Have you Hurd... I have been searching for something... Just remembered... A great local pizza joint...

I know for a lot of folks, Spring Break is vacation season.  A time to take time off work and spirit da youts away to some far-flung exotic (warm & sunny, entertainment filled) destination and re-energize for the push to the last day of school and endless days of summertime fun (for the kids anyway).  Since we don't have any children, it really turns into more of a stay-cation for us.  Spring Break provides ample opportunity to visit many places near the big college here in Columbus (that shall remain nameless) that will be less in demand while the students are away.  It seems this year, we knew when it was scheduled, but forgot until the last night to actually trip down to campus for any reason.  My 44 year-old brain isn't nearly as reliable as it once was.

Thankfully, my wife woke up this rainy Friday morning and remembered it was Spring Break.  She reminded me and we laid plans to hit Adriatico's after work for pizza.  If you can only make one stop before the hordes of crazy kids come back to town, that is as good a place as any.  Managed to scoop a couple friends and their daughter to join us which made for a fun five-some for dinner.  

Within these few pages
is the stuff of pizza dreams.

We arrived just before 6:00 pm and the place was nearly empty.  Found ample parking right in front and gladly dropped $1.50 into the meter for 2 hours of food and fellowship.  My wife and I were the advance team, so we texted to let the others know we had arrived and immediately secured a table near the door.  We ordered drinks and an appetizer and told them not to rush, since there wasn't much of a crowd pressing for seating.  They arrived at the same time as our bread sticks with garlic butter.  Piping, hot golden-brown braids of chewy baked dough with a generous side of garlic butter.  A half dozen of them was just enough of a warm up for our crew.  Knowing that the thick crust pizzas take awhile to bake, we asked the waitress to bring an individual cheese pizza for the youngest member of our party.  As three year-old's go, I have to say she may be the most patient and agreeable I have ever met.  Still didn't want to press our luck.  -smile-

Yummy braids of dough to
kick off the meal.

We attacked the bread sticks, and politely sent the waitress away twice while we pondered the endless list of toppings and negotiated our way to a Buckeye XL pizza on Sicilian (thick) crust.  We settled on half pepperoni/sausage/mushroom and the other half the legendary INFLATION FIGHTER.  Can't go wrong with pepperoni, sausage, ground beef, ham, green pepper, onion, mushrooms, green, and black olives.  I love green olives on pizza, but so many other places go overboard with them.  Adriatico's knows a good balance.  The perfect combination of all the critical elements.  Crust was just slightly crunchy on the edges and dense and chewy through the center underneath a better than average tomato sauce, respectable cheese blend and the aforementioned toppings.

I feel the consumer price
index falling with each
delicious bite.

Just because we couldn't
handle the 18 x 24 doesn't
mean you can't.

The waitress tried to steer us down from the Buckeye XL, but we were undeterred.  Perhaps we thought we could still eat like college students?  It's 18" x 24" she exclaimed.  No problem we shot back.  It will cover the entire table she intoned.  Just pull over another table we retorted.  She sighed like a Mother about to let her kids learn something the hard way and said OK, if you insist.  Indeed we did.  -smile-  As for actually walking our talk...  Not so much.  It will be good for leftovers.  That is what will help us sleep tonight.  Because we took a shellacking from that monstrous pizza.  I am not ashamed to say it was Buckeye XL - 1...  Dining Scout and the rest of his band - 0... -grinch-like scowl-

This is like an Easter egg in your
favorite video game.  I don't even
need to tell you what it means.
You will know instantly and
experience the same visceral reaction
 as your intrepid Dining Scout.

Good grub... Even better company...  Just ran out of steam.  Sign of old age?  Absolutely not!  Just wiser and bit more restrained.  -smile-  We packed our to go boxes and headed for the door.  The bill didn't leave too bad a dent in our collective wallet either.  By the time we walked out the door at 7:30 pm, it was clear "Adriatico's on Spring Break" is not a well-kept secret.  The joint was full to overflowing and a few desperate souls were eager for a table to open up.  I am sure they enjoyed it as much as we did.  Have at it, guys.  Just watch out for that Buckeye XL.  They should call it the Buster Douglas KO pizza.  It will knock you flat for sure.   -big smile-

A couple of  to go boxes...

Better make that four...  Stan
does not like to stack the
pizza in the to go box.
Does anyone besides me?

OK... Maybe three... 

www.adriaticososu.com

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,

Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

Have you Hurd... Sometimes the source of the invitation matters more than location, location, location...

In my short span of almost 44 years, I have eaten at more than a handful of establishments that would certainly never be my first choice.  Although I enjoy variety just as much as anyone and venture outside my comfort zone on occasion, there are some places that just never make it onto my restaurant bucket list.  They may not even make it onto my 'where to go when someone else is paying' list.  -smile-  It is not because they don't offer quality fare that lacks in creativity, but suffers from quite the opposite.  It is usually because the quality of the fare is so exceptional, I find the prices hard to swallow....  Or the creativity in the kitchen is on overload and I find that for my taste buds, it is just much too much...  In my experience, sensory overload doesn't always revolve around surround sound, high-def CGI, and magnificent staged pyrotechnics.  It can often come from what is brought to me on a fashionably presented white china plate.

I suffer from these same creative impulses myself when I am planning menus.  I try to do absolutely every great thing  I can think of simultaneously for only ten people.  Thankfully, I have a voice of reason that speaks to me.  Not inside my subconscious, but inside my household.  Her name is Beth.  Since we have been married for over 16 years, maybe she is inside my subconscious mind a good bit of the time too.  She frequently reviews my plans and utters the words (in a somewhat incredulous tone): "do you really think you need to do all of this?  Maybe you could pare it down a little.  Even go as far as reducing it by half?"  Knowing there is little point in arguing with her when I realize I am indeed in the wrong, I usually follow her sage advice and cut it down substantially.  Maybe I need to hire her out as a consultant to help others rein in their creative drive when it may have run amok?   Then I could quit my day job, get a food truck... And live happily ever after... No wait... This isn't the movies...  If it was, I would just yell at the writers and ask for a script change...

Tonight's dining destination was not my choice, but it was a good choice nonetheless.  I was invited to join a large group of associates from my firm that were in town for a few days of important meetings.  As I normally get to interact with them via email and on the occasional telephone call, I jumped at the chance for some face time with my extended work group.  No better way to build good working relationships than over some food and drink.  

