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Bone Broth is a magical elixir. It can help a myriad of health ailments including joint pain, and osteoarthritis. It can also help detoxify the liver, and boost immune function.

The ingredients in this bone broth are just as important as the cooking technique. The key to a nutrient-rich, clear, delicious broth is the cooking time, and integrity of ingredients.

This particular broth was made with organic beef bones. It’s important to ask your butcher about the origins of your bones, as you do not want to use product that was treated with hormones, antibiotics, or other impurities. I prefer that all of my ingredients are organic, and locally sourced so I can verify the purity.

Organic beef bones can be sourced at most local butcher shops, and Whole Foods. If you’re planning on making a bone broth it’s a good idea to order the bones ahead of time.

Ingredients:

4 pounds organic beef bones

1 bunch of celery cut into 1/2 inch pieces

4 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

2 large yellow onions (I prefer Vidalia over Spanish)

8 peeled cloves garlic

4 bay leaves

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon Kosher salt

2 tablespoons whole peppercorns

Directions

Place all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl- make sure everything is coated with the olive oil, salt and pepper mixture evenly.

Place the seasoned bones in a large roasting pan, and put in a 450-degree oven. Let cook for 30-45 minutes, until the ingredients are caramelized.

Place the caramelized bones and all other ingredients in a large stock pot and cover with water leaving 1-2″ above the bones.

Place on the stove over a low flame, and let cook for 24 hours. Remember- it’s VERY important that your stock never come to a boil- this will result in a cloudy stock.

After the stock has completed cooking, turn the heat off and let sit for 2 hours. Using a sieve, strain the broth. Discard the bones and other food products. Cool the broth quickly in an ice bath, and place in seasoned jars, or freeze.

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I rarely turn down Italian food, so when I was asked to go to Esta Esta last week I happily accepted. I had never been to the Italian eatery in Monroeville, PA, and wasn’t even aware of it’s existence.

Esta Esta Interior

Restaurant Interior

From the outside, Esta Esta is very unassuming- there’s very little signage, and the building is inconspicuous. The interior is tastefully designed with soft ambient lighting, warm carpeted floors, and white tablecloth covered tables. When we entered the restaurant, we were greeted by the maître d and shown to our table.   Waters were poured, and our server approached to inform us of the daily specials.

“We have orange roughy, I think it’s some kind of fish…” We couldn’t help but laugh. The young waiter with the Bieber-esque hair was obviously recently promoted or hired, and had little food knowledge.  Nonetheless, he had a great personality and was eager to provide us with anything we needed. After considering the specials and reviewing the menu, we decided on the Gnocchi with Meatballs, Spaghetti with Meatballs, and Fresh Grilled Salmon. I was served a dinner salad with blue cheese as we waited for our entrees. We were also provided with house-baked Italian bread and butter and Italian Wedding Soup.

Dinner Salad

Wedding Soup

It was nice to take in the ambiance of the authentic Italian eatery, and have a quiet conversation. Most contemporary restaurants are loud making it difficult to communicate with fellow diners. There were couples on dates enjoying wine, and plenty of families with well-behaved children.

Our entrees were served after 15 minutes, and we were eager to sample the food. The meatballs that sat atop my gnocchi were light, and flavorful. The red sauce was slightly sweet and fresh tasting. The gnocchi were ok, but sat heavily in my stomach- a result of too much flour and not enough potato.   The salmon was delicious, and not over-cooked.

Gnocchi with Meatballs

Spaghetti with Meatballs

Fresh Salmon

Our dinner concluded with a piece of Tiramisu– every Italian restaurant can be judged by this traditional dessert. The mascarpone-cream mixture was spot on, and the ladyfingers were soaked with the appropriate amount of espresso– tasty!

Homemade Tiramisu

The food at Esta Esta is very good. If you’re looking for a new restaurant to try this weekend that offers stellar service and a great atmosphere, you will be pleasantly surprised.

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CURDTOWN

It all started with the simple idea of bringing tasty, deep-fried cheese curds to everyone, not just Midwesterners. In order to take this idea to the next level, our journey was born. 

Curdtown set out to “reverse engineer” the deep fried cheese curds we enjoy at our annual Minnesota State Fair, without being swayed by what was currently on the market from other manufacturers.  

Cheddar Cheese Curds

Our founders travelled over 25,000 miles, spent thousands of hours on the hunt trying similar products, and tried hundreds of combinations to create the perfect all natural cheese curd for our customers.  They created our Curdtown brand with passion, persistence, and a willingness to look at things differently, and also had a ton of fun along the way.

