Mountain Views News          Saturday, December 4, 2010

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviews


GOOD FOOD & DRINK

8

 Mountain Views News Saturday, December 4, 2010 

Eat Well! News and Notes and 

Checking Back in at Zelo 


Aficionado 

by Dave Hart

 

As promised last week, during this next couple of month’s 
article series, the Friends of the Sierra Madre Library want to 
help you to taste wine like a pro. Each week, you’ll see a new 
article building upon the last, starting with the stages of sampling – looking, smelling and tasting the wine.

Before we begin the adventure, let’s start with a couple ground rules. First of all, unless you are already a 
master sommelier (no, not a native of Somalia, but rather a certified and trained wine steward) you’re tasting 
wine for YOU. Regardless of price or the attractiveness of the label (how I typically make my choice) the tasting 
experience is meant to help YOU determine your preferred varietal (type of grape) and vintner (wine maker). 
So, pay no attention to the opinionated and vocal taster next to you, this is your time to be selfish, as YOUR 
opinion is the only one that matters here. The wine is here to give YOU pleasure. Also, expect your tastes to 
change. This is expected and encouraged as you become more adept at recognizing some of the nuances of 
different wines.

Lastly, developing your skill of wine tasting takes practice. The more wines you taste, the better you’ll become 
at ascertaining and describing the wine’s characteristics. So, grab your favorite glass of wine, turn off the t.v., 
settle into a cushy chair, and let’s begin. Remember, this is important business.

 

SIGHT

Before you take a sip, you need to look at the wine. Take a look at the color, watching for clarity and brilliance. 
It should be clear with no film, but don’t worry about signs of sediment. When wine is produced, the wine will 
be filtered before it is “casked” for aging. Sediment won’t hurt you, and is likely if you’re pouring from the 
last of the bottle. Hold the wine up to the light, or tilt the glass against a white napkin or piece of paper. You’ll 
find wines will vary in the intensity of their color – the darker the wine (red or white) you can anticipate a 
bolder, stronger taste. Red wines are not just red; they range from a light cherry through deep ruby to almost 
mahogany brown. The younger the wine, you’ll probably see a more uniform color. With age, the color may 
not be uniform, but will probably be lighter at the rim compared to the center (core) of the glass. Whites too 
will deepen in color with age, developing from an almost clear white to a straw yellow. Be leery of red wines 
that might have a tinge of orange, as they may be too old (yes, this IS possible when cellaring your wine). 
Whites may be too old if you see a hint of brown. Swirl the wine using your wrist, and look again. Has the color 
changed?

Lastly, when pros swirl the glass of wine and examine how it’s running down the side of the glass, they’re 
looking at the “legs” or the “fingers” of the wine. The French refer to this as the wine’s “tears.” There IS physics 
involved (I got out of this class in high school) that involve the wine’s alcohol content, gravity and evaporation, 
but we’re too busy drinking wine to concern ourselves with science. Theoretically, the more “legs” the better 
quality the wine, but most experts will agree that this plays little into the judging, it’s just fun to look at and 
comment on as if it has merit. Just make certain you’re still looking into your glass when you mumble “nice 
legs.”

You’ve now become an expert at looking at your wine. Yes, if you’re tempted, go ahead and drink away. 
During the next month, we’ll learn together the next steps in training your palette.

To commemorate your newly developed skills, remember to mark your calendar to attend The Sierra Madre 
Friends of the Library 41st Annual Wine and Cuisine Tasting Event. The always-popular evening will take 
place at the Alverno High School Villa, 200 N Michillinda Avenue, on Friday February 18 7:00p – 9:30p. 
General entry tickets at a cost of $60 will allow entry at 7:00, but Premier admission will allow 100 folk an early 
entry at 6:00 and include many new surprises. Current paid members of the Friends will receive a $5 discount 
off general entry when purchased at the library.

Tickets can be purchased at Arnold’s Frontier Hardware, The Bottle Shop, Iris Intrigue, and Savor the Flavor. 
You can also pick up tickets at the Sierra Madre Library, or on-line at sierramadrelibraryfriends.org.

In addition to attending one of the social highlights of the year, and “educate” your palette, you’ll enable the 
Friends to support your library services and programs. This past year The Friends of the Sierra Madre Library 
provided over $58,000 for equipment upgrades and improvements.

Sad news my friends, one of my favorite Sushi 
Restaurants in Pasadena, Masa, has temporarily closed 
their doors. The Sushi Chef that I came to know and love 
‘Mr. Fuji Wara, has passed away. Owner Peter Park, tells 
me that Masa will re-open in a few weeks as a Korean Style 
BBQ restaurant. My thoughts and prayers to Fuji’s family.

A few years back there was a very popular and 
comprehensive event in Pasadena, one where 
the greatest scholar and meekest shoe shiner 
were both able to speak with discernment, The 
Pasadena Pizza Cook-off. I was fortunate to be 
involved in the event for many years. I got a little 
caught up in my flourishing affection for pizza, 
for I dubbed my car the Pizazar. Next, I found 
myself subscribing to Pizza Today Magazine. The 
magazine is overtly obscure for the pragmatic 
consumer, those of you that just fancy a good pie 
(pizza) and don’t wish to follow the outer workings 
of the rolling pin. So, I am a little impetuous and 
my passion may make me a candidate for a white 
suit with straps someday, but hey, we are taking 
about pizza here!!!

Making a pizza is the easiest and most difficult 
food item in the restaurant business. Wolfgang 
Puck took this flat circle and added some slices 
of salmon and a genius was born. On the other 
hand, I have had more than one pizza that must 
have had cardboard as a main ingredient. We are 
fortunate, we have some great Pizza places in the 
area: Tarnatinos, Domenicos and Avanti Café. 
There is this restaurant in the city of Arcadia that I 
believe is a contender as well. Zelo Restaurant, it is 
an unassuming stop on Foothill Blvd. The owner, 
Steve Freeman, hails from Northern California 
and he has brought his unique recipe to share with 
hungry Angelinos. 

