Cheese accounts for a main source of protein, not to mention being my primary source of calcium, in my daily diet. Unfortunately a daily of intake of 2 to 4 oz of cheese isn't compatible with my vain desire to have washer board abs.
I could eat a piece of carboard if it was topped with melted cheese. Fortunately, I don't have to do that. So far my favorite pizza at Rockwood is the four cheese pizza. It's full of flavors. I especially like the blue cheese on it. Again, this is not compatible with my fitness goals.
I bought some pepper jack cheese made with 2% milk at Harris Teeter so I could make quesadillas when I have a cheese craving. Alas, a pepper jack quesadilla may be tasty but it does not satisfy my desire for a big hunk of triple cream brie! Yes, I'm one of the brie-eating, Chablis-drinking elitists that what's his name from Law and Order is complaining about on the campaign stump for McCain.
Anyway, I have a class reunion coming up in a few weeks so in addition to the exercise I've ramped up for the past month, I've decided to stop eating cheese for a few weeks. We'll see how that goes. I'll probably lose my mind. As soon as I reach my washer board ab phase or give it up entirely, I'm going to eat a four cheese pizza from Rockwood then drive down to Raleigh for hot Krispy Kremes!
Showing posts with label pizza. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pizza. Show all posts
Friday, September 12, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Rockwood Filling Station again
After going to the new Rockwood Filling Station Pizzeria on opening night, I decided to wait a few weeks to try it again. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it the first time, but I wanted to wait for the crowd to calm down and the staff to get into the swing of things.
I went back for a second try a few nights ago with a friend. I had the eggplant pizza that is topped with roasted eggplant, onions, ricotta, and fried capers. The crust was thin and crispy with the right amount of toasty brown. It was not at all burned. I loved the salty fried capers. Maybe I will try that at home. They'd be very good on a salad or in a butter sauce.
My friend had meatballs on his pizza, and he seemed to enjoy his meal. The meatballs are made with pork and duck. I confirmed this with the owner because I overheard the following conversation:
A guy said to the waiter, "There's a rumor that the meatballs are made with duck. Is that true?"
The waiter said, "The meatballs are 100% pork. Who told you they were duck?"
The guy said with a sort of satisfaction in proving someone wrong, "I read it on a local blog Delicious Durham."
It's not every day you hear your own blog mentioned in public, and I was quite certain that the waiter was telling the man inaccurate things. So I walked up to the owner in the bar to ask him to clarify whether or not there is duck in the meatballs. He said there certainly is duck in the meatballs and that he would correct his waiter.
I don't like the suggestion that I might be misleading people on this blog. Certainly I offer a large dose of my opinion but I try to be clear on what is factual. I get my facts by either reading on the menu or asking. I'm not going to make statements about what is in a certain dish unless I either know for certain or preface it with words like "I think."
Anyway, after this second visit, it seems like Rockwood is doing well and they have their act together. I highly recommend for people to give it a second try, especially those who went the first week or two it was opened.
My only complaint is that my red Italian wine showed up in what looked like a highball glass. So some people might find that hip and cool, but I'm not one of them. One of the great joys of life is that glassware comes in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit every imaginable kind of beverage. I can't see any good reason why the wine should appear in what is more suitable for a mojito.
I went back for a second try a few nights ago with a friend. I had the eggplant pizza that is topped with roasted eggplant, onions, ricotta, and fried capers. The crust was thin and crispy with the right amount of toasty brown. It was not at all burned. I loved the salty fried capers. Maybe I will try that at home. They'd be very good on a salad or in a butter sauce.
My friend had meatballs on his pizza, and he seemed to enjoy his meal. The meatballs are made with pork and duck. I confirmed this with the owner because I overheard the following conversation:
A guy said to the waiter, "There's a rumor that the meatballs are made with duck. Is that true?"
The waiter said, "The meatballs are 100% pork. Who told you they were duck?"
