Prime October 2013

THE FAMILY Benny, Hilda and the Beautiful People of Gamba’s

by John Cain

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Maybe because the images always seem to look weird and distorted whenever I’ve used one of those systems. Images of people at a table in a conference room seem distracting and silly, unreal, even though I know they’re perfectly Reddit real.

FriendFeed Microsoft MSN I don’t especially want to talk to my family through a screen either. It makes me feel like they are worlds away instead of a half day’s drive. Even without the old nightmare loading and buffering times, I can’t watch a lot of YouTubes. I doubt if I’mSlideShare alone on this one.

Newsvine App Store Amazon Maybe it’s because we’re used to a pretty high standard of production for what we see on our screens. Maybe it’s because television creates this passive-agressive reaction.

(The show is aggressive and Yahoo Yahoo Buzzcauses Qik Vimeo I’m passive.)

Whatever my disinterest, seeing the person I’m talking to doesn’t enrich the experience of a phone call.

Seeing the actual people I have been away from does serve to make me appreciate Microsoft MSN Tumblr WordPerss them more, which I suppose is a positive even in this very technology-friendly age.

But it’s not worth it. I will never willingly be a parent or grandparent who’s content with seeing images on a screen. And I hope I don’t have to be away from anybody dear to me for so long that there is no better option.Amazon App Store Behance Design Float For now, and maybe forever, I’d rather jump in the car and go. There is no substitute for real people in real time.

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publisher Christopher T. White

know people who love Skype and I know I’m not one of them.

Everybody knows people who travel for a living or who have to travel a large percentage of the time because of the responsibilities of their jobs. Though some may complain more than others, most people agree that the novelty of being away from home for extended periods of time wears thin quickly.

The reverse, at least from what I’ve seen, is also true.

Retired people don’t want to move away from their families. They are happy they can finally spend time with them. If the kids have left then the parents are the ones hopping on a plane and to visit the grown children.

I love being connected—the idea that I can see what my friends and family are doing and thinking when I’m busy somewhere else is a great gift. Knowing that everyone dear to me is closer because I can usually be located within minutes by phone or text message also makes me feel better.

Of course, talking and hearing the familiar sound of someone’s voice is even more reassuring. There have been several memorable occasions when a beloved voice—strong, confident, OK—meant so much, that it literally put everything back on track. I love saying good night to my family no matter where we are or what we’re doing.

That’s why I can’t understand why videoconferencing, skyping, whatever you want to call it, just doesn’t do enough for me.

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editor’s letter.

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without even trying

I

n the pre-high maintenance world everyone’s Mom got her hair done once a week. Kind of the standard pre-req for washing the dishes by hand, peeling potatoes three or four times a week, ironing men’s dress shirts and keeping the household budget on track, the checkbook balanced. Sounds grim, but on the bright side the format was simple and undramatic.

Professional services, like everything else, became complicated. Baby Boomers are predominantly blonde today for one reason: When we were 12 years old we could easily get the money to buy hydrogen peroxide, or if we were really industrious, Summer Blonde

by Clairol, and start lightening.

Children dyeing their hair was a much bigger deal in those days. If you asked your parents if it was OK, they were going to say no. But mothers wouldn’t notice right away. And by the third or fourth week, when your hair was bright orange and black at the roots, it was too late for home remedies.

That’s when a professional had to be called.

Or not.

Most of us went through a period of wanting to look like a freak—piercings, tatoos, bizarre hairdos, black eye makeup—never truly getting over ourselves until we needed a job. That would buy us a good haircut by a professional stylist.

My first Michigan Avenue makeover was done

by Paul Glick. After that there were dozens more costly makeovers that never stuck—I just couldn’t do it anymore. Starting a family meant establishing a monthly hair routine that fit into a

reasonable schedule.

Slash Dotpart was settled, forMixx Yahoo Yahoo Buzz So that good. But there were the add-ons: teeth whitening, lightening, covering with porcelain, capping and re-filling.

Facial flaw removing, restoring, lasering, tanning, collagen-plumping, lifting, suctioning, sewing, waxing and repeating. Feet paraffins, glue-on nails, stick-on eyelashes,extensions, removal, renewal, and finally, in Reddit rejuvenation, rebuilding FriendFeed Microsoft MSN the end required. These services go way beyond what my mother would have considered reasonable or even sensible options.

Because the work I have done now keeps me looking (hopefully)SlideShare basically the same Newsvine App Store Amazon as I looked yesterday, last month and last year. Though I never supposed I would visit a salon once a week in more indirect ways, I am trying to achieve what my mother has been going for her whole life.

