Northern AZ’s Mountain Living Magazine – Page 7

CLASSIC REVAMP

The Cottage keeps it French and fresh

Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine, September 2017
Written by Gail Collins

Change is the only constant in this world, and it certainly applies to a competitive restaurant scene. The need to stay in tune with patrons, innovation, global influences and ownership transitions mean change is often on the menu in one way or another. Keeping a restaurant vibrant is key, presenting opportunities for a restaurant revamp. As Americans spent nearly $750 billion on eating out in 2015, slicing into that pie is worth the effort for restaurateurs.

Franchise eateries periodically update, such as the recent facelifts on Olive Garden and MacDonald’s. But what about an independent restaurant that has been a successful icon in town? Flagstaff locals have celebrated weddings and hallmark anniversaries and other special occasions at The Cottage Place Restaurant for more than twenty years, so its transition to The Cottage took considerable care.

“We had many conversations with previous owners Frank and Nancy Branham about carrying on the legacy of great service,” said new owner and chef Scott Heinonen. “The Cottage can continue to be a special event place, while also serving as a fine, comfortable dining spot for people to visit any Friday night.”

His goal was to retain the charm and impeccable service, while infusing Heinonen’s reputation for flair and fun. For example, the chairs were repainted and reupholstered, while the sign was repurposed, featuring a traditional rooster clutching a wine glass. The 1910 bungalow first became a French restaurant in the 80’s, and Branham’s interpretation of French cuisine came a decade later. Now, Heinonen imparts his style, in a concise, evolving menu of French standards with updated taste trends.

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Valley of the Vine

The Business of Grapes from Ground to Glass

Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine, August 2017

Written by Gail Collins

Sitting in a trattoria in Tuscany, we ordered the local red wine, served in carafes. Such stuff never leaves the country, and it was the perfect complement to the boar stew. Terroir and taste—as local as it gets.

Over several years, the locavore trend has gained momentum growing farmer’s markets, restaurant offerings and Arizona’s Verde Valley Wine Trail. Cultivating its success was a team effort.

Eric Glomski, owner and director of winegrowing for Page Spring Cellars and Arizona Stronghold, has been in the wine business for two decades. He shunned becoming “just another winery in California,” where costs are prohibitive, and he undertook a statewide search of Arizona before calling Cornville home. His criteria for making wine were climate, soil, water supply, population proximity and demographics. The rural spot was ideal for raising a family, too. That was 14 years ago, and Glomski has learned a great deal and taught it to others, who possess the same passion.

“Since 2004, Page Spring Cellars (PSC) has become the father and mother of products personally and for others,” said Glomski, who helped birth Burning Tree, Carlson Creek, Painted Lady, Gallifant Cellars and more. Winemaking expanded in the region, so he moved Arizona Stronghold to a bigger facility to become “a home for start-ups, an incubator” for making contract, custom brands.

Glomski studied the subtleties of the land and helped define the crops, such as French-American hybrids over pinot noir. Educating the public built loyalty, the industry and recognition. PSC earned 90+ points on Wine Spectator’s scale, yet the bestowing of two Jefferson Cups in 2010 by the country’s top officials marked a turning point. “Arizona is not imitating others—we are confident winemakers in the Arizona marketplace and beyond,” Glomski said.

Winning teams comprise dedicated players, who work together. When Casey Rooney, economic development director for the City of Cottonwood, arrived 10 years ago, he recognized the potential for the wine game. “I’m a cog in the development of Cottonwood,” Rooney said. Old town was underutilized and devoid of businesses then. The mission: To bring private business to the table to advise city planning.

In 2008, with other power players, such as police-chief-turned-city-manager Doug Bartosh, the wine industry became the focus. It would act as the driver for tourist dollars. As five-year plans were enacted, ancillary business alliances exploded in old town. “We were a sleeping giant with excitement to grow,” Rooney said. “We still feel the times are supercharged.” Wineries, such as Javelina Leap and Alcantara Vineyards, popped up in the countryside, and a tour of Napa and Sonoma confirmed, “We could do this.” Rooney called it “economic gardening,” growing from within to stay local and smart. Seeking solutions to problems benefitted all entrepreneurs, and in 2014, Cottonwood rebranded as the Heart of Arizona Wine Country.

