Every time I meet in New York with my old Seattle friend Darek Mazzone (Wo'Pop on KEXP, an early FoodCandy fan and a popular radio show host) our conversation inevitably focuses on food. This is because I know nothing about music and that's primarily what Darek would like to talk about. The eating matter may be his second favorite, but he constantly tries to distract me and draw parallels between my passion for everything tasty and his obsession about world beats.

When I got an opportunity to interview a musician about food, I decided to indulge Darek. Please welcome Jorge Gomez of Tiempo Libre.

***

DB: What did you eat after your last show?

Hm. I hope you won't mind if I don't answer that question exactly as you asked it because the last couple of shows we just ate the catering provided by the promoters. This usually consists of some sort of bland meat, some sort of vegetable and potatoes or rice. It's not the promoters' fault that things are so plain. It's just that we have very four-square guidelines in our rider about food to avoid caterers providing things we don't – or won't - eat. A lot of people think that because we come from a tropical island, we like spicy food. But Cubans, in general do not eat spicy food. Most of us don't even like black pepper in our food! Also – a lot of people assume as well, that we eat lots of vegetables because we come from an island. But, that too, is a fallacy. Most of us members of Tiempo Libre eat lots and lots of meat – and ample quantities of carbohydrates – white rice (don't even think of giving us brown rice) or potatoes. But most of us are not big on vegetables. I remember when I first started dating my wife – she is close to being a vegetarian - broccoli and greens showed up on every meal. Growing up in Cuba, I had never even seen broccoli my whole life, so that was something new that I had to learn to love. But when the other members of TL saw me eating it for the first time, you have no idea how much ribbing I suffered!

In general, our two favorite meals before or after a concert are filet mignon, cooked to a variety of degrees of done-ness (I am a "rare as it gets" person, but our lead singer needs it completely nuked) – or sushi. I guess it's a protein thing. We expend so much energy in our concerts that we have to have lots and lots of protein to sustain us. We usually have our meals together on the road. We are like a big Cuban family when we are touring. Even though we now have single rooms on the road, we all inevitably end up in one room, playing dominos, talking, watching ballgames, eating.

DB: Tell us about your new album?

Well, the new album is called "Bach in Havana". When we were growing up in Cuba, we studied classical music at La ENA (the Juilliard School of Cuba), studying Bach, Mozart, Beethoven. And my father was a prominent classical pianist in Cuba, so he was always practicing at home – lots of Bach, but also Liszt and Chopin. At night we (the members of TL) would be out at jazz jam sessions, or playing at rumbas or in tambores (ceremonies of santería, the Afro-Cuban religion). So, Bach in Havana is mixing all those elements.

DB: What is your favorite Cuban dish?

I am a real lover of the sea and everything about it – particularly the food that comes out of it! So, if I have to choose one dish in particular, it would be pargo frito entero – or a whole fried snapper – eaten with lots and lots of fresh lime, white rice and black beans.

DB: Music and Food are both used to comfort the soul, why do you think food and music go so well together?

Yes, I believe that that is a universally held idea, that music and food go together, but let me answer your question from the particular point of view of a Cuban living in Miami. Both things go way back to your earliest memories. You begin eating from the very first moments of your life. And you most likely start hearing music – lullabies and such – long before you utter or understand your first words. Both are a form of nourishment. So, as you live your life, both things take you back to those earliest, hopefully idyllic, moments of your life before things got difficult and complicated. Obviously, music and meals are important for all people. They connect you to holidays, to family gatherings, they remind you of lovely and important moments in your life. But as a Cuban who leaves Cuba, you leave knowing that you will almost certainly never return to the island – you are leaving behind all the most cherished things in your life. So, music and food become even more powerful – reorienting you, connecting you to a lost life, evoking people and places and things which may be lost to you forever. I know that whenever I have been on the road for a long time, the first thing I do (the thing I have to do) when I get back to Miami is go right to my favorite Cuban restaurant. I sit out in the patio area – there will be Cuban music playing – and I will eat a huge Cuban meal. Only then do I feel at peace - like I am really back home.

DB: If you had to describe your music as a meal what would it be?