The guy said with a sort of satisfaction in proving someone wrong, "I read it on a local blog Delicious Durham."
It's not every day you hear your own blog mentioned in public, and I was quite certain that the waiter was telling the man inaccurate things. So I walked up to the owner in the bar to ask him to clarify whether or not there is duck in the meatballs. He said there certainly is duck in the meatballs and that he would correct his waiter.
I don't like the suggestion that I might be misleading people on this blog. Certainly I offer a large dose of my opinion but I try to be clear on what is factual. I get my facts by either reading on the menu or asking. I'm not going to make statements about what is in a certain dish unless I either know for certain or preface it with words like "I think."
Anyway, after this second visit, it seems like Rockwood is doing well and they have their act together. I highly recommend for people to give it a second try, especially those who went the first week or two it was opened.
My only complaint is that my red Italian wine showed up in what looked like a highball glass. So some people might find that hip and cool, but I'm not one of them. One of the great joys of life is that glassware comes in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit every imaginable kind of beverage. I can't see any good reason why the wine should appear in what is more suitable for a mojito.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Rockwood Filling Station: Pizza
The new Rockwood Filling Station Neapolitain Pizzeria opened Wednesday evening on University Dr. sandwiched neatly between Q Shack and Nana's. Yes, Scott Howell is behind it. So is the former Nana's bartender John. I love Scott Howell. He can cook. John is really great too. He was my favorite bartender in town. Now he is my favorite pizza guy. I'm sure the front of house will be excellent in John's capable hands.
Opening night for a restaurant is crazy for everyone involved, and I had a front row seat at the bar. They don't have a liquor license yet so everyone was drinking water or tea or BYOB wine. The old filling station that was also a dry cleaners has been transformed into a darling place. The floors and bar are poured concrete. The walls are a warm yellow beige with bright things on the walls. A large glass wall separates the kitchen from the bar, so it's easy to see the pizzas being made and put into the giant pizza oven. The oven, according to the menu, is over 700 degrees hot, and I was worried someone might get burned! Scott was there making pizzas. He looked focused and happy from my vantage point.
The vibe was good. While I'm sure it was stressful, all of the staff seemed happy and enthusiastic.
I was not really hungry but I felt I must try a starter as well as a pizza. I had the baked meatballs for my starter. Now the menu doesn't say this but the meatballs are made with pork, beef, and duck. DUCK. Duck meatballs! Yum. The meatballs were perfect in every way and served in a simple but flavorful tomato sauce. Run to get some.
I ordered the white pizza for my dinner. It was topped with ricotta, fontina, caramelized onions, and spinach. It needed salt and some garlic. John told me they were working on getting the seasonings just right and the need for more salt was common feedback opening night. The pizza crust was fairly thin, which is how I like it, and ever so slightly burnt around the edges. I look forward to trying the other combinations like the veggie pizza, the pizza margherita and the eggplant pizza.
I kept an eye on everything that came out of the kitchen. The salads looks delicious and I cannot wait to try the antipasti platter. It featured what looked like roasted peppers, proscuitto, cheese, olives, and a deviled egg. I saw milkshakes, ice cream and cannoli go by. Every plate that went back into the kitchen looked licked clean. I took home leftovers, but I would have eaten every bite had it not been for stuffing myself with meatballs. Meatballs with duck!
I must try the cannoli. Not only is cannoli one of my favorite desserts, but also cannoli is a good indicator of a restaurant's attention to detail. Yes, it all hangs on the cannoli, but that's another story.
Give the place a few weeks before you go. Once the staff settles into a routine, the liquor license shows up, the salt and pepper shakers arrive, the cash register software becomes familiar to all, and the flavors and seasonings get adjusted, this place will be great.