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Going a Cut Above

Pine Canyon’s Executive Chef Dishes on Cuisine

Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine, August 2017

Written by Gail Collins

Executive Chef David Lapinski’s first job in the culinary industry seemed unlikely, at the time, to propel him to the celebrated successes of his long career. The high schooler hired on to wash dishes at Mount Holyoke College. On his first day, the cook was sick and promoted him to organize the meal service two hours later. Having noted the young man’s interest in attending culinary school, the cook gave him the menu rundown, and it went off without a hitch. “I’d never cooked for anybody before in my life,” Lapinski said with a chuckle. “I’d only taken a home ec class, but I never washed dishes again.” Within two years, he took on the role of catering manager. Perhaps, moving from the dirty frying pan to the fire galvanized and prepared him for the challenges ahead.

After graduating from Johnson & Wales, Lapinski began a coast-to-coast tour, beginning with Disney World’s Apprentice Program, where he learned classical French cuisine. Nearly two decades later, his resume lists the renowned Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, Sidewalkers in Manhattan, Max’s Restaurant in San Francisco, followed by positions in Virginia, Maine, and Massachusetts before settling in Arizona. Along the way, Lapinski refined his craft and gained further professional training. It earned him accolades, which include: recognition in Gourmet Magazine, Best New Restaurant, second place for Most Creative American Cuisine, Executive Chef Certification, American Culinary Federation’s Chef of the Year plus various gold and silver medals within the association as well as ice carving competition awards.

Despite his management background, Lapinski works the line as necessary and enjoys it. “My tradition is to lead by example, whether it’s a dirty job, like cleaning the grease trap, or managing,” he said. Opening restaurants and menu design are strengths honed to launch The Capital Grille in Scottsdale. Then, building on his club experience, The Estancia Club took him up a rung before heading north to manage the dining at Pine Canyon Clubhouse.

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Primo & Pasta

LA VETTA PS THE ANTE ON DOWNTOWN ITALIAN FARE

Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine, July 2017

Written by Gail Collins

Without ever having traveled to Tuscany’s hills or any other destination on the boot, many of us consider ourselves aficionados of Italian cuisine. Knowledge of the proper pronunciation of bruschetta (broo-skeh’-tta) or the inauthentic combination of meatballs with spaghetti doesn’t dissuade us. We’re willing to eat and learn. Fortunately, from more than a dozen trips to Italy, I can reassure you that it is not only customary, but necessary, for Italians to feed you well. There are many reasons.

Olive oil pulses through the populations’ veins with the average native consuming 14 joint-lubricating liters per year. Multiple-course meals multiply the ways to savor fresh pasta, seafood or veal, garden produce, focaccia and gelato. Wine flows like the Tiber River into Rome from the world’s number-one producer. Still, village vines are hoarded and pressed into house wine to compliment boar stew in San Gimignano or cassòla in Sardinia. Ah, Italia!

Now, those yearning for fine Italian dining need travel no farther than historic downtown Flagstaff. Ascend Group, who also own Horsemen Lodge and Northern Pines Restaurant, felt the city’s longing for ravioli and glitz, and opened La Vetta Ristorante Italiano on North Leroux in February.

La Vetta shines in snowy, sparkling, stacked stone with glittering lights, glass partitions and contemporary denim and dove-colored S-booths and banquettes. Vibrant impressionist, Italian-inspired canvases pop on the walls and Rat Pack tunes invite diners to indulge. General Manager Kevin Crow, with a fine dining background from Josephine’s Modern American Bistro, employs upscale expectations. “Checking quality regularly and teaching staff has been a busy, positive experience,” he said.

