Tag Archives: Italian by Night

my day job

Posted on by
12

veggies






I thought you might like to see what I do all day long.

shrimp

I took these photographs during a staff tasting of the new dishes I’m featuring on our ‘midwinter’ menu. The tastings let the kitchen work out any glitches with plating and gives the servers a chance to taste and understand the new dishes. This tasting turned into an eleven hour work day for us cooks.

gnocchi

When I started to design this menu, I couldn’t help thinking how this time of year our bodies crave warmth and comfort. Keeping in mind that I live in the great white north, it takes a lot of fuel just to get through the day! Nipping into a cozy little Italian food joint for a plate of pasta and a glass of red wine in the middle of a snow storm is my idea of heaven. Well maybe in heaven it might not be snowing…

seafood

There’ll be time enough for light food during the warmer months for now give me rich creamy pasta sauces, hearty lasagnas, bold cheeses, roasted winter vegetables and long slow braises and delicious char-grilled meats and fish. This is the food to celebrate winter!

scallops

salmon

chicken

lamb

This is how I spend my day.

Thanks for reading.

baby bok choy with ginger and chilies and to dare…

Posted on by
2

baby bok choy with ginger and chilies


I can’t believe that it’s been a year since we launched Italian by Night. It was two and a half years ago that Liz sat in my living room sharing her dream of one day opening an Italian restaurant and I made the infamous faux pas, ‘gosh, you don’t seem to know much about Italian cooking.’ My foot-in-mouth disease spilled all over the carpet! She is still teasing me about it.

baby bok choy with ginger and chilies

It’s been an incredible journey over tough terrain. For those of you who are new to ‘bite’, I am the Italian Food Artist at a tiny little Osteria in eastern Canada that during the day is a trendy deli owned by Elizabeth Rowe and Gord Hewitt. I know – not possible… How could anyone run two completely different styles of food out of the same space. Crazy but not impossible.

Beyond the challenges of cooking Italian food in a deli kitchen, has been both the negative and positive reaction to us daring to. For me, to dare to take on the role of executive chef, creating the menus and procedures necessary to deliver authentic honest Italian food when I’m not a chef. That’s why my title is Food Artist. For Liz, to dare to transform her deli by day into a casual fine dining experience in the evening – Italian by Night. It was unheard of, and yet, here we are days away from celebrating our first anniversary.

I’ve never feared my life’s path. There’s been many times when I wasn’t sure if I was strong enough to succeed but I’ve never been afraid to try. Making sense of any negative reaction has led me to understand, that for some, criticizing is a coping mechanism for their own fears and disappointments. I can’t own that. Enjoying the positive reaction has been my fuel! Fulfilled team mates, wonderfully kind dinner guests and my own sense of accomplishment makes it real and good.

I often judge the significance of what I’m doing by thinking of whether or not, when I’m an old lady, I’ll look back on this time with pride or regret. These will be happy memories…

baby bok choy with ginger and chilies

Baby Bok Choy with Ginger and Chilies

Serves 4-6

6 baby bok Choy, washed and left whole
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 scallion, sliced
1 fresh red hot pepper, seeded and sliced thin
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon pure sesame oil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Place the baby bok Choy standing upright in a steamer.
Steam until fork tender

Meanwhile, warm oils in a large skillet over medium high heat
Add ginger, garlic, spring onion, hot pepper and sesame seeds.
Sauté gently then remove from heat.

When bok Choy are finished steaming, place them in the warm oil and toss
Serve immediately.

THE LOVE: Make sure that you don’t burn the ginger mixture. Saute gently!

printable copy

baby bok choy with ginger and chilies

Thanks for reading.

Cooking for the Boys and Girls Club

Posted on by
2

http://www.fundyfoodfestival.com/festival.html

I am literally heading out the door to catch a flight to Toronto to see Kaitie. So quick and dirty…

Last year I had the complete delight of cooking with Chef Axel Begner . This year I am thrilled to be cooking with my partner in crime Chef Andrew Brewer .

Gail and John Rocca have graciously offered to host six dinner guests in their new Harbourfront penthouse. I can’t wait to cook in their new kitchen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chef Andrew and I will prepare a seven course Italian feast with wines paired by Churchill Dauphinee Your luxury transportation will be provided by Saint John Exectutive Limousine Services.

