Talk'n wit Tony

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Talk'n wit Tony

Charlie Pub

Anyone who's ever been to Italy knows that the pizza here is simply the best in the world! I've never tasted a pizza outside of this country that truly compares.

The pizza we make in the States is much more like Italian Focaccia than real pizza. Also for me, the further south you go in Italy the better it gets. You'll also find that each region in the south has it's own unique taste. People from Naples will tell you that theirs is the best in all of Italy. And, it is to die for! However, my favorite pizza can be found in the region of Puglia.

And my favorite pizza in all of Puglia is made at Charlie Pub in Gioia Del Colle. Pizza Quattro Formaggi...my mouth is watering right now as I type this. And I just had it about a week ago!

Can you taste it? I think I will have to go back there after I'm done with this post, and done sipping this delicious cappuccino. This place also has a very special meaning for my wife and I.

This is the place we went on our first date shortly after we met. Every time we come back to Gioia, we always look forward to going back to relive that very special evening. And now we can bring our son with us as well. Soon when our daughter is old enough, she will be downing Charlie pizzas as well.

There are so many reasons why it's so good here. First of all, the local water and air plays a part in making the dough for the most wonderful thin crust. The best mozzarella from Gioella goes on top of the delicious local tomatoes. And after all the rest of the wonderful ingredients go on, the pizza gets placed in the wood burning stone and brick oven.


If you ever find yourself in this area of the world, I HIGHLY recommend you find Charlie Pub. There's a map when you click on the title of this post. Buon appetito!◦

Charlie Pub

Baked Turkey Spring Rolls

Baked Chicken Spring Rolls (modified using turkey)
From: Cooking Etcetera

Ingredients:
* 3 cloves crushed garlic
* 2 cm grated fresh ginger
* 2 cups shredded cabbage
* 1 carrot, grated
* 2 cups bean sprouts
* 1 cup chopped turkey breast
* 1 tsp fish sauce
* 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
* 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves
* 1 package spring roll wrappers
* 2 boiled eggs, cubed

Directions:
1.) Cook garlic & ginger until fragrant. Add Turkey.
2.) Add carrots & cabbage. Stir in oyster sauce
3.) Close to finishing, toss in bean sprouts, dash of fish sauce.
4.) Remove from heat. Toss in coriander leaves
5.) Lay spring roll wrapper on a flat surface on an angle so it looks like a diamond.
6.) Spoon 2 tbs of the filling at the bottom corner of the wrapper
7.) Fold in the 2 sides. Seal the top of the wrapper with egg white
8.) Continue rolling up to form a tight cylinder
9.) Bake in an oven 200C until crispy or turn golden brown◦

Baked Turkey Spring Rolls

Turkey Curry

Diana Rattray: Use leftover turkey to make this tasty turkey dish...

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons curry powder
4 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups chicken broth
1 can (8 to 9 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
3 cups cooked diced turkey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
hot cooked rice

Preparation:

In a large skillet, heat curry powder in butter, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in onions; continue cooking, stirring frequently, until onions are softened. Blend in flour and ginger; add chicken broth and pineapple. Heat to boiling; simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes.
Stir in turkey. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes longer, or until heated through. Stir in lemon juice. Serve with hot cooked rice.Serves 4.

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Turkey Curry

Turkey and Mashed Potato Croquettes

Got Leftovers? Here's one of the yummiest recipe's I could find for leftover turkey. Please feel free to leave any other wonferful nuggets in the comments...

Turkey and Mashed Potato Croquettes
Diana Rattray

Make these turkey croquettes for a post-holiday meal or make smaller ones and serve as appetizers. Freeze these croquettes before breading, then complete with coating ingredients and instructions after thawing. These are delicious served with leftover or store-bought gravy and cranberry sauce.

Ingredients:

* 2 cups finely minced leftover turkey
* 1 cup leftover seasoned mashed potatoes
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* ***Sauce***
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 6 green onions, with a few inches of green, thinly sliced
* 1 clove garlic, finely minced (omit if using garlic mashed potatoes)
* 4 tablespoons flour
* 1/4 cup chicken broth
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
* ***Coating***
* 1/2 cup all Coating-purpose flour
* 2 large eggs, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon cold water
* 2 cups finely ground fresh bread crumbs

Preparation:

Combine the turkey, mashed potatoes, parsley, and black pepper.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add green onions and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the flour and stir until well blended. Stir in chicken broth and milk. continue cooking, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add salt, to taste. Combine with the turkey mixture, blending well. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 1 to 2 hours. Put 1/2 cup of flour in a plate. Beat eggs in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of water. Put the finely ground bread crumbs in another bowl.