Yahoo Yahoo Buzz Qik The goal ofVimeo never-ending perfection—sameness. By now the illusion of maintenance is better than enhancement and what was once convenience is now an investment.

I am officially beyond high-maintenance.

This month’s life edit is a collection of special Microsoft MSN Tumblr WordPerss interests—fishing, watching television, running a restaurant, designing a home, researching Disney princess dolls—that have gone way over the top.

This is what we do.

I rest my case.

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inside.

8

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60-something.

BY DENISE DECLUE StumbleUpon Digg Talk Google Google

The fourth installment in an ongoing analysis of the Perfect Granddaughter’s choices in dolls, critiques the onslaught of Disney Princesses.

9mediawatcher.

BY KATHRYN MACNEIL

Skype Technorati The most-watched shows on television these days Netvibes AOL

tend to use the subject matter of what goes on in the workplace rather than fantasy, escape or even reality.

10experience this.

BY HEATHER AUGUSTYN

YouTube LinkedIn Apple MobileMe Where those in the know go to find hungry fish at lakefront locations around the Region.

12work/after work.

BY JOHN CAIN

Benny and Hilda Gamba started out working for famous restaurantuers in Chicago and the Googlesuburbs, but as they grew Google Talk from a Last.fm Mister theirWong business storefront to a clubhouse to a destination, their family grew too.

14zest-food-drink.

BY JANE AMMESON

The famous husband and wife team who built a Netvibes AOL Viddler Virb European cafe out of Bit of Swiss Bakery have a killer recipe for French onion soup.

16living by design.

BY JENNIFER PALLAY

Robert Northington and Penelope Tanis renovate and open up a kitchen MobileMe to home entertainment for Apple Blogger Posterous empty nesters Tom and Debbie Snapp.

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The best laptop for you may not be the best laptop for everyone. Each of these bestappeal to different Last.fmselling Mister Wong Deviant Art models has subtle Design Bump constituents.

19photo finish.

Winning photo “Spring at Porter Beach,”

by Ruth Eskilson.

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60-something.

The Ranking of the Dolls (Part IV)

After some diligent research I’ve found that I am not the only person invested in my granddaughter’s future based on the dolls she spends so much time fussing with. Writers on the websites FanPop and Ranker explored the Disney Princesses as role models in some depth. Here’s some of what they said: SNOW WHITE: A character who has incredible emotional strength and she never loses her cheerful disposition. On the other hand, she may be the worst of the princesses’ role models because she teaches girls that they need “a man to make it all better” and the only way they can make friends is by doing everything for them.

CINDERELLA: This heroine takes time to help the mice and show kindness to the smallest animals. She works hard and appreciates what she has in life, “while most of us would be damn near suicidal if we were in her shoes.”

AURORA (SLEEPING BEAUTY):

Kind, patient, and gentle, this Disney character respects authority. But she’s pretty much just an object to be fancied, provided for and rescued. She literally does nothing but dance, sing, cry and sleep.

The Ranker reviewer noted, “There are few other characters that could potentially inspire girls to be lazy, submissive, inside-the-box thinkers than Sleeping Beauty.”

BELLE: According to Ranker, “Belle is usually the number one princess of choice among intellectual women. She reads, she thinks, she’s poor and somehow isn’t a servant and she has a strong relationship with her father that isn’t borderline creepy.” Ranker’s problem is with the story, not with Belle. “It is…Belle’s ability to change the Beast that turns him into the character that we love. It teaches women that they can effectively change the man that they love into the person they want him to be; or, conversely, that you should change to be with the person you love.”

Denise Declue

MULAN: The FacePop reviewer, who tends

to give lazy princesses a pass, adores Mulan: “Girls often feel the need to suffocate their intelligence for social reasons—or even worse, to be admired by boys. However, Mulan’s plans—rooted in her intelligence—cause her to be lauded more than any woman in China, besides… being admired by a strong, noble man.” The Ranker reviewer loves her, too. “This girl is the ultimate Disney hero, male or female! She defies gender stereotypes by secretly taking her father’s place in the army. Not only is she brave and selfless, but she is insecure and a little clumsy, something real people can relate to.”

TIANA: Not only is Tiana the first African-

American princess, she is the first princess to have a specific ambition. She wants to open a restaurant in New Orleans. She’s hardworking, fun, and evidence that the princesses are stepping up to the modern plate.

RAPUNZEL: This heroine is a spirited girl

who never gives up. She was kidnapped as a baby, raised alone with her long blonde hair, and waits to

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AP Photo, Matt Stroshane be rescued. None of my role-model sources thought very much of her.

ARIEL (THE LITTLE MERMAID): This princess’ story suggests girls may have to do what is frightening and uncertain to achieve their dreams. Still, she bargains her whole life, abandoning her friends and family, for a guy she only saw but never interacted with.