Best of all – the money raised goes to our local Saint John Boys and Girls Club

It’s a fantastic event and I LOVE being a part of it!

Thanks for reading.

 

Springtime @italianbynight

Posted on by
5

Spring, or as we say at Italian by Night, Primavera has sprung!

New antipasti…

New pastas with lighter sauces…

And shell-fish…

Plump, succulent seafood in garlicky tomato and wine reductions.

I confessed to my daughter Kate on opening night that I was REALLY nervous. She said, “Mom pretend you are having a dinner party!”

Funny – that’s exactly what it feels like…

Thanks for reading.

Jay Remer Reviews Italian by Night

Posted on by
12
 I follow Jay Remer ,the Etiquette Guy, on Twitter. I love having a daily shot of guidance in behaving well! When he came into Italian by Night last Thursday evening, had I known that he would be writing a review, I might have been paralyzed. Luckily for me, I thought that he was just there for dinner…

The Etiquette Guy

Thursday, March 15, 2012

The Urban Deli – Italian by Night – A Review

Few experiences in life excite me more than trying out a new restaurant. Recently in Saint John, The Urban Deli took a leap of faith and expanded their hours of operation and opened for dinner three nights a week. What was most remarkable was the departure from their usual fare of hearty delicious “deli” food to authentic Italian cuisine. What a smart move they have made. Discovering that the Chef for this new menu is Michelle Hooton, former Deputy Mayor of the city, added to my anticipation.

Entering the restaurant through a heavy dark green velvet curtain momentarily transports one back to the days of speakeasies. Italian soloist Andrea Bocelli’s enchanting voice welcomed us into the familiar space and the friendly staff was quick to offer to hang our coats and seat us in a comfortable booth. One feels immediately relaxed and very welcome. The fact that the space is small and uncluttered added to the ambiance. A critical eye would also notice how immaculately clean everything is, including the washrooms.

The simplicity of the beautifully designed menu served only to enhance the enticing offerings. The three of us opted to ask the chef to decide what we would eat, which greatly reduced the impossible decision-making process that could have ensued. We began with a traditional Antipasto di Verdure that tasted as fresh and delicious as any I have ever had, with everything made from the freshest ingredients. We shared a Primo course of Penne con Sugo di Salsiccie, wonderfully seasoned house-made veal and pork sausage on imported pasta. For a Secondo, we tied into the most delicious slow-roasted Oxtail one could imagine, completely fall-off-the-bone juicy and rich. We shared a delightfully light Cioccolato Crème Brulee for dessert, served in a demitasse cup and perfect.

As brilliant as the food was, the experience would not have been as memorable without the knowledgeable ebullient server and the dedicated owner whose love of food is unmistakable. But it was the chef herself who came to table to describe each course that made the evening ever so special. As she was describing the Oxtail, she alluded to a secret ingredient that made it so wonderful. The pure joy emanating from her rosy-cheeked face and her wide grin indicated she was in her element. I came to the conclusion that secret element could be none other than what is a hallmark of any great food – Love.

Although this does not pretend to be a fine dining establishment, I found the whole experience better than many I have had in more pretentious (and expensive) restaurants in major cities around the world. I was impressed and thrilled to find a world-class gem right in my own back yard!

I read this review and was completely blown away…bliss

Thanks for reading.

when your gnocchi turns into mashed potatoes…

Posted on by
7

I have made gnocchi for thirty years. Three decades of practise gives a person a sense of confidence that is rock solid. Tuesday evening crushed my confidence.

Despite the miserable March weather, the restaurant was humming. The orders were coming in and leaving the kitchen at a lovely rate. For our ‘In Addition’ menu, I had prepared a rich creamy lamb sauce on which I had intended to serve our house made potato gnocchi. My version of meat and potatoes - ’Italian style’!

I was chatting away as I poached the gnocchi, not really paying close attention to what was happening in the pot.

With blind faith, I dropped the gnocchi into the skillet on top of the lamb sauce. I almost had a heart attack when I lifted the skillet to give it a toss. My usual perfect little pillows were nothing more than a lump of watery mashed potatoes!