“Vetta” translates as summit or peak in Italian and honors Arizona’s tallest mountains. It also serves as the culinary goal for Executive Chef Dylan Tobin. With a well-logged past in Flagstaff kitchens, Tobin began cooking in a café at 14 years old and advanced to sous-chef at 18 before landing in a commanding position at La Vetta at 23. Aiming for classic, yet inventive cuisine, he wowed owner Steve Alvin at his tasting interview with cioppino, now a standard on the menu. The spicy acidity of the tomato broth, swimming with succulent mussels, clams, cod and shrimp, is balanced by a scoop of creamy parmesan risotto.

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RAISING the ROOF

Outdoor Dining in Downtown Flagstaff Reaches New Heights at Root Public House

Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living, May 2017

Written by Gail Collins

One of life’s simplest joys is eating out, and by that, we mean out of doors. Warm and lovely days encourage us to camp, hike or fish, and inevitably, to gather for a meal. Everything seems bigger in the great outdoors— including our appetites for food and flavors. Gathering for a barbecue or escaping for a picnic provides real health benefits, such as vitamin D, boosted mood and increased activity.

The delights of eating outdoors are timeless. From a trestle table filled with a family feast in the Tuscan countryside to a patio table laid with linen on the Champs Elysees to a rooftop view above it all in downtown Flagstaff, al fresco dining is a pleasure. “We have the designation of being the only rooftop dining in town,” said David Smith, chef/owner and partner with Jeremy Meyer of Root Public House.

Root’s rooftop perch is spacious, nearly doubling the its size, under a bowl of blue. A bank of seating wraps the patio plus plenty of tables for soaking up the rays and the view make it the best summer spot. The San Francisco Peaks hold prominence on the horizon surrounded by historic city sites. The bar is self-contained, providing equivalent drinks service as the main floor with eight to 10 local brews on a dozen taps. Or try the signature cocktail Root Down. It’s vibrant, containing only local ingredients: Desert Rain gin, carrot juice, jalapeno bitters and local IPA foam exuding a citrus fragrance. Although the rooftop tends to drinks and nosh, guest have access to the full food program.

Like the expansive rooftop, Smith and Meyer’s idea to own a fine dining restaurant grew. Raised in Virginia and Arkansas respectively, they channeled their southern backbone for inspiration originally. That blossomed as well with Smith open to the whims of whatever looks good and tastes great on the menu. Meyer summed, “Root Public House pushed our boundaries in good ways—we’re keeping it organic.”

Both had lengthy industry backgrounds. Smith arrived in Flagstaff a decade ago with successes as partner/owner of Brix Restaurant and Wine Bar, before opening Criollo Latin Kitchen and Proper Meats and Provisions. Smith met Meyer, the bar program manager at Criollo, in 2010. Understandably, the team had a proper following when they launched Root in July 2016 with a bang. The partners’ consistent mission provides sustainable, organic and local fare. White paint and steel touches create an understated vibe like the owners’ trademark jeans and tees.

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Kings of SIZZLE

Horsemen Lodge Steaks a Claim on an Iconic Meal

Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine, April 2017

Written by Gail Collins

Steak. The word brings meat to mind. Not just any beef, but a premium, savored experience. While the term steak defines any fast-cooking cut, most of us wouldn’t be so generous. Taste, tenderness and marbling all play a part in making a steak great.

In general, meat is muscle, so the choicest steaks are sliced from lesser-used muscle areas. The loin or backstrap runs along either side of the spine in long, tender muscles outside the ribs. The tenderloin or filet mignon lies on the inside of the ribs below mid-spine. From these two muscles come four ideal candidates for steaks: ribeye, tenderloin, strip and T-bone. In each of these cuts, fine flecks of fat—called marbling—baste the meat with flavor.

