This week my in Laws are out of town for vacation , so me and my wife sharing more parenting duties during the day. Even this week i'm more father then a chef, that would not me stop to make something different at home what kids and family would love. Several moths ago I purchased pressure cooker...I'm a big fan ...I think every household should have one of those..it;s fast easy....and the most important is very convenient economical and delicious . Food comes out way better than slowly simmered in a regular pot . Some times when you in a mood for something slow simmered and it is 5 o clock afternoon...you can still put out delicious meal like pot roast or short ribs, stew...etc. on a table by 6 o'clock. I was in a mood for a chicken soup....the other day..Vietnamese food sounded good for me ...had some chicken thighs and whole organic chicken in my freezer...from frozen stage in pressure cooker, that chicken was falling of the bone leaving me with delicious broth, which a turned in to a chicken PHO...and out of thicken thighs I wade outstanding...chicken in caramel sauce...since ingredients like fish sauce , ginger...sugar is always in my pantry...( I will definitely some day will apply this fish sauce caramel technique in to a one of my dishes at Americano )
P.s. Pork fat is in danger. Stop calling this scary VIRUS in a name of the pork or pig, since this delicious animal getting bad reputation and people are to scared to by and eat...pork industry is in danger as well as restaurants serving pork dishes...this Virus..has very little to do with a Pig...and is not getting transferred through the food ...do your reserch..pleaseee!

Harvest for hunger

Charity event was a very nice thing to do and fun event... I met some old friends and new friends. Of course, our " Culinary Mama" Loretta Paganini ( who's going to become a Grandma, congratulation ) with her ICASI was there , and many other most popular Cleveland Restaurants...lots of people ..and they were all very hungry...participating in a " Harvest for hunger ".....in a market Under Glass... Galleria... downtown Cleveland

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Market Under Glass

Today Americano Particapating in a charity event " Market Under Glass" It will be fun...we are going to be serving ..Confit Yellow fin Tuna Nicoise Salad with Fresh House bread over white beans...It's simply delicious ...and represents our style... little french...Italian...American Favorite ...ahh..but it's not from the can !!! Sorry !..See you there !
P.s. I m taking my camera with me ...so pix are coming soon !
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Coffee

There is nothing like good coffee in a morning , and all our family mornings starts with it. For years I was trying to perfect my morning beverage daily. The answer was, if you want a good coffee ...freshly roasted good quality beans, good grinder...and of course good espresso machine...all three of those components makes a good morning beverage ..and let me repeat once again all three..you can not skip the grinder...or fresh beans...actualy you can make better coffee with fresh beans and good grinder and cheaper espresso machine ...then expensive machine and old beans ( or starbucks beans :-)) or pre-grind beans ...me ??? I roast my own beans weekly and enjoy  with my wife this lovely beverage every morning brewed with Rancillio Silvia and Coffe grind with My Rocky Griner...ah...and I get my beans at www.sweetmarias.com ... defiantly the best place to get raw beans on the internet. One more thing...machine...grinder..does not make coffee for you...Barista...Espresso Machine operator and good Know How does it !

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Scallops and Borscht

Being from Lithuania I grow up eating beets evry week...pickled ...fresh...boiled....you name it...most popular soup of course was Lithuanian Borscht ( do not confuse with Russian or ukrainian borsch) ...every familly has it's own recipe...ours was was with ham or brisket, beets, onions and dried porcini...oh...and sour cream of course....love that soup!! There chilled version of that soup too... I still make verry offten at home...chilled version in a summer and hot in a winter......one of my fammilys favorite....My gourmet play of theese flavors arte scallops at Americano...Made with Anson Mills Herloom Carolina gold  Rissoto with red beets and red wine, Scallops, goat cheese , Walnuts, pomogranate port reducktion, rosmerry oil and pickled red and yellow beets..

Parrot Fish in Shrimp Thai Fun Broth

We got some parrot fish at Americano...we going to run as a special for a couple days while suplys last.... Fish was so fresh , so when I was cleaning it, it smelled like I just came back from a fishing trip and got out of the boat. Inspiration for this dish came from Little wonderful place in Tremont "Thai Fun"...where they have the best thai Food in a City..I was there couple of months ago ...I completle forgot how mush I actualy love thai food...I ask Sunny and Greg where are they getting Kafirr Lime leaves , one of the favorite ingridiants of mine, he siad, my friend ships me from California...he went in a back and brought me full bag of Kafirr lime leaves, thank you guys ..bag this big will go a long way!!!...first inspiration from that place...Parrot Fish in a shrimp Thai Fun Broth...Pearl Couscous...shrimp, shrimp Mouse wonton...coconut milk..snap peas...sweet basil !

Nacho Fries..Perfect bar snack .. coming soon at Americano ...

snow day breakfast

I just can not believe it's snow again...????oh well...it's Cleveland !

Try some times, some thing different instead your old scrambled eggs..Eggs en Cocotte ..truffle oil...Maldon salt....Capuccino...Fruit Smoothie...good to go...
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Perfeckt sunday

It was a good and  long week at Americano....I often get a question from people... do I cook at home ???? Yes, all the time...I often cook food I want to eat, and whatever I'm in a mood for... yesterday I was in a mood for Paella. Perfect meal for a crowd, familly, friends, kids and goes well with beer or good glass of wine... chicken, rice shrimp for everyone. I always make a big batch of spanish sofrito , wich I keep in my freezer...so when is Paella time...is just a matter of minutes to put everything together...I don't use stock ...I use water...and I think real spanish rice works way better than arborio....I used Bomba this time, but I think my favorite is Valencia...oh...and it was a nice day to do this outside...start the grill too..

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americano daily prep

Americano daily prep is being made...house pickles, ricotta cavatelli...

camera update

 Hi, would like to get get back to bloginn.. recently just update it my camera and would like to post more pictures from Americano. Spring and summer is coming with it's wonderfull goods...would be shame to misss all those wonderful food  shots.  Thank god winter is finelly over...it was depressing, cold and very long as usual...march is always one of the most boring month of the spring  for produce and food , because is too early in the spring to bring those wonderful produce..well but today is april 2nd and march is over as well !!! Will be long and big weekend for us... one of the weekends specials ..striped bass, local riccota gnocchi, tomatoes, black olives, spinach , fig tapanade vinaigrette !