Since I had never been to Sidebar 122 and I have particular tastes, I researched the menu in advance of the visit.  A good portion of the offerings were a bit edgy for me, but found there were some some winners in the mix too.  No need to snack before heading downtown.  -smile-  It never crossed my mind that given the size of the group, it might not be an 'order from the menu' type of affair and instead would be a robust selection of appetizers, pizzas, and salad.  You'd think this was my first rodeo.

Meatballs in the lead off
position...

Pizza and house salad to
round out the lineup.

I passed on the garlic shrimp
I love garlic, but not a fan of
seafood in general.

It was a generous array of offerings and a large crowd, but folks were a bit tentative at first.  While many made a beeline for the liquid refreshments, it took a few minutes for folks to figure out the score with the grub.  Some quiet inquiries amongst ourselves about whether this was just the first course or the main course for the evening?  Should I hit the food lightly or fill the plate?  At some point the ice was broken and food began to disappear almost faster than the service staff could replenish it.  

Chicken skewers waiting on
a resupply.  I never wait for
chicken, unless it's fried.

Actually remembered to
snap a pic before the first
bite.  Progress?

Beef empanadas are MIA too.
I took a pause for the cause
and waited for the refill.

I sampled a number of items...First, the meatballs which were oversize compared to most anywhere except for a good Italian restaurant....  Can't say for certain they were house-made, but they were exceptionally moist and tender.  Definitely not out of the freezer.  I ask one of the service staff and he confirmed the presence of veal in the recipe.  Not surprising.  They were served in an equally tasty tomato sauce.  Rolls were available if you wanted to make a sandwich with them.  I didn't.  The chicken skewers were suffering from a temporary supply shortage when I passed by, so rather than wait I moved on to the beef empanadas.  A flavorful shredded beef filling with a pleasant kick wrapped in a flaky pastry shell and baked golden brown.  There was a small bowl of sauce available for these, so I took a couple of spoonfuls of that too.  Not sure what it was, but YUM!    

This left just enough room on my plate for a small square of pizza and a serving of the house salad.  I took both even though I was not entirely sure of the ingredients.  I am not allergic to anything, thankfully.  If I don't like how it tastes, I just don't eat it all.  -grimace-  Wouldn't be the first time.  Just ask my Mother.  The pizza and salad were both delicious.  The crust on the pizza was thicker and chewier than similar ones I have tried at other establishments (big plus).  When it came to the salad, I will admit I am not a huge fan of balsamic dressing. I find it typically doesn't pack enough flavor for me. I like my greens just like anything else - well seasoned - and salad dressing is the seasoning.  If the dressing is bland, you might as well munch on a dry leaf of lettuce.  -blah-  The balsamic dressing at Sidebar had more flavor than any others I have tried.  Maybe not quite a home run, but a safe slide into third.  

In closing, the food was good.  The company was even better.  Atmosphere was old-school brick and with a touch of upscale.  Perhaps a bit on the loud side, but what party room isn't when you fill it with a large group of folks who like to carry on?  Probably my only disappointment was the lack of information on the food offerings.  There were signs indicating what the choices were, but not any key ingredients listed or an indication of what items were vegetarian selections or gluten-free.  If you didn't catch one of the service staff recharging the food stations that you could ask, you might be left to take your chances.  Or just go hungry.  That would be a shame in either case.

 Still not sure Sidebar is on my top ten list, but if I find myself downtown again and looking for something a little different than my usual, I may stop in again.  In the meantime, I can count myself lucky to have received the invitation to join the group tonight.
  

Sidebar122, 122 E. Main Street, Columbus   www.sidebarcolumbus.com   

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,

Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike        

Have you Hurd... The Shade Tree Chef is busy in the kitchen again...

Life just keeps getting better.  Spring-like weather (or at least what passes for spring-like weather in Central Ohio these days), a triumphant 20th season victory for my Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball team (and a possible NCAA tourney berth here in Columbus), and part 2 of our meals on wheels project kicked into gear.  Emphasis on the meals on wheels project part 2.  -smile-

Once again, I kept the menu simple and hewed close to what I thought the recipient (and her recuperating patient) would enjoy - deep fried turkey breast, crunchy mashed potatoes, and maple glazed baby carrots.  A good friend and co-worker is baking a dark chocolate torte to complement the food.  Although as good as her dark chocolate torte usually is, maybe the food will complement the dessert.  -grimace-  I have offered her everything including some of my vital organs in exchange for her dark chocolate ganache recipe, but she has played it close to the vest.  I can respect that.  Every great chef has to keep at least one secret recipe.  I am just thankful that she is willing to put it in play for me on the occasion I need one (or several) to go with food I am preparing.  If I am able, I will put an update with a picture of the torte tomorrow prior to handing it off.  I can see it clearly in my mind right now, just can't seem to get my computer to turn that into a JPEG image file.  Maybe sometime later this year there will be an app for that.  In the meantime, I think I hear that Beatles song in my head: "I get by with a little help from my friends..."

Perhaps not what most men
dream about... But last night...
I dreamt of just such a thing...

Although I campaigned for years to get an outdoor turkey fryer to add to my cooking arsenal, my wife continuously resisted.  Given the number of errant cooks who start house fires frying their thanksgiving turkey, she was concerned about safety.  As an insurance company employee, I could hardly contest on that point.  Fortunately, indoor electric fryers recently became available at a more reasonable cost and we acquired one just after Christmas.  I have managed to use it on several occasions without any injuries or property damage.  I am betting a majority of my readership is at least mildly surprised by this.  -smile-  It is the second best way to cook a turkey when the weather is agreeable.  I would smoke it in warmer weather, but right now I would rather not stand out in the cold keeping an eye on the smoker.

I don't have much in the way of a recipe for this beyond using a Butterball injectable marinade and dry seasoning - Savory Creole Butter.  Based on the weight (9.6 lbs), I thawed the breast for 72 hours in the refrigerator and rinsed off any remaining ice chunks before injecting/seasoning it.  Frying time was 68 minutes at 325 degrees (preheat to 375 and then drop temp to 325 when you put the breast in the oil).  I let it stand for 45 minutes before carving so it had cooled sufficiently to make it easier to handle.  As you can see, it was deep golden brown and carved up nicely.  I cheated and used an electric carving knife.  I put roughly 1/2 cup of stock in the bottom of the foil pan to keep it moist when reheating.  If you have ever heard the joke about the difference between being involved and being committed...  Tonight, I was involved... And this turkey, well... She was committed...