Opening night for a restaurant is crazy for everyone involved, and I had a front row seat at the bar. They don't have a liquor license yet so everyone was drinking water or tea or BYOB wine. The old filling station that was also a dry cleaners has been transformed into a darling place. The floors and bar are poured concrete. The walls are a warm yellow beige with bright things on the walls. A large glass wall separates the kitchen from the bar, so it's easy to see the pizzas being made and put into the giant pizza oven. The oven, according to the menu, is over 700 degrees hot, and I was worried someone might get burned! Scott was there making pizzas. He looked focused and happy from my vantage point.
The vibe was good. While I'm sure it was stressful, all of the staff seemed happy and enthusiastic.
I was not really hungry but I felt I must try a starter as well as a pizza. I had the baked meatballs for my starter. Now the menu doesn't say this but the meatballs are made with pork, beef, and duck. DUCK. Duck meatballs! Yum. The meatballs were perfect in every way and served in a simple but flavorful tomato sauce. Run to get some.
I ordered the white pizza for my dinner. It was topped with ricotta, fontina, caramelized onions, and spinach. It needed salt and some garlic. John told me they were working on getting the seasonings just right and the need for more salt was common feedback opening night. The pizza crust was fairly thin, which is how I like it, and ever so slightly burnt around the edges. I look forward to trying the other combinations like the veggie pizza, the pizza margherita and the eggplant pizza.
I kept an eye on everything that came out of the kitchen. The salads looks delicious and I cannot wait to try the antipasti platter. It featured what looked like roasted peppers, proscuitto, cheese, olives, and a deviled egg. I saw milkshakes, ice cream and cannoli go by. Every plate that went back into the kitchen looked licked clean. I took home leftovers, but I would have eaten every bite had it not been for stuffing myself with meatballs. Meatballs with duck!
I must try the cannoli. Not only is cannoli one of my favorite desserts, but also cannoli is a good indicator of a restaurant's attention to detail. Yes, it all hangs on the cannoli, but that's another story.
Give the place a few weeks before you go. Once the staff settles into a routine, the liquor license shows up, the salt and pepper shakers arrive, the cash register software becomes familiar to all, and the flavors and seasonings get adjusted, this place will be great.
Friday, April 11, 2008
White bean, goat cheese and rosemary pizza
Sometimes I wish food would just magically appear so I wouldn't have to cook. Don't get me wrong, I like cooking but by Friday evening I am ready to go out to eat or to have someone else cook for me.
Tonight I didn't feel like dining out, and no one was around to cook for me, so I either had to cook for myself or eat cereal. Not wanting to eat cereal for dinner, I whipped up my favorite wholewheat pizza dough (it's so easy to make and I always have the ingredients on hand), pureed 1 cup of of white beans with a few cloves of garlic, 1 T of chicken broth, and 1 t of olive oil and spread it over the pizza dough. Then I topped it with some thinly sliced onion (maybe half of a small onion), some thinly sliced tomato (a whole tomato), crumbled 4 oz of goat cheese on top, and sprinkled with some chopped, fresh rosemary. I seasoned it with salt and ground pepper.
It went into an oven preheated to 450 F and baked for 18 minutes.
I mixed some baby greens in olive oil and ate with some pizza.
Easy. It would be even easier if a person bought the pizza dough. Any canned white bean will do. I've made this recipe before w/ cannellinis, great northerns, and garbanzos. They all taste good. I've never met a legume I didn't love.
Tonight I didn't feel like dining out, and no one was around to cook for me, so I either had to cook for myself or eat cereal. Not wanting to eat cereal for dinner, I whipped up my favorite wholewheat pizza dough (it's so easy to make and I always have the ingredients on hand), pureed 1 cup of of white beans with a few cloves of garlic, 1 T of chicken broth, and 1 t of olive oil and spread it over the pizza dough. Then I topped it with some thinly sliced onion (maybe half of a small onion), some thinly sliced tomato (a whole tomato), crumbled 4 oz of goat cheese on top, and sprinkled with some chopped, fresh rosemary. I seasoned it with salt and ground pepper.
It went into an oven preheated to 450 F and baked for 18 minutes.
