I was in Philadelphia PA this week so I did what any NiftyFoodFinder would do while there… check out the Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich.  Locals Pat and Harry Olivieri are credited with inventing the Philly Steak Sandwich in the early 1930s (actually cheese was added later explaining some of the name confusion). Pat and Harry first began selling steak sandwiches in their south Philadelphia hot dog stand located near the city’s Italian Market.  Today the restaurant is known as ”Pat’s King of Steaks” which is located on the corner of 9th Street & Passyunk Ave.

I arrived at Pat’s about 5:15PM on a Saturday evening.  Despite the 28 degree brisk February wind there was a constant line of 8 to 12 people ordering food the whole time I was there.  When it was my turn in line, I had done my homework (by listening to the people in front of me) and ordered a “Steak Whiz Wit” just like the seasoned local in front of me.  It took all of 30 seconds to get served and pay out if that long.  Sandwiches run about $7.50.  Do the math.  That’s a lot of cheesesteaks being served plus a nice living.

 “Steak Whiz Wit” is the proper way to order a Philly Cheesesteak topped with Cheese Whiz and grilled onions[wit(h)].  The sandwich itself is pretty basic fare.  Pat’s Philly Steak is made with top round steak sliced(when frozen) very thin, to about 1/16″ thick.  The meat is griddle fried and tossed and scrambled with a flat spatula much like Mongolian Barbeque cooking.  When almost cooked the steak is placed on top of coarse chopped pre-grilled onions and the cooking is finished.  Care is taken not to over cook the meat so as to keep it tender and juicy (this is pure skill).

Finally the whole steak and onion mixture was scooped onto a foot long hoagie roll and Cheese Whiz was slathered across the top.  A quick wrap of paper and I had a sandwich in hand almost before I could find my money and pay (locals had their money out when they ordered I later observed).  Note: one of the essential components of the cheesesteak is the “hoagie” roll.   At Pat’s this is 1/2 of a two foot long Italian Bread loaf sliced open to a ”V”.   After sampling several different cheesesteaks around the city I can tell you that the bread makes a big difference. 

I should also clarify about the cheese used in cheesesteak.  The original Pat Oliveri sandwich in 1930 had no cheese and it was known as a Philly Steak Sandwich.  It is rumored that a few years later cheese was added by a competitor, Joe Vento originator of Geno’s Steaks (located directly across the street from Pat’s), and so the cheese version became known as the Philly Cheesesteak.  Shortly after 1952, Pat’s Steaks began serving Philly steaks with Cheese Whiz as their version of the Philly Cheesesteak (Cheese Whiz was not invented until 1952.  Pat’s may have served cheese many years earlier however the new soft cheese spread allowed sandwiches to be made much faster than waiting for sliced cheese to melt, giving Pat a competative advantage). 

Taste: First off I want to say that if you are a virgin Philly Cheesesteak eater, then if all possible make your first time special by having a Pat’s or Geno’s cheesesteak.  It will be sheer taste perfection.  No matter what variation of Philly Cheesesteak you end up preferring, having that first bite be a fresh hot properly prepared original style cheesesteak will give you a deeper appreciation of the sandwich.  Video: Philly Cheesesteaks 

My Pat’s Philly Steak was tender, juicy, and cooked just to medium rare as you can see in the photo.  The bread was hot and fresh.  The grilled onions texture with its umami flavoring and the creamy saltiness of the Cheeze Whiz are exactly the correct compliments to the meat and bread.  The sandwich works very well despite its seeming simplicity. 

I say “seeming simplicity” because this sandwich really does have a whole lot going on flavorwise.  I cannot really put my finger on what makes it a great sandwich because there was not a lot of spice, no real dominate flavors unless it is that of the meat and cheese melted together.  I beleive all that flavor comes straight from the top quality ingredients used in the sandwich.  Quality steak, grilled fresh onions, and savory cheese all served hot on fresh bread.  Done right and the taste will stick in your memory for a long time. 

Actually, I discovered after trying cheesesteaks in different parts of the city that the the cheesesteak can be prepared in several different ways.  One way is the near cooked steak is shaped on the grill like it would lay on the roll and the cheese is laid on top and melted, then the open roll is placed over the steak and the mixture is scooped into the roll with the spatula.  Another way is to place the cheese along the inner sides of the opened roll where it can be melted by a warmer before the meat is placed or  a third way, the cheese is melted by the heat of the freshly cooked steak.  These methods are for when Cheese Whiz is not used.