          










One of the things that will be missing when you deep fry a turkey is drippings to make gravy.  And most folks find it hard to enjoy mashed potatoes without gravy.  Fortunately, I found a great mashed potato recipe that will ensure nobody misses the gravy.  It's available on the French's website:
http://www.frenchs.com/recipe/crunchy-onion-mashed-potatoes-RE0454-1.  

Crunchy Mashed Potatoes (For this project I doubled to yield 12 servings)
3 Cups Prepared Mashed Potatoes
1 Cup Sour Cream
1/4 Cup Milk
1/4 Tsp Garlic Powder
1 1/3 Cups French's French Fried Onions
4 Ounces Sliced Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Combine the mashed potatoes, milk, sour cream, and garlic powder and mix well in a medium mixing bowl.  Pour roughly 1/2 of the potato mixture in a greased 9 x 9 baking dish.  Cover with cheddar cheese slices and French Fried Onions.  Gently pour remaining potato mixture over the top.  Use a rubber spatula to spread the potato mixture to cover evenly.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until hot and lightly golden brown on top.  Remove from oven and cover with cheddar cheese slices and French Fried Onions.  Return to oven for 5 - 7 minutes or until cheese is melted and onions are golden brown and crispy.

Be sure to make extra...  Folks
usually go back for seconds...

I have made two modifications to the original recipe, First, I don't measure the French Fried Onions.  I just make sure I get a good covering of them on the middle and top layer of the casserole.  If you follow my lead on that, buy a large bag of French Fried Onions (24 ounces).  Secondly, I use sliced sharp cheddar cheese instead of shredded.  I find it is eases preparation and improves the flavor.  The last editorial note is that I prefer Yukon gold potatoes, but just about any variety will work - both fresh prepared and also instant.  I have used potato pearls from GFS on a number of occasions on a large scale and the crowds have loved them.  I substitute milk for 25 percent of the total amount of water specified in the package directions when using instant potatoes.




Maple Glazed Baby Carrots (8 servings)
2 Pounds Baby Carrots, washed and peeled
2 cups water
8 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Salted Butter

You've seen one carrot, you've
seen them all.  Here is the glaze
pleasantly bubbling away.  About
halfway done.  Glaze will finish
much darker and thicker.

Steam carrots for 20 - 25 minutes or until fork tender.  Cook time will depend on the overall size of your carrots.  While carrots are steaming, combine remaining ingredients in a small sauce pan and simmer over medium heat until reduced to approximately 1/2 cup of thickened liquid.  This may take more than 25 minutes, depending on the size of your sauce pan.  Just leave your carrots covered until the glaze is ready.  They will hold warm long enough for you to finish.  Once the glaze is done, remove from heat and combine with carrots in a medium serving bowl.  Stir to coat evenly and serve.

I know carrots aren't that objectionable a vegetable for most folks, but every once in awhile you run into someone who really has an aversion to anything even closely resembling a vegetable.  So I have done my best to disguise these with a nice layer or fat, natural maple sugar, and salt.  Hopefully, they will be willing to at least give them a try.  I am certain once they get a little taste, they will be hooked.  It is how my Mom got me to start eating my vegetables when I was much younger.  Keeping my fingers crossed that it will work on adults too.  -smile-  This glaze recipe works well for more than just vegetables.  I like to use it on smoked sausage medallions and baked ham too.  It is good for any time you want to give your guests a special treat.


With our corporate sales force in town this week and my good friend and fellow Virginian, James, in town...  The Dining Scout may be back in the posting mood again.  Just hoping James has room in his suitcase for a good country ham from Padow's and that he remembers it's my birthday this week.  -wicked grin-

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,
Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

Have you Hurd... Alfredo - It Isn't Just for Pasta Anymore...

I know I am not a fan of two part episodes usually either.  Who really likes the suspense anyway?  Thankfully, living in the era of the DVR I can wait and watch both parts back to back and avoid the suspense.  It may be one instance where technology does make life easier.  Only complaint is that they don’t always warn you about two part episodes in the description.  I suppose it is better to be frustrated 10 percent of the time than all of the time, like back in the day…  The time we had to wait a whole week to find out if Fonzie really jumped the shark or crashed to his certain doom. That was serious business.  It is SHOCKING that our childhood angst has now been reduced to a glib pop-culture reference for unnecessarily overwrought televised drama.  –chuckle-

I will close out Volume 2 with the remaining two recipes from my weekend kitchen cruise.  Although this recipe starts with boxed potatoes, if you have a good recipe for basic scalloped potatoes, I suspect you could add the Italian cheeses to your recipe too and it would yield much the same result.  You might have to tinker with it a bit to get the quantities just right, but if you are cooking them from scratch, you won’t have any trouble ironing that out.  –smile-

Alfredo Potatoes - For this project, I tripled the recipe for 15 servings

1 Box Scalloped Potatoes (4-5 servings)

Modifications to Package Directions:

Reduce water by 1/3 cup, increase milk by 1/3 cup

Add 6 ounces of Grated Italian Cheese(s)

Layer 6 – 8 slices of provolone (smoked or unsmoked) over the top

(just prior to removing potatoes from the oven)

Since I don’t have what anyone would call a chef’s kitchen, doing large quantities (100 – 200 servings) of potatoes from scratch can be a challenge.  Even in the Manna Café kitchen it can seem like a bridge too far.  One of the tricks I learned from the Manna Café pros (John and Sharon Davis) is how to use boxed potatoes and enhance them so they don’t taste like boxed potatoes when they are finished.  It makes life easier in a number of ways, potatoes are already peeled and sliced, the servings per package are determined, and cooking time is too.  These are all key success factors for the Shade Tree Chef.  –smile-  Once I found that it works well, I steer that way even with much smaller quantities (10 – 30 servings).  