Cheese Curds with Wasabi Aioli

From the beginning, the focus was to be on the cheese, as most competitors use way too much breading and even non-cheddar cheese by-product. This simply would not be acceptable, as our founders traveled the Midwest dairy lands searching for the best dairy producing farmers and cows.

They found the best all-natural, white cheddar cheese curds at Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery in Ellsworth, Wisconsin. Our cheese contains no hormones or animal rennet and by sourcing our cheese from this cooperative, we help support 400+ proud dairy farmers of Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Chili Cheese Curds

The second key to a great deep-fried cheese curd is the breading.  After testing hundreds of breading combinations, from potato chips to gold fish crackers, we determined that using high-end Japanese panko breading (crumbs without the crust) would provide a quality texture and an excellent crunch. Unlike many cheese curds that utilize 50% breading, our cheese curds have a minimum 2:1 cheese to breading ratio.

Curdtown is now embarking on the next phase of our journey, taking our cheese curds to a national audience and beyond!   We hope you enjoy them as much as we do. 

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El Burro, Regent Square

I waited until the last minute to finish up my Christmas shopping, and my stomach was growling.  I was hangry, and needed some sustenance fast. I looked up and down Braddock Avenue, and decided that I would opt for Mexican food.

El Burro Interior

El Burro Dining Room

I had never ben to El Burro before, but had heard good things. “It’s the first real Mexican food I have had since moving to Pittsburgh,” I overheard at Get-Go while filling my tank with gas.

I was in a hurry, and was hoping that I could get a burrito, or a few tacos fast. “We’re out of carne asada, and carnitas,” the woman behind the counter said. Fine, I’ll order a few chicken tacos with a side of guacamole. $10.00 seemed a bit steep for tacos, but considering the location and overhead, I was willing to dish out the cash if the food was good. I stopped into Le Mix next door to buy a few things, and retuned to El Burro to pick up my tacos.

I sat in a booth (there was one other patron in the restaurant) and hurriedly doused my chicken tacos with the house hot sauce, and the extra guacamole that I purchased.

My tacos were wrapped with 2 warm corn tortillas (each), and filled with tender chicken, onions and cilantro.

My first bite was good- the tortillas were fresh and flavorful. The onions and cilantro added a few extra layers of flavor, but the chicken lacked seasoning. The guacamole was superb- I highly recommend as an accompaniment.

Soft Chicken Tacos with Guacamole

El Burro serves authentic Mexican food at a reasonable price in a timely manner. If you’re looking for a new restaurant to try in the east end, and like spicy food, this eatery will not disappoint.

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Spicy Bacon Cheese Dip

Enjoy!

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GoodFellas, Swissvale

There’s no shortage of restaurants in Swissvale, what’s lacking however is a place to get traditional, homemade food. Until now.

If you haven’t heard of GoodFellas, you’re not alone. Nestled in a small business district on McCague St., the bar/eatery attracts local clientele with it’s reasonably priced drinks, and excellent homemade food.

Goodfellas Bar

On this particular Friday night the bar was full with patrons celebrating the end of the week. The bar tender was working hurriedly trying to keep up with the barrage of drink orders. I sat at a stool, and asked for a ginger ale. Looking over the menu, I noticed a lot of Pittsburgh-familiar items. Loaded Fries or Tater Tots with Cheddar, Bacon and Jalapeños ($5.95), Spinach and Beans ($5.95), Spinach Artichoke Dip ($6.95), Pierogies with Sautéed Onions and Sour Cream ($5.95), and Beer Battered Fried Clam Strips served with Onion Dip ($6.95). Lunch and dinner specials are also featured during the week.

Goodfellas Interior

Salads include Antipasto ($9.95), Grilled Chicken or Steak Salad ($9.95), and a Buffalo Chicken Salad ($9.95). Daily soups are also available.

GoodFellas is a clean, friendly local bar that serves delicious food.   Its friendly atmosphere and local entertainment make it great place to meet family and friends.

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Peace Love and Little Donuts

“Feed Your Inner Hippie”

I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like donuts- circular gobs of dough with a hole in the center, deep-fried, and dipped in a sugary coating… what’s not to like?

When I came upon Peace Love and Little Donuts in Monroeville, I wasn’t sure what to make of it. The name threw me a bit, and the building was oddly shaped. I had to investigate.