JASMINE: Very unique when this film was

released, Jasmine is the first non-European princess who doesn’t desperately yearn to marry a prince. “She is sassy, fun, and gorgeous… most importantly, she has self-respect and refuses to be treated like a trophy.”

POCAHONTAS: Although not technically a princess, Pocahontas puts the needs of her people above her own desires. The FanPop reviewer says she “found a way to stop the war, showing that love is stronger than hate and also that, if two sides are willing to listen, they can usually find a way to work things out without bloodshed.”

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media watcher.

The cast of The Office from left, Phyllis Smith as Phyllis Vance, Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesly Halpert, Jake Lacy as Pete, Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute and Ellie Kemper as Erin Hannon in the “Finale” on NBC. AP PHOTO, CHRIS HASTON

All in a Day’s Work

E

ven though we spent the eighties taking Loverboy’s advice and “Working for the Weekend,” now that the proverbial “weekend” has arrived, we are squandering our relaxation time by watching TV shows about… working.

The workplace has a storied history as a favorite setting in television programming. We observed comedy writers’ rooms through the decades (from Dick Van Dyke as head writer for the Alan Brady Show, to The Larry Sanders Show to 30 Rock), and we’ve never lost our fascination with newsrooms (from The Mary Tyler Moore Show to Murphy Brown to current HBO drama The Newsroom). In fact, I’m sure that most Baby Boomers can name at least one TV show that features the work life of a bartender or a comedian, a hotel owner, a high school teacher, a psychologist… and the list goes on.

There are few better candidates for ready-made drama than the Big Three of protagonists: lawyers, doctors and emergency responders—so it’s no wonder that some of the most classic series have revolved around these rich characters and their storylines. L.A. Law paved the way for Law and Order; Medical Center and St. Elsewhere gave way to Scrubs and ER; and Hill Street Blues begat NYPD Blue and its latest descendent, Chicago Fire.

Let’s face it, from the sublime (The West Wing) to the surreal (The Office), the daily grind and the

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accompanying interactions between coworkers has always provided a healthy dose of entertainment.

But spend a few minutes surfing non-network channels, and you’ll see something beyond broad workplace comedy and ripped-from-the-headlines melodrama; the latest trend in workplace television is real life—with all its frustrations, boredom and simple victories.

When I say “real life,” I’m not talking about reality competitions, makeovers or shows that teach us skills we can actually use, like cooking or home improvement shows. Instead, these series are simply chronicles of the daily lives of individuals with careers that can range from outrageous (Dirty Jobs, Airplane Repo) to hyper-specialized (Gold Rush, Jungle Gold), to downright dangerous (Ice Road Truckers, Deadliest Catch).

But I’m particularly fascinated by “real work” shows that quietly glorify the ordinary. This concept isn’t new—in fact, many years ago when my children were young, one of our favorite television memories was a segment on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood called “How People Make Crayons.” We were transfixed by Rogers’ gentle explanation (accompanied by jaunty piano music) of the process whereby white powder is transformed into colorful liquid wax that is molded, wrapped and boxed for sale.

Now, over a decade later, these shows abound, and if you happen to catch one, be warned: it’s

difficult to look away. They’re not glamorous— perhaps the broadcast equivalent of comfort food— but how can you resist a program simply called How It’s Made, which, in a single episode, explains the manufacture of both pitted prunes and spurs?

Similar series such as Factory Made and Inside the Design explain the creation of such ubiquitous objects as gel caps, playground “spring” rides, frozen pancakes and paper flowers.

Sure, there are more exciting things to watch.

The series-ending eight episodes of the wild ride known as Breaking Bad are finally airing, and the fall TV season will be here before we know it, ushering in quality Emmy contenders, new “hate-watching” opportunities, and more of SyFy Channel’s guilty pleasures.

So why do we spend our hard-earned free time watching other people work? Maybe it makes us feel better about our own jobs; or maybe it satisfies a voyeuristic appetite to spy on someone else’s life; or maybe, we just like to learn a little more about the world. I’ll probably never find myself in a situation where I have to escape from a zombie, survive a “Sharknado,” or, scariest of all, keep up with a Kardashian. But I am familiar with the inexplicably thrilling sight, feel and smell of opening up a brandnew box of crayons, and it’s kind of nice to imagine that someday I’m going to put a thick Crayola in a grandchild’s chubby hand—and know exactly how it was made. — KATHRYN MACNEIL

SEPTEMBER 17, 2013 |||||| PRIME |||||| 9

experience this.