<<Did I mention John was a chemist by trade and also a fellow Boilermaker?  BOILER UP!!!>>

A little bit on where this recipe originated…  On a work trip to Minneapolis, I visited a restaurant called Axel's River Grille (in Mendota - http://axelsrestaurants.com/locations/mendota/) with two associates.  It was an old school steakhouse, with black and white pictures on the walls, dark wood throughout, Sinatra music in the background, expert wait staff, and the aroma of USDA prime seeping from the walls.  Axel's had one of the best signature potato dishes I have ever tried.  They called it The Alfredo Potato.  It was a baked Idaho russet scored both ways and then finished in the oven with an Alfredo sauce-like combination of butter, cream, and Italian cheeses across the top.  I can still taste it.  Mmmmmmm… 

I thought that approach could work with scalloped potatoes too.  I sort of transform them into “Alfredo-style” Au Gratin potatoes.  I favor a good mixture of Asiago, Pecorino, and Parmesan cheeses. You can use any combination of these or just one.  Whatever you prefer or would happen to have on hand will do just fine.  Put the slices of provolone on right at the end for 5 minutes or so to melt and give a nice bubbly golden brown presentation.  Your dinner guests will definitely feel the cheesy love with these potatoes.  You will want to make a few extra servings as folks typically go back for seconds. 

If you ever find yourself in Minneapolis, I encourage you to go to Axel's River Grille. I recommend the surf and turf (their walleye is killer). They let you pair the walleye with any steak on the menu.  I wish I could tell you about their great key lime pie too, but I skipped it.  I was the only one in my party that evening that was interested in dessert.  I suppose that is the downside of travelling with a couple of caloric girly-men.  I should note that I found their company to be thoroughly enjoyable in every other possible way.    

The waitress could tell I was truly agonizing over the decision.  Moments after leaving the table, she emerged from the kitchen with a monster slice of key lime pie that she was delivering to guests at another table.  My eyes immediately locked onto it.  Noticing my forlorn gaze, she was careful to tilt the plate to give me a good view of that magnificent creation and continuously turned her body toward me so as not to break my eye contact.  She was so intent, in fact, that she failed to notice a wrinkle in the carpeting, stumbled forward and nearly tossed the pie into the lap of the guest who had ordered it.  –chuckle-  Fortunately, she recovered somewhat gracefully and laughed as she explained to all concerned what led to the near disaster.  I should have taken a piece of that key lime pie to go.  We would have both felt better about it.  To this day, it is one of my life’s great regrets.  For several weeks after, the key lime pie gods took vengeance on me.  Every place I visited that had it featured on the menu would be ‘all out’ by the time I placed my order.  I was denied so many times, one waitress who had just broken the news thought the look on my face meant I lost my favorite puppy.  If I ever get back to Minneapolis, I will certainly return to Axel's River Grille and pay homage to the key lime pie.  I may even go so far as to eat dessert first.  If it should no longer be on the menu, I will go straight back to the airport and head for home, never to return again.      

Country Style Green Beans - For this project I doubled the recipe for 10 servings

16 Ounces Cut Italian Green Beans (Frozen)

¼ Cup Diced Sweet Onion

¼ Cup Crumbled Cooked Bacon

½ TBSP Butter

½ Cup Water

½ Tsp Ham Base / Condensed Ham Stock

I have a number of different recipes for green beans and this is a favorite, mostly for ease of preparation.  I start with the water, ham base, butter, and diced onions in a 3 quart sauce pan on the stove over medium heat.  Once it comes to a boil, I will add the beans.  If the beans were fresh, I would cover them to ensure even cooking, but with frozen I cook them uncovered and stir occasionally.  Timing varies widely depending on the overall quantity, but I would say 10 – 12 minutes is a good estimate for one pound.  Cook until they are just tender and add the crumbled bacon.  You can serve immediately or leave them on the stove-top (very low or no heat) covered. They will hold easily for 30 minutes while you get the rest of your meal ready to serve.  It isn't absolutely necessary to use Italian green beans for this recipe, but that is what I prefer.  Ordinary cut green beans will work in a pinch too.  I have noticed that Italian cut green beans are getting harder to find in the grocery store these days.  One of the reasons I grow my own in the summertime.  I use ham stock, because I like the smoky and salty character it adds.  You could easily switch it up and use chicken stock if you have a preference for that.  Or skip the stock and just season more generously with salt.  I season only a shake of salt (if any) and a healthy dash of ground pepper.  As I have someone in my household who is sensitive to that, I am careful. If I am uncertain of the crowd, I go easy.  I am sure you will know your crowd and can season accordingly. 

The Shade Tree Chef will be back in the kitchen this weekend cooking round two of our “meals on wheels” project.  Menu will feature deep-fried turkey breast, crunchy mashed potatoes, maple glazed baby carrots, and a dark chocolate torte (courtesy of Deb of the legendary Marshmallow Twins Bakery).  Her dark chocolate ganache makes grown men cry and women swoon. The recipe is one of the most closely guarded secrets this side of King Tut's tomb and won't ever be divulged in these lowly pages.  I trust you will keep reading anyway.

Your Shade Tree Chef,
Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

Have you Hurd... Italian Beef is not just in Chicago anymore...

Given the plethora of Dining Scout posts you have been reading, you likely have been wondering if the Shade Tree Chef is a complete fabrication.  Hopefully, the contents of this post will at least partially dispel those doubts.  While the menu I will describe is not terribly extravagant and I am only preparing for ten, I thought I should share anyway.  Two of the three items on the menu have been real crowd-pleasers in the past and I have shared the recipes with any who have asked for them.

I have found that cooking is a good hobby to have for more than a few reasons.  One that comes to mind as I type this is that it makes you popular at parties. When you find you actually have some mad skills in the kitchen, you can get some folks to pay for you to exercise your hobby too.  I never played any sport well enough to go pro or to earn any sweet endorsement deals.  My cooking (or my personality) hasn't earned me a spot on the Food Network yet either, but I frequently get requests from friends to be their house cook.  I have helped out with graduation parties, family holiday parties, and even the occasional wedding reception or rehearsal dinner and loved every minute of it.  If letting me work in the kitchen means they can relax and focus on enjoying the company of their guests, it is a win for both of us.  They buy the ingredients and I get to play in my kitchen sandbox.  I get excited at the mere thought of it.

Of course, there are some cooking gigs that are really special.  This would be one of those times.  A group of my friends and co-workers wanted to do something nice for one of our fellow associates whose husband was recuperating from shoulder surgery.  The surgery ended up requiring a much longer healing time than expected and with him on light duty, she would be shouldering the load here at the office and at home for the next month or more. (pardon the pun… couldn't resist).  Since it was a sizable group signed up for the project, it was suggested to muster funds for restaurant gift cards or for some sort of food offering.  I couldn't pass up a chance like that.  Had to jump in with a few menu suggestions and offer to do the cooking if they would cover the cost of materials.  Since she is a big dessert fan and I am not much of a baker, I first secured a trio of treats from friends who are skilled in the pastry arts.  We plan to spread them out over the next three weeks to go with the food I would prepare.