Though diners may have preferences, there are a few classic culinary rules for achieving steak nirvana. First, apply generous amounts of coarse Kosher salt to meat left at room temperature for 30 minutes. Brush with clarified butter or oil to prevent sticking and use a smoking hot grill. This shortens cooking time for more tender beef, adding a flavorful crust. Lastly, after cooking, let the steak rest for a few moments to absorb the pockets of juice. Most consider the ideal steak to be an inch-and-a-half ribeye, served medium rare with a pink, warm middle plus sufficient char.

Steak is an iconic meal, and northeast of Flagstaff—a few miles up U.S. 89—an icon has been serving them for more than four decades. Horsemen Lodge Steakhouse opened in 1975 and quickly became a hangout for Babbitt cowboys working on the CO Bar Ranch. The restaurant name pays homage to the ranch lifestyle in its authentic details—Western art, six-shooters, brands, chaps and spurs—and its cowboy-inspired menu, featuring steak. This has won the rustic outpost the Arizona Daily Sun’s Best of Flagstaff Award for Best Steak for two years running. Kudos to majority owner Steve Alvin for rebuilding Horsemen’s status and presence in the community.

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Cajun Cuisine Cruising

Satchmo’s and Roux 66 Bring the Bayou Flavors to Town

Northern AZ’s Mountain Living Magazine, March 2017

Written by Gail Collins

Although Mardi Gras may be a revelry in our rear view mirrors, the vision remains vivid. Fat Tuesday, so called for its excess, marks the last merriment before 40 days of piety. The intricate iron balconies of New Orleans are draped in rich purple, green and gold; the gumbo and jambalaya are spicy; the jazz is syncopated; and the bawdiness of Bourbon Street contrast with genteel colonial mansions. The whole of it creates an intoxicating experience. This cradle of culture at the mouth of the Mississippi River blends Native American, African, French and Spanish influences among others. It is especially evident in their language of food, where you can savor sugar-dusted beignets or pork and rice boudin. Mostly, one senses a party—whether it’s a backyard crawfish boil or festival fun—is always just around the corner.

Our olfactory-driven memories are the strongest, and all of this hit me at the door of Satchmo’s. The spicy smells of Creole cooking took me straight back to our days in New Orleans. And I grinned ear to ear. Owner Jamie Thousand is quick to say a Louisianan might turn up his nose to a batch of Satchmo gumbo offered on their turf. Family recipes are strongly respected and guarded. Thousand honors the Holy Trinity of onion, green pepper and celery in his dishes, but they are also wholly his own.

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The Date Night

Stepping Up the Romantic Dining Game for Valentine’s Day—and Beyond

Northern AZ’s Mountain Living Magazine, February 2017

Written by Gail G. Collins

Date Night is a newish term for the long term means of sustaining a relationship. The Oxford definition reads: A period when a couple can take time for themselves away from children and responsibilities. Kids and responsibilities acknowledged, as a practical matter, that sustenance should start the minute a couple moves from dating to partnership. There is no quicker way to undermine the love of your life than to take it for granted. Prioritizing and pursuing our lover makes for a woo-nderful life. However, planning is key. Great dates don’t just happen. So what makes for a great date night? Because honestly, who wants a mediocre date night? First and foremost is food—there’s nothing more sensual than sharing a meal. Second is ambience—cue the violins. That’s not necessary; it simply needs to be intimate and inviting enough to catch up on being a couple. Third, make plans for another date night. And when those big moments roll around, like an anniversary or Valentine’s Day, you’ve honed the skills to kick it up a notch.

Cottage Place Restaurant in downtown Flagstaff knows a thing or three about special evenings. It’s been the thrust of their longtime success. Since they opened their doors in 1994, Frank and Nancy Branham have introduced new ways for people to delight in a meal and one another, whether through holiday prix fixe events, a monthly 6-course tasting menu or novel entrees. “It’s a small restaurant, so we think outside the box,” said Frank. “Our upscale, niche wine tasting dinners began in the 90s when no one else was doing it.” Now, some patrons attend each month from Prescott and even Phoenix. As the name implies, the Cottage Place offers cozy seating at tables and banquettes surrounding a fireplace with Northern Arizona scenic landscape art. The demure, familial atmosphere belies the flavor awards garnered. A short list includes: Wine Spectator Magazine’s Award of Excellence for 15+ years, Arizona Daily Sun’s Best Fine Dining and Wait Staff for many years plus Best Overall Restaurant in 2016, as well as Open Table’s Top 100 Restaurants and Best Overall in 2012. Personally, Executive Chef Frank, a culinary graduate of the “hardknocks school,” has been voted Northern Arizona’s Chef of the Year three times.

