's in Woodmere for some necessities (LOL), then headed home for a nice meal (enter Mediterra's Italian bread!) with family.
Maybe this wasn't so short and sweet after all...
Trader Joe's culture
I agree completely. I go to the one in Woodmere (east side of Cleveland, for those who aren't local), and have the same perception of the employees. Sometimes, I actually enjoy the conversations with them. I guess I can buy into the idea that they are being genuine, at least some of the time. I even navigate the aisles the same way. The place always seems too small for carts. Three people in an aisle can cause a hold up.
Prix Fixe dinners in Downtown Cleveland?
It's too late for you if you left Friday, but the Greenhouse Tavern is offering a four course tasting menu for $37. The food is usually local, often organic, and well executed.
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The Greenhouse Tavern
2038 E 4th Street, Cleveland, OH 44115
does it bother you when they charge xtra for grilled onions on your burger?
If it was called an onion burger, you have a point pauli. If not, It is reasonable for it to be considered extra.
Two dinners in Canton Ohio
Thanks for the follow-up. I just noticed you had posted. I just got back from a vacation to NY. It goes without saying that the city is a great place to eat. Sigh... as much as I love Canton, It doesn't even come close to the amount variety NY has to offer. I could post about it on CH for days without taking my hands off the keyboard, but much has been said by others much more eloquent than I. Needless to say, It's good to be home.
wine in aluminum pop-top cans? why not?
Of course it's a good idea. But it's hard enough to convince high-end beer drinkers to drink microbrews in cans, so good luck with that one.
Searching for best store bought salsas
Yep. Herdez. I've made fresh salsa which was much, much less "fresh" tasting -lol.
Two dinners in Canton Ohio
Keep in mind, Hazel is a pretty small operation, but I think it has been gaining popularity. I doubt all their sweets are all available all the time, and I'm not sure they make napoleons. It would best to call for availability and selection at any given time. I wish they had a website!
Two dinners in Canton Ohio
Good Greek food? The best in the area is at my house, but I 'm not quite ready to start a restaurant yet :) There isn't really a good "Greek" restaurant, just a place for decent Gyro sandwiches and some Middle-Eastern resto's.
Papa Gyros is good for gyros and souvlaki. http://cleveland.metromix.com/restaurants/greek/papa-gyros-canton/368530/content . The gyro meat is the normal pre formed cone, and not the traditional Thessaloniki style layered seasoned slices of fatty lamb or pork shoulder (more like schawarma , which you don't find much outside major us cities anyway). At least it isn't the already cut boiled or pan-fried slices of mystery meat. It's actually cooked on a vertical gyro rotisserie, which makes all the difference from both a texture and flavor standpoint. They have an extensive menu, and there is another location on 18th and Cleveland Ave., but to me, they're just a place for a decent gyro. The other offerings are fine, but not everything is made in-house.
Dessert Inn is middle-eastern/Greek: http://local.yahoo.com/info-15697924-desert-inn-canton. It's not cheap though, but is consistently good.
Sahara Grille is less expensive, but good. http://saharagrille.com/ . The family that owns it are very nice people. It's right next to the Olive Garden, which is packed nearly every night. I often wonder why people would rather eat that garbage than have something more interesting (right next door). It says a lot about the type of people around here.
I don't blame you about the seafood. To it's credit, Bender's is the only place in the area which has never disappointed me with their seafood.
Two dinners in Canton Ohio
Fedeli does have very good italian food, and are definitely veg friendly: http://www.fedelicantonohio.com/
John's bar has been around for years, and there is good reason. They make solid no-frills Bar food, but it isn't just burgers and fries. I think it's Canton's closest thing to a gastropub: http://johnsgrille.com/index.htm
...they are a good deal for breakfast on Saturday
Bender's is an institution. It's the only place I know of in the city that serves USDA Prime beef, and their seafood is flown in from Boston every day. Not exactly innovative classic American cuisine: http://www.bendersrestaurant.com/
...great lunch specials, dinners are too pricey for me-lol
If you find yourself in North Canton, try Hazel Bakery. http://local.yahoo.com/info-15707152-hazel-artisan-bakery-llc-north-canton It's European style, and they do tasty simple soups, salads, and their baked goods are very well made. You can tell they use only the best ingredients and definitely care about everything that they make. Now that I think of it, might go there for lunch today...and pick up a baguette for dinner-lol .
Also in North Canton is Cafe 1320. http://events.ohio.com/canton-oh/venues/show/134339-cafe-1320 . Good. Cheap. Small. Diner. Good coffee (for a diner). I love their vegetable soup. Not too salty.
I hope that gives you a few places you can experience. If you want any more recommendations, I'd be happy to help, just give more information on what you are looking for. There are a few ethnic places which are definitely worth one's time, if one were so inclined.
Be sure to provide an update on your experiences. More Chowhound threads on Canton are needed. (as you have seen)
trendy ingredient or spice?
Cardamom seems to be building steam. I don't get it. It is just ginger to me. Musty ginger.
How do you like your salmon?
+1. I agree completely. It isn't best cooked, but when it is, it should be cooked through. (but not too much)
Pizza Hut - 3lb Tuscani Pasta
This pasta cracks me up. It's so obvious that it's pre-cooked and warmed up to order. I cant wait till they package the exact same thing in a consumer grade box with pretty shiny colors and sell it in the freezer aisle at Wal-Mart-lol.