I had a board full of orders and a pot full of mud. My mantra in the kitchen has always been – shoulders back, deep breath, steady pace. At that precise moment, my mantra was silenced by panic. What the heck was I going to do? Liz calmly said, ‘what are you going to do? Don’t sweat it – make the call.’ That is restaurant speak for ‘fix it or chuck it’

Total instinct took over. I grabbed a skillet and placed it over a high flame. I dropped a spoonful of clarified butter into the centre of the skillet and then added the gnocchi. The gnocchi looked perfect but clearly the potato to flour ratio was off, hence the watery mush when poached. However, I knew they would hold if they were browned, gently…

Being able to turn on a dime is critical in a professional kitchen. Stuff happens that you could never anticipate. We have an exposed kitchen so screaming, jumping up and down or throwing pots at the wall are not options for me. I am in more of a ‘suck it up Princess’ kind of situation…lol. I love it!

Carefully browning the gnocchi worked - exhale.

Thanks for reading.

where there’s a love – there’s a way

Posted on by
11

When I originally wrote the menus for what has become ‘Italian by Night’, it was with the assumption that whomever would use my recipes would be doing so in a kitchen specifically designed to turn out mountains of perfectly ‘al dente’ pastas.

So ‘whomever‘ is me, along with Chef Andrew Brewer and others, preparing Italian food from a kitchen designed to build gourmet deli sandwiches. Don’t get me wrong. I still think that Liz’s idea is brilliant: deli by day – Italian by Night. Capitalizing on her initial investment by diversifying her product line…yikes I sound way too corporate. Suffice to say - her idea is extremely clever!

She has the challenge of communicating the concept and I have the challenge of delivering the food.

From 8 am until 3 pm daily, Andrew and I work with a small electric stove – not convection. The roasted plum tomatoes, alone, require four hours in the oven. Our prep schedule is timed down to the millisecond to enable us to produce grissini, focaccia, ciabatta, cantucci, pastas, gnocchi, sauces, meats, vegetables and desserts. All of this happens in our prep kitchen before we head downstairs for service.

On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, the deli staff leave the kitchen ready for us to invade by 3:30 pm. We transfer everything being served that evening from the second floor to the first floor. We do not have an elevator…

We are guests in the deli’s kitchen and must leave it ready for the deli to rock and roll the next morning. As unobtrusively as possible, we devour every possible bit of space by repurposing it to fit our needs.

By placing a large baking sheet over the deep-fryer, I have a prep station for my pastas. I neglected to turn the deep-fryer off one evening and ended up baking my anchovies and drying out my capers. Luckily ‘puttanesca‘ was not a hot item that night!

During the menu development stage, I envisioned an industrial, plumbed-in, continual boil pasta cooker complete with a timer. Fast forward; I have a large pot with four removable inserts that sits on a gas range monopolizing two precious burners. We feed it by carrying a plastic jug of hot water from the dish pit every opportunity we have. Cooking pasta correctly requires lots of boiling water.

Think about the logistics of dropping an order of gnocchi, ravioli, spaghetti and penne for the same table, all requiring different cook times, each with a different sauce. Did I mention that I only have use of the two remaining front burners for sauces? Not as easy as you might think..

At the same time that I am plating pasta, our cook Kim is creating beautiful antipastas and Chef Andrew is delivering stunning second courses. It takes focused concentration and extremely well-mannered dialogue to effectively keep up with the orders. Mind you the occasional curse does slip out but followed quickly with ‘sorry about that’.

Not being able to work in a ‘dream-kitchen’ has done little to dampen our spirits. When you love to cook, it’s not about the equipment. It’s about the food…

Thanks for reading.

Special thanks to Dr. Keith Wilson photos

our shared passion…

Posted on by
5

When I developed the menus for Italian by Night, I started with the antipasti. The beginning of the meal reveals the essense of the kitchen. I wanted our guests to taste  our concept in their first bite.

During my initial discussions with Liz, it was clear to me that our cumulative life journeys, our intense work ethics and our passion for Italian food would produce a dining experience committed to excellence.

Our concept is simple. It stems from my philosophy of cooking. To be a good cook use great ingredients. To be a great cook use your ingredients with love. We have sourced out the finest Italian imported food stuffs and combined it with the best food product that we can buy locally.

