The Ruby Grapefruit Gimlet (makes 2)

Does the thought of grapefruit cause your taste buds to cry out in alarm and your pucker to go into overdrive?

Well, here’s an adult beverage that will supply you with all of that grapefruit goodness without all of that bitter/sour that haunts your grapefruit memories… honest!

- Chez

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup Ruby Red Grapefruit Vodka
• 1/4 cup vodka
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (and don’t skimp here… make it fresh squeezed.)
• 2 tablespoons Simple Syrup (see below)
• 2 tablespoons fresh grapefruit juice (and don’t skimp here either… make it fresh squeezed.)
• Ice cubes
• 2 Grapefruit slices (garnish)

PREPERATION

Place first 5 ingredients in cocktail shaker; fill with ice.

Cover and shake quickly and vigorously for 8 seconds.

Strain into 2 Martini glasses.

Garnish with grapefruit slices.

Simple Syrup:

To prepare the simple syrup Stir 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons water in small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves.

Bring to boil; cool.

Mill Race Inn 12/5/10

Day Three brought us to the Mill Race Inn, a historic pub and eatery located on the east bank of the Fox River in Geneva, Illinois. Following on the heals of our outstanding experience of the previous evening, our hopes were high that tonight we would again experience a more-than-pleasant dining experience. Sadly, this was not to be.

We began with our cocktails, with Sheb ordering… yes, you guessed it, a Dirty Martini. For me, I chose a standard Manhattan. Sheb’s drink was fine but in mine was the harbinger of things to come for the evening. Too much bourbon, not enough sweet vermouth and no bitters? Well, then it isn’t really a Manhattan, is it! Well, it did have a cherry… three in fact, so sad.

With the appetizer course came the only ‘high spot’ for the evening, in the form of the Baked Mushroom Caps, which according to the menu were stuffed with spinach, onion and bacon, then drizzled with béarnaise sauce. We both found them to be quite acceptable.

Our second appetizer choice was the Crispy Coconut Duck Strips, supposedly tender strips of duck breast; coconut encrusted and fried golden brown, and served with a sweet and sour cherry dipping sauce and Asian-inspired coleslaw. Reality however was that while the duck was indeed succulent and flavorful, the heavy-handed coconut breading drowned out whatever ducky-goodness that might have been there and as for the sweet and sour dipping sauce… no sour, way too much sweet and not a good match for anything on the plate.

Now about that Asian inspired coleslaw… Note to Chef: Piling julienned red and yellow bell peppers on the side of the dish IS NOT the same as making coleslaw. What you made was a garnish and not a very good one.

Sheb’s main course for the evening came in the form of Swedish Meatballs in a sour cream sauce on black pepper fettuccine, topped with lingonberries. The pasta was acceptable and the sauce was a nice pairing with the dish, but the meatballs had the consistency of wet bread and were too soggy/mushy to be eaten.

Chez’ main course was the Grilled Ahi Steak, reported to be a fresh, Hawaiian tuna steak served medium rare with citrus lime butter, sided with wild rice blend and a fresh vegetable medley.

Reality was:

1. It wasn’t Ahi,
2. It was criminally over-cooked (despite my plea to the waitress to tell the chef to go sparingly with the heat) and,
3. It was over-salted and over-peppered at to make it ‘not fit for human consumption’ (Thank you Morimoto, for giving me just the right words to describe this dish!)

Even in the realm of service, the Mill Race Inn failed to deliver. Initially it was great, with a highly attentive server and visits from the manager. But with the arrival of a large party about thirty minutes after our arrival, we were relegated to the forgotten realm of the ‘corner booth’, in as much as there was only one server and the table of eight trumps the table of two. Filled with disgust, we left the restaurant and went to A & W for dessert.

So, as you can guess… we won’t be going back.


- Chez

Buckingham’s 12/4/10

Day Two of our Restaurant Marathon took us to Elgin, Illinois and the Grand Victoria Casino. Now casinos are renowned for having good food so let me preface this review by saying… “The Grand Victoria and Buckingham’s did not disappoint”. From the elegant surrounding to the stellar service to the high quality of the food, the dining experience will need to be repeated and if not every evening… (As this isn’t practical or particularly cost effective) it is on Chez’ Repeat List for 2011. I have only high-praise for the staff and chefs at Buckingham’s.

