Author Archive
Jake and Telly’s Greek Taverna is almost a cliché with its frescos of other-worldly-blue skies and snow-white structures found only in Greece. Fortunately, the food overshadows the décor of the large dining area, and a friendly, attentive staff enhances the meal.
Lunch with friends from work reminded me that Jake and Telly’s is a place worth returning to – it had been years since my last visit; I’d simply forgotten about it. I was also prompted to recall that different groups of friends have different dining styles. For example, the last time I was there I knew that whatever I ordered I would be sharing with that friend. She and I think nothing of eating off each other’s plates. I don’t want to do that with just anyone, no matter how much I enjoy their company. However, I was sorely tempted to take a bite of my colleague’s Garlic Mashed Potatoes on this recent visit, especially when she raved about them.
The mashers seemed an unlikely accompaniment in a Greek restaurant. The other options were Roasted Potatoes, Red Lentil Soup, Avgolemono Soup, and Pasta Salad. The latter was made with orzo, so it and the lemon soup were more traditional. I was pleased with my roasted potatoes, which were crispy and flavored with lemon pepper and herbs. Still, I can only imagine the richness within those mashed potatoes.
My entrée of Souvlaki was made with tender, roasted marinated pork instead of lamb and served with creamy tzatziki enfolded in pita.
Jake and Telly’s Greek Taverna
Four Plates
2616 W. Colorado Ave.
Colorado Springs, CO.
In The Hollow Man, British author Oliver Harris presents one of those multi-flawed detectives that have become so popular in recent crime fiction. Okay, maybe it’s not necessarily a recent trend, but his protagonist Nick Belsey is one ambiguous cop who seems to be nearly invisible to those around him given what he gets away with in plain view.
Belsey is a Detective Constable with the London Police and the hefty catalog of his indiscretions, mostly involving gambling, drinking and abuse of position, overshadows his negligible good qualities. Yet, as Harris provides more and more insight into his character’s personality, it’s clear that even though Belsey wears the good guy’s white hat, it is set exceptionally askew.
It appears that Belsey has hit rock bottom in his personal life, consisting primarily of self-destructive behaviors, which has caught up with his career. He’s facing a formal inquiry with a forced leave of absence looming over his head. Despite this, he becomes embroiled in a murder investigation which he links to a major financial crime and sees as an opportunity to (illegally) change his life.
The novel is engaging and full of dark humor. In spite of Belsey’s conduct, it’s impossible not to wonder if he’ll continue on his path to ruin or see the error of his ways. The major flaw comes in the form of Belsey simply flashing his badge to get near crime scenes and restricted information given that he should have either restricted or no access due to his own transgressions.
The Hollow Man
Three-and-a-half Bookmarks
Bourbon Street Books (HarperCollins), 2012
470 pages
When there’s been too much activity in the kitchen, thanks to extra mouths to feed and the excess associated with the holidays, going out to eat is less an opportunity to dine and more a chance to rest. Such was the case on a visit to Savelli’s, which met our criteria for the evening: close to home where we could be seated without having to wait long.
Savelli’s is a neighborhood Italian restaurant, complete with red-checkered tablecloths and a standard menu of pizza, calzones and pasta. It was a good choice, and as the place filled while the evening progressed, it was easy to see why it appealed to young families, couples and large groups. There is, indeed, something for everyone – even if the something is not exceptionally inspiring.
The Chicken Parmesan featured what appeared to be a previously-frozen cutlet bathed in a tangy marinara sauce over a bed of spaghetti. The chicken parm I make is definitely better, but the benchmark this night was based more on convenience than culinary execution. My husband’s Calzone was stuffed with Italian sausage and pepperoni. The large slits not only allowed the air to escape from within the confines of the stuffed, baked turnover, but also much of the filling. Consequently, it was difficult to eat – even with a fork and knife.
The good news is we were sated, relaxed and didn’t have to spend much. Sometimes that’s more you can hope for.
Savelli’s
Three-and-a-half Plates
301 Manitou Ave.
Manitou Springs, CO
It’s interesting that I’ve recently read two nonfiction books that both include the word betrayal in their subtitles. After all, it’s a powerful assertion. Michael Paterniti shares his in The Telling Room: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, Revenge, and the World’s Greatest Piece of Cheese. Initially the last word, the cheese, is what caught my attention more than the previous three. Those are experiences most of us know on some level, but the best cheese in the world? That’s something outside my realm.
