Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category
Before I finished eating, I wondered if Five Plates were appropriate for a
burger joint. The truth is Bingo Burger scored big on everything from food
to service, from mostly locally-sourced ingredients to the casual atmosphere,
but especially the food. Ultimately, I found two problems: it’s about 50 miles
from my doorstep and it’s pricey.
This is a colorfully decorated, upscale burger bastion. As soon as we entered,
my friend and I were greeted with a warm hello and admonished to take our
time ordering, but we weren’t to hesitate if we had any questions. And, by
the way, the ultra-friendly counterperson said, the milkshake flavor of the
day was banana chocolate. Ultimately, we were walked through the process:
pick a burger; we each opted for the namesake Bingo Burger, made with pueblo
chilies. Next was whether it should be “pink or not pink.” The usual accouter-
ments were available, as were other options ranging from different cheeses to
caramelized onions from fried egg to guacamole (and more). Thankfully, there
was no variation for the bun, which complemented rather than overwhelmed.
To have missed it would have shortchanged the burger.
Ordering the milkshake was a no brainer; banana chocolate is a hard-to-resist
combination, and it didn’t disappoint. This was thick, creamy and dense with
flavor. It, the shared side of hand-cut sweet potato fries served with tangy,
smoky curry ketchup, and the burgers made for a complete, delicious dining
experience – about $25 for two (including the shake we shared).
Bingo Burger
Four and half Plates
101 Central Plaza
Pueblo, CO
(Closed Sundays)
Labeled as a “novel about food and friendship,” The Recipe Club by
Andrea Israel and Nancy Garfinkel chronicles a long-time friendship
through emails, letters and recipes. The latter are the real stars. From
appetizers such as, “Good Karma Veggie Samosas,” to desserts includ-
ing, “Wash-Away the Blues Berry Cobbler,” each recipe is named to
coincide with the events in the characters’ lives.
Roughly ninety percent of the book is written as correspondence. I
suspect each author assumed the role of one of the two main charact-
ers, friends Val and Lily, who weather every imaginable squall as
young girls/teenagers. The distinct voices reflect their contrary per-
sonalities, which add weight to the opposites-attract-theory of re-
lationships.
With two narrators, it’s easy to provide both sides to every story. It
is also not difficult to see how misinterpretations occur. The novel
begins with an email exchange between the two women as they try
to bridge a 28-year rift in their friendship. It’s no spoiler to say the
attempts prove fruitless. This is followed by the main section of the
book: letters written between 1964 and 1973, and nearly all are
accompanied by a recipe for their recipe club. Everything leads to-
ward their falling out.
The result of the book’s structure is a “Forest Gump” approach to
showing the times as they were a changin’ for Val and Lily. The for-
mat was an uncomplicated way to introduce others who impacted
their lives. Friendship and food are important connections; the
authors show sometimes they aren’t always stress-free.
The Recipe Club
Three Bookmarks (thanks to the recipes)
HarperCollins, 2009
337 pages
When restaurant kitchens are open for all to see, it’s kind of important for the
cooks not to be distracted. A late lunch at McGill’s at Crested Butte took
a little longer than necessary, and we could see why: the chef was on the phone
– a very long time; even though ours was the only order, he was slow ending
the call.
McGill’s is more diner than restaurant, with more grill than kitchen. Plus, the
guy preparing our food was probably more line cook than chef. Still, he was the
one putting things together. When the plates finally arrived, we agreed it was
tasty, but would have been much better if served sooner.
The bread was fresh, but it wasn’t like the cook was waiting for it to finish
baking so he could place all of the accouterments atop it. Nor did it look
like he mashed avocados for the freshest possible guacamole. The bottom line
is that he talked at length instead of grilling.
Nonetheless, this was not a standard sandwich; it was a Grilled Chicken
Cobb Sandwich. It combined all the elements of a Cobb Salad (sans diced
turkey and hardboiled egg) between two slices of ciabatta. The result, except
for the tardiness, was a treat. Bacon, blue cheese, avocado in the form of guac,
and tomatoes made for a twist on the original concept of the traditional salad
and its reincarnation as a sandwich.
Maybe the secret to eating at McGill’s is to phone in the order.
Three Plates (Barely)
McGill’s at Crested Butte
228 Elk Ave.,
Crested Butte, CO
The sense of smell is rich in clichés: “Wake up and smell the coffee;”
“stop and smell the roses;” “relatives and fish smell after three days.”
In her book, Season to Taste, Molly Birnbaum writes of her life
without the ability to smell, so everything associated with scent
renders those sayings not just tired, but impossible.
