food. - tarentum, pennsylvania
One slice at a time
On my way home from a work call in Tarentum, I stopped by Gino Bros. Pizzeria & Bar in Harmarville to grab lunch. Not only was I pleasantly surprised, but I can easily see myself planning a return trip soon.
Gino Bros. is a quaint bar/restaurant, literally a stone's throw from the Allegheny Valley Turnpike Exit. Even though I only ordered pizza, Gino's menu is extensive, including bar favorites like fried apps and wings, as well as all of Mama Celeste's favorite Italian Sunday dishes!
Bria, my server, was attentive, polite, and ensured that there was more than enough ice in my Dr. Pepper.
When the pizza arrived piping hot, I could smell the cheese blend immediately and couldn't wait to burn my mouth on that all-important first bite. The sauce was sweet and dispersed evenly, so as not to overwhelm, while the crust was absolutely perfect.
Gino Bros. has three locations, in Harmarville, Sharpsburg and West View. I strongly recommend giving them a try the next time you're in one of those areas.
food. - baltimore, maryland
The next time you find yourself anywhere near either the Federal Hill or Fells Point neighborhoods of Baltimore, stop in to Blue Moon Cafe or Blue Moon Too, where you'll find the best cinnamon roll I've ever eaten. Ever.
Owner Sarah Simmington named this delicacy the Sinroll for good reason: With every tantalizing bite, I feel as though I should be simultaneously saying five Our Fathers and Ten
If the warm, sticky, fantabulous icing isn't enough to entice you, just wait until you bite into this monolithic masterpiece. Along with freshly brewed Zeke's coffee, the Sinroll is the absolute perfect way for me to start my day ... especially when I'm hitting that first sugar rush and I need to get shit done!
Lest you think that Blue Moon only features the most amazing cinnamon roll on the planet, Sarah's kitchen also offers other sweet treats like Cap'n Crunch French Toast and Churro French Toast, both of which can easily be shared.
Among my favorite egg-based dishes is Julio's Tacos (pictured at right), which I've never actually finished. Ever. Because Blue Moon uses the absolute freshest local ing
food. - billy miner pie
Frozen Heaven on a Plate
The Incident
After the second day of the Home Hardware show, my Canadian colleagues took me to a national chain restaurant called The Keg, which serves standard fare in a classier atmosphere than say The Waffle House. Truth be told, I couldn’t tell you what I ate for my dinner although I remember very distinctly one of those same work mates ordering dessert for the table. “You’ll love it,” she insisted, offering a smile that made me do the same since sweets are my kryptonite.
Our server arrived with what looked like heaven on a plate, a monolithic mound of precious pie that called my name. The server brought enough forks for each of us, then we all politely took bites here and there, continuing our conversation unabated. As the rest of them chatted, I pulled our server aside and asked if she would bring me my own slice of heaven.
“You want a slice of Billy Miner Pie just for you?”
I do.
As I wolfed down the entire slice of pie, my good friend and fellow glue peddler John D just watched, shocked at the deft and precise approach I took to the task at hand. To this day he comments - to anyone and everyone within ear shot - that he’ll never forget watching what I did to that pie that day.
It was both criminal and spiritual.
The pie
From Google AI: “The Billy Miner Pie is a famous ice cream-based dessert from the Canadian restaurant chain The Keg Steakhouse + Bar. It is a mocha-flavored ice cream cake with an Oreo cookie crust, topped with hot fudge, caramel sauce, whipped cream, and toasted sliced almonds.”
The components
From Google AI: The dessert typically includes the following layers and toppings:
- Crust: A base made from crushed chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreos) mixed with melted butter.
- Filling: Mocha or coffee-flavored ice cream. Some variations use vanilla ice cream with added coffee granules or layers of edible cookie dough.
- Toppings: Drizzles of hot fudge and caramel sauce, a generous layer of whipped cream, and a sprinkle of toasted sliced almonds.
The history
From Google AI: The pie is named after Bill Miner, a notorious train robber in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in North America. Known as the "Gentleman Bandit" because he reportedly never used violence during his crimes, he became a folk hero of sorts in Canada. The Keg restaurant named the dessert in his honor.
The States
Although The Keg operates the majority of their restaurants north of the border in Canada, you can still access Billy Miner Pie at locations in Arizona, Colorado (been there, ate that!), Texas and Washington. If you have your passport, cross over into Canada at Niagara Falls, where you’ll find a Keg less than an hour from the border.
It doesn’t matter where you eat it, Billy Miner Pie is worth the trip … from anywhere!