Shape croquette mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls (a little smaller if you're making appetizers). Roll gently in the flour to coat, then in the egg until coated. Coat with the bread crumbs. Place on a waxed paper or foil-lined cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining turkey mixture and crumbs. I keep plenty of paper towels and a bowl of water handy to keep my hands relatively clean.

Let the croquettes stand for about 30 to 45 minutes to dry a bit.

Heat oil to about 360°. Fry the croquettes in small batches for about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, depending on size, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with hot turkey gravy and cranberry sauce as part of a post-holiday meal or as appetizers for guests.Makes about 16 to 18 1 1/2-inch croquettes.

Yum!!! I love this time of year!◦

Turkey and Mashed Potato Croquettes

Pizza Petril's...

This is my cousin's pizza shop. It's called City Pizza, and it's located at 16th & Oregon Ave in Philly. You can claim my bias here, so I invite you to ask anyone within range in South Philly, and they will tell you it's one of the best pizza shops in all of Philadelphia. And, it's completely full of Petril Peeps! Let me introduce them to you...

This is Robert Petril. He's the owner, and he's jammin' on the main ovens.

And then there's another Robert Petril, and he's jammin' the back ovens...

Then we have Anthony Petril rockin' cheesesteaks on the grill...

And then another Anthony Lebo Petril wheelin' the pies all over South Philly...

Ok, then we have Nick Petril laying down sauce, cheese, and toppings on the fresh dough that Bruce was just tossing...

The list goes on. Some more Petrils just had the night off. Like this mug here named Dio Petril. He was probably home sleeping...

And, Gianna Petril upstairs rockin' the tanning salon...

City Pizza is SO busy! The phones downstairs are always off the chain crazy!

Here's a clip of what City Pizza "Rush Hour" looks like. It's a well choreographed pizza ballet...



If you're in South Philly, you just gotta stop here and grab a pie!

Seriously! How lucky am I to have a pizza army like this in the family!?

City Pizza, 16 & Oregon, South Philadelphia, 215-755-8888

Tell them "Buzzy" sent you.

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Pizza Petril's...

Yo Tony Luke's

Last Saturday night I went to Tony Luke's for a sandwich. When you go to this place you can feel the heart and soul of Philadelphia. You stand in line, and you listen to all the chatter about the Phillies, the Eagles, the SEPTA strike. It's just one of those soul quenching experiences.


They are famous for their roast pork, and roast beef sandwiches with sharp provolone on a fresh baked long roll. My mouth is watering now as I remember the taste!

You stand politely in line, and you follow the rules, the vast menu, and the different windows. You place your order, and then you wait. You can smell the onions cooking on the grille inside. You're watching all the peeps sitting at the tables eating theirs. And finally, you hear your name called! Awesome!!!

When you're in Philly, you can't miss Tony Luke's! It's on Oregon Avenue at Front Street in South Philadelphia.

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Yo Tony Luke's

Swanky Martini's

Today, I had lunch with a really cool friend, at a really cool place! The Continental Martini Bar. I've been meaning to write about this place for a while now. It's one of my favorite spots in Philly...

It's so great because...not only is the decor so rad, but the food is really good and fun! I love their humus and their kofta. They also have a wonderful asian spinach with sesame...so good! And, if you like martini's...they have a chocolate martini...totally awesome!

Check out the swanky decor in this place...

If you're in Philly, The Continental is a totally hip place to hang. http://www.continentalmartinibar.com/

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Swanky Martini's

original goodness...

As promised, my friend Gary took me to the original Jim's Steaks location in west philly. I was really looking forward to having lunch at such a nostaglic place. As we got out of the car, the trolly in the photo above was sitting there! I could not believe my eyes! Talk about nostaglia!!! I can remember riding on these same trollys with my grandmother in the late 1960's.


Lunch was so great! I just love these places. That old philly atmosphere. The attitude of the people working there. When I lived here I took all this for granted. But, being away for so long allows me to really appreciate them now.


Thanks to Gary for lunch. And thanks to Jim's for not changing a thing!


Can you taste it?◦

original goodness...

a slice of nostalgia pie...

One of the greatest things about going home, is returning to the favorite places you grew up with. Today, I met my two wonderful and beautiful step sisters Kim and Ashley for lunch at a place called Pica's. This restaurant is a local institution! We literally grew up in this place. After every school football game, track meet, birthday dinners, or on any given week night you could find our family there. I even worked as a "busboy" there when I was 16 years old. On your break you could order a free small pizza or a cheesesteak, and I usually took the pizza over the cheesesteak. Imagine that!

