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February 24, 2010

Another honor.  Consummate rock legend Little Anthony took a break from his still-very-busy schedule to step into the "Celebrity Chef Connection" kitchen and prepare some awesome shrimp cakes and also spend time chatting about the recent induction of Little Anthony and the Imperials into the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame, and as well about their musical history, a conversation helped along by the almost-encyclopedic knowledge of our videographer Mark Richards and our very own Debbie Hall.

Little Anthony and the Imperials, still together after 50 years and sales of over 60 million records, topped the charts early on with the classic "Tears on my Pillow," followed by "I'm Outside Looking In," "Hurt So Bad," "Take Me Back," and oh so many more.  Just last November the group was part of the stellar lineup for the historic event and TV special, "The 25th Anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert.

Also click below for Little Anthony's Aunt Sara's shrimp . . .

Listen to our chat with Little Anthony (audio)

Watch Little Anthony make the shrimp patties (video)

Little Anthony's Shrimp Cakes recipe

www.littleanthonyandtheimperials.net

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And can you always get what you want there? . . . "Nation's Restaurant News" reports that "Rolling Stone Magazine" will be in a partnership scheduled to open a 10,000-sq. ft. Rolling Stone concept restaurant in the Hollywood & Highland shopping center in Los Angeles next summer. www.rollingstonela.com

reader Q  - Looking for a recipe from years ago.  It had angel food cake (broken up), Jell-O and whip cream in it.  Do you have something similar? Also looking for  good dessert for trifle bowl (without liquor).

The first part of your question led to an interesting journey through my cookbook collection with the path leading again and again to an old time dessert called Charlotte Russe. Let's take a closer look at a tome by an equally mature, as in over a century old, recipe source and that's Fannie Farmer. The perhaps more familiar version uses ladyfingers but this one instead calls for thinly sliced sponge cake, which like angel food cake, is in this book under the heading of cakes made without shortening (or for that matter, other fats). As noted in FF, the classic is made in a cylindrical mold lined with the cake and then filled with a mixture created by preparing the gelatin, chilling it until it's thick and syrupy, and then folding in heavy cream that's been whipped to the soft peak stage.  It's then chilled until firm.

If the dish you were envisioning keeps the whipped cream and Jell-O separate, then you could in effect serve it as your trifle, simply layering cubes of the prepared cake and Jell-O and topping with the whipped cream. For other trifle suggestions, check out a site my ever-resourceful stepdaughter Colleen told me about and that's allrecipes.com. Enter "trifle" into the search box and you'll find any number of possibilities, many in fact made with angel food cake and sponge cake and the more traditional pound cake, and the inventive chocolate chip one made with cookie dough, this one among those that do not include alcohol. If you make that one, my address is . . .

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Big congrats to Eva Longoria Parker, who recently opened Beso Steakhouse and Eve nightclub in Aria at the new CityCenter on the Las Vegas Strip, and who even more recently was the recipient of the Distinguished Business Leadership Award from the local Latin Chamber of Commerce. Guess where she celebrated??? www.evethenightclub.com

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guest buzz. Here's what some past visitors to the "CCC" microphone have been up to lately . . .

-  Maybe you've already caught up with this . . .the best-in-the-universe Neil Diamond clone Jay White, may have concluded his years-long run at the Riviera here but the good news is he can hardly keep up with his corporate and concert appearances that he now has the time to accept, and he'll also be polishing something he told us about months ago, his theatrical production based on the life of Neil Diamond.

-  Renowned furniture retailer and interior designers Robb & Stucky who gave us a tour of a spectacular showplace they designed and its even more spectacular kitchens (plural!!!) has created a cookbook based on a premise dear to our heart - that the kitchen is the heart of the home - and it's filled with staffers' family favorites from across the country, meanwhile benefiting the American Cancer Society.

-  Sierra Gold ultra taverns here in LV, featuring cuisine from ultra chef Joe Romano, has introduced a bar-raising Happy Hour menu, 5-7 M-F, featuring half-off drink specials and pizza specials and also such signatures as Sierra Gold wings, popcorn shrimp with too many sauces, plus big burgers, wraps, and paninis.  Go, Joe!

-  Among the recent notables at BB King's Blues Nightclub, one of this blogger's most favorite ever wits, the irrepressible Lewis Black, just one of the many stars that routinely shine at this big 'ol place in the Mirage that also just happens to have some of THE best ribs in town.