I mixed some baby greens in olive oil and ate with some pizza.
Easy. It would be even easier if a person bought the pizza dough. Any canned white bean will do. I've made this recipe before w/ cannellinis, great northerns, and garbanzos. They all taste good. I've never met a legume I didn't love.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Wholewheat wonders
I made a New Year's resolution to eat more healthily. So I decided to start including whole grains into my baking and cooking because they are full of fiber and are complex carbs.
My friends at Bob's Red Mill in Oregon grind just about every kind of grain imaginable. I mentioned before how much I like their oats which I found at Target. I thought I'd begin my whole grain experiments starting w/ the wholewheat flour from Bob's Red Mill. It is organically grown and certified.
I wanted to start with something simple before tackling wholewheat bread, so I pulled out the cookbooks and started perusing them (one of my fav past-times is reading my cookbooks, btw). I settled on the wholewheat pizza dough from The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins.
Wholewheat flour often needs to be combined w/ white flour in order for the dough to be pliable. I also discovered that the wholewheat flour should be added slowly because it may not all be needed before the correct dough forms.
Here is the recipe w/ some slight modifications to make it easier to understand and to ensure success w/ the yeast. (I hope I don't go to copywright jail)
1c. warm water (105 to 110 degrees F)
1 package of active dry yeast
1 1/2c. unbleached all purpose flour
1c. wholewheat flour
2T olive oil
1/2t. salt
Put water in a mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it. Gently combine. Let stand for a minute or two. Add all purpose flour and mix w/ a wooden spoon. Add oil and salt and then add the wholewheat flour gradually until the dough holds its shape.
Put dough on a floured surface and kneed for five minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Sprinkle with flour as needed if the dough becomes sticky while kneeding.
Put dough in an oiled bowl, cover w/ a cloth or plastic wrap and let rise until it double s in size (about 1 hour). Then take the dough and divide into two parts. Roll into balls and let sit covered for another 20 minutes. The dough is now ready to be rolled out into pizza crust.
For baking pizza, I like to put the oven on 500 degrees and bake for 15 minutes or until done. This worked perfectly for this crust and the goat cheese/rainbow chard pizza I made a few days ago.
The wholewheat crust has a nice nutty taste and it is GOOD FOR YOU!
My friends at Bob's Red Mill in Oregon grind just about every kind of grain imaginable. I mentioned before how much I like their oats which I found at Target. I thought I'd begin my whole grain experiments starting w/ the wholewheat flour from Bob's Red Mill. It is organically grown and certified.
I wanted to start with something simple before tackling wholewheat bread, so I pulled out the cookbooks and started perusing them (one of my fav past-times is reading my cookbooks, btw). I settled on the wholewheat pizza dough from The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins.
Wholewheat flour often needs to be combined w/ white flour in order for the dough to be pliable. I also discovered that the wholewheat flour should be added slowly because it may not all be needed before the correct dough forms.
Here is the recipe w/ some slight modifications to make it easier to understand and to ensure success w/ the yeast. (I hope I don't go to copywright jail)
1c. warm water (105 to 110 degrees F)
1 package of active dry yeast
1 1/2c. unbleached all purpose flour
1c. wholewheat flour
2T olive oil
1/2t. salt
Put water in a mixing bowl and sprinkle the yeast over it. Gently combine. Let stand for a minute or two. Add all purpose flour and mix w/ a wooden spoon. Add oil and salt and then add the wholewheat flour gradually until the dough holds its shape.
Put dough on a floured surface and kneed for five minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Sprinkle with flour as needed if the dough becomes sticky while kneeding.
Put dough in an oiled bowl, cover w/ a cloth or plastic wrap and let rise until it double s in size (about 1 hour). Then take the dough and divide into two parts. Roll into balls and let sit covered for another 20 minutes. The dough is now ready to be rolled out into pizza crust.