Big Fish Stories:

The Best Fishing Holes in the Region

I

t’s no big fish tale to say that the region is a wonderful place to go fishing. With Northwest Indiana’s proximity to Lake Michigan, there are plenty of fishing areas—those with access to the lake, as well as rivers that flow into the lake, so a variety of types of fish can be found at these various sites. So grab your tackle box and pole and head out to the region’s best fishing holes.

Rich Sleziak, owner of Slez’s Bait & Tackle, owner of Triplecatch charter service, and fishing department lead at Bass Pro Shops in Portage has spent his entire life in the fishing industry.

He says, “Lake Michigan is a great place to catch fish with a boat, and you can go out of Michigan City, Indiana out of Washington Park, out of Burns Waterway, out of Pastrick Marina in East Chicago or out of Hammond Marina.

“The Portage Lakefront site of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is very accessible with a pier, and at Washington Park, the pier itself is very accessible. If you want to fish inland, Hobart’s Lake George is popular because it is so easy. There’s plenty of fishing off the bank and there’s fish galore in there so it’s easy to throw in and catch a fish. Deep River and Burns Ditch are great in the summer for catfish, and in Lake Station there’s a little spot called Grand Boulevard Lake that is a residential park that they cleaned up and it’s fabulous. Portage Lakefront Park is very accessible, and Washington Park, the pier itself is very accessible.”

Wolf Lake in Hammond is also an excellent fishing hole since it can be accessed by small boat or just fishing along the shoreline. This lake is known for its excellent walleye and northern pike and was stocked years ago to bring

10 |||||| PRIME ||||| September 17, 2013

ABOVE AND LEFT: Wendy Reigel fishes at her favorite spot, on the Salt Creek on Old Porter Road on the border of Burns Harbor and Portage.

Emmie Reigel photos

For your information You will need to purchase your Indiana fishing license, either at a local retailer that offers them, like Meijer, Cabela’s, Bass Pro Shops, or online at www.in.gov/ai/appfiles/dnr-license/index.html. Make sure to keep that license handy in your tackle box in case authorities come by and ask to see it. Tributary fishing also needs a salmon stamp.

You will also need to know what fish are in season and the rules for catching fish, such as quantity and size. This information is available at www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/2348.htm. back a healthy balance in the lake.

There is also muskie, yellow perch, blue gill, crappie, large and small-mouthed bass—and exotics like gobies and white perch.

Local angler Wendy Reigel of Chesterton says her favorite places to fish in Porter County include a spot on Old Porter Road on the border between Portage and Burns Harbor, under a

bridge on the Salt Creek. “I like to put on my waders and get in the river when I’m fishing her because the salmon run in the fall and they go in the pools by the rocks. You can see them and you’ll want to chase them, and if you get snagged you can get out if better you’re in the river. But what I really like about this spot is what you hear—the waterfalls, the flowing water rushing

over the rocks—even if the fish aren’t biting it feels good to be here,” Reigel says.

“Where else in Indiana can you find that kind of fish, a big fish in a small stream?” asks her husband John Reigel.

“Maybe at the Pacific Ocean or in the state of Washington, but here we’re lucky to have access to the Great Lakes, and so they come in from Lake Michigan and travel up here to spawn. It’s really unique to this area,” he says. The Reigels say that the Salt Creek is such a treasure trove of fish and serenity that almost any bridge over the river will yield a good fishing spot, or places in Chesterton along the Little Calumet River. They say you can tell when it’s a good run by the cars parked along the sides of the road where a stream flows underneath. “When the fish are coming in, people will show up, wherever they’re at,” Wendy Reigel says.

— Heather Augustyn

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work/after work.

Benito Gamba and the

Beautiful People

By John Cain

I

have been visiting Benny’s restaurants for the past 25 years, beginning in 1988 with Café Venezia, which we all knew as Café V. But from the very first time I visited Gamba Ristorante, opened in March of 2006, I noticed that the clientele had suddenly become much more attractive.

Seemingly overnight, there were beautiful people at the bar.

After renting space for 20 years, Benito Gamba wanted to do something unique with his first building, developing it from the ground up. The result is a 10,000-square-foot circular structure topped by a copper roof, encompassing an 80-seat dining room, a 200-seat event space, a bar and a kitchen, all four buildings spiraling around an interior courtyard. At the heart of the restaurant is a private wine room with storage for a thousand bottles of wine. It’s a very special place to dine and a treasured getaway fit for private groups and making an impression.

While something of an enigma compared to surrounding corporate structures, the building, designed by architect Jordan Mozer, represents a Calabrian village, Benny’s southern Italian birthplace. Inside the restaurant you encounter amorphic shapes and undulating lines, hallmarks of the

12 |||||| PRIME ||||| September 17, 2013

ABOVE: Chef Mike Rueth.