Wow! That's a hard question. Well, oddly enough, it wouldn't be a Cuban meal! It might be a Thai meal – seafood – a mix of shrimp and fish and lobster – with lots of multi-colored vegetables – and a rich, sweet-sour, spicy-hot sauce. Oh yeah, and lots and lots of lime and white rice! And a very cold beer!!!!!!!

DB: We did an interview with Chef Don Clark, the ambassador of Plantains (http://www.foodcandy.com/AccountStoryView.aspx ...). What do you like in your toston?

The secret of tostones is choosing the platanos (plaintains). Some people like them a little sweeter – in which case you have to choose platanos that are a little more maduro (riper), or if you like them less sweet, then you want them un poquito verde (a little greener). I make my own salsa to dip them in – made up of oil, garlic and salt – the holy trinity!

***

You can find Tiempo Libre on FoodCandy or on their website, http://www.tiempolibremusic.com/.

From the Editor's Couch

I received a number of angry e-mails after the last newsletter regarding my big decision of buying a new espresso machine. Apparently the tumbling economy was really tumbling and coffee was quickly becoming a luxury. Today I’d like to sincerely apologize to those offended and say that I am sorry you can’t afford your six dollar triple-grande-mocca-frappuccino. Note to self: sell SBUX.

One good thing came out of the financial crisis. More money-driven people engaged in non-profit ventures. Two of my friends left for Botswana to work in an AIDS research program. Another joined DonorsChoose.org full time. FoodCandy also became a media sponsor for the American Cancer Society. There’re still a few tickets left to this year's "Eat, Drink and be Hopeful" event at the Design within Reach studio in Brooklyn on June 9th, so hurry up and buy one! I’ll be there. We’ve also interviewed Kevin Moore and Jacques Gautier, two restaurant owners and chefs. They will be cooking something really tasty to go with the martinis.

Member Interviews

Interview with Kevin Moore of Kevin’s in Red Hook, Brooklyn On June 9th, Kevin Moore will participate in the third annual "Eat, Drink & Be Hopeful," a premier food and wine event sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Moore will join 15 Brooklyn chefs and several artisanal wine producers in the chic Design Within Reach Showroom in Brooklyn Heights. Here, he talks about how cancer has touched the life of his partner Caroline Parker; Kevin’s, his new seafood café; and why he’s intrigued by the Inuit Indians. » Read the Interview

Interview with Jacques Gautier of Palo Santo in Park Slope, Brooklyn   On June 9th, Jacques Gautier of the Latin-inspired bistro Palo Santo will participate for the third time in the great "Eat, Drink & Be Hopeful" food and wine event for the American Cancer Society. Here, he discusses why the event is important and gives us some insight into his personal take on "comida criolla." » Read the Interview

Interview with Fabio Hakill, Chef and Co-Owner of Fabio Piccolo Fiore From the kitchens of Rome to our very own Midtown has come Fabio Hakill, chef and co-owner of Fabio Piccolo Fiore. Bringing with him excellent Italian dishes and an abundance of camaraderie, Fabio is charming and absolutely devoted to his customers. This is exemplified by his restaurant’s offer to tell the chef exactly what you want. Whichever herbs, sides, and bases you desire, Fabio will provide it, no questions asked. At Fabio Piccolo Fiore, there are no pretensions, no hierarchical distance between chef and consumer. It is all about the food, the laughter, and the good times. » Read the Interview

Featured People

ChefWitch New York

Hazel Chua

Cooking My Way

Liz Stambaugh Baltimore

Sandy New Jersey

andy clark boulder

Featured Places

Interstate Bar-B-Q Memphis

Schnippers Quality Kitchen New York

Avec Chicago

Вагон Ресторан - Eastern Express Brooklyn

Buttermilk Channel Brooklyn

Abistro Brooklyn

Syndicated Blogs

At Home in Alaska

Pink Cake Box Pastries

Experiments,Emotions,Experiences with food - RSS

Eating San Diego - RSS

Dunkin Cooking the Semi-Homemade Way - RSS

*Smiles* *Sugar* *Sunshine* - Atom

Upcoming Events

NY Singles Night Of Wine Tasting, Education & Food Pairing Tagine Dining Gallery, New York

New York City Singles Chelsea Brewery & Beer Tasting Tour Chelsea Brewery Company, New York

Eat, Drink and Be Hopeful Design Within Reach, Brooklyn

New York City Singles North Fork Winery Tour & Catered Lunch Corner of 73rd & West End, New York

Newsletter Info

Did you miss the previous newsletter? It's here.