-  Another celeb magnet in LV is Lavo restaurant and its upstairs Club Lavo, both at the Palazzo, recently visited by R-star Stormy Daniels who, according to Norm Clarke in his Review Journal column, uncovered a more cerebral side with talk of a possible run against conservative David Vitter, the Louisiana senator who has his own R-tales to tell.

-  RA Sushi in Fashion Show mall is now offering bachelorette party packages.

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February 17, 2010

How perfect.  World renowned and everyone-acclaimed Chef Hubert Keller, who was the very first featured chef on "Celebrity Chef Connection" when it debuted in  September of 2007 - is now the very first featured chef on this brand new Blog, and what an honor that is! It's a wonder he even had time to visit "CCC-land," given that he now helms Fleur de Lys in Las Vegas and San Francisco, Sleek Steakhouse and Ultra Lounge in St. Louis, and Burger Bars in Las Vegas, San Francisco, and St. Louis.

What else is on his very full platter? Tune in as this culinary master chats about his White House experience, his "Secrets of a Chef" TV show on PBS, his "Top Chef" stint on Bravo, his take on not wasting food, his new dishes, and his recent and coming cookbooks.

Click on the Recipes page below for Chef Keller's Smoked Salmon "Raviolis."

Chef Hubert Keller audio

www.celebritychefconnection.com/Recipes.htm

www.hubertkeller.com

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Well here's some good news.  The e-newsletter for the industry publication "Sante" reports that the National Restaurant Association's comprehensive index of restaurant activity rose to its highest level in 22 months in December.  www.isantemagazine.com

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Isn't this interesting.  Sushi fans already well know the term "Omakase," which basically means let the sushi master assemble an array for you of his or her specialties or selections based on what's freshest right now. Well, according to an fascinating piece in a recent issue of "Nation's Restaurant News," that concept has now hit the bar, so to speak, as mixologists cited in Toronto, San Francisco, Boston, and Portland, Oregon, revel in crafting original cocktails for individual customer tastes. 

We actually had the pleasure of indulging in the custom creations of a forerunner of this trend at Fiamma at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas where the pros specialized in this kind of thing. When folks would order "the usual" they were asked what kind of flavors they liked in general, then offered a drink that genuinely reflected those preferences in liquid form. Just one sip, and few people handed the drinks back!  The most memorable of those samplings was the libation based on raspberry cheese cake. Oh my !!!

www.nrn.com

www.mgmmirage.com

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Vegetarians, look away. Believe me I have nothing against vegans and their varied counterparts and in fact can claim part-time-ness myself, but this is just so clever. . . twice! An issue of Parade earlier this year gave a great hint about saving on premium beef by teaming up with other folks to share large quantities from, e.g., LocalHarvest. com.  What did they call this practice . . . cow pooling!!!

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Guest buzz.  Here's what some past visitors to the "CCC" microphone have been up to lately . . .

- Tivoli Village at Rampart in Alta in LV, future home of first class shops and a restaurant array that is to include a place by Martin Yan (as in "Can Cook") is reportedly back on track for a December 2010 opening

-  One of "CCC's" favorite chefs, Michael Mina, was cited in a Nation's Restaurant News story about upscaling traditionally downscale food & drink for his Prime and American Kobe burgers, lamb burgers and salmon burgers with artisanal toppings, and also for the adult malts, at Bourbon Steak in Scottsdale.

-  And one of our favorite "Stars at the Stove" guests, Las Vegas comedy magician Mac King, appeared on "Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood" and also on the PBS series NOVA scienceNOW where he was interviewed by renowned American astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson, and he also performed at the 53rd Annual "It's Magic" event in Hollywood.

-  The lovable Louis Osteen, a James Beard "Best Chef Southeast" and late of Louis's Las Vegas and Fish Camp in Las Vegas, returned to his East Coast roots to intro his unique take on Southern cuisine at Lake Rabun Hotel in northern Georgia.

-  Chipotle Mexican Grill is creating, to our mind, an interesting challenge as it looks to take its "locavore" approach to, e.g, London, Paris and Munich.  Meanwhile we continue to enjoy that kind of bounty in Las Vegas and beyond.

More guest updates next week  . . .