Cocktail Time consisted of Sheb’s standard choice, the Dirty Martini but I ventured outside the box and went with a Rob Roy, if for no other reason than to see if they would get it right. They did!

Appetizers for the evening consisted of (for her) the Bacon Wrapped Scallops and (for him) Carpaccio. Concerning the scallops, Sheb had high praise for these jewels of the sea and while she abstains from eating the bacon wrapping, that just means that it will be available for my consumption!

Concerning the Carpaccio, the thinly sliced, meaty goodness was grand and the shaved Parma was exquisite. The chef strayed from the ‘traditional’ and went with a truffle oil rather than olive oil, and it gave the dish a nice touch... but when the chef continued to veer off the traditional path and opt for sunflower seeds in lieu of pine nuts? Not sure about that. I am not saying it was bad… just that I am not sure it was good. Tradition does have its place, you know.

The only real disappointment of the evening, and a minor one it was, was the soup course. Sheb declined the course but I went with a Lobster Bisque and when it arrived I found that it tasted reminiscent of canned Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup. Sure, there were delectable bits of lobster in it, sure it had a cutesy cracker spoon, sure it was good soup… but it wasn’t lobster bisque. No ‘happy face’ here.

As our main courses arrived, we were both in a level of high anticipation that our culinary extravaganza would continue. For Sheb, it came in the form of several ‘small’ plates filled with Grilled Asparagus, Wine Sautéed Mushrooms, Potato au Gratin and Beef Tenderloin Kabobs. No negative comments here and all was quite well on her side of the table.

My main dining choice was The Tomahawk, twenty-six ounces of manly Beef Meat, served up on an eighteen-inch bone straight out of an episode of ‘The Flintstones’. Sure, there were potatoes and veggies with a cheese sauce, but who cares… and throughout the dining experience I had the strangest urge to utter a Neolithic grunt.

Dessert time brought two more items to our table. For her, a huge slice of Double Chocolate Cake that could, without a doubt, feed a family of four for a week. (Joy upon joy, there will be leftovers!) For me, it was a hope that this was where Brule Heaven resided. Sadly, not today, for the Crème Brule suffered from ‘density’ issues and was more of a flan than a crème.

Nonetheless, Buckingham’s is a topnotch steakhouse with excellent food, great service, wonderful ambiance and should be visited by anyone who comes within 100 miles of the Grand Victoria Casino.

- Chez

Wildwood 12/3/10

Over the course of three days (12/3 through 12/5) we managed to visit three distinct restaurants; a local gem, a casino steak house and a riverfront icon, all within 20 miles of each other. The first of these visits was to the Wildwood, the local gem that is located in the quaint, scenic Dodson Place in Geneva, Illinois.

Despite it being ‘Kick-Off Night’ of the annual Christmas Walk Weekend, reservations were available and the restaurant was busy but well organized, with a good traffic flow that allowed customers to come and go without disturbing the clientele who were dining… a major accomplishment when one considers the sea of humanity that avails itself to the Geneva Christmas Walk each year.

The views of the square, decked out for the season as well as the tasteful décor inside gave the entire experience a very festive overtone and bode well for the night’s dining experience, which began with; yup you guessed it, cocktails. As is our custom, we both selected the Dirty Martinis with Blue Cheese-stuffed olives. (What is there not to love with this concoction?)

For our appetizer course we went with the French Goat Cheese, consisting of baked imported goat cheese, served atop spinach and surrounded by a sea of tomato basil sauce, served with an olive tapenade garnish. My wife and I differed on our rating of this dish. She found it quite tasty… while I found the sauce to be on the bland side, with it tasting more like pureed red peppers and having no tomato-esque zing that I was hoping for.

For the soup course we went old school, and both had the classic French Onion Soup. With this dish the folks at Wildwood kitchen hit it out of the park. The onions were done to perfection; the cheese was at a flawless consistency and all elements of the dish were equally represented without any one flavor dominating the dish. This one is a big thumbs up!

The Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Crumbles and Bacon was standard fare, but there was an issue with the dressing. On my wife’s dish, dressing flowed like an endless sea of creamy goodness. Moresthepity too, when one considers she is a ‘light dressing’ type. My salad, on the other hand was a veritable desert with just the faintest hint of creamy goodness.

For the main courses, Sheb went with the Tuxedo Pasta, a dish of sautéed chicken and tender bowtie pasta, tossed with sundried tomatoes, spinach, garlic and mushrooms topped with creamy gorgonzola. She (and I concurred) felt that the dish was on the bland and lifeless side and could have used a lot more zip.

I chose the Baked Sausage Fettuccine, an Italian fennel sausage dish simmered with red and green bell peppers and broccoli with a red wine marinara cream sauce, tossed with fettuccine, topped with provolone and baked until golden. My choice was outstanding and if you are a fennel fan (and I am), this one is for you.

As the dessert cart appeared it was time to contemplate the sweeter things of life. Despite the warnings of my wife, I went ahead and ordered the Orange Crème Brule, delicate orange custard with burnt sugar crust. As followers of this blog know, I have been on the quest for the perfect Crème Brule ever since that incredible moment of five years ago when I experience Crème Brule Nirvana, while at sea enroute to Jamaica. Well, tonight came close… but not quite. The brule was perfect and most of the crème was too, but the bottom 1/4 inch was grainy, thus it is relegated to ‘Good… just not great’. Well, a snifter of their finest will help assuage the pain of this disappointment!

So, what is the final analysis? Overall, Wildwood scores an 8.5 out of 10 and garners a ‘worthy of a repeat’, if for no other reason than to evaluate their steaks. Hmmmmm … when can I fit that visit in?

- Chez

Old Fashion Molasses Cookies (Makes 2 dozen)

I like cookies… heck, what’s not to like!

But if you like your cookies on the chewy side (I’m not a cookie snob. I’ll take them anyway I can get them) then these are for you.

The cracked and craggy structure, the heady molasses aroma and the bite from the ginger, coupled with subtle brown-sugar sweetness come together in this chewy cookie concoction that is sure to win 1st prize at your house.

Give them a try!

- Chez

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 3 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
• 2 large eggs

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a large bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon.

In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter, shortening, and 3 cups sugar until light and fluffy and beat in molasses. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture and combine well.

In a small shallow bowl put remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Form dough into 2-inch balls (I find that a standard Ice-cream scoop does a great job) and roll in sugar.

On baking sheets lined with parchment paper, arrange balls about 4 inches apart and flatten slightly with bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. (6 cookies will fit on a sheet.)

Bake cookies in batches in middle of the oven 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden. (Cookies should be soft.) Transfer cookies with a metal spatula to racks to cool.

Smokey Swiss Steak and Herb Egg Noodles (Serves 6)

In honor of the arrival of Albert Einstein in 1932, we had an 'All Swiss' day, and while Swiss steak does not originate from Switzerland, it does make a tasty addition to today's repertoire, and when its is paired up with these herb egg noodles, Das ist gud eats, ja?

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef bottom round, trimmed of excess fat
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil or bacon drippings
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Cut the meat with the grain into 1/2-inch thick slices and season on both sides with the salt and pepper. Place the flour into a pie pan. Dredge the pieces of meat on both sides in the flour mixture. Tenderize the meat using a needling device, until each slice is 1/4-inch thick. Dredge the slices on both sides once more and set aside.

Add enough of the bacon drippings or vegetable oil to just cover the bottom of a 4 to 5-quart Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the steaks to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd. Cook until golden brown on both sides, approximately 2 minutes per side. Remove the steaks to a plate and repeat until all of the steaks have been browned.

Remove the last steaks from the pot and add the onions, garlic, and celery. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Next add the tomatoes, paprika, oregano, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth and stir to combine. Return the meat to the pot, submerging it in the liquid. Cover the pot and place it in the oven on the middle rack. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the meat is tender and falling apart.