Foie Gras au Torchon Toasted Brioche, red wine, poached pear, frisee, hazelnut brittle.

RIGHT: Wine Room at Gamba’s.

BELOW: Gamba Restaurant in Merrillville.

Tony V. Martin photos architect’s design palette. Mozer’s other designs include Chicago’s Cheesecake Factory at the foot of the Hancock building, Vivere in the Italian Village, St. Germain and Cairo, a fun bar at Superior and Wells back in the 1980s.

Daughter Crystal, mother Hilda, and daughters Michaelle and Angela stand behind father Benito Gamba in the main dining room at Gamba Ristorante. Benito Gamba began his career in the restaurant business more than 20 years ago. His first business was the Café Venezia in 1988. He moved on to open the Venezia Bar and Grill in 2000. In 2006, Benito and his wife, Hilda, opened Gamba Ristorante. His daughters Michaelle, Krystle, and Angela are all involved in marketing, managing and running Gamba Ristorante. Benito’s granddaughter even gets involved. The members of the Gamba family are supporters of the American Heart Association, Northwest Indiana Symphony and St. Michael’s School in Schererville.

Benny was born in Altamonte, a small hillside town in southern Italy.

He came to the United States in the mid-1970s, not yet speaking much English, to Calumet City, to work at The Cottage, a legendary restaurant back in the 1970s. The Cottage, under the direction of the late, great Chef Carolyn Buster, was one of the first places where people could experience truly fine dining outside of downtown Chicago. Famous Chicago financial mogul W. Clement Stone frequented The Cottage for lunch on random weekdays ferried by a chauffeured limousine.

GAMBA’S NOW

The three beautiful Gamba daughters seem to be everywhere these days— Michaelle, Krystle and Angela—enjoying working the family business and assuring Benny’s legacy. His wife Hilda, who he met while working at Cricket’s in Chicago, is still frequently on hand to greet diners and see them to their tables, as she has done for many years.

Michaelle and Angela are the social media experts in the family, posting images of food, people and spaces in the restaurant on Facebook and Instagram.

Michaelle created a web site for the

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restaurant and sends out e-blasts regularly. When Michaelle was 21, Benny sent her to bartending school. She has worked full-time with her father ever since—the past 14 years.

Benny is proud of his team, including Executive Chef Michael Rueth from Munster, and Simon Floyd and Bill Potts, the executive chef team for lunch. In the front of house, waiters Scott Crawley and Franco DiQuattro have been with Benny since the Café V days.

Michael Rueth started at Gamba three years ago. He came in at the “bottom of the totem pole,” he says, and worked his way up. “Benny gives me a lot of freedom. It’s unusual for someone my age to come up to the executive chef level and at a place of this quality.”

Mike had been living in California, where, he says, “people think differently about food.” He has been urging Benny to use more locally-grown, organic ingredients and shops for produce at Green City Market in Lincoln Park. He orders artisan cheeses from California, using the same source for truffles from Italy and France, where they have “just any product you can imagine.”

“These acquisitions are essential to Gamba Ristorante,” he says. “They’re unique products that you can’t get anywhere else in our area.”

Benny is serious about attracting 30-year-olds to the restaurant. Sushi has been on his mind for some time now.

Benny acknowledges that people have changed their way of dining out. They like fresh stone crab, oysters, fresh fish, smaller portions and sharing things.

Mike believes that many younger people have palates that are just as sophisticated as older diners. He says that he has younger friends who are willing to experience an eight-course tasting menu comprised of the oddest things that he has in the kitchen.

Both he and Benny recognize that Gamba has acquired more of a laid-back atmosphere. People are dressing more casually, but, as Mike notes, some of the younger people will spend $300 for dinner and they’re wearing jeans that cost the same. Benny is getting used to changes—like Michaelle’s new music selections (less Frank Sinatra)—but he draws the line at baseball caps, which he sees as a sign of disrespect when worn indoors.

CHANGE AND STAYING THE SAME

“My old-fashioned way of thinking has to give way to a new way of reaching people,” Benny says, “younger people with new energy.” But he doesn’t like answering machines, making people

Carpaccio (try it, you’ll like it), gnocchi with Yukon gold potatoes, roasted cauliflower with house-made giardiniera and garlic crunch. There are sushi selections, pizza, and lower price points with small-plate versions (“tastings”) of classic dishes like the veal tenderloin and filet mignon. The whole idea is to put a twist on his brand—promoting the lounge and courtyard, offering a bar menu with a sushi tasting including fluke with blood orange and Serrano pepper, sweet potato tempura, salmon mousse, refreshing ceviche.

