La Tur cheese will mooove you, baaaaa.

This blend of cow, sheep and goat milk from Italy made by the fine folks at Caseificio Dell’Alta Langa is absolutely delicious. Soft enough to spread on crackers and easily melts into hot pasta. The flavor in this cheese is rich enough for cheese experts and lively enough to wake up a boring appetizer party.

The Dude of Food melted a good chunk of this cheese into some hot noodles the other day and was stoked I did. I can see myself craving this in the near future.

Thank you Caseificio Dell’Alta Langa for your La Tur cheese. It is delicioso.

What do Paris, forks, Dukes and Ducks have in Common?

In 1592 the rich folk of Europe used to wear fancy, albeit uncomfortable looking things called a ruff around their necks. See this picture painted in the early 1600’s called ‘Portrait of an Old Woman’ by Frans Hals of Antwerp. Popular King Henry IV wore a ruff too.

In fact in Paris 1592 King Henry IV inaugurated use of the very first fork ever because of his ruff. The food tool was designed to keep people’s dinner off of their ruffs. Henry may have been a slave to fashion but using the fork stuck, so to speak.

This establishment where the 1st fork thing went down with Henry happened at a restaurant known as Tour d’Argent. This place once made a menu for a dinner hosted by the Duke of Richelieu, who was the nephew of a French Cardinal, that consisted solely of beef prepared 30 different ways! I wonder if this is where steak tartare came from? In 1929, La Tour d’Argent prepared it’s 100,000th famous ‘Caneton Tour D’Agent’ dish. For the curious non French reader this translates as pressed duck. They began numbering the amazing dish in 1890 and served pressed duck number 1,000,000 in 2003. That reminds me of a joke that always quacks me up.

Q: Why did the duck cross the road?

A: He saw a Tour d’Argent chef ahead.

You can read more about the historic La Tour d’Argent and it’s history at https://tourdargent.com/en/heritage/ To read more about the famous chefs of La Tour d’Argent click to

http://www.foodreference.com/html/artlatourdargent.html

The Dude of Food makes Obatzda just like a Munich beer garden, kind of.

The 1st Obatzda the Dude of Food ever made in his westside kitchen was fairly decent. It wasn’t just like Munich Obatzda but I have to say it sure helped ease the longing I have to be back in Munich with my friends at one of its many beautiful beer gartens. The Obatzda made by the Dude of Food wasn’t exactly the right color and was lumpier. It also wasn’t mixed as well as the Obatzda you find in Munchen and probably had something to do with the Gruyere cheese I used.

What mine did do for my spirit though, was remind me of all my Bavarian friends und the gut times we’ve spent together eating obatzda, stecklefisch, pizza, chicken, goulasch, knudel, donors or pretzels while drinking Augustiner Brau Helles beer and enjoying nature.

The Obatzda the Dude of Food made was pretty darned good and my mind happily filled in the blanks. I love brotziet und look forward to having more my next time back in Minga, Bavaria. Prost.

Flippin Pizza in Long Beach is home to one of the neighborhood’s best pizzas.

flippin-pizza-ent If you are a pizza lover, like many folks who now live in Los Angeles are, then you will be happy to know the Dude of Food has picked up where the LA Weekly Best Pizza Search has left off in the search for Southern California’s Top Pizzas and has found another contender for the Top 10 Pizzas in the Area list at the Flippin Pizza location. flippin-int

Upon entering Flippin Pizza it is apparent the place is fresh and clean. A friendly staff member greeted and informed me of the daily specials. The nice staff member turned out to be the owner, Anthony. We chatted and I learned that the restaurant had been open since August 2015 at 6269 East Spring Street, Long Beach.

They offer daily pizza specials and also offer a happy hour from 3-6p with $4. pints. (Hello, Pizza, Beer & NHL Hockey!) Besides carefully crafted pizzas you can find really nice salads too. The lunch specials offer various versions of slices, salads and drink options.

flippin-pie The Dude of Food tried a slice of the 4 Cheese and a slice of the Little Brooklyn and was satisfied with both. The crust is thin and lite. It is not all rubbery and sweet which is a good thing. Both slices could have been a little greasy but both showed signs of very little accumulation on top. flipin-pie

The two slice and a drink lunch special will run you $6.50 and will satisfy your pizza craving for the time being. Flippin Pizza is Dude of Food approved and will be appearing on the list of Top 10 as the survey works towards the Top 5 round.

If you are craving pizza in the Long Beach / Lakewood area give Flippin Pizza a call and have something delivered. 562/421-1111 http://www.flippinpizzalongbeach.com

The Dude of Food email – weallgottaeat on g mail

Wake up and love Butter Cafe in Munich!

https://www.yelp.com/biz/butter-münchen According to Dude Food G. on Yelp, this Butter place found on Blutenburg Strasse in Nuehausen, Munich is really cool. You know right from the beginning that this is not your normal everyday cafe. Butter is the diamond in the ruff waiting to be discovered. This place has babies, art, coffees, music, food and is full of life’s positive vibrations. These guys are a couple of psychologists dressed as music loving ravers.