This not-so-regular newsletter is exclusively reserved to FoodCandy members. If you do not wish to receive it, you may uncheck the Receive the Newsletter box in your Personal Profile settings. You may of course delete your account from the Help menu and as much as we would be sad to see you go, we'll never bother you again.

On June 9th, Kevin Moore will participate in the third annual "Eat, Drink & Be Hopeful," a premier food and wine event sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Moore will join 15 Brooklyn chefs and several artisanal wine producers in the chic Design Within Reach Showroom in Brooklyn Heights. Here, he talks about how cancer has touched the life of his partner Caroline Parker; Kevin’s, his new seafood café; and why he’s intrigued by the Inuit Indians.

***

Tina Barry (TB): Why did you decide to participate in "Eat, Drink & Be Hopeful"?

Kevin Moore (KM): In 1990, Caroline Parker, my partner in Kevin’s, lost her father to prostate cancer so the event resonated for us. We’re determined to do our part for the cause. As a new business, too, it's a good way to reach out to the surrounding communities, and it should be lots of fun. We've participated in off-site events with Dance Theater Etc, The Hip-Hop Festival, Art Under the Bridge, and Peace Action.

TB: Why did you choose Red Hook for the location of your new restaurant?

KM: I’ve always liked the neighborhood and its people. I enjoy biking by the water where it’s quiet. What really sealed the deal for me though, was a Puccini opera I attended in 2007 on an old tanker called the Mary A. Whalen. The performance was part of the PortSide arts program.

TB: When did the restaurant open? What was in the space before? Tell me about the renovation.

KM: The space we bought was called Red Hook's Finest Deli. We loved the front window and kitchen, but otherwise it was pretty rough with fluorescent lighting, dark maroon walls, and a dirty, torn, red, white, and blue box awning. Last summer, Caroline and I renovated the space in six weeks. We really did it on a shoestring (being the only investors), with help from friends, Craigslist, and the Brooklyn Flea. Rather than taking out the old steam table for example, we got a second-hand piece of cherry and refinished the top. It's now the Chef's Bar. We took out the buzzing meat and soda cases, we covered the fluorescents with translucent red Plexiglas, opened the kitchen with French doors I had at home and brought in some cozy standing lamps. We laid the tiling in the front and kitchen with handmade designs, and my sister-in-law stitched the tablecloths from our Baltic Bazaar finds. We had an opening party October 10th, 2008, and served paella and corn shrimp chowder. Phew!

TB: There are a lot of artisans living in the area. Were you able to utilize their talents?

KM: In keeping with our seafood theme, we hired a local artist, Chico MacMurtrie, who runs a studio in an old church around the corner. MacMurtie had his assistant, Adan Segundo, craft a lively striped bass from found metal. The piece now hangs below our awning. Its fluid movement catches the sunlight beautifully.

TB: At Kevin’s your focus is seafood, making the café a great fit for a waterside community. Tell me about your restaurant experience. Does it include seafood establishments?

KM: Yes, one of my first mentors was a Japanese chef named Ohashi who opened a restaurant in the 1970s near my family's home in Roslyn, Long Island. I developed a palate for raw/rare fish and a respect for the delicacy and variety of flavors. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, I spent time in San Francisco where I tried a lot of the fresh seafood dishes (the cioppino fish stew was one I've recreated). For ten years, I was executive chef at Wings Point, a restaurant in East Hampton. While there, I developed quite a range of recipes using local ingredients and all kinds of fresh catch.

TB: Kevin’s is inexpensive and it’s BYOB. Why did you decide on that policy and against a liquor license?

KM: Yes, the moderate prices just seemed right. Much of Red Hook is economically challenged and when we transformed the deli into a restaurant we didn't want to price out customers that aren't able to afford the high-end places. And, of course, these days everyone is watching their pennies. We vary the menu weekly so sometimes we have more expensive items like filet mignon or lobster, but we always have a curry and a fish dish for a modest price.