FANS AND FAMILY

Left to right, front: Bennito Gamba, Simon Floyd and Mike Rueth.

Left to right, back: Bill Potts and Brian Rance. listen to options when they call a restaurant, “press one for this and two for that.”

“I like doing business face-to-face; I distrust the reviews on Facebook.” He laments that he gets bogged down with the financial side of the business when he would rather be focused on the basic business—good food and service. With 30 people on the payroll, he has a lot of mouths to feed before the doors open each day. He wants his people to make a good living. “I don’t want to be right,” he says. “I want to do the right thing.”

And what about the food? Gamba is not your typical Italian restaurant,

A Special publication of the Times Media Co.

but at the core there are still Benny’s favorites: “Good bread is #1, wonderful cheeses, Pasta Amatriciana (pancetta, Tropea onions, and plum tomato sauce).”

Branzino (Mediterranean Sea bass) is his favorite fish. Dover sole, de-boned at table, and veal tenderloin infused with truffle oil are his other favorite entrees (mine too). One night a customer thought there was a gas leak, she was so confused by the scent of truffle oil rising from her veal.

Customer favorites include fresh seafood, red-nosed grouper, halibut and risotto. There is a new menu of small plate appetizers such as Octopus

Benny has countless fans that have been with him so long that he did their children’s christening parties at Café V when they were born and their wedding receptions at Gamba 20 years later.

“It takes two to make this relationship happen,” he says. “You have to make people happy.”

Among his loyal longtime clientele, Nancy and Dr. Len Anglis say that Benny’s restaurants have been “our perfect date night for the past 21 years.

It’s an oasis where we can relax and thoroughly enjoy every moment.”

Good food is extremely important and service is even more important because you can cook at home after all, Benny observes. “Good service is having everything at the table you need without noticing it.” Marcia and Will Glaros are another couple who have been patronizing Benny’s establishments for more than two decades. “We think it’s one of the best in Northwest Indiana,” Marcia says. “We have enjoyed hosting private parties at Gamba, including a bridal shower, a baby shower, and several corporate events. We’ve also had his talented staff cater parties at our home, providing wonderful food for as many as 60 guests.”

“Our industry is fun,” Benny says. “If I came back to life, I would want to do this again. I learn about people and I learn about myself.”

Banker Chris Morrow says, “Benny embodies what is right not only in America but one of the best things in Northwest Indiana. Not only did he work to raise a family, he worked to chase his dream of owning his own business. I am honored to know him and his family. He is family.”

To me, Gamba is still the place to be and be seen. The slogan on the new menu says “Where friends meet,” and it’s true about this place. It reminds me of the ending of Moonstruck, one of my favorite movies, where everybody raises their glasses and toasts, “Tutti via! Bicchiere in mano! Alla famiglia! To family!”

September 17, 2013 |||||| Prime |||||| 13

zest-food-drink.

Bread+Bar T he search for where to open their organization whose motto is “to preserve new restaurant took Pat and Tim and spread the French culinary arts, Foley almost five years, and they encourage training in cuisine, and assist professional development.” Eighty even went as far afield as South percent of the group’s members are Bend. But the perfect spot was French and Foley will be the only one a lot closer, as Pat discovered from Michigan. driving along the St. Joseph River in Pulling menu ideas from a variety of downtown Benton Harbor, Michigan. sources, Foley conceived the idea for their “I looked and saw this place and it smoked whitefish salad when back home was just right,” says Foley, who with her visiting his mother. Visiting a friend at husband owns Bit of Swiss Bakery in a curling club (it is Duluth, remember), Stevensville. “I showed it to Tim and we fell in love with the building and the land.” he met a chef who told him about the whitefish salad he made.

Formerly Jerry Albert’s “I went and tried it,” Insurance Agency, with says Foley. “It was good its sleek Mid-Century If you go but I thought it could be Modern style look of Where: better.” straight lines, brick exterior Bread+Bar, And so he did, and windows made of 645 Riverview Dr, smoking his own large sheets of glass as well Benton Harbor, whitefish on property, as an expansive interior Mich. 269.757.7219 adding Minnesota wild space, the structure was rice, cranberries, and perfect for what the Foleys Hours: toasted almonds to a mix planned to create—a Monday-Thursday of spring lettuces and small restaurant featuring 11am-9pm, Fridayaccompanying it with a Midwest American rustic Saturday 11am-10pm, house made maple syrup food paired with classical Closed Sunday vinaigrette.

French techniques using Because of her ingredients locally sourced FYI: breadbarbh.com background as a pastry farmers, bakers, food chef, Pat developed producers, vintners, the desserts such as Pink Lemonade brewers and spice merchants.