Paterniti tells three stories: that of Ambrosio Molinos, a Spanish farmer turned cheesemaker; of life in rural Spain; and of the author’s own infatuation with the subject of his book, which isn’t the cheese at all, but the man behind it. Although Paterniti’s self-revelations are the least interesting, they’re fun to ride along with since he does such a magnificent job of bringing the larger-than-grand Ambrosio to life off the pages. It’s easy to see how he became so enmeshed in Ambroiso’s world, which is described in rich and vivid detail.
A combination of greed, poor business decisions and, ultimately, different versions of the same story result in Ambrosio’s fall from grace as a gentleman farmer to a man plagued with debt who is no longer able to produce the cheese that garnered worldwide attention.
The Telling Room could easily have been subtitled the power of friendship. It is power that comes from the beauty of reliance, fun and sharing to the more destructive and sad aspects that emerge when friendships fail.
The Telling Room: A Tale of Love, Betrayal, Revenge, and the World’s Greatest Piece of Cheese
Four Bookmarks
The Dial Press, 2013
349 pages
Several years ago, I interviewed Richard Betts for a freelance piece I was writing. It came about because he lives in Boulder, had his own wine label (Betts & Scholl) and, at the time, was one of only 170 master sommeliers worldwide. Since then the number has grown to 214 and Betts has written a humorous, albeit basic, book: The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide to Becoming a Wine Expert.
Betts is personable, knowledgeable and not at all condescending – qualities that shine in the book. He wants wine to be accessible, not limited to a certain class or clientele. In fact his approach is included on the book’s cover: “Wine is a grocery, not a luxury.”
In less than two dozen cardboard-like pages, all of which have simple drawings like the content of a children’s book, Betts admonishes readers to simply use their noses to help identify their wine likes and dislikes. He even goes so far as to single out the smells most often found in wines as a way to understand why one wine might be more appealing than another. He writes, “Know that tasting is actually smelling.”
The book, indeed, has scratch and sniff spots, but not all the aromas shine. Still, the point is well taken. Most of us know what vanilla smells like, and if we like it or not. The bottom line, Betts emphasizes, is to drink wine you like. He is just helping readers understand why some might be more appealing than others.
The Essential Scratch & Sniff Guide to Becoming A Wine Expert
Four Bookmarks
Hougton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013
21 pages
A friend, who is only slightly younger than me, remembered going to Bon Ton’s Café when she was a child with her grandmother. Although it wasn’t my recollection, I smiled at the idea of a restaurant and its food evoking a fond memory. Bon Ton’s, on the corner of Colorado Avenue and 26th Street in Old Colorado City, has been serving food for years (and years), and plating up some memories in the process.
Bon Ton’s is like a favorite sweater. It’s comfortable, dependable and, if frayed around the edges, familiar. Of course, it helps that the food is consistent. It’s only open for breakfast and lunch, so the menu, printed like a newspaper, features all the offerings. For breakfast, standard egg dishes, pancakes, French toast and several Southwestern items, identified by the presence of green chile, are available. Traditional lunch fare includes burgers and sandwiches.
I’ve enjoyed the Vegetable Scrambler in the past as much for the fresh vegies cooked with scrambled eggs as for the crunchy hash browns also on the plate. I was tempted by the thought of the hash browns — a yin and yang of crispy and creamy shredded potatoes, — but I really wanted a pancake. My friend offered to give me her spuds because she said she wouldn’t be able to eat everything she ordered. She was in the holiday spirit.
My plate-size, golden pancake with maple syrup was exactly what I wanted, as were the hash browns. They’re the stuff of memories.
Bon Ton’s Café
Four Plates
2601 W. Colorado Ave.
Colorado Springs
I have a Twitter account, but don’t tweet. Reading Hatching Twitter: A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal by Nick Bilton did nothing to encourage me to embrace this social media leviathan. I was curious about Bilton’s book because I teach an Internet Media class. Undeniably, Twitter has a huge role in how society communicates. Journalists around the world demonstrate its use as a significant tool to report news. I appreciate that. However, it’s disconcerting that stories, whether personal or professional, can be condensed to 140 characters or less.
Nonetheless, Bilton’s book, while not as objective as expected from a New York Times reporter, provides insight into Twitter’s short history. All of the major players and how they became part of the little blue bird’s universe are introduced. Although many others are featured, the focus is on the four identified as Twitter’s co-founders: Evan “Ev” Williams, Jack Dorsey, Christopher “Biz” Stone, and Noah Glass. Bilton is sympathetic in his account of Glass’s involvement, which was short lived. Williams and Stone are profiled in a positive light compared to Dorsey who’s mocked for his Steve Jobs-wanna-be approach and his alone-at-the-end-of-the-day consequences.