Did I mention red velvet is my
favorite too?-wicked grin-

The menu for the first week of our personal “meals on wheels” program would be Chicago-Style shredded Italian beef, Alfredo potatoes, country style green beans, red velvet cake, and vanilla ice cream.  One of the other members of our group was kind enough to have his wife bake the cake.  She swings for the fences every time with her red velvet.  I didn't even dare open the cake carrier while it sat on my desk, for fear I would be unable to resist the temptation once the aroma swirled about my office.  I have peeled off the latter parts of the menu into a separate post to keep the length of this manageable… Please be sure to watch for Volume 2.






The recipe for the Italian beef comes from my wife Beth’s Aunt Jan.  I have run it past every one and their cousin here in Columbus and received an overwhelmingly positive response.  Plus I have also had a few native Chicagoans sample it and vouch for the quality.  Based on that, I would say this recipe is tried and true.  –smile-

Italian Beef – For this project I used 5 pounds of USDA Choice boneless beef chuck 
                       and a 7-quart programmable Crock-Pot

2 – 10 pounds Beef Roast (I use Boneless Beef Chuck/Shoulder, Occasionally Bottom Round)
1 Jar (16 Ounces) Mild or Hot Banana Pepper Rings (Your choice on heat level, I use mild)
1 Packet Dry Onion Soup Mix
1 Can (14 ounces) Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles
Each pound of beef (pre-cooked weight) will yield 4 - 5 servings

Combine the last three ingredients (including any liquid) in the bottom of the pan (or slow cooker) and stir to combine.  Layer the roasts on top. Season the roasts as you would normally.  I use Seasoned Salt or Chicago Steak Seasoning (www.penzeys.com) or some combination thereof.  You can brown them first in a skillet if you wish, but I don’t.  If you have a 7-quart slow cooker, you should be able to fit 6 - 8 pounds of beef and cook on high for one hour per pound (or until fork tender).  If you are like me (most of the time), you may go for 10 pounds.  I use an 18-quart electric roaster frequently along with a disposable plastic pan liner for easy cleanup.  I keep the temperature low (300 degrees) and allow 45 minutes per pound.  An 18 quart roaster will work even if you double the recipe (20 pounds of beef), although cooking time may stretch.

Just waiting for a lid and a
delivery driver.  

When the meat is finished, you can use meat forks to shred and serve it immediately. Or you could do what I do and cook it ahead of when you need it.  Then you can allow it to cool for a bit and shred it by hand into a separate (airtight) container to go into the refrigerator.  Refrigerating the liquid for 6 – 8 hours in a separate container will allow you to remove the fat easily.  The fat will rise to the top and harden as it cools, so you can just peel it off the top and discard it.  Once that has been done, pour a good measure of the remaining liquid, peppers, and tomatoes over the shredded meat and store it together until ready to reheat for serving.  It will keep up to two weeks in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.  Just divide it into meal-size portions for your crew and then freeze it in Ziploc bags.  It is nice to be able to grab a bag of it out of the freezer, dump it into a pan and warm it up for a quick weeknight meal or last-minute dinner guests.

Be sure to read the following post for the rest of the menu…  Volume 2…  Alfredo – It Isn’t Just for Pasta Anymore. 

Your Shade Tree Chef,
Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

Have you Hurd... Taco Tuesday + 2 = Throw Back Thursday!!!

7/16/2015 UPDATE: If you are a Local Cantina fanatic, you may have know this for some time, but Throw Back Thursdays is no longer in the mix.  Burritos are still good, but no longer priced at $5 on Thursdays.  Felt particularly bad about my blunder as I discovered this only AFTER taking two new customers there who were excited about the deal.  I guess prices are going up everywhere.

As anyone familiar with The Lego Movie knows, Taco Tuesday has become a mainstay at many local eateries in Central Ohio.  As much as I enjoy a good taco or three, I really favor the taco's big and sometimes overbearing cousin... the BURRITO.  I am excited just to type it and now I am hungry too.  -smile-  I like them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  I make a wide variety of them in my kitchen and fill them with just about anything you could imagine.  Just ask the guys who share the duck blind with me on Alum Creek every year and they will tell you.  They probably can't remember all the different things I have stuffed in those 10" flour tortillas, but they are always tasty.

Another cell phone fail...
Didn't scan the QR code.  
Maybe next time.

Every once in a great while, the stars are in alignment and my favorite also happens to be a restaurant's daily special.  Our lunch stop at the Gahanna Local Cantina happened to be on Throw Back Thursday.  $5 Burritos and $2 Mexican cans.  I think that is what they call a "win, win."  My boss reads this, so I feel compelled to disclose that we DID NOT avail ourselves of the $2 cans.  (We didn't even joke about it.)  With the burrito, you get a choice of ground beef, chicken or steak with refried beans, fried potatoes, and queso, lettuce, sour cream, and pico sauce over the top.  The fried potatoes were a nice change from the usual rice you get at most other places.  They were coarsely diced and cooked to golden brown.  I opted for the steak, which was well-seasoned, tender, and flavorful.  And they didn't go crazy with the refried beans or queso either.  It was just right for lunch.  And the $5 price is hard to beat too.  They offered self-serve chips and salsa.  The chips were warm and crunchy, with a good coating of coarse salt and the salsa was tasty too. It had just a little bit of bite.  My lunch time compadres tried the other two burrito options - ground beef and chicken - and both were well received.  Three empty plates went back to the kitchen.  Actually, mine wasn't completely empty.  The fresh slices of jalapeno pepper on the top of my burrito went back.  Have I mentioned I am only a medium-hot kind of guy?  -smile-

It was a light crowd at lunch time, which I attribute to the miserable winter weather.  Both on and off-street parking (public garage) are available within a block of this Local Cantina.  The decor definitely adds some color to the experience, but isn't overdone.  Service was prompt and friendly.  The side of the Cantina that faces the creek has glass panel garage-style doors that can be opened on pleasant days to give it an open-air feel.  I look forward to coming back when the weather is nicer and perhaps enjoying an after-work libation.  I am glad to have found the Local Cantina in Gahanna, as most other Tex-Mex style fare is a much greater distance from my office and is a challenge at lunchtime.  Maybe we'll even come back on Taco Tuesday and take turns singing The Lego Movie theme song. ("Everything is Awesome...")