Today many variations of the Philly Cheesesteak exist and many use different types of cheese.  However, locals insist that a true Philly Cheesesteak is never made with Swiss cheese.  That makes sense since cheesesteak has it roots in an Italian working class south Philly neighborhood.  Sandwich variations include grilled onions, sautéed green peppers, and mushrooms. Some vendors may include hot sauce, ketchup, or pizza sauce (called a Pizza Steak with provlone or mozzarella as the cheese).

Pat’s King of Steaks is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week, closed some major holidays.  Check out this link to the recipe for Pat’s Philly Cheesesteak http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_11081,00.html

Wine visionary Greg Bruni, now a winemaker at Llano Estacado Winery (Lubbock, Texas), left a lucrative winemaking career in California to pursue the challenge, adventure and creativity of the emerging Texas wine industry. Since com­ing to Lubbock, Greg has been working on building a Texas Rhone-style wine from the ground up. 

One of Greg Bruni’s most successful wine creations is Texas Signature Rhone (a Rhone-style red wine) which according to the Llano Estacado web site has won over fifty-eight awards since 1998.

Grenache Noir, Grenache Gris, Syrah/Shiraz, Viognier, Mourvedre, Roussanne, Carignane Noir, Marsanne, Cinsault Noir, Ugni Blanc, Muscardin, Picpoul Blanc, Picpoul Noir, Bourboulenc, Camarese, Clairette Blanc, Vaccarese, Grenache Blanc, Terret Noir, Muscat a Petits Grains, Clairette Rose, Counoise Noir are all considered to be Rhone Valley grapes.

Greg says, “When I came to Llano Estacado, we were purchasing Carignan, a red Mediterranean varietal only be made into blush wines! Our first Red Carignan was released in 1994 but our first mass release was not until the 1996 vintage was processed. We are now using Carignan grapes in our Passionelle, Llano’s latest proprietary Rhone-style blend. ”  

In addition to Carignan, Llano Estacado is also including other Rhone varieties such as Syrah, Grenache, Viognier and Mourvedre  in Texas Rhone-Style Red.  Llano Estacado is now experimenting with small batch, limited release blended wines using other Rhone Valley grapes, as well.”

Greg says, “The best wines in Texas have not been made yet and when they are, they likely will be blends. The French have made wine in the Rhone Valley for the past millennium based on the the concept of blending and done very well with that.  

Viewed in bright sunlight, this wine’s color reminds me of high quality garnets which it owes to its strong syrah and carignan noir heritage.   Signature Rhone needs to be decanted or at least swirled in the open glass for a few minutes to breath.  I found that extra swirling brought out more 0f the fruitiness and controlled the alcoholic heat of this wine. 

I tasted bright very ripe strawberry, white pepper and mineral aromas combine with the strong aroma of darker ripe fruits such as currents on my palate.  The wine ends smoothly with a tart, polished mineral finish but still tasting of faintly of berries and more strongly dark currents.  The tannins remain remarkably in control without overpowering the ripe berry acidity in this intense, well-balanced wine which is the reason the wine finishes on the pallet quickly leaving the mouth refreshed and ready for the next paring. 

Signature Rhone is still a bit weaker going across the mid-pallet than I had hoped.  This statement only re-enforces how value hunters like myself expect to find an under $20 wine having the flavor range of a $35 wine. 

I first paired Signature Rhone with feta cheese and olives.  Sweet, not the flavor but the experience.  The wine held its own with the high acidity of these foods.  Next I moved on to Genoa Salami and a sharp English cheadder.  This was also a very acceptable paring.  The fruitiness of the wine steps forward and blends with the savory and smoke of the salami making the wine choice seem a natural choice for a picnic or barbeque.    

As with the Cinco Vino Rosso (a comparable style five varietal blend produced by Texas Hills Winery in Johnson City, Texas) try this wine with ripe strawberries or papaya drizzled with well aged balsamic vinegar to enjoy the full flavor spectrum of this blended wine.  You will be able to taste each grape variety in this blend.

At first taste, the wine seemed a little light weighted for my expectations; but it quickly proved to be a perfect addition to any bistro style dish anywhere from sardines over greens to roasted rosemary chicken or goose liver pate’.  This experience points out something I love most about wine tasting.  As hard as vintners try for consistency, winemaking is an artform that conscripts unpredictable Mother Nature as a partner.  The same vinters using the same vines make different tasting wines from year to year.

At $11.50 to $13.00, this is a great wine to buy by the case for family dinners or lunch with dear friends.  Be aware production is limited.  Llano Estacado Winery is located 3.2 miles East of US 87 South  on FM 1585 in Lubbock, Texas.

