Tips From A Professional
In today's economic climate with the soaring prices of fuel and food going through the roof, with no relief in sight, I thought it was a good time to share some ideas about dining out at your favorite restaurants. It is no surprise that as a direct result from the cost of fuel that dining out is becoming more and more of an economic strain on our pocketbooks.
Gas is intertwined with the daily cost of food. It is involved in planting, harvesting and the transporting to market of all food sources. Any import item is subject to the weakened dollar and to almost all foreign currencies. Add to that the value of American products to be exported because of the weakened dollar is another factor in the cost of food.
It is not only my opinion, but that of analysts, that because of the demand on grains (that are used to feed live stock and chickens, etc.), for the production of ethanol and with the devastation of the mid-west due to the elements, that the cost of beef, pork and chicken could reach a record high by the end of summer. So not only will it be more expensive to eat at your favorite restaurant but also it is going to affect your bottom line because of the impact of just going to the store and buying groceries. I am not going to talk to the political reasons for all of this but I am going to give tips of how to make your dollars stretch.
When selecting a restaurant of your choice look at the menu with your guests. Karen and I have found and actually dine this way more often than not that a series of appetizers/small plates/tapas is a great way to dine. We like to start with a couple of small plates and then have a salad. Then we will have either a dessert or another small plate depending on how we feel after the salad.
Another thing that is useful is agreeing on an entree and splitting it between the two of you. Most restaurants will charge for the process of splitting the meal. For the most part you then get a plate already split and presented in an appetizing way along with the days’ vegetables and whatever side dish goes with the entree. In most cases the chef is breaking even on the cost they charge for a split and if you added it all together and put it on one plate you will find that this is a good value.
Another idea that Karen and I find appealing dining out is with a restaurant that has either a great wine by the glass program or even half bottles. When ordering various small plates you can order small pours or split glasses of wine with each course. Usually this equates to about a three ounce pour for each of you. This gives you versatility while matching food with wine. A lot of times we look at the wine list and order a half bottle of something white and a half bottle of something red.
I have also found that if you could schedule a late lunch somewhere between 2 and 3 you receive value in the lunch menu versus dinner menus. Many fine dining or casual upscale restaurants have many entree-style items that are great for a mid-afternoon dining experience. In fact in most European countries the mid-afternoon meal is the largest of the day. Later at night you can have a small snack at home to finish off a perfect day. After all, the whole idea of dining out is two fold. One, and the most important, is to spend quality time for just the two of you or with your friends and family and of course the obvious is eating great food.
I think you will find that these are some good hints to help shave or stretch your dining dollars. Karen and I hope you use these ideas with your dining options. I can tell you many of our customers have instituted these and are enjoying it.
This month we are giving you a recipe for Granite Chicken. It is a great summer alternative.
As always enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!!!
Note: Don't forget that with the help of the Carson City Redevelopment Authority we now have added a second Farmers Market on Saturday mornings (9 am to 1 pm). It is held in the parking lot at Third and Curry. Our friend Linda Marrone is the director and has put together a great market along with many activities. So lets get out there and support our local growing community.
Karen and I have been playing with this new/old cooking technique that we discovered on our trip to Santa Marquerita, Portofino on the Italian riviera several years ago. They have a very unique way of cooking chicken and Karen and I thought passing this technique on to you would be interesting and a fun thing to try.
The chicken is cooked in an open wood/gas fired oven that gained popularity in the United States for cooking pizzas. Here we call them pizza ovens and mainly use them as such. However, in Italy, the restaurants are small and family operated so they use their equipment for many different aspects of their daily cooking routine.
One of the intriguing things about this technique is that the chicken is cooked in the oven between two pieces of granite or bricks. This technique sears and cooks the chicken faster than the traditional technique of roasting or using a rotisserie. Therefore, you need to throw out all preconceived ideas of how long to cook your chicken. Karen and I have been mastering this technique at some of our Sunday dinners and I believe we have the fundamentals down to where we can confidently pass them on to you.
First you will need to purchase two 12 by 18 inch slabs of granite. These will be difficult if not next to impossible to find if you go to places such as restaurant supply companies. Karen and I talked to one of Karen's tile and marble installers (Leon) and he cut us our slabs. What I recommend is go to Carson Masonry or some other similar supplier, and I am sure they would be happy to cut and sell you the granite.
The granite we used is the same as what is used for counter tops (half inch to three quarter inch thick). You can also use granite tiles (12 by 2 inches). They are big enough to cook one chicken, split. These work but not quite as good as the granite slabs because they do not have the weight. The granite tiles (quarter to half inch) can be easily found in any tile store and do not have to be custom cut.
Trying new techniques is a lot of fun so get out there and purchase what you need so your culinary adventure can begin.
To begin your adventure, I recommend purchasing a certified organic chicken such as Rosie's which can be found in Carson City at Raley's, Trader Joe's and Costco. Split it in half by cutting away the backbone piece. (Set this aside to make a chicken stock when winter comes. It's the beginning of a great soup.) Rinse thoroughly and pat dry.
At this time you need to start your barbeque, gas or charcoal is fine. Close the lid. When the coals are white and red hot, place your granite pieces on top of the grate. Heat for approximately 45 minutes. The barbeque thermometer should read 450 degrees F plus.
While you wait for the grill and granite pieces to get hot, season the chicken. I start by rubbing it with finely chopped garlic and olive oil. Sprinkle it with fresh ground pepper and kosher salt and finally with fresh herbs from the garden. Karen and I have been using lemon balm, however, any fresh herb such as rosemary, thyme, basil or oregano would be excellent.
Special note of caution: You will be putting the chicken between the two slabs/tiles so be sure to use heavy oven mitts to pick up the slab/tile that will be placed on top of the chicken. They will be extremely hot and heavy.
Place the chicken bone side down on one of the slabs/tiles and drizzle a little bit of extra virgin olive oil on top then place the other slab/tile on top.
We have found that Rosie's is a large chicken and it takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes to cook. There is no need to turn the chicken over as you normally would do on the barbeque. After about 20 minutes I start to check it for doneness. You will notice that it has a nice golden color.
When you check the chicken after about 20 minutes and are using a gas fired barbeque, turn it off. The slabs/tiles will retain heat long after the chicken is done. It takes approximately a 25 percent less time to cook the chicken so keep a close eye on it.
When Karen and I remove the chicken from the barbeque, we immediately squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice over it while it is still sizzling hot and also add a little more olive oil. Let sit for 10 minutes then cut into serving size pieces (leg, thigh, breast). The chicken in its simplicity and the way it is cooked has a clean, distinct flavor and the meat is moist and tender.
Do not attempt to clean the slabs/tiles immediately after using. They will be too hot to handle. Let them cool down so you can comfortably handle them without burning yourself.
Don't be afraid to try this technique with other cuts of meat or grilling vegetables. Karen and I have used it for pork chops, steaks, zucchini and other firm squashes.
As always we want you to enjoy your dining experience while trying this new technique. The final results will be astounding.