Herbed Egg Noodles

Ingredients

• 8 ounces wide egg noodles
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Salt
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced or 2 tablespoons chives or basil, minced

Directions

Bring a stockpot of water to a boil. Drop in the noodles and cook, stirring frequently, until al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Melt the butter.

Drain the noodles in a colander and return to the pot. Add the, butter, salt and parsley and toss.

Serve immediately.

Strawberry and Banana Smoothie (serves 6)

Want a healthy start to your day?

Well you can't go wrong with this Star Winner of Chez 11/21 All Vegetarian-Themed Day. Fruity, creamy and destined to be an essential part of your day, if you know what's healthy and good for you.

"What will we need Chez?"



1 lb strawberries (about 1 qt), trimmed and halved
1 ripe banana, cut into pieces
1 cup ice cubes
1/2 cup silken tofu
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons sugar


"And what should we do then Chez?"

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Cheese Ice Cream with Sherry Vinegar Syrup

You want unique? Well you got it here! If you are willing to stretch your culinary horizons I can think of no better dish than this one to start you on your way.

Chez was having a “Movie Night” on November 14 and the feature of the evening was El Cid. Well, no sense in missing an opportunity to explore Chez’ Spanish side and this dessert was the spectacular close to an auspicious meal. Bear in mind that the sauce and the ice cream is a set. You may opt to only go with one, but don’t do it… this set is a powerhouse!

Think ‘Cheesecake ice cream with a tangy syrup!’… yum.

Sherry Vinegar Syrup

• 1/2 cup Sherry vinegar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

Bring vinegar and sugar to a boil in a 1-quart heavy nonreactive saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly syrupy and reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 15 minutes, but don’t go by time. Keep your eyes open. There is a thin line between delicious and yuck… so be diligent! Pour into a heatproof bowl and cool completely. Syrup can be made 1 week ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Cheese Ice Cream

• 3 cups whole milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 ounces Fontina cheese, rind discarded and cheese coarsely grated (1 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Special equipment: an instant-read thermometer; an ice cream maker

Bring milk just to a boil in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan. Whisk together eggs, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a bowl, then add hot milk in a slow stream, whisking. Pour custard back into saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it registers 170 to 175°F on thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes. Immediately pour custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl, then add cheeses and vanilla, stirring until cheeses are completely melted and incorporated. Cover surface of custard with a round of wax paper and chill until very cold, about 4 hours.

Freeze custard in ice cream maker. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and put in freezer to harden, at least 2 hours.

Let soften at room temperature 20 minutes before serving. Top with cooled syrup.

Spaghetti and Meatballs All'Amatriciana (serves 6)

Want a killer spaghetti recipe? Love the tomato goodness of this classic pasta dish but getting just a bit tired of the ‘same old thing’? Want to improve on perfection? Yearn to experience a level of smokey goodness previously unknown?

Well here is an option that Chez tried and found to be well worthy of a coveted Star, Spaghetti and Meatballs All'Amatriciana, a spiced up version of the classic Italian sauce.

All'amatriciana hails from Amatrice, a town northeast of Rome. Classic all'amatriciana sauce is made from tomatoes, guanciale (salt-cured pig's jowl), and hot peppers. Here, Hungarian bacon stands in for the guanciale (Thank you Gary G.). If you don’t have garlicky, uber-smokey Hungarian bacon, you can us Applewood smoked, but know in advance… it just won’t be the same! Of course, you can always contact Gary.

On the down-side, sure, it is a bit labor intensive and yup, it will take a good portion of the day… but trust me. This ‘ain’t no jar spaghetti sauce’!

Meatballs:

• 6 ounces smoked bacon (about 6 slices), diced
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 pounds ground beef (15% fat)
• 2/3 cup chopped drained roasted red peppers from jar
• 2/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup coarsely grated onion
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram
• 2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:

• 2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice (preferably San Marzano)
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 6 ounces smoked bacon (about 6 slices), cut crosswise into thin strips
• 1 tablespoon (or more) extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups finely chopped onions
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh marjoram

Pasta:

• 1 1/2 pounds spaghetti
• 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh marjoram
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese


For meatballs:

Place bacon in processor. Using on/off turns, grind to coarse paste. Transfer to large bowl. Using garlic press, squeeze in garlic. Gently mix in beef and all remaining ingredients. Let stand 15 minutes.
Line large rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Using moistened hands and scant 2 tablespoonfuls for each, roll meat mixture into 11/2-inch meatballs. Arrange meatballs on sheet.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap; chill.