Regarding the liquor, I was chef at a bistro on Henry Street called Sam's that was a BYOB. It worked out nicely. Caroline and I were trying to go through the license process here ourselves, but it takes time and BYOB was a natural option for us. These days most of our customers really appreciate it.

TB: I understand that you purchase your provisions locally. Who do you buy from and why?

KM: We buy locally as much as possible and are surrounded by terrific purveyors who we try to credit either on the menu or on our website [Mooreparties.com]. Naturally, those choices are balanced with keeping the costs down. We also have a few organic items (most of the desserts for example), but, again, only if it's cost effective.

We purchase seasonal greens from the Red Hook Community Farm, and our lobsters come from the Red Hook Lobster Pound. Sahadi’s provides the ingredients for our Mediterranean platter. Our smoked trout comes from Max Creek Hatchery in East Meredith, LI. Our bread and pasta is sourced from local stores. We use Stumptown coffee (soon to open their East Coast Roaster right down the street). We’d love to use Red Hook Poultry eggs for brunch, but they aren't laying enough at this point.

TB: What are you aiming for with your cuisine? How do you describe your style?

KM: One of the freedoms the bistro affords me that I haven't had to the same degree in my catering, is experimentation. I've developed some standard dishes like the corn shrimp chowder and the warm Mediterranean dressing for fish, but I love to be able to challenge my range with new seasonal dishes. I also find that with the small bistro, I can communicate directly with our guests, hear what they like, and talk about what we're planning to try next. Recently, we held a dinner jazz night with a local singer Melissa Shetler. She told us the guitarist accompanying her plays a Brazilian style picking which inspired me to try moquecas (Brazilian fish stew). It was a real success and has inspired us to try other theme-driven music nights.

Generally though, one of the highest compliments I've heard about my food was that I enhance the main ingredients with knowledge versus distractions. I’m not overpowering the dishes with unnecessary flavors and spices. I like to think I'm a purist in that way. Maybe that's not a style exactly, but it's what I hope the dishes reflect. (The Brooklyn Paper dubbed our place "New American" which I like fine.)

TB: Who do you fantasize cooking for? What would you serve and where would you serve it?

KM: Close to twenty-five years ago when I started at Wings Point, there was a woman and her two blond children who would tap on the back door and bring the most glorious vegetables I had ever seen. This was my first introduction to organic greens, and her naturally healthful philosophy, and her sweet children always touched me. I don't know what happened to them, but I always thought I'd be honored to cook a meal for them on their farm. As pioneers in the field, I wonder what they think about "industrial" organics and the bounty of local products today. Caroline and I are planting a vegetable garden in the backyard and talk about these issues a lot.

I cooked dinner for Long Island fishermen, which was a terrific experience but another story.

TB: Is there a chef you’d enjoy cooking with?

KM: I've read and heard of the great chef Richard Olney. Apparently, it was a trip to visit him in Provence that helped inspire Alice Waters to open Chez Panisse. I imagine his beautiful property there and would like to travel back in time to the garden and hearth he built to learn and enjoy. Alternately, I'd love to learn from a culture and climate that's totally different from my own, say from hunter-gatherers like an Inuit tribe.

***

You can find Kevin Moore at Kevin's (227A Van Brunt St., 718 596-8335). To learn more about "Eat, Drink & Be Hopeful," and to order tickets, log onto http://community.acsevents.org/eatdrinkandbehopefulNY or call Jessica at 718 622-2492 ext. 5114).

On June 9th, Jacques Gautier of the Latin-inspired bistro Palo Santo will participate for the third time in the great "Eat, Drink & Be Hopeful" food and wine event for the American Cancer Society. Here, he discusses why the event is important and gives us some insight into his personal take on "comida criolla."

***

Tina Barry (TB): You’re participating for the third time in the American Cancer Society’s great "Eat, Drink & Be Hopeful" food and wine event. Why will you be there? Has cancer touched your life?

Jacques Gautier (JG): It's an important event for all of us because cancer has touched all of our lives. I believe that everyone has had a friend or family member affected by the disease, so it's important for us to come together and support cancer research as well as celebrate with the survivors.

TB: When did Palo Santo open? What was in the space before? Tell me about the renovation.