Zelo is what I would label as a classic drive-by. 
A place that draws your attention, but is relatively 
unknown to many, and offers little staging on the 
exterior to bring you into the restaurant. When 
you unearth a great drive-by, it is the closest 
event that an urban dweller can compare to 
discovering gold.

What do you get when you cross one part 
cornmeal and four parts flour? Zelo’s pizza 
crust, and this is the heart and soul of their 
unique pizza. All their pizzas are prepared in 
a deep dish. On any given day, Steve will put 
together 12 different pizza specials. You can 
get pizzas by the half (three slices) for ($11), 
and ($20) for a whole pizza, that’s six slices filled 
with toppings. You could accurately compare that 
to a medium size that your kids order at the familiar 
Dominos for ($20). You can’t compare the texture 
and flavor. I love the four-cheese pizza: mozzarella, 
fontina, provolone and parmesan at Zelo’s. On my 
last visit, I had the Sicilian pizza. This is a pizza 
brimming with fresh pepperoni, tomatoes and 
three different cheeses. Who goes to a pizza place 
for a salad? Me! They do a serviceable job on the 
salads here. The Beet salad at (7.50) is their top 
seller, probably in large part because of me. For 
the same price they also offer a creamy Asparagus 
salad, with leaf lettuce and stalks of asparagus 
resting on top. The lettuce gets a full emersion of 
balsamic vinaigrette and the asparagus receives a 
nice creamy dressing. The salads are good enough 
to make it worth the trip. This is a great place to 
go with the flow and order the specials. If you are 
in a pasta mood? They offer many pasta dishes in 
the ($9) range, and Lasagna for ($11). They have 
fantastic Calzones, and plenty of vegetarian dishes 
as well. They do offer beer and wine, and you may 
bring your own bottle of wine, the corkage fee is 
($8).

What you need to know: Zelo is casual. Dress 
comfortably, and make certain you have room to let 
your belt out an extra notch. They have patio seating 
in the front that faces Foothill Blvd. They do get busy 
on weekend nights, so plan accordingly. Parking 
can be a hassle here, because it is street parking. 
Remember, the pizzas are unique! If you are trying to 
impress a new girl, I suggest ordering the pizza half-
baked, and finish cooking it at home. Our secret! 
They are open Tuesday through Sunday, Friday and 
Saturdays they are open until 10 PM. 328 E. Foothill 
Blvd. Arcadia (626) 358-8298

Have a favorite pizza place, of course you do! Email 
it to thechefknows@yahoo.com, watch Dining with 
Dills every Saturday and Sunday Night on Charter 
101. Plus my radio show on KABC Talkradio 790 
AM

TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills


Win Two Tickets to the Friends 
of the Library 41st Annual Wine 
and Cuisine Tasting Event

February 18th at the Alverno Villa

Look for this Wine-Tasting Artwork in Mt. Views 
Publications now until January 31st. Answer the 
wine trivia question, complete the entry form and 
drop off at the Sierra Madre Library. 

Drawing Rules – Limited to one entry per 
person, per Mt Views publication. Winner need 
not be present to win General Admission tickets. 
Completed entry from must be delivered to the 
Sierra Madre Library during hours of operation, same week of publication. Drawing 
tickets have no cash value and cannot be refunded. Eligible entry form does not 
require a correct answer to the trivia question.


Bean Town brings you a taste of home to your holidays. 

We bake all of our offered baked 
goods, right here in our kitchen so 
that you can share with your family 
and friends something that is both 
delicious and made with care and 
love – which is what we all look for, 
especially this time of year! 

 Our apple pies are made from 
organic apples that are brought in 
from a farm called Riley’s, at Los 
Rios Rancho in Yucaipa. Three 
types of apples go into the creation 
of our specialty pies, Granny Smith, Jonagold and 
Rome Beauty or Winesap. Each pie is crowned 
with a crumble topping, which makes for a much 
lighter pie. We offer our signature apple pies in 
both regular, and sugar free. 

But, apples pies are just the beginning of our 
homemade selections. On the pie front, we also 
carry a pumpkin and a regular or sugar free 
peach/berry pie. 

 The Bean Town bakery case also offers an 
assortment of delectable bars, including 
pumpkin, fudge brownie and a low 
fat fruit option. 

 Our carrot cake and various 
cheesecakes are a local favorite, and 
one must not forget the infamous 
chocolate layer cake which has a 
“to die for” reputation – you have 
to taste it to believe it! 

Did we mention the cupcakes? 

 The red velvet and chocolate are 
fan favorites, and baked daily. But 
this time of year our kitchen gets 
a’buzz creating Bean Town’s themed holiday 
cupcakes. 

They go fast and you don’t want to miss them, so 
be sure to order now! 

 We also carry a complete line of cookies. Our 
daily variety consists of chocolate chip, chocolate 
chip pecan, peanut butter, oatmeal and every 
kids’ favorite, M&M’s®. 

We are taking orders now for the holidays! Please 
place your holiday orders early.

BEANTOWN 45 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre 


Specialty Online Gifts from Sierra Madre Grocery Company!

Our assortment of Gourmet Food Products make great gift giving easier and more affordable than 
ever. Gift Certificates and Holiday Gift Boxes filled with Flavorful Products are also available.

 

Shop Now & Savor the Specialty of Sierra Madre Grocery Company www.sierramadregroceryco.com 

Cafe 322 - 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. - Sierra Madre. CA

Phone (626) 836-5414 Fax: (626) 836-5787