A link if you want to check out their website:
http://localcantina.com/

In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed the post...  Next up will be some good stuff from my kitchen...

Your Dining Scout, Shade Tree Chef, and Author
Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike.

Have you Hurd... I am on a Mission to Find a New Favorite Pizza Joint?

Since the recent closing of lone Columbus location of Belleria in late December, I have been working all possible leads to uncover a solid candidate to become my new favorite pizza place.  Unfortunately, many of the leading contenders have some pretty glaring limitations.  Being that they are too far from either my home or office, lack adequate conveniently-located parking, or they offer only carry-out and delivery.  Maybe I am living in the dark ages, but I think the best place to enjoy a quality pie is right out of the oven.  Putting it in a box and throwing it on the passenger seat of a car that then winds it's way across the miles to my house does little to enhance my enjoyment of a creation best served with the cheese still hot enough to burn the roof of my mouth..  I also don't want to park a half mile away or have to call my credit card issuer and beg for a credit line increase so I can buy enough parking minutes to enjoy the meal without racing to the finish line.  It is for these reasons that some great locations have not yet risen to the rank of all-around favorite. Some are seasonal favorites (locations near campus are good when OSU is not in session), a few others are saved for in between meal stops (when crowds are less and parking is more accessible), and perhaps one or two more are special occasion stops - we only travel that far afield when we have some other specific reason to be there, rather than just for the pizza.

I spent a good part of this week helping a good friend and co-worker, Rob, from Milbank, South Dakota soak up the local flavor.  I try to introduce him to one or two new spots (new to him anyway) and also revisit his favorites from prior visits.  In the new category, we hit the Local Cantina for lunch and the B Spot for dinner.  To fulfill the returning favorites portion of the program, we ventured to Scali Ristorante, Schmidt's, J. Gumbo's, and Skyline Chili.  It was a lucky break that on Wednesday evening, a large number of our associates (including my brother-in-law and three of my nephews) were volunteering to cook and serve dinner at the Manna Cafe at the Broad Street United Methodist Church.  Manna Cafe happens to be on the corner opposite our corporate headquarters office in the Discovery District downtown.  I will share more on Manna Cafe in a later post, but first a little bit of history...

On a prior outing at the Manna Cafe, my co-worker and nephews were my cooking crew for the day.  In the early afternoon, they found themselves with a short span of time on their hands and somehow ended up in the adjacent gymnasium where Rob proceeded to school them in the game of basketball.  As my nephews are not currently at an age where they typically respect their elders, this South Dakota beat down was utterly shocking for them.  Little did they know that Rob not only played basketball, but coached youth basketball for several years too.  He was, in the popular parlance, a ringer.  -smile-

It was only natural, that on his return to Central Ohio, the nephews would be spoiling for a rematch.  This time they invited my brother-in-law and me to join the fray as well.  Given that I hadn't picked up a basketball in any fashion in more than ten years, I worked the phones feverishly to recruit some additional support for the seniors team, but my efforts fell flat.  And, as luck would have it, the lone co-worker who was eager to join us that night ended up on the nephew's team.  Thinking back with a bent toward conspiracy, I wonder if maybe they were working the crowd at Manna Cafe that night looking for a ringer too... They were successful, where I was not.  -grimace- Although I won't reveal the final score of the two games we played that night, suffice it to say I will be practicing before the next rematch.  The good news is that no matter who won, everyone was up for a trip to a nearby pizza place.

Hounddog's 3 Degree Pizza (www.hounddogspizza.com) is just a short trip from the site of the round ball game we played and was recommended by a co-worker.  Although it was a bit of a challenge to find it, even using a GPS locator, we managed to get there after one trip around the block and several passes through the small (and completely full) parking lot.  The signage from the parking lot side of the restaurant is far more prominent than the High Street side.  In spite of the full parking lot, the crowd inside the dining room was light and we immediately found a table and received prompt service.  We ordered up some happy hour beers (for those who were old enough), soft drinks (for those who were not), a plate of jalapeno poppers, and two pizzas (one 14"/one 16").  Both pies were Smokin' Joes style - hand-tossed garlic buttered crust.  One was loaded with their regular (billed as a mildly sweet tomato and basil) sauce and all the meats.  The other with their spicy sauce plus spicy sausage and pepperoni.  The waiter indicated the spice level was perhaps a medium with just a bit of kick and not the least bit offensive.  Since we wanted to get a feel for the overall flavor without overpowering it with heat, that seemed like a good choice.  The nephews gladly scarfed the jalapeno poppers as fast as they arrived at the table.  Thankfully, the pizzas arrived almost immediately after that.  The crust was exactly as advertised.  The generous brush of garlic butter was a nice touch and both pizzas had sauce and toppings aplenty.  The only contrary observations would be that the mildly sweet tomato and basil sauce didn't seem to be sweet at all and the spicy sauce really didn't seem to have much kick.  Pizzas were still very good, just not quite what we expected.  I didn't think it was possible that we would completely devour both pizzas, but there was hardly a crumb left and I am fairly certain someone was talking about drinking the extra garlic butter off the pans before they took them back to the kitchen. -mmmmm-

Atmosphere was pretty low-key.  Not surprising, given the proximity to campus.  Service was excellent.  Not sure yet if Hounddogs will move up to the all-around favorite yet, but it is definitely a contender.  Will be going back soon for a follow-up visit with other parties to confirm our initial observations.  Please stay tuned for further updates.


In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this passage in the Chronicles of a Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef.

Dining Scout, Shade Tree Chef, and Author,
Michael Hurd,




aka "Big Mike"

Perhaps a Lazy Chameleon, but not a Lazy Crew in the Kitchen...

Happy Birthday Jodi!  Thanks
for the invite!

I know I have been saying repeatedly that I will eventually get better with my cell phone cam and always get a picture before I devour my food...  With this post, I am sure you are going to wonder if I need to get into some sort of 12-step program to help me reach that goal...  In my defense, I wasn't really expecting to post anything about my visit last night to the Lazy Chameleon in Powell.  I was going along with my wife for a birthday celebration for one of her friends and co-workers, Jodi.  It was originally going to be drinks only.  Dithering back and forth about whether to venture out into the weather, time slipped away and we didn't have time to fix dinner before we left, so we had dinner along with our drinks.