JG: The building that houses the restaurant is at least 120-years old and has been through many different uses including an Italian pasta shop, a candy store and an informal church of sorts. We opened in August of 2006 after a year and a half of construction. The name comes from a tropical Evergreen native to South America and the Caribbean, also called lignum vitae - Latin for tree of life. The wood is known for its durability and its healing properties, with uses ranging from ship building to natural incense.

I envisioned the restaurant's design. I did not hire an architect; instead I brought together a small group of local artists and craftsmen. First, to catch our visitors’ eyes, is the custom iron fence and handrail in front of the restaurant created by the metal artist Kristina Kozak.

Recycled material and architectural salvage were used for much of the building's renovation, with original details like the century-old wooden door that hangs in the restaurant’s entranceway. The interior showcases multiple installations by designer Alonso Tamayo. His mosaics create a backdrop for my open kitchen. Stretching the length of the back dining area is an eight-panel mural also by Alonso Tamayo.

I should also mention that I grow fresh herbs and flowers outside in a small garden surrounding a fountain created by sculptor Adam Distenfeld.

TB: Describe your style of cooking.

JG: Comida criolla-the characteristic foods of Latin America-presented in a market driven menu is the core concept of Palo Santo restaurant and wine bar. The farm-market friendly menu relies heavily on local, organic products, supplemented by seasonal tropical imports. The restaurant’s culinary offerings vary from day-to-day depending on the kitchen’s current creative inspiration and the availability of certain ingredients."

TB: You’re located in Park Slope, Brooklyn, a neighborhood with lots of dining options and a discerning clientele. What is it about your restaurant and menu that draws customers in?

JG: I feel that beyond our food and design what really keeps customers coming back is the way that we treat them. When it comes to service my philosophy is that we should treat all of our customers as friends. We have a strong local following and most of my customers are also our neighbors. I want them to see my place not just as another restaurant, but as an extension of their living space.

TB: Who do you fantasize cooking for? What would you serve and where would you serve it?

JG: That's not really something that I have ever thought about, and if I answered the question honestly I think that my girlfriend might get upset. Lol.

TB: Is there a chef you’d enjoy cooking with? Who and why?

JG: James Beard, if he was still alive. I have cooked in his kitchen but never had a chance to meet him. My second choice would be Jean-Georges Vongerichten, because I worked for his company for a year, but never really got to know him.

***

You can find Jacques Gautier on FoodCandy or at his restaurant Palo Santo. To learn more about "Eat, Drink & Be Hopeful," and to order tickets, log onto http://community.acsevents.org/eatdrinkandbehopefulNY or call Jessica at 718 622-2492 ext. 5114).

From the kitchens of Rome to our very own Midtown has come Fabio Hakill, chef and co-owner of Fabio Piccolo Fiore. Bringing with him excellent Italian dishes and an abundance of camaraderie, Fabio is charming and absolutely devoted to his customers. This is exemplified by his restaurant’s offer to tell the chef exactly what you want. Whichever herbs, sides, and bases you desire, Fabio will provide it, no questions asked. At Fabio Piccolo Fiore, there are no pretensions, no hierarchical distance between chef and consumer. It is all about the food, the laughter, and the good times.

***

Valerie: Tell me about your training and your past experiences in the food industry.

I’ve been in the kitchen for 22 years. I trained for ten years at San Giovanni in Rome. After that I worked in two famous restaurants in Rome — I cooked for L’Acio. I worked for a 78-year-old chef, who he gave me a lot of experience. In return, I gave him a lot of speed. Honestly, I worked under this guy for three years, and what I learned from him I could never learn in school.

Valerie: How did you end up in New York?

I came to New York on vacation, and I loved it. It has always been my dream to live here.  So I went back to Rome, I sold my car, and I rented out my house. My dream came true. In New York, I worked in two different restaurants, then I moved to be head chef at Park Side Restaurant. I stayed there for ten years. 

Valerie: What would you say is your primary goal with Fabio Piccolo Fiore?

I want to create a special atmosphere where my customers can be like my friends, my family. If my customers aren’t happy, I want them to be able to come to me and talk. I’ll do anything for my customer. Whatever my customer wants, I will give.

Valerie: What is your all-time favorite dish to create?