They're famous for their "up-side-down" square pizza. OK, well not completely up-side-down. The sauce is just on top of the cheese, and it's soooo delicious!!! Basically, just about everyone who has grown up in the southwest suburbs of Philadelphia (and a bit beyond), knows all about this place. We're talking four generations of local, loyal, and hungry patrons have indulged in these pizzas, as well as many of their other "home style" Italian dishes. A few other places in the area have tried to copy the recipe, but none can truly compete. You must have the whole Pica's experience. The atmosphere, the people, and the "decor" all absolutely factor into the taste.

Pica's history goes all the way back to 1941! It started out as "Frank's Pizzeria" on 62nd and Race street in Philly. In the beginning, there was just Frank Pica Sr., a friend, a brick oven, a take-out counter, and a couple of tables. Oh, and if you check the photo below, apparently one cat as well. There was also a second floor for more formal dining, and no man was allowed to go upstairs without being accompanied by a lady. In the 1950's, Frank Pica Sr., and his son Frank Jr., moved the business to it's current location in Upper Darby on West Chester Pike. And, it's still going strong today!

Kim and Ashley, it was so great to see you both! Lunch (of course) was great. Today's Pica's pizza tasted just like it always has. OK, some will argue that the various oven changes over the years has dimmed the awesomeness. But I have to say, I don't notice anything different. It was just as delicious, wonderful, yummy, and mmm mmm mmmmmm as always! It was so great to go back there. A big thanks to the Pica family for keeping the tradition alive and well! It's always such a wonderful slice of home! :-)

So if I haven't yet completely conveyed how awesome this pizza is...listen to this! My son is now 5 years old. He ate there a couple of times when he was 3 years old. He's been in Italy for the last month eating the most wonderful food on EARTH! The other day, (just prior to eating panzerotti fritti), he asked his mother if we were going to Pica's when they get here!

P.s. After a 3-way wrestling match, the pizza in the photo above came home with me! :-)

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a slice of nostalgia pie...

more on philly cheesesteaks...

"cheesesteak wit"

In an earlier post I gave a shout out to Dalessandros Steaks. It's truly one of my favorites in Philadelphia. Every philadelphian has their own favorites. While I'm here I want to take full advantage of mine, and make the rounds to my favorite places. Some new discoveries would be cool too. Always on the top of the list for me is Jim's Steaks on the corner of 4th and South St's.




I love this place! The cheesesteak here is tied for first place in my book. The aroma drifts for a block down South St. Lines around the block can form sometimes. The exterior facade and interior of Jim's is so cool. A real downtown Philly feeling. Check out the ceiling!



If you're lucky enough to get a stool along the counter, you look at all the photos and notes from celebrities, musicians, sports stars, and some of Hollywood's biggest stars covering the walls. Jim's has been serving cheesesteaks and hoagies in Philadelphia for over 70 years! I just found out that the 4th & South location is not the original. A friend promises to take me to the original Jim's Steaks in West Philly soon. I let you know how it is...◦

more on philly cheesesteaks...

chillin in philly...

After running around like crazy all week, I decided to take a Friday chill. I really haven't stopped since I landed from China. It's been a great week! I love my hometown of Philadelphia. It's a city of great contrasts. A place where our history meets the future. A big city, with a small town feel, offereing world class arts, fashion, restaurants, cafes, and entertainment. Just a couple blocks from all the action are cozy neighborhoods with tree lined streets that throw you back to the times of old. This city is so full of warm charm and character. I love Philadelphia!!!



Today for lunch I had to have a REAL "Philly Cheesesteak". After skipping breakfast I was so hungry! So, a trip to Dalessandros was in order. As I opened the door of my car, I could smell the chipped steak and onions cooking on the grill inside. Ahhh the smell of home!

One of things that makes Dalessandros so great, not only are their cheesesteaks one of the "best of best" in Phlly, but you also get the best service. Margie, Carol, and the girls always greet you with a smile. And, chances are they will remember your name. They really make you feel like your home.




Thank you Margie, Trish, and Carol...it was delicious!!!

If you grew up in Philly, you know exactly what I'm talking about. It was that smell that drew the first cab driver in the 1930's to Pat and Harry Olivieri's hot dog shop in south Philadelphia. The cheesesteak was invented when the two brothers were tired of eating hot dogs and the same sandwiches everyday. One brother told the other to go to the store and buy some meat. The other brother chopped up the meat, and fried it up with some onions, and put it on some long rolls. When a cab driver pulled up for his usual hot dog, and smelled the beef with onions, he demanded one of the sandwiches. The "Steak Sandwich" was born. Later, another employee added cheese, and then the "Cheesesteak" was born.



Mmmmmmmm...can you smell the awesome goodness? Have a great weekend everyone.

- Robert◦

chillin in philly...