Donut Shop

“Welcome to Peace Love and Donuts- would you like to try a cinnamon sugar donut?” Well sure I would. A jovial, young, worker popped out from behind the counter and handed me my complimentary treat. We’re off to a good start.

The donuts served at this particular shop are untraditional- they’re smaller, and cakey. My sample was warm and sweet.

Instead of choosing from an assortment, the donuts are prepared for you while you wait. Yeah- you heard me. You get to pick the topping you want, and the workers dip, drizzle, and decorate right in front of you. Cool, right?

Worker Bees

Available flavors and toppings are: Cinnamon Sugar, Powdered Sugar, Saigon Cinnamon, Ginger Sugar, Honey Glazed, and Maple Sugar. Frostings include: Vanilla, Chocolate, Maple, Raspberry, Strawberry, Orange, Banana, Lemon and Mocha.

If you want to try a Funkadelic donut, your choices are Maple Bacon, S’mores, Salted Chocolate, Cherry Cheesecake, Apple Pie, Samoa, Raspberry Lemonade, and Boston Cream Pie- the flavor combinations are endless.

Delicious Donuts

The donuts are made daily, and impeccable fresh. Expect to finish one in two, maybe three bites.

Peace Love and Donut has a cool vibe to it- its charm, delicious product and extremely friendly staff make it a must-visit!

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Villa Reale

There are no shortages of Italian restaurants in Pittsburgh. Most of them are good and serve traditional, uncomplicated fare. Pizza, hoagies, subs, and antipasto salads are on the menus. These dishes are designed to be served to lunch customers that are in a rush, and need to get back to work quickly. Down the alley from the club is one such restaurant, Villa Reale.

Sometimes I have a chance to walk down Strawberry Way after our lunch rush. I often look through the large window that faces the alley, and amazed at the crowd inside. On this particular Saturday however, Villa Reale was a bit slow.

Pizza Area

I stopped in to grab a small pizza on my way to work. I know what you must be thinking- why pay for food when you’re a chef? Well, sometimes there is comfort in variety, and pizza takes a long time to make from scratch.

The pepperoni pizza was good- the crust was chewy (thanks to high-gluten flour), the sauce was sweet, and the cheese mixture was tangy. I was going to take a picture of the pizza, but when you work with a hungry staff, pizza disappears quickly. Next time.

Dining Room

In addition to pizza, Villa Reale serves Fried Mozzarella ($4.75), Fried Ravioli ($4.75), Italian Hot Baked Hoagies ($9.95), Chicken Parm Hoagies ($8.95), Calzones (Regular $9.75, Large $12.75), Lasagna ($11.95), Baked Manicotti ($11.95), and Baked Manicotti ($11.95). Desserts include Cheesecake, Tiramisu, Zeppoli (Italian doughnuts), and Ice Cream cones.

Villa Reale serves above average Italian cuisine at a reasonable price. If you find yourself in the city during lunchtime, stop in a sample the food; you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

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Drew’s Family Restaurant

Drew’s Family Restaurant has been serving the Pittsburgh area for over 100 years. Located at 2060 Ardmore Boulevard, the semi-famous eatery is well known for serving homemade, quality food. We arrived early in the morning for breakfast on a Wednesday, and the place was bustling with a hungry breakfast crowd.

Drew’s interior reminded me of Eat n Park- similar décor, and furniture. A large glass case displayed enormous, delicious looking desserts.

We sat at a small booth, and looked over the menu. It was early, so we opted for breakfast. I ordered an omelette with cheddar ad a side of sausage links. We also chose a fresh fruit cup, and a few eggs over easy, and a side of home fries.

Our food came in a flash, and was just as expected. My omelette was piping hot, ad filled with a thick layer of gooey melted cheddar. The pork-link sausages were fatty and flavorful. Our fresh fruit cup included whole strawberries, cantaloupe, honeydew, and pineapple. The home fries were crispy from the grill, ad coated with a thick layer of butter.

Fresh Fruit

Home Fries

Omelette and Sausage

If you’re in the mood for lunch, Drew’s has a wide selection of sandwiches, meatloaf, roast beef, roasted turkey, and pizza.

Diner selections include a variety of Italian selections, as well as Baked Scrod, Jumbo Shrimp, and Fresh Salmon. If you have a hankering for liver and onions, it’s available too.

The dessert case looked impressive, but it was too early to engage my sweet tooth. I’ll have to sample the colossal multi-level cakes and pies during my next visit.

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