I love to create a lot of different risotto, pasta, and fish. I can not pick a single dish because Italian cuisine doesn’t play favorites. Whatever you create, you create. When I see vegetables, I want to make vegetable pasta. I see fish, I use fish. If it’s cold outside, I want something spicy. I want to make something that feels right, that feels good.

Valerie: What is the most interesting dish a customer has asked you to create?

A customer once said to me, "I want to eat these breaded veal chops, with five types of mushrooms, and fresh herbs." I did it for him and it became a very popular dish. Another customer asked me, "Fabio, can you make a chicken cacciatore with eggplant inside for me?"  So I did it — with fresh oregano, onions, peppers, and fresh herbs. A lot of customers ask for this dish.

***

You can find Fabio Hakill on FoodCandy or at his restaurant, Fabio Piccolo Fiore.

Considering his experience in restaurants such as L'Absinthe and the blessing of Michelin Guide on his restaurant, it is almost surprising how unpretentious and direct Raphaël Sutter is when discussing his food. To him, taste matters. So do the customers. Food has to be delicious, seasonal, and fresh. Raphaël's dishes are based off of his French heritage and improved upon with ideas from his wife's Latin background. Sweet and savory abounds in his world, creating combinations that have seduced so many. I decided to ask him a few questions about his very own haven, Restaurant 718.

***

Valerie: What do you think sets 718 apart from other restaurants? What about it makes the ride from Manhattan worthwhile?

I’ve lived in Astoria for the last 15 years. Since I used to work in the city, I wanted to bring a piece of Manhattan into Astoria.  We have a lot of residents who used to live in the city like I did. You know, many of them had to move to Astoria because of the rent. Astoria’s restaurants are mostly Greek influenced, so 718 tries to provide another aspect of European food for the residents with our French/Latin cuisine. We also understand that many people have jobs that keep them late, so we provide them with a tapas menu until 1 am. All the dishes we offer on the tapas menu are under $18, but their quality is just as high as the rest.

Valerie: You use a lot of fruity flavors in your dishes. What is the inspiration behind these decisions?

It is my background. Originally I was a pastry chef, and then I turned into a "complete" chef. In my cooking now I use my background, which is more fruity and sweet. We try to follow the seasons in the kitchen. The beauty of New York is that you can find any kinds of fruits, any time, but we still try to stick to seasonal meals. For example, we try to use coconut more in the summer than the winter.

Valerie: You have a very extensive and strong background as a pastry chef. What made you decide to move away from just that and how did you go about it?

I like to be my own boss. I like knowing that I can be on top of everything in the kitchen. When I decided to expand my abilities, I trained myself. I worked for 25 years in restaurants doing pastries, but I saw everything that was going on. I wanted to learn everything. I was involved. After all, the pastries are very, very close to the kitchen. Finally, I opened my own restaurant, 718, where I like to incorporate my fruity palette in the dishes I create. I take basic dishes from France and add something new. For example, the duck. Duck with orange sauce has been done so many times. When I was putting it on my menu, I wanted to be in the same family (in terms of flavor) without doing the exact same thing. I switched to passion fruit in order to keep the acidity. Another example are the vanilla mashed potatoes. Vanilla is a way for me to add just a hint of flavor in the face of all the starch.

Valerie: Tell me about the live music you have on Wednesday nights. 

We have Latin jazz, sometime singing, sometimes, instrumental performances. We have a different singer every Wednesday. It all starts at nine and goes until eleven. Sometimes we have customers who know about it and just come to try it out. They go to the microphone and just sing. Sometimes they even come back with a band. It’s not really open mic, but we do have a lot of different singers.

Valerie: Last question. What's your favorite dish on the menu?

Definitely the grilled striped bass with potato gnocchi, roasted pistachio and the lemon sauce. It has the fruity, lemon sauce on the end which makes it great. The pistachio create a really wonderful flavor too, and they incorporate into the dish really well. The customers really enjoy it, and that's what it's all about.

***

You can find Raphaël Sutter on FoodCandy or at his Restaurant 718.