For sauce:

Puree tomatoes with juice and garlic in batches in blender until smooth.

Cook bacon in large pot over medium heat until crisp; transfer bacon to plate.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to drippings in pot and heat over medium heat. Add half of meatballs. Cook until brown on all sides, turning carefully with small metal spatula, about 9 minutes. Transfer meatballs to baking sheet. Add more oil to pot if needed and repeat with remaining meatballs.

Increase heat to medium-high. Add onions and crushed red pepper to pot.

Sauté until golden, about 6 minutes. Add wine; boil until reduced by half, stirring up browned bits, about 8 minutes. Add tomato puree and marjoram. Boil until sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix bacon into sauce. Add meatballs; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until meatballs are heated through and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

For pasta:

Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; transfer to large bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons oil and marjoram, adding more oil to moisten, if desired. Divide spaghetti among bowls. Top with meatballs and sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and serve, passing additional cheese separately.

The Walnut Speakeasy, Elgin, IL

Looking for fine dining establishments in and around the Hemmens Theater for the purpose of pre-symphony dining, Chez stumbled upon The Walnut Speakeasy in Elgin, Illinois. From their website (http://www.thewalnutspeakeasy.com/), their advertisements in the Elgin Symphony Orchestra Program and the reviews gathered from a host of locations, things looked promising.

The menu offered delectable choices, the pictures from the website documented the chef’s eye for culinary detail with his creations and the only negative that Chez could find from the reviews was the scarcity of suitable parking. Well-armed with this information, Chez and his dinner companion ventured forth to see if the ‘hype’ about this place was well deserved…

Sadly, it was not. The noise level of the placed had passed the ‘vibrant’ stage many dBs ago and was now operating in the ‘painful’ range. The background music and its over-amped bass setting was no doubt made all the worse by the presence of the plethora of televisions that festooned the walls, each on their own channel and adding to the cacophony.

The staff, who must have thought that it was still Halloween and all had decided to go as The Addam’s Family, did all of the ‘right things’ but from the demeanor of the host to the black fingernail adorned, waitress, to several of the clientele who wandered in during our stay, it gave the whole place a decidedly creepy feel.

Cocktails, our standard fair – the Martini, rated only a C-, due to the pronounced lack of ‘chill’ on the drink and the rather lackluster presentation… a bane of this establishment that was to permeate the entire evening.

The appetizer for the evening, the Saganaki (Flaming Cheese) was the savory highpoint of the evening and its distinct flavor won the day, but it too was lacking any panache in its presentation… so sad.

The salads, looking like refugees from the local Denny’s, failed to achieve any culinary points in either the taste department or in the presentation category. Now that I think about it, this statement might be doing a great disservice to Denny’s, since they DO NOT offer themselves out as a fine dining establishment.

For the main courses, Chez opted for the New York Strip with Au Ju and when it arrived, it did so:

a) Fatty and gristly,
b) Sans the Au Ju,
c) Served with over cooked veggie garnishes (no presentation points here),
d) And served with cold, limp, greasy French Fries.

The meal was a great disappointment and when you juxtapose this steak to the steak featured on their website… well, I am considering filing a Truth in Advertising Suit against the establishment, but I think my wife will talk me out of it.

For her main course, my wife chose the Chicken Piccata and she said that it was acceptable but hardly worthy of Star Status. (She is so much nicer than me.) I found the sauce to have a flour-taste reminiscent of library paste and it too lacked any beauty in presentation. No dessert course here. No sense adding insult to injury and besides… we were both getting a headache from the noise.

So, what is the bottom line evaluation? This one is easy…

The establishment may be a local hot spot and ‘The Place to Be’ in Elgin, but as a fine dining establishment, Chez warns you to steer clear of this place.

All it gets from him is the Big Raspberry!