It was in that moment of satisfaction after polishing off the killer buffalo chicken salad, I remarked to my wife about how great it was... That she asked me if I had taken a picture first?  I suppose if we were on TV, she would have given me a Leroy Jethro Gibbs inspired slap to the back of the head when I furtively said 'nooooo.'  -grimace-  Trying for at least a partial save, I snapped a picture of the empty plate.  That would at least give some reference as to the healthy portion of the salad.  What filled the plate before I started was a generous bed of chopped romaine (not a single core in there either), matchstick carrots, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar, and crispy buffalo chicken.  The greens and other enhancements were good, perhaps exceptional for a bar/live music venue and the buffalo chicken was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, sliced perfectly, and complemented by a perfect application of buffalo sauce.  A pleasant bite, but not enough to set my mouth on fire.  I opted for the blue cheese dressing, which was also well above average.  Definitely some chunks of good blue cheese in there.  Not sure if they make the dressing in house or if they just buy a good dressing.  Either way, it was delicious and more than enough to satisfy my late night appetite.

The plate was full before I
snapped the pic.

My wife ordered something more common for this type of venue - pretzel bites.  A large platter of big soft pretzel nuggets with a creamy mustard sauce for dipping.  Response to the mustard sauce was mixed.  I liked it and my wife didn't.  She prefers some sort of beer cheese sauce for dipping.  I sneaked a couple of pretzel bites when she wasn't looking and they were warm, soft, and had a good coating of coarse salt.  Perfect with just a dab of that mustard sauce.  Yum!  Needless to say, that plate went back empty to the kitchen as well.  Others in our party sampled the crab cakes and fried cheese wedges.  Nothing but a shower of compliments and more empty plates.  The drink selection was good, with a number of good beers and hard cider on tap.  She ordered the Fat Tire Amber and I went for a Johnny Appleseed hard cider.  Why does everything taste better on draft than out of a bottle?  Can't remember the last time she had more than one beer in an evening.  If they were real tires, she could have had enough for a tricycle when she was done.  -big smile-

The menu at the Lazy Chameleon is fairly simple.  I find when visiting venues like this, the simpler the menu... The better the food...  If the menu reads like the Sears & Roebuck catalog, chances are it is all coming into the kitchen frozen.  Nobody is really cooking in the kitchen, just reheating.  That is clearly not the case at the Lazy Chameleon.  They are doing some serious cooking in that kitchen.  The menu tilts a little towards seafood, but still a few options for someone like me who isn't really a fan of the surf.  I am sure I will go back soon and I will definitely have dinner there again.  

The atmosphere was tough to judge on Saturday night.  It was a night for live music ($6 cover charge per person).  The bands were Hott Lucy and Fat Dog.  From talking up the massive crowd, it had been awhile since the members of Fat Dog had performed together.  So it was a bit of a reunion concert for them.  They were both excellent bands, playing a good variety of popular music from different eras (heard cover for the Beatles, Bon Jovi, Journey, Van Halen, and even Tool).  Only downside...  At my age, it was too loud, even when the music wasn't playing (did I mention the massive crowd).  I felt like if we were anywhere other than a bar, the staff would be wearing those earplugs like the baggage handlers wear out on the runway at the airport.  Just like any man who occasionally  forgets he is married, I took earplugs for me and none for my wife.  Her ears are still ringing as I type this.  Not sure how much that matters on a personal level, as she only listens to me about half the time.  -smile-  Good news is that the waitress was adept at interpreting my rough hand signals when ordering additional drinks (mime tipping a glass to my lips then point to the person who needed one), food (wave and point to the item on the menu), and bringing the check when we were ready to leave (hand across the neck to cut it off and signature pattern on my hand).  Despite the crowd, the waitress checked on us frequently and our glasses were always full and empty plates and glasses cleared away quickly.  Thought I could hear strains of the Donna Summer song in my head (She Works Hard for the Money).

Overall, we both had a good time in spite of our advancing age... -chuckle- It was well worth the trip out into the snow and cold.  We'll just remember to take two pairs of ear plugs next time if there is going to be live music.

B Spot Long-Term Test Drive Volume Two

Since B Spot offers a Smasher's Special for the month and the cycle has yet to repeat, that gives me a good reason to go back at least once a month...  To see what extra goodness they are offering in the current month.  I haven't always embraced the Smasher, but I tell the wait staff on every visit how much I am waiting for them to bring back the Patty Melt from last fall.  I have eaten a lot of patty melts from a lot of different places in my short span of years and I would say the one at the B Spot is far and away the best.  It was so good, I am saving it for a third volume of the long-term test drive.

This volume is from my second or third visit (my soon-to-be 44 year-old brain can't recall). It was definitely my wife's first visit.  Beth isn't lucky enough to work within driving distance for lunch and the dinner crowds were unbelievable in the beginning, so it took us awhile to make a visit together.  After listening to me describe the outstanding offerings on all my previous outings, she decided it didn't matter how bad the crowd would be...  We were going to wade into it like two teenagers into a mosh pit...  Although not being teenagers any more, we availed ourselves of the Call Ahead Seating.

It was a pleasant evening, so we didn't mind waiting a little while for a table.  Hoped for a spot on the outdoor covered patio, but ended up inside instead.  As you may have already gleaned from earlier postings, Beth is not quite as adventurous as me with her food selections.  She knows what she likes and sticks pretty close even under intense pressure to break outside the norm.  This evening was no exception, as she opted for the bacon cheeseburger with a good dose of ketchup.  It used to hurt my feelings when she put ketchup on her steak.  Now I know not to take it personally.  She puts it on just about everything.  -smile-  

I ordered the Fat Doug.  In spite of the name, I didn't feel as though my girth expanded even slightly during the meal.  This is good, since I have been working to become a shadow of my former self.  Given that I was watching my carbs, I asked them to hold the bun and the waiter didn't even flinch. Absent the bun, the stadium mustard was on the side, but I promptly poured it over the top.  I wanted to experience the Fat Doug full force.  Even though I have never met him, I like him.  His taste in burger toppings is eclectic, but it works.  Cole slaw, pastrami, and stadium mustard.  Not sure I ever would have come up with that, but having tried it... It's a winner.  As you can tell by the speed with which I devoured it... Camera shutter speed was too slow.  Just got the empty platter.  I promise I am getting better at that.  We shared an order of their colossal onion rings.  Covered with a light batter, fried to a perfect golden brown and dusted with coarse salt.  mmmmm...  