Cake, Butterscotch Brulèe, Michigan Both Foleys have extensive culinary Strawberry Shortcake and Coconut experiences—Pat is from Riverside, Cheesecake.

Michigan and Tim from Duluth, Determined to create an intimate Minnesota—they met at California environment perfect for conversations Culinary Academy in San Francisco and like the restaurants in Spain, France then worked at well regarded Chicago and Italy and keeping prices reasonable restaurants, Tim at Ambria, an upscale the Foleys ensured that no entrée costs French restaurant and Pat at Jackie’s over $21. Wine prices range from $20 Restaurant, where she worked both as something on up and include unusual a pastry chef and chef. They split some vintages not likely to be found anywhere of the duties for their restaurant, bread else in the area. Cheeses are sourced from + bar by Bit of Swiss. Tim focused on Old Europe Cheese in Benton Harbor and the kitchen and menu, with Pat’s advice salad dressings, stocks and marinades are of course, while she worked on the made from scratch on site. architectural design and décor.

An outside eating area overlooks the Tim Foley has always favored French cuisine, studying bread baking in France river and is covered by a louvered cedar pergola. One of the large glass windows and being just the second person in overlooks the kitchen from the outside the U.S. to have a traditional French letting people see the chefs at work. bread oven installed at Bit of Swiss. In a There are a lot of up-to-the-minute few weeks he will travel to Charleston, touches as well, including a heating South Carolina to be inducted into unit under the marble countertop to the Maîtres Cuisiniers de France, an 14 |||||| PRIME ||||| September 17, 2013

The Foleys build a European cafe based on Bit of Swiss

keep carry-out orders warm, a large pass-through area from kitchen to the restaurant so waitstaff don’t get crowded out when trying to retrieve orders and the Glycol Tap System with an ice tower for cold, cold beers. There’s even an exhibition window providing a view of the kitchen from the parking lot. And there is also the great view of the water.

“It’s great a sunset,” says Tim, “when you can watch the sun change colors as it sets on the river.”

The following recipes are courtesy of bread + bar by Bit of Swiss.

— Jane Ammeson

Roast Beef Sandwich Makes 1 sandwich

1 Bit of Swiss pretzel rolls, available Saturdays 5 ounces highest quality roast beef 1 ounce sweet onions, thinly sliced 1 ounce horseradish mayonnaise, recipe below 1 ounce matchstick potatoes 1/2 cup arugula

Layer roast beef on roll, top with caramelized onions. Spread horseradish mayonnaise over beef. Top with matchsticks and arugula.

A Special Publication of The Times Media Co.

Assisted livi v ng.

Emphasis on living.

See how big a difference a little help can make. We help all the Residents at our campus stay active while enjoying a gracious living experience. For those needing daily assistance, we provide four levels of care – from moderate to comprehensive. We also French Onion Soup

Stock

Chicken bones, Onions, chopped Celery, chopped Carrots, chopped About 1 cup hot water

Place chicken bones and vegetables on a pan and bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes at 400° F. Flip bones and vegetables occasionally during cooking process. Remove and place in a large stockpot.

Place roasting pan over two burners, add about a cup of hot water and scrape browned bits from the bottom of pan.

Pour into the stockpot, adding enough water to cover bones by 2 to 3 inches.

Cover and heat stock to a low simmer, then reduce heat and almost simmer for at least 3 hours, 6-8 is better. Do not stir as this will combine the fat with the stock and cause it to become cloudy.

Remove bones and vegetables from the stock, then strain stock through cheesecloth or strainer to remove all remaining solids. Let cool to room temperature.

Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

4 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 sweet onions 1/4 cup good quality dry sherry 2 quarts homemade dark chicken stock, recipe follows

3 sprigs of thyme

2 bay leaves Salt and pepper

4 slices Bit of Swiss sour dough toasted and trimmed to fit soup bowl 12 slices Gruyere cheese

Melt butter in pot, add onions, and cook over medium heat until well caramelized, 35-45 minutes. It’s important that onions by golden brown. Deglaze pan by adding sherry, scrape bottom of pan.

Reduce until liquid is almost gone.

Add chicken stock, bay and thyme.

Cook 45 minutes.

Reduce soup slightly. Season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaves and thyme.

Preheat broiler.

Place onion soup crocks on sheet pan, fill each bowl two thirds full. Add bread. Top with 3 slices of cheese.

Broil until very bubbly and brown.

Serve immediately.

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Horseradish Mayonnaise

2 egg yolks 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 2/3 cup canola oil 1/3 cup olive oil 3 tablespoon grated horseradish 1 teaspoon garlic

In food processor puree first five ingredients. Add oils slowly, if you go too fast they will not emulsify. Add garlic and horseradish to taste.