The manner in which the story’s told is appealing. Starting in 2010 with Williams about to announce his departure as Twitter’s CEO, Bilton then offers the true beginning in 1997. The account is similar to a mystery without the murder, but plenty of intrigue and backstabbing. The reader knows what’s going to happen, but not necessarily how.
Hatching Twitter: A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal
Almost Four Bookmarks
Portfolio/Penguin, 2013
302 Pages
Jabo’s Bar-Be-Q is located in a suburban Denver strip mall. It’s also the namesake of the owner who loves to talk as much as he enjoys serving his pit-smoked barbecue. What he seems to relish most is talking up his cooking.
The first thing Jabo asks is if you’ve been in before; without waiting for a response, he answers suggesting he’d remember if you had. He then gave an extensive explanation on how meats should be cooked, how different parts of the country have diverse definitions of barbecue and how he would match his sauces to our palates. My husband and I sat dumbfounded listening to what could have been perceived as a rant, but evolved into an interesting presentation. Before ordering, Jabo served a small tasting plate of that evening’s six different sauces. They ranged from super tangy to very spicy. He was more than happy to blend sauces or even kick up the heat level, if desired.
I opted for a combination of a maple and mango – yes mango. It was sweet, but not so much so that it was sugary. It complimented the fork-tender brisket served with baked beans and potato salad – the sides I selected from half a dozen.
The meal featured two “Utah Sconuts,” a cross between a sopapilla and beignet, with a dollop of honey butter. These, Jabo explained, were his wife’s contributions. We never saw her, but my guess is Jabo is the one who does most of the talking no matter who’s around.
Jabo’s Bar-Be-Q
Four Plates
9682 E. Arapahoe Rd.
Greenwood Village, Colo.
I’ve probably read half of Diane Mott Davidson’s opus of culinary mystery-lites. It’s been some time since I read the last one; I should have stopped when I was more amused by the style and content, and more tantalized by the recipes interwoven with the plot. The Whole Enchilada, the most recent adventure of Goldy Schultz the Colorado caterer, left me hungry for something of more substance.
Once again, Goldy finds herself in the midst of a murder investigation in the small, mountain community where she lives just west of Denver. The number of murders, through the years, in the small, fictional town of Aspen Meadow is impressive – but not in a good way. If I lived there, I’d consider moving. Thank goodness Goldy is there to assist the local sheriff’s department solve the crime(s).
What I’ve found entertaining in the past is Mott Davidson’s humor and the suspense she has been able to create. The who-dunit was always fun to try to name before it was ever revealed in the book, but this time the element of intrigue is absent. Perhaps this is because there are two murders, one attempted murder and several attacks on Goldy herself. It’s too much strain on the suspension of disbelief.
The recipes featured are not ones I am interested in trying myself – again, this is unlike my experience with Mott Davidson’s earlier works. If the food had been more enticing, I might have had a better appetite for what she served here.
The Whole Enchilada
Three Bookmarks
William Morrow, 2013
369 pages, including recipes
Everyone’s been talking turkey for the past week, so MacKenzie’s Chop House is a welcome change. Although there are a few tempting seafood dishes, the real focus is on red meat. The menu features an array of steaks, from New York to Porterhouse, from Filet Mignon to Ribeye. Prime Rib, Buffalo Steak, Rack of Lamb and Pork Chops round out the menu along with several side salads.
Although MacKenzie’s clearly emphasizes beef, and ours was cooked to perfection, there’s also an impressive attention to detail when it comes to service. Without hovering, the staff executed perfect timing knowing just the right moment to answer a question, to refill glasses, to remove plates, to provide a new utensil. Anticipation was personified.
Of course, this might have been for naught had the food been substandard; it wasn’t. The Spinach Salad with roasted red peppers and bacon was dressed with maple-balsamic vinaigrette. Even the House Salad was above average: mixed greens sharing the plate with balsamic-marinated apples and croutons.
Our entrees, the Prime Rib and Filet Mignon, were juicy, pink in the middle and tender. Yes, it’s true that bacon with anything is almost nirvana, but when wrapped around a piece of beef tenderloin the flavors are intensified. A baked potato and a large quantity of broccoli filled out the rest of the plate.
There were two regrettable aspects of the meal: not being informed until we were done that Crème Brulee is a house specialty and being too sated to try it.
MacKenzie’s Chop House
Four+ Plates
128 S. Tejon St.
Colorado Springs, CO