Months before Birnbaum was to enter the Culinary Institute of Ameri-
ca she was struck by a car and suffered multiple injuries, including
losing her sense of smell which is known as anosmia. As she comes to
grip with the repercussions of this loss, she relinquishes her dream to
become a chef and latches onto the quest of learning about all things
olfactory.
Birnbaum’s writing is forthright, conversational yet occasionally bord-
erline academic. She experiences grief, anger and panic over the now-
missing sense she once took for granted. Aromas, odors, scents, what-
ever the name given, are, of course, everywhere. They evoke memories,
they provide contexts, they affect taste. With this in mind, Birnbaum
interviews numerous experts in the field of olfaction. She meets others
with anosmia. She studies at a perfume school in France, and visits flavor
design labs. Through these experiences, she relearns to identify smells,
falls in love, and reminds readers that this often under-rated of the
five senses really does enhance life in many, many ways.
The scientific information is interesting, but the best parts of Birnbaum’s
story are the personal elements she shares. That’s why it’s exciting when
she begins to cook again.
Season to Taste
Three Bookmarks
Ecco/HarperCollins, 2011
304 pages
In Great House, Nicole Krauss considers not just how an object is acquir-
ed, but how it is passed on to others. She shows that to bestow and to re-
ceive is not always a welcome, or even happy, occasion.
The novel has multiple characters, but it is really about just one thing: a
desk. Nonetheless, it is transformed from simply being household furniture
to something representing the different traits and lives of its owners. It is
imbued not only with personal histories, but also past world events. In
each of its homes, however, the desk physically overshadows everything
else, so the question that surfaces early on is: why is this particular piece
so important?
I found a lot of similarities between Kraus’s work and Accordion Dreams
by Annie Proulx. Both follow one specific item (in the latter, it’s the title
instrument) and both are haunting. The main difference is that Kraus
shows a connection among the five owners so the result is an amazingly
serendipitous puzzle. Here, Kraus, the author of A History of Love, has
written a fairy tale of sorts. In keeping true to that genre, Great House is
mournful and low on humor.
One problem lies with voice because everyone sounds the same. The pri-
mary distinction among the many narrators is in the descriptions of their
lives, rather than one personality being different from another. It’s the
situation that brings the desk into play and moves the story forward. Ulti-
mately, it’s something inanimate that drives the characters’ experiences.
Great House
Three Bookmarks
W.W. Norton & Co., 2011
289 pages
A look at fast food establishments I’ve frequented through the years
doesn’t just show where I’ve eaten, but also explains certain points
in my life – usually involving my kids, and/or a younger me. Match
column A with column B:
1. Taco Bell a. Parent of college-age children
2. McDonald’s b. Parent of preteen kids
3. Subway c. Life before kids
4. Local burger joints d. Parent with no kids at home
5. Panera Bread e. High school kid (before Chipotle)
6. Chipotle f. Parent of young children
I’m not proud to confess some of this. On the other hand, many of
these places are rites of passage. Right now I’m at d – a perfect
match for Panera Bread. It’s quick, consistent (in a positive way),
and the menu changes often.
Recently, the vegetable soup was a perfect way to rebuff the cold,
finally-winter day. Full of vegies, pasta and augmented in flavor by
a dollop of pesto that was quickly absorbed by the hot tomato-base.
I added a superfluous and unimaginative salad. It was my own fault
for ordering a basic mix of greens dressed with bland vinaigrette.
Panera has numerous salads that are well-above average (like the
Fuji Apple). I was uninspired when ordering and my taste buds bore
the brunt of that decision. Thankfully, the accompanying baguette
had a hard chewy crust; its inside was soft and airy.
The way I match the columns is 1 e; 2 f; 3 b; 4 c; 5 d; and 6 a.
Panera Bread
Three Plates
1845 Briargate Parkway
Colorado Springs, CO
(Panera Bread is located in most cities across the country)
With so many recent literary references to tigers it’s easy to think
The Tiger’s Wife has something to do with Asia. That’s not the
case with Tea Obreht’s lyrical, engaging debut novel. Instead, she
writes about fear, imagination, survival, and war’s shadow – on an-
other continent altogether.
The title’s namesake and the “deathless man” are told like fairytales
along with the narrator’s, Natalia, desire to know the circumstances
of her much-loved grandfather’s death. These tales also figure promi-
nently in how he lived his life; he was a doctor and survived an earlier
war. It’s his demise that propels Natalia, and even though death is a
constant throughout the book, it is not disheartening.
Natalia, too, is a young physician in a devasted eastern European
country, whose story begins with her memories of going to the zoo
with her grandfather: to see the tigers. Other animals are mentioned,
but the tigers drive their visits. As Natalia grows up, the threat of war
is never far removed, yet she is surprised at her cavalier attitude
toward it. Later, when she treats children orphaned by war, she still
never appears to believe it’s real.