We want our guests to feel our love of Italian food in every dish. My style of cooking is not fast nor is it embellished. This will sound a little goofy but the food speaks to me. I am inspired by the ripeness of a plum tomato or the scent of crushed juniper berries. Liz can be in the middle of a thousand things yet the scent of freshly grated nutmeg will have her hurrying over to the stove to see what Chef Andrew and I are creating.

In Italy, dining is never rushed. Each course is savoured and thoughtfully selected to make sure the meal is perfect. During my many trips to Italy, I have watched as matriarchs choose the appropriate dishes with the patriarchs deciding on the accompanying wines. It’s theatre to me…

Our menu consists of the antipasti, the primi, the secondi and dolce. The appetizers, the pasta course, the meat course and dessert. Our menu is seasonal so that we can maximise local produce, meat and fish. You will see the classics but with a seasonal twist!

We want our guests to experience Italian hospitality. Our turn-of-the-century dining room with exposed brick walls, wide planked flooring, subtle lighting and exposed kitchen is the perfect backdrop to provide just that!

Our exposed kitchen allows our guests to watch the magic. I had many guests last week remark on how happy and calm we looked. Happiness is in the details! We have a great team with a shared commitment to the quality of our food.

Each week we will offer delicate house made pastas, in addition to our menu.

It is week two… reservations recommended

Thanks for reading.

The opening of Italian by Night – what a team!

Posted on by
21

It is amazing how critical a team approach is to the success of a restaurant.

So many tiny details to see to…

From the floors to the stemware – everything was sparkling.

We were ready.

Our servers rocked it out of the park!

There were three of us on the line.

Having never been in a pressure situation together, it was seamless.

Plate after plate left the kitchen.

The orders…

Chef Andrew is an absolute dream to work with!

Our guests were dining and enjoying the evening allowing us to take the time necessary for detailing the plates.

There was an instinctual flow happening in our kitchen between cooks.

The fact that we were still smiling after an eleven hour day says it all!

Only three cooks could be captivated by cocoa dusting…

Our guests were so kind and encouraging.

To the future and making sure that we have fun along the way.

It was a wonderful opening thanks to our guests and an incredible team of committed and focused people wanting to provide our guests with our very best.

Thanks for reading.

All photos courtesy of Dr. Keith Wilson

an astronaut who likes lobster

Posted on by
4

I’m just days away from the opening of Italian by Night and my brain is on overdrive – my body too, if the carbuncle (aka cold sore) I’ve been nursing for the past week is any indication.

I’ve always had a head down, blinders on, foot to the floor approach to work. Everyone notices. I had an email from my dad this week that said: your mother misses you – you become way to focused, child. He knows that I can’t help it. The people closest to me understand.

Everything is ready. It is anticipating the execution that has me wound up. The actual count down to blast off. I sound like an astronaut waiting to catapult into a new space. I guess I am…

Ralph and I are going to have a quiet dinner tonight. He is loving how in sync our energy levels are now that I am back to work. When I’m tired, I crave decadent food so we are having boiled lobster with a creamy potato scallop, herb biscuits and ‘I haven’t decided yet’ for dessert. For those of you who do not spend a lot of time on the computer, if you click on any word highlighted in ’green’, you will find the recipe for that dish…

BOILED LOBSTER

1 lobster per person

Salt

In a large pot, fill it 3/4 full with water with enough salt in it to make it taste like seawater. Bring it to a rolling boil. I used 1/3 cup of sea salt

Place live lobsters head first, one at a time, in the pot. You may have to either do this in batches or have several pots going at once depending on how many lobsters you are cooking.

Once the lobsters are in the pot, cover it and wait for the water to return to a boil. Boil lobsters 15-20 minutes, depending on their size. A normal 1-1 1/2 pound lobster will take 15 minutes once the boil returns.

Remove the cooked lobsters from the boiling water and place on a platter on their backs. Do not drain liquid from shell or the lobster will be dry.

Serve hot, warm or chilled. Many people love lobster with melted butter. We like our lobster ‘au natural’. As Dad says, ‘I like my lobster to taste like lobster.’

Enjoy it as you like it!

Thanks for reading.