HistoricOmaha

Jambalaya

My wife & I had lunch at Come Into My Kitchen on Tuesday. Chef Gene Cammorata thought it might be Fat Tuesday, so he made a killer jambalaya. Since it was NOT Fat Tuesday, he will be making it again on Tuesday February 27th. Gene’s version of New Orleans Creole-style “red” jambalaya had turkey, sausage, large shrimp, and sea scallops. NO OKRA! It was savory, but not too spicey. I highly recommend it.

Gene is the former owner of the Brass Grille downtown. For many years he has had a radio show on Saturdays on 1290 KKAR. It airs from 2:00 - 3:00 pm on Saturdays and is often broadcast live from Horseman’s Park.

Gene looks at food, horse racing and life in general each week. C’mon, C’mon, C’mon!

After he sold the restaurant, he started a catering business, Come Into My Kitchen. He also offers an eat in menu, take out, and cooking classes.

Interview excerpt from The Reader:
The to-go menu consists of entrées — New York steak, stuffed chicken breast and salmon, and a variety of pastas that are available on a same-day basis. A nice selection of wine is also offered. In the interest of consistent freshness, he would like a 24-hour notice for more sophisticated items.

“If someone wants something like scallops, for example, they can call and I can order them for the next day and they’ll be as fresh as they could ever be,” Cammarota said. There is a tremendous variety of appetizers — such as teriyaki skewers, corn fritters, spanakopitas and oysters on the half-shell also available for the following day.

For reservations Cammarota is willing to customize menus. Diners may consult with the chef in advance and construct a menu based around their needs. “Pretty much every party we’ll customize a menu,” Cammarota said. “It would be fun to do some cocktail parties … I’m open to whatever.”

Cammarota is aware that it may take some time for the “by reservation,” sometimes called “by appoinment” idea to catch on, but he is patient and confident that the to-go business will sustain him while the reservations begin to stack up.

“I’m asking everyone I know who loves me to come in once a month,” he said. “Just once a month.”

Though the concept of Come on Into My Kitchen seems new, the theory behind it is an old one. “I was taught that it is not nonsense about the kind of love your mom put into your food,” Cammarota said. “If you come into my place, I want to have the attitude that you are my family — at least for a couple of hours — and when you leave, you’ll think of me like you think of a crazy uncle that you don’t see very often, but you know he’s out there somewhere.”

Come Into My Kitchen, 5423 Leavenworth St, 614-3235

Black Box Wine

Box wine has a bad reputation. White Zinfandel. Pink Zinfandel. (un)Drinkable Red. It’s what you get for a party or reception for people who won’t drink beer.

Black Box is different. It is a 3-liter box of GOOD wine that sells for about $20. The box equals 4 750-mL bottles of wine. Unlike bottles, the box keeps the wine fresh for up to 4 weeks after opening. It requires no special tool for opening.

Don’t just take my word for it. Awards include:

• “Top 100 - Best Buy” - Wine Enthusiast Magazine
• Gold Medal - California State Fair Wine Competition, 2003 Sonoma County Merlot
• Gold Medal - Dallas Morning News Wine Competition, 2003 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon
• Gold Medal and Best of Show Finalist, Hilton Head Wine Competition

Barossa Valley Shiraz

• Gold Medal - Orange County Fair Wine Competition, 2002 Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon
• Gold Medal - California State Fair Wine Competition, 2003 Napa Valley Chardonnay

San Francisco Chronicle, December 30, 2004:
The 2003 Black Box Wines Monterey County Chardonnay ($18) is deep gold, mellow and buttery — plump, but not flabby. It’s a good alternative for those who like plenty of wood on their Chard.

A far cry from the all-too-common cloying California Merlot, the 2001 Black Box Wines Sonoma County Merlot ($25) offers wonderfully dry tannins that lend plenty of structure to flavors of blueberry, plum and earthy mushroom. The wine’s nose is a heady combination of bright red raspberry, toasty caramel and spearmint.

The full-bodied 2002 Black Box Wines Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon ($18) is also a winner, with big, spicy berry and fig flavors and a structure to match. Your guests (if they are like my guests) will be shocked it came from a box.

Drink up!