Every city has a newspaper with local listings, restaurant reviews and obituaries. New York has the "New York Magazine" and "Time Out", Seattle - the "Seattle Weekly", Toronto – the "Toronto Star". You pick one up for free or buy it at the first newsstand. You’re instantly projected into the know of all the amazing happenings, places to go, people to see and everything else that you will just have to miss because of the information overload.

Fast forward to the 21st century. Recycle the newspaper and go online! Every city should have a blog, run by a couple of local friends, which will tell me what to do, and, most importantly, where to eat, today, right now. For a great example I look south to our Canadian friends (this is not a typo). Please welcome Pina Ciotoli from WindsorEats.com.

***

DB: We, clueless Americans, think of Canada as our Northern neighbor. Can you please help us improve our map skills?

So you'd like to know a little about Canada, eh? While the majority of Canada lies north of the United States, Windsor is actually SOUTH of Detroit, Michigan. Yes, you read right. South. The D is OUR northern neighbor (do they live in igloos and walk around in snowshoes up in Detroit?)

DB: Indeed. Detroit is the northern igloo capital. You can almost see Russia from there. But back to you. How and when was WindsorEats born? And who is really Adriano?

Windsoreats was started about 5 years ago by Adriano (who is actually my brother). I jumped on the bandwagon about a year later. I could probably tell you some exciting story of a young entrepreneur who overcame insurmountable obstacles to start his business. But the truth is Adriano needed a job and couldn't find one. So he made one up. He kept taking his girlfriend to the same restaurants over and over again and thought there should be a place online where you could just look up a menu. There wasn't one, so the website was born! WindsorEats lets you view restaurant menus online. The blog started around 2007 because I needed a place to talk about food. We're Italian. Food pretty much consumes most of the day for us. Add a food site to that and well ... you've got a borderline obsession going here.

DB: It’s really cool to find a local blog that is faithful to its origins. Which city could use a WindsorEats?

Every city could use a WindsorEats! What I love most about the blog is that we get to celebrate everything we love about where we live. I like to think that we tell the story of our community through food. It allows visitors and locals alike to explore the restaurants that are available and that are owned and operated by people that live in the city. We even won Best Local Canadian Blog for 2007 which we're really proud of. And we just won for Leading Online Local Business in our region. It's always nice to know someone out there likes us :)

DB: What other Canadian blogs do you pay attention to?

We basically stick to the local blogs around town. Sites like Scaledown.ca and InternationalMetropolis.com are two of our favorites. They're great sites that engage people in discussions and have a local focus to them. We've got our own little blog community here and even meet up once a month to chat, drink a pint and have a few laughs, drink, share ideas. But mainly drink.

DB: You claim that Windsor has some of the best food in Canada. Should we skip Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal?

Shun the other cities, shun them all!

Ok, so that might be going a little too far. In all seriousness, everyone loves to travel, including WindsorEats, and every city has great food. We encourage and advocate that if you are going out to eat, avoid chains and choose a local establishment. What makes Windsor so great is that the ethnic diversity of the city is mirrored in the choices of food available when going out for dinner. Being one of Canada's most multicultural cities definitely has its benefits. If you really want to know a country, you eat the food and we have the unique opportunity to experience the world without really leaving our own city.

DB: If our newly elect President, Barak Obama, were to visit Windsor with Michelle and kids, where would he eat?

Oh so many restaurants so little time. Barack seems like an easy going kinda guy so I don't think a fancy restaurant would be on the menu. Right now, I think I'd have to pick Mazaar Lebanese Cuisine. They have these kick ass homemade pitas made fresh in the restaurant and deliver it to your table steaming. Fantastic! Like I said, we have great ethnic cuisine. Another favorite of mine, and that I take friends and out of town guests to, is Marathon Ethiopian. Traditional Ethiopian cuisine eaten in a traditional manner. That means that everyone shares one plate and by tearing off pieces of a crepe like bread called injera, you just scoop it with your hands. I think the Obama kids would get a kick out of that. What kid doesn't like eating with their hands? It is a great experience and even better food. We also have our own "Little Italy" which is home to some great Italian restaurants. Add to that cozy cafes, like Taloola's in our historic neighborhood Olde Walkerville, for a coffee or a hot chocolate and you've got the makings of a great culinary night out.

***

You can find Pina Ciotoli on FoodCandy and on WindsorEats.com.