Mountain Views News          Saturday, April 19, 2014

Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 19, 2014 
9FOOD & DRINK Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 19, 2014 
9FOOD & DRINK 
THEY COME AND THEY GO… 

My friend Robin Salzer, owner of the famed restaurant with his name, says every restaurant is for sale 
for the right price. Sadly, Toro Restaurant - one of my favorite happy hours - has closed their doors - 
owner siting increased rent and landlord’s reluctance to negotiate. You can expect another restaurant 
here soon, although I say that location might be cursed. Out in Monrovia, Big Shrimps has changed 
hands as well, though the name remains the same. Villa Sorriso in Old Pasadena is now Picnic - I love 
the name and must check it out. Avanti Café, is 
expanding - Avanti Restaurant is being built on the 
old Spring Garden location on Sierra Madre across 
from the Volkswagen dealership. The Peach Café in 
Monrovia is changing hands, the new owners have 

TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills 
thechefknows@yahoo.com
pledged to keep the operation running smoothly. The Crocodile Café/181 on Lake Ave. in Pasadena 
is now Seco (shouldn’t it have been named “Lake”?) Pei Wei in Hastings Ranch is now going under 
renovations to be a one stop “make your own pizza” place. And (hold your breath) Subway is coming 
to Sierra Madre - yes gourmet sandwiches have made it to our little town. 

Reservations Part II 
Sure restaurants have plenty of rules about reservations. Some restaurant won’t accept reservations 
for small parties, and one common trick that restaurants do is that they will take half reservations and 
half walk-ins. If it’s a popular restaurant, they are saving tables for the walk in crowd. I like that. Even 
with a reservation 

strongly 
recommend that 
before you get into 
your car to call 
the restaurant to 
confirm and let 
them know you are 
on the way. Does 
your party have 
special needs like a 
birthday or kids Let 
the restaurant know 
in advance. Always 
be on time for your 
reservation. If you 
have made reservations for 2 PM and have 16 guests, be aware that the restaurant might require that 
all guests be present before seating you. I know this one is hard to swallow, but often they will only 
hold your table for 20 minutes past your time. 

I hope all of this helps!!! If you have any tips grapes or gripes please let me know.
Contact me at thechefknows@yahoo.com 

SAVE THE Date. Chili Madness returns to Sierra Madre on May 17, keep reading here for additional 
details 


HEAVENLY 
ANGEL FOOD 
CAKE 
INGREDIENTS 

2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups egg whites
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting
Garnishes: 
Gumdrop Rose Petals
Fresh mint leaves 


DIRECTIONS 

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line bottom and 
sides of a 13- x 9-inch pan with aluminum 
foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend 
over sides of pan. (Do not grease pan or 
foil.) Sift together first 3 ingredients. 
2. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until stiff 
peaks form. Gradually fold in sugar mixture, 1/3 cup at a time, folding just until blended after each 
addition. Fold in vanilla and lemon juice. Spoon batter into prepared pan. (Pan will be very full. The 
batter will reach almost to the top of the pan.) 
3. Bake at 375° on an oven rack one-third up from bottom of oven 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden 
pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Invert cake onto a lightly greased wire rack; let cool, 
with pan over cake, 1 hour or until completely cool. Remove pan; peel foil off cake. Transfer cake to 
a serving platter. Spread Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting evenly over top of cake. Garnish, if desired. 
Note: 
You may also bake this in an ungreased angel food cake pan for 30 to 35 minutes or in 3 ungreased 
(9-inch) round pans for 15 to 18 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. 


From myrecipes.com 

SAVOR THE FLAVOR! 


ALL ABOUT 
TRUFFLES! 


Truffles are round, warty, irregular in 
shape and vary in size. The season 
falls between September and May. 

Truffles are difficult to find and very 
expensive ($250.00-$450.00 per 
pound). In the U.S. edible truffles 
are collected in the forests of Oregon 
and Washington. In Europe, they are 
found in Italy and France. 

Truffles are formed by fungi that are 
partners with certain trees. 

Truffle hunters in Italy and France 
use pigs and mixed breed dogs that 
are specially trained. 


The flavor of truffle is directly related to its aroma. The chemicals necessary for the odor to develop 
are created only after the spores are mature enough, so they must be collected at the proper time. That 
is why animals have proven to be the best means to finding flavorful fungi! 

Savor the Flavor now carries a variety of truffle products such as Truffle Risotto, Macaroni and Cheese, 
Truffle Spread, Truffle Aioli , White and Black Truffle Oil and Truffle Marinara Sauce. 

Information from Louise Freedman and The Mycological Society of San Francisco and Fun Facts 
about Fungi by Robert Fogel. 

Savor the Flavor LLC, 11 Kersting Ct., 626 355-5153, wwwsavortheflavor.net