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Marriage & the Mountains

The Work to Woo Couples to Northern Arizona to Tie the Knot

Northern AZ’s Mountain Living Magazine, January 2017

Written by Gail G. Collins

Sitting creekside with autumn leaves strewn like golden confetti around the newly minted bride and groom, it was easy to see what had drawn my nephew, Josh, and Megan to Los Abrigados in Sedona to be married. The Spanish-styled resort with picturesque grounds next to Tlaquepaque Crafts Village—a venue in its own right—created a short-hop destination wedding for the Phoenix pair. But they are among hundreds, who choose Northern Arizona each year. Wooed by stunning scenery, plus the drama of weather and fiery sunsets yielding transcendent photography, their celebrations go from memorable to magical. In addition, these locations hold the bonus of touring for guests and a ready-made honeymoon on site for the couple.

Though the lure of the mountains and Red Rock Country is a natural choice for Arizonans, brides and grooms come from all over the country. “Ninety percent of my couples are not from Northern Arizona,” said designer and event planner Kim Duncan of Kim Duncan Designs. “Often they have a family or personal connection, but many have fallen in love with the area, and they come from as far away as Washington D.C. or Manhattan.” And why not? The region is a world class destination.

Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte are monumental landscapes. Arizona Snowbowl affords forest and mountaintop heights. Between historic hotels and patio panoramas, couples can have their wedding cake and eat it, too, in stunning style.

A wedding’s foremost functions include planning and shopping. Combining the two is a great kick-start to the decision process. Northern Arizona hosts two show-stopping events each January to entice couples: Sedona Bridal Show and Boot Camp and Northern Arizona Wedding Expo. Vendors, such as Classic Party Rentals and Events by Show Stoppers, sponsor Sedona’s largest and most fashionable wedding planning event where brides find nearly 20 venues vying for attention plus loads of vendors. Northern Arizona Wedding Expo is billed as a “one-stop shop” providing brides, “with all the resources at their fingertips.”

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HAPPY HOURS & HISTORIES

The Commerce Blends Its Story of Place with Lively Food and Spirits

Northern AZ’s Mountain Living Magazine, January 2017

Written by Gail G. Collins

In the late 70s, songwriter and entertainer, Peter Allen focused on life’s ageless aspects crooning, “Everything old is new again.” This timely reference point also marks Flagstaff’s decision to preserve its downtown heritage.

First, some perspective. Several years after its namesake July 4th flag planting on the nation’s centennial in 1876, Flagstaff was established as a railway and a lumbering center. The original structures, built from the forests’ ready materials, burned down repeatedly, and many were replaced by brick and native sandstone structures. In 1926, iconic Route 66 ventured west, carrying tourists to the Grand Canyon via Flagstaff, where they stayed overnight at The Hotel Weatherford with its witch’s cap cupola or Hotel Monte Vista, as did film stars.

With modern trends, some buildings, like Babbitt’s Department Store, endured a space-aged, aluminum face lift. Many businesses exited downtown by the 70s, and the city concentrated on regeneration. By 1990, a formal preservation program began, and the aluminum siding came down, revealing carved, red stone on Babbitt’s with others following suit.

Restoration and repurposing has continued, including innovative eateries, such as Proper and Tourist Home Urban Market propping up the south side with The McMillan, north of the tracks. But not everything can be saved, even if built of stone. The Commercial Hotel was devastated by fire in 1975, and The Commerce, a new craft cocktail bar, stands on the former site. Art within the bar commemorates the event.

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