For baking pizza, I like to put the oven on 500 degrees and bake for 15 minutes or until done. This worked perfectly for this crust and the goat cheese/rainbow chard pizza I made a few days ago.
The wholewheat crust has a nice nutty taste and it is GOOD FOR YOU!
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Swiss chard pizza
OK, first I have to apologize for not writing sooner. I have been getting complaints about not blogging for a week. Sorry about that, my friends. I love you and I love food, but I do have a full time job and I do work on a master's degree at the same time. Being on vacation was so lovely. Unfortunately life does not stop. So it's been a lot to get caught up with work and my class work this past week. In addition, I do this blog for FUN. If you cannot deal, read someone else's blog. If you can deal, here's my latest adventure in the kitchen:
PIZZA is my fav food, along w/ burritos. See, my tastes are not complicated even though I do appreciate "frou frou food" as one my friends likes to put it. I also adore greens. One of the best things about winter in the South is the greens that are in season. One of the most beautiful and delicious is rainbow swiss chard. I stumbled across it in Harris Teeter. It is very seasonal and usually they only carry the regular green variety. Rainbow chard has green leaves but the stalks are beautiful shades of yellow, orange, and red. I LOVE IT. It tastes the same as regular swiss chard but it looks gorgeous on the plate.
Anyway, what does one do w/ chard? I like it chopped up and sauteed w/ garlic and red pepper flakes, but I recently discovered a great recipe on epicurious.com for pizza with chard and goat cheese. Here's the basic idea:
Preheat oven to 500F.
1. Make or buy pizza dough.
2. Mix 2T of olive oil w/ 1/4 t. red pepper flakes and 1 clove of crushed garlic. Let sit for a couple of hours.
3. Chop up the chard and place for 5 mins. into boiling water. Drain and saute in olive oil w/ garlic for a couple of mins. Season w/ salt and black pepper.
5. Drizzle half of oil seasoned w/ pepper flakes and garlic on the pizza dough.
6. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top of oil. Use however much you like. I probably put on 6oz.
6. Spread chard on top of cheese.
7. Slice a 4oz. log of goat cheese into rounds and place on top of chard.
8. Drizzle w/ rest of oil.
BAKE for 15 min. or until crust is done.
Yum!
Next time I will write about the joys of whole wheat flour which, by the way, makes great pizza dough!
PIZZA is my fav food, along w/ burritos. See, my tastes are not complicated even though I do appreciate "frou frou food" as one my friends likes to put it. I also adore greens. One of the best things about winter in the South is the greens that are in season. One of the most beautiful and delicious is rainbow swiss chard. I stumbled across it in Harris Teeter. It is very seasonal and usually they only carry the regular green variety. Rainbow chard has green leaves but the stalks are beautiful shades of yellow, orange, and red. I LOVE IT. It tastes the same as regular swiss chard but it looks gorgeous on the plate.
Anyway, what does one do w/ chard? I like it chopped up and sauteed w/ garlic and red pepper flakes, but I recently discovered a great recipe on epicurious.com for pizza with chard and goat cheese. Here's the basic idea:
Preheat oven to 500F.
1. Make or buy pizza dough.
2. Mix 2T of olive oil w/ 1/4 t. red pepper flakes and 1 clove of crushed garlic. Let sit for a couple of hours.
3. Chop up the chard and place for 5 mins. into boiling water. Drain and saute in olive oil w/ garlic for a couple of mins. Season w/ salt and black pepper.
5. Drizzle half of oil seasoned w/ pepper flakes and garlic on the pizza dough.
6. Sprinkle shredded mozzarella on top of oil. Use however much you like. I probably put on 6oz.
6. Spread chard on top of cheese.
7. Slice a 4oz. log of goat cheese into rounds and place on top of chard.
8. Drizzle w/ rest of oil.
BAKE for 15 min. or until crust is done.
Yum!
Next time I will write about the joys of whole wheat flour which, by the way, makes great pizza dough!
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