Although, she’s preoccupied with her grandfather’s death, the more
she looks for understanding, the more she explains the myths he shar-
ed. There actually was a tiger and a young girl known as its wife in
the grandfather’s childhood village. By contrast, the deathless man
was known only to the grandfather, and Natalia clearly wants to know
more about both men.
Four Bookmarks
Random House, 2011
338 pages
Full disclosure: The Margarita at Pine Creek is among my favorite
restaurants. It’s been around since the mid-1970s; I’ve been a fan
many of those years. My love affair is based on exceptional service,
and its approach to seasonal foods (way before it was trendy or the
norm). It’s my special-occasion place; but every now and then, my
husband and I go for the simple, hokey reason it’s a nice place to
enjoy each other’s company.
Many of the servers have long been part of the dining room. The
commitment to unique spins on traditional plates has been constant.
Several years ago, a printed menu and the choice of a three-course
meal, down from the usual five courses, were introduced. Diners can
choose from three of the five courses: appetizer, salad, soup, entrée
and dessert – or all. Each course has two or more items to select
from, and the warm bread is always a treat.
I began with calamari and shrimp in a roasted-tomato bouillabaisse.
Tender pieces of seafood bathed in rich tomato sauce featured bits
of tangy green olives. The parmesan-dressed salad was above-average,
but our server brought the vegetable bisque to sample. After sharing
a bowl, my husband and I were disappointed we hadn’t ordered it. My
Colorado Sea Bass was melt-in-your-mouth tender, topped with chorizo
butter, over jasmine rice and spinach.
Apologizing for the small portion of tiramisu, our server brought an-
other for us to take home. I’m sure we’ll fight over it in the morning.
Five Plates
The Margarita at Pine Creek
7350 Pine Creek
Colorado Springs, CO
It’s difficult to like a character who doesn’t like herself, especially when
as a reader it is just as easy to see the positive qualities as the foibles.
Victoria Jones is Vanessa Diffienbaugh’s problematic protagonist in The
Language of Flowers.
Granted, Victoria has every right to be troubled. Abandoned at birth, in
and out of foster care most of her life, and emancipated at age 18, she has
no skills or acknowledged support system. Yet, on those few occasions
when things do go her way, Victoria is a master of sabotage.
However, this is no victim of the system story. Rather, it a poignant look
at what makes a family (for better or worse) and how people communicate
when words fail. There is, in fact, a language associated with flowers. It’s
known as floriography. Each flower has a meaning that goes beyond its
shape, color or bloom. Victoria knows this, and her knowledge isn’t just
a marketable skill, but a way for her to express herself.
Ironically, Victoria is the narrator. The short chapters alternate between
her past, which includes life in foster homes, group homes and a near-miss
adoption, and her life as an 18-year-old trying to survive alone on the streets
of San Francisco.
Unfortunately, Diffenbaugh throws in a few clichés, like the over-extended
social worker, and abandons several likeable characters. Nonetheless, this
novel is a bouquet of peonies, primrose, ginger, mustard, moss, amaryllis
and fennel. They may seem an unusual grouping, but Victoria reflects all
their meanings.
The Language of Flowers
Three Bookmarks
Ballentine Books, 2011
322 pages (including “Victoria’s Dictionary of Flowers”)
I love receiving books as gifts, especially when it’s obvious the bearer has
decided it’s something I would particularly enjoy. I try to do the same,
but am not – admittedly – always successful. I’m pleased to say my friend,
Esteban, was on the money in giving me Tracey Lawson’s A Year in the
Village of Eternity.
Lawson writes of food and Italy (two of my favorite things) and longevity.
The secret to a long life has nothing to do with a fountain of youth. Instead,
it is a cascade of fresh, organic, seasonal food augmented by family, friends
and an active lifestyle. That’s Lawson’s premise as she describes Campodimele,
Italy, where the average life expectancy, for men and women, is 95 years!
Lawson provides a month-by-month account of a year in Campodimele, thus
sharing seasonal experiences that coincide with weather, festivals, crops and
food preparation. The village is located between Rome and Naples in the
mountains above the Tyrrhenian coast. The focus is on the people, individuals
who shared their kitchens, produce and recipes, but it’s their lifestyle that is
particularly intriguing. Numerous studies have been conducted linking longe-
vity to the Campomelano diet which is low in salt, includes moderate amounts
of wine, and is full of protein-rich beans, fish and chicken. All this in addition
to fresh produce, which is canned, dried or otherwise preserved to last through-
out the year.
A bonus, besides Lawson’s vivid, sensual imagery of the landscape, people and
meals, is the collection of photographs and recipes.
A Year in the Village of Eternity
Three and a half Bookmarks
Bloomsbury, 2011
374 pages
The Blue Page Special 