The Real New Orleans Style Restaurant really does make you think you just might be eating out in New Orleans rather than Round Mountain, Texas which is just 16 miles north of Johnson City Texas on US Hwy 281. [Set your GPS to: 10541-B US Hwy 281 N. Round Mountain, Texas 78663].

The menu is relatively large with a good amount of very authentic sounding NOLA dishes listed. What I mean by authentic is that many eateries cook “Cajun style” food but the The Real New Orleans Restaurant IS Cajun style food. If you have ever spent enough time in New Orleans to have not eaten at the tourist restaurants and instead spent time eating where the locals, eat you know what I am talking about.

I chose the fried catfish with crawfish sauce for my lunch. I chose green beans and the macaroni and cheese for my sides. Wow, I was not disappointed either. The plate looked great when it was served. The fish was perfectly cooked, pan fried, moist and with a perfect coating of caramelized spices. Even more impressive was the crawfish sauce over the fish. It was a perfect complement of flavors and Cajun spices with large chunks of crawfish tails in a béchamel sauce made with fish stock, butter and cream. It was so rich I am not sure which was feature attraction, the pan fried catfish or the crawfish sauce.

The mac and cheese was made with spaghetti like noodles and a white cheese sauce. It was smooth and creamy. The green beans, well… they kept me in compliance with my “must have a green vegetable at every meal” rule. And, if they were out of a can (I cannot honestly tell you they were not) it must have been a very high quality can. They were cooked southern style (soft) and the seasoning was just right. The toasted parmesan cheese bread was a nice touch (I also have a “bread at every meal” rule).

The desert menu was short and it disappointingly listed the old reliables like chocolate cake and bread pudding (which in all fairness you would find on any menu in New Orleans) and only three other items. I was looking for something unusual though. What caught my eye was the lemon pie. I know what I was thinking when I ordered and that was Lemon Meringue Pie(like you get at 80% of the places on this planet).

But, what I received was something different and surprisingly wonderful tasting.  Turns out that lemon pie was more of a lemon tart, something akin to what you might get in Europe.

The filling was obviously made with fresh lemon juice. Even better it was a true custard pudding filling made with fresh lemon juice placed in a tart shell and covered with a wonderful whipped cream flavored with coconut and vanilla. Flavor packed and visually great to look at, I found the portion of lemon pie to be just a bit small for my gluttonous appetite.  In all honesty I must say that I was completely satisfied at the end of the meal and had no more appetite.  Too many people use volume of food as a cover for lesser quality.  One of the earmarks of high quality food is its abilty to satisfy one’s appetite with a reasonable amount of food.  So I think the amount of food was close to perfect. 

Diners will find the atmosphere very casual to almost homelike.  Like many New Orleans eateries service varies from friendly and compliant to highly personal depending on the frequency of your business and how well they know your personal tastes. A complete meal with desert and drink will run $15-20. The Real New Orleans Style Restaurant is open Monday thru Saturday, closed Sunday.

The Texas Hills Winery in Johnson City Texas describes their 2004 Cinque Vino Rosso blend as “five red wines, an artistic blend of red wines including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Ruby Cabernet, Sangiovese, and Syrah”.

I found this wine to be relatively gentle and straightforward with a long lasting finish. At first taste there was a slightly pronouced acidity which quickly balanced out with gentle swirling. This wine shows a nice balance of fruit, first more cherry-like then softly fading to the richness of ripe blackberry as the stonger Cabernet flavor starts to dominate, then ending with a hint of ripe currents from the Syrah component. The finish is marked with moderate to soft tannins that fade quickly and a noticable spicy dimension not unlike the peppery quality of mid-harvest extra virgin Spanish olive oil.

For the sheer enjoyment of this wine’s full flavor spectrum try paring it with fresh strawberries or blackberries drizzled with well aged balsalmic vinegar. Being more fruity than sweet, this flexible wine would fare well when paired with firm cheeses such as a well aged Chesire chedder or with savory items like bruschetta and crostini or even perhaps grillled pork. I do not feel it would stand up as well when served with heavier beef dishes; but there are so many other great possibilites, why try?

Many will find this wine more difficult to understand because no single component really dominates its flavor spectrum and will have some confusion when deciding how best to serve it. Tasters should remember that true to its name, Texas Hills Vineyard Cinque Vino Rosso, is a blend of five different grape personalites combined so as to be enjoyed for the harmony of it’s five red grape flavors. For the same reason this wine has broad compatability across a whole range of savory foods and is widely accepted by red wine lovers. Still, it remains under-recognized for it’s merits because it’s not a varietal. I think Texas Hills Vineyards certainly accomplished their goal of creating an excellent red table wine with Cinque Vino Rosso.