Beth also sampled a beer from their extensive list of quality brews and I enjoyed a chocolate shake.  The B Spot offers a number of interesting flavors and suggests different adult-beverage enhancements for each, but I passed on that since I was driving.  As a side note....  My dislike of machine made milk shakes is nearly as strong as it is for pansy Parmesan cheese shakers.  I have held it quite a bit longer too.  Imagine my surprise when the waiter informed me that I would have to wait a few minutes for my shake as they had a flurry of orders and the machine needed time to recover.  I ask him to confirm... "You make your shakes with a machine?"  He responded proudly that they did and assured me I would not be disappointed.  He was right.  It was thick and rich like no other.  They even brought out a straw that was a larger diameter than any I had previously encountered.  I swear it was the size of a vacuum cleaner hose.  I took a picture of the shake suspended in the straw after more than a minute on a warm summer evening.  Definitely had some staying power.

In my several visits since, I have worked my way around the menu somewhat methodically...  And the only B in the name I have yet to sample is the BOURBON.  One of these days I will grow up.  I have enjoyed it all - fried bologna (insanely thick cut), brats (tasty and generous stadium style link), and even the crispy chicken.  I was never considered anything even remotely resembling a chick magnet, but I can still order one at the B Spot.  Probably not any healthier than a burger, but variety is a good thing.  One of these days I will get around to sharing a post about my Patty Melt Dreamin'... In the meantime, I look forward to my next trip... Patty Melt or not...

Some other places on my hot list for future visits... Super Chef in Gahanna...  Wedgewood Pizza in Grove City...  And the Hofbrauhaus Grandview location...  Please stay tuned for further updates.

It hardly seemed like a pilgrimage, but that is what we called it...

Several years ago, a couple of good friends asked us what we were doing on President's Day.  She was working as a student pastor and he was a public employee, so they both were planning to enjoy a holiday off from work.  As luck would have it, my wife was as well.  Between the three of them, they hatched a plan to make pilgrimage (of sorts) to Cincinnati.  Their primary purpose was to spend an inordinate amount of time in the IKEA store there.  Knowing this would have little to no appeal for me, they built in a second stop on the pilgrimage.  A visit to Jungle Jim's Market.

Now I had never actually visited Jungle Jim's, but I had heard the tales of it's legend.  And occasionally even daydreamed about what it might be like.  I expect many foodies have likewise longed to walk slowly and methodically through its hallowed aisles.  For the uninitiated, Jungle Jim's is a grocery store on steroids.  They have an immense selection of just about anything one can imagine, and even a few things beyond one's imagination.  To amp up the excitement even further, there are a number of former King's Island attractions built into different parts of the store - inside and outside.  Needless to say, they had me at the mere utterance of the words "Jungle Jim's" and a new winter time tradition was born.  We have made the trip multiple times and always come home with a carload of good stuff and a humorous tale or two.

Since none of us was familiar with the area, finding a place to grab dinner before heading back north to Columbus presented a small challenge.  Thankfully, we spotted a La Rosa's pizza parlor right across the street from Jungle Jim's.  We enjoyed it so much on our first visit, we never even tried to find anywhere else on our return trips.  It just became the third stop of our annual winter time pilgrimage. It seems good fortune was shining upon us, as just a few months ago La Rosa's made the trip north to open their first location in Central Ohio.  It's on Hospital Drive in Dublin.

Perhaps it was no small coincidence that my wife and I made our first visit to the Dublin location on President's Day weekend.  We had been waiting for the 'new restaurant just opened' crowds to abate and were beginning to wonder if that might ever happen.  We woke up Saturday morning to the sight of moderate snow and high winds, making for potentially treacherous travel conditions.  I know what you are thinking.  PERFECT DAY for a trip to LA ROSA'S PIZZA!  And you would be right.  Since my wife doesn't like being out in bad weather, I didn't advise of the winter nastiness.  Just told her we're going to La Rosa's for lunch!

The dining room crowd was light.  The atmosphere was low-key and casual.  Just like the location we visited in Cincinnati.  Our waitress was extremely attentive and knowledgeable about the menu.  As it had changed a bit since our last visit, I had a bunch of questions.  She answered them all.  Being that Cincinnati is know as Porkopolis, it was only natural that we would start our pizza feast with a pleasant combination of pizza crust, Montgomery Inn pulled pork, and provolone cheese with a side of warm Montgomery Inn barbecue sauce.  La Rosa's calls them Rondos.  I call them gone before I could take a picture.  :-)



I was barely thinking about licking the barbecue sauce off my plate when our four meat pizza arrived.  We asked for the Foccaccia sauce (a combination of their house pizza sauce and garlic butter) and it was on their hand tossed crust.  It was wonderful.  I know you are wondering... Yes, I did use the leftover barbecue sauce on my pizza.  It was good with or without.  We likely would have eaten all of the pizza, but we were saving room for dessert.  I know that isn't something you usually do at a pizza parlor, but you will want to do that when you visit La Rosa's.  It was a tough choice, but we opted for the cinnamon dippers.  Thin strips of fried pizza dough rolled in cinnamon and sugar served with a side of warm vanilla icing.  FABULOUS.

I know you are probably worried about the carb overload.  Since I could see the snow continually falling while we were enjoying the food and excellent service, I knew I would work it out later shoveling snow in the bitter cold wind.  Helped my neighbors with their shoveling too. Probably should have shoveled every driveway on the block, but baby steps.  -smiling-

One final note about La Rosa's and a pet peeve of mine.  It drives me crazy when pizza places give you a Parmesan cheese shaker with tiny holes in the lid.  No matter how hard you shake that thing, hardly any cheese comes out.  Grrrr... I usually end up removing the lid and pouring it out in some fashion.  I feel like I am committing a misdemeanor offense in doing so, but I do it anyway.  Chops to La Rosa's for using a real shaker with large slots in the lid.  A gentle shake gets you all the Parmesan cheese you need without the carpal tunnel syndrome you don't.  Sure hope they open a location closer to my house soon.  Since the closing of Belleria in December, this may be my new favorite pizza place.