If you just need a coffee to blow out the cobwebs from the previous nights Augustiner Helles, then Butter is perfect. If you need a veggie or meaty sandwich to go with your coffee than Butter is perfect. If you need a ginger, apple, carrot fresh juice than Butter is perfect. If you need a shoulder to cry on and a doorway to block than Butter is probably not for you.

Stop in and say “Aloha dudes” to the guys from Butter from the Dude of Food.

Butter

Blutenburg Strasse 90

Nuehausen, Munich

Open 8am http://alles-butter.de

The Dude of Food really likes Joe Matos Cheese Factory in Santa Rosa, CA

The Dude of Food met the chief of cheese in Santa Rosa, Joe Matos. He has been making cheese since 1979.

To get to Joe Matos Cheese Factory you will need to go to the end of a small road. Inside you will find and sweet woman at the counter and tons of cheese behind her. The aged is really good. The Dude of Food thanks you Joe Matos.

Keep up the good work.

The Dude of Food discovers California’s Best Sushi

http://www.hanajapanese.com

If you love sushi then all you need to know is the above web address. This will lead you to a place called Hana Japanese Restaurant and the Best Sushi in California!! I have never heard of black throated mackerel and normally don’t like mackerel unless it’s aji, but this black throated mackerel is great. The blue fin tuna belly was so good I had seconds. Same with the black throated mackerel.

The special thing in a spoon was really good. It was all good. The bill was $100. for lunch and the Dude of Food could have easily gone bigger but it was awesome tasting and well worth the splurge.

If you are ever near Santa Rosa or in Rohnert Park, CA, go to this place and see for yourself what quality sushi is supposed to be like.

The Dude of Food has a favorite Vietnamese restaurant.

HUE HOUSE – Vietnamese Food

The Hue House, located in Munchen Germany, is the best vietnamese food the Dude of Food has ever tasted. It came recommended from 3 of my 5 friends there and the Hue House menu could be found in 2 of their kitchens! We had a party of 4 and everyone asked for something different.

Arriving at the table before the main courses were served were the best spring rolls the Dude of Food has ever had the pleasure of eating. These things were hot but not oily. Slightly crispy and full of vegetables but light. These springs rolls were a delicious food conundrum dancing delicately between the tastes of awesome and unreal.

Then the Hue House layed out 4 main courses in front of us. All of the dishes were incredible and we couldn’t decide which dish was the best. They were fresh and incredibly delicious.

Find Hue House on Yelp, Facebook or they can be found online at www.huehouse.net

The Dude of Food finds 1 of the best pizzas in Europe, at the Dusseldorf airport!

The Dude of Food had just left Munich. It was with a painful heart that he dragged himself away from Minga, a city that he loves. He had prepared for the long flight back to LA by staying up all night on his last visit in town before he left. He knew he had a 1 1/2 hour layover in Dusseldorf Airport’s Terminal ‘C’. Upon arrival to Gate 32 Terminal C a vision similar to an oasis housing a food mermaid revealed itself to this hungry traveler. A restaurant at the next gate had a sign announcing food and beer that read Zigolini.

At gate 34 this small restaurant named Zigolini offered some good looking pastas and pizza for a reasonable price. The Dude of Food asked for a large beer. The guy next to me received a veggie pizza and that was it. I needed one also. A sausage and bacon pizza was asked for. There is no exaggeration in saying that this may be one of the best pizzas ever!

zigolini2

The next time I flew through Dusseldorf it was a no brainer to go back. Zigolini was still there waiting for me in all her delicious glory. The only thing that was different was the sign now reads Marche. You can read more about Marche at http://www.marche-restaurants.com.

Muhamad Ali, the head chef and designer, personally told the Dude of Food that the restaurant is still called Zigolini even though the sign has changed. The receipt still reads Zigolini. Chef Ali has one of the best secret recipes ever and is a sweet guy that loves sharing with his customers. His pizzas are simply amazing and he will happily add the ingredients you may want if you don’t see the combination you like on the menu. champ

This pizza was better than nearly all I’ve ever had in Firenze, Rome, Germany, New York, Chicago, LA or maybe even ever! Certainly the Best Valued and Best Tasting Airport Food that the Dude of Food has ever encountered. If you are ever near the Dusseldorf airport and have some time to kill, the Dude of Food highly recommends that you go see for yourself about the pizza at Zigolini Italian Food.

pasta1 pasta2 pasta3 pasta4 olives

Chef Muhamad Ali is doing it right and deserves the title of ‘the Champ’!

Zigolini

Dusseldorf Flughafen Terminal C / Airside 40474 Dusseldorf

Handheld cheese / veggie graters with storage drawers

Sagaform brings the tradition of Nordic design to your kitchen and dining room.

So the folks who added the drawer / container to the traditional grater have really done the Dude of Food a huge favor. Say goodbye to the grater sliding off the plate and the paper towel under the grater to catch the gratings. Now we can cut, use and store with little effort. No mess and by simply plopping the top back on the container you are preserving maximum freshness.

Betterware makes this cool grater with a drawer shown here in black. They also have been seen in white and pink.