One should be able to buy the 2004 vintage of this wine for $11-$12 making Cinque Vino Rosso an excellent choice for restaurateurs to pour by the glass and for consumers to buy by the case for less formal gathrings and the cherished family dinner table.

News Flash: Severe drought, frost and harvest rains cut the Austrailian grape 2007 crop by a third. The conditions have become so bad in some areas that 2008 will be even worse. Particularly hard hit is the Murray Darling area of Southeastern Australia which produces 65% of all Australian wine grapes and is home to many of Australia’s largest exporters. According to the Wine Grape Growers of Australia as much as 10% of the 7500 Australian grape growers could go out of business. What this means to USA consumers is there will be an increase in the price and availbility of premium and specialty Austrailian wines.

Most people do not expect a city owned and operated eatery to produce a meal worthy of the Nifty Food Find Blog. But, that is NOT the case with the Red Bird Grill at the Ladybird Johnson Municipal Park golf course clubhouse. [take US 87 south out of Fredericksburg Texas, turn right at the next intersection past the Fredericksburg Airport entrance to the golf course).

Today it was cold and rainy and the normally full golf course had very few golfers. Likewise the Red Bird, being the 19th hole at the clubhouse, was near empty also. I sat in the corner so I could look through the windows and enjoy the view of the golf course while I ate. There was also a cozy fire in the fireplace. Something warm and comforting like quesadillas sounded perfect to me.

The Red Bird Grill is a very simple eatery. You go to the counter and order and pay. You walk a few steps and self serve your drink. Then, you choose a place to sit. when your food is ready they bring it to your table. Like I said the place is very simple. The ambiance is friendly and relaxed…… v-e-r-y r-e-l-a-x-e-d.

Vegetarian quesadillas. Ok, I really ordered the regular chicken quesadillas but sans the meat. I’m one of those people that happen to think chicken can be a little boring on flavor if you have it too often. Frankly, I have had the chicken quesadillas at the Red Bird Grill before and they were great. That is why I came back to the Red Bird Grill in the first place.

Nevertheless, today I just did not feel like tasting chicken and ordered the Chicken Quesadillas but without chicken. Vegetarian quesadillas are not really on the menu at the Red Bird but it just goes to show what a quality eatery will do when they have pride in their product and they are as customer focused(another reason I am a regular customer at the Red Bird Grill).

When I ordered I think the manager felt like I was getting short changed a bit, not having meat of some sort. She quickly offered a more grilled peppers… including extra jalapenos and assured me the quesadillas would be very nice even if they were not on the menu.

The food quickly arrived and it looked great too. The first thing I noticed was there was about 25% more food on the plate than I had anticipated. These bad boys were at least 5/8″ thick, enough that some would almost call them sandwiches! And, thats ok…. my excitment is solely from satisfied anticpation. I firmly beleive food must look good as well as taste good.

The food had to be was fresh from the grill by only seconds because the two heafty portions of cheese(yellow cheddar and white Jack cheese) were perfectly melted together all the way through and still quite gooey. Need I say more?

Ok. How about, besides the cheese, the filling was loaded with fresh tomatoes(now slightly cooked), grilled green bell peppers, pickled jalapenos, and grilled onions. Getting hungry now, right? Or the piest de resistance, the tortillas were covered nicely with grill marks which quesadilla connoisseurs all know grill marks are a very important flavor point of great tasting quesadillas.

The flavour of food is determined by a number of different factors including taste, smell, colour, temperature and overall appearance, as well as by physiological or psychological conditions. Some of the most important factors are the basic tastes of sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami.

It was Japanese scientist Dr. Kikunae Ikeda who first discovered that glutamic acid, an amino acid, was responsible for the umami taste of Konbu.
Although there is no English word for it, umami is a savoury taste imparted by glutamate and ribonucleotides, including inosinate and guanylate, which occur naturally in many foods including meat, fish, vegetables and dairy products.

The taste of umami itself is subtle. It blends well with other tastes to expand and round out flavours. Umami plays an important role making food taste delicious.

My lunch came with a small serving of hot sauce on the side but I opted for a few dashes of Tobasco Smokey Chipolte Sauce splashed across the top(more umami). Sweet. These vegetarian quesadellas from the Red Bird Grill were such a great treat that that I don’t expect to have chicken quesadellas anywhere for some time.

I am not sure how much my food really cost but it had to cheap. I say this because there were three of us eating together and the total bill for all three was under $15 if that gives you a hint. The Red Bird Grill is open during golf course hours.