Chill until ready to use.

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Contact a campus near you for more information on their services.

September 17, 2013 |||||| Prime |||||| 15

living by design.

21st century R New kitchen brings home into the

Tony V. Martin photos 16 |||||| PRIME ||||| September 17, 2013

ays of sunshine beam through French doors in the Snapp family kitchen in Valparaiso, brightening up the newly renovated space.

After years of daydreams and months of planning and construction, Tom and Debbie Snapp finally have a kitchen with lots of light and room for entertaining.

As they prepared to send their third and youngest child off to college, the couple felt it was time to finally make the change.

“Now I have this giant kitchen and practically an empty nest. Hopefully if I keep cooking, they’ll keep coming home,” Debbie Snapp says.

The family moved to Valparaiso about nine years ago, transplants from Denver, Colo.

“In Denver the light is very different,” Snapp says. The sun is high and intense and Denver logs more sunny days per year than Honolulu, Hawaii.

Her Valparaiso kitchen always felt cut off, dingy and dark in comparison and she started to collect magazine clippings of the bright kitchens she loved.

Interior designers Robert Northington and Penelope Tanis used those clippings and the homeowners’ dreams to complete the renovation.

Tanis describes the new kitchen as elegant and classic with a more European look.

Knocking down walls, removing a bank of closets and taking out a small bathroom area near the laundry room maximized the kitchen’s square footage. Replacing a single patio door with French doors finally gave them a great view of the fifth hole of Aberdeen Golf Course. The project also included

A Special Publication of The Times Media Co.

“The fireplace area has become a cozy area for conversation where the homeowners enjoy their morning coffee. It’s like their safe haven where they sit and relax.”

Robert Northington, interior designer refinishing the wood floors in a darker stain to contrast the new, lighter cabinets.

Chandeliers, which the Snapps brought with them from Denver, were repurposed from other areas of the house to create a focal point above the new and improved island. A subzero refrigerator and freezer, the dream appliances of Tom Snapp, were also added.

New countertops and custom made cabinets by Plain & Fancy, which feature German glass to highlight Debbie Snapp’s pottery collection, complete the look.

The couple now spends more time in the kitchen and found a new favorite spot next to the existing fireplace.

“The fireplace area has become a cozy area for conversation where the homeowners enjoy their morning coffee,” Northington says. “It’s like their safe haven where they sit and relax.”

There’s also plenty of room for company now. Debbie Snapp says she always envisioned busting out of her small, isolated cooking space and interacting with guests as she cooked.

Her new kitchen premiered just in time for her to host a Christmas party this year where she was able to do just that. The Snapps have a large extended family in the Region and they do a lot of the family entertainment, she says.

Debbie Snapp says she has two favorite parts of her new kitchen, the light from the window doors and the big island.

The homeowners and design team are now in the bidding stages of a remodel for their master bath and master bedroom.

Robert Northington Interior Design is at 3907 Calumet Avenue, Suite 207 in Valparaiso, Indiana. For information, call 219.465.1000.

— Jennifer Pallay

A Special publication of the Times Media Co.

September 17, 2013 |||||| Prime |||||| 17

device devotee.

Who has the best laptop?

I

will start with a confession, since this column will cover which maker pumps out the best laptop: this column is being written on a MacBook Air, in a room overlooking too many people driving far too fast. For me, it’s perfect.

But the truth is, the best laptop depends on how you are going to use it. Everyone has their biased opinions on what makes their laptop better than the neighbor’s. It really is your choice.

2013 Acer Aspire S7: $1,449 This Windows 8 running laptop features the new Haswell chip, giving it a substantial boost in battery life over the previous Aspire S7. Yet this new, lighter version pales in comparison to the new 2013 Macbook Air, which features the new Haswell chipset as well. The new Acer laptop does have a fantastic build quality, something many Windows 8 laptops lack.

The laptop features an aluminum body and the heavy, helpful hand of gorilla glass for the lid. All in all, this laptop is leaps and bounds better than its predecessors.

If you are looking for a lightweight, ultraportable laptop running a Windows operating system, choose this little guy.

2013 MacBook Air 13 inch: $1,099 Many of the laptops on the market claim to have the ultra portable, coffee-sipping fashionistas best interest in mind. The MacBook Air is capable of getting well more than the 12 hours of battery life quoted when running Safari as the primary browser, and runs the always rock-solid OS X. This laptop, as always, will sync up with the Apple ecosystem with the greatest of ease. In addition, this sleek aluminum-encased piece of computer craftsmanship features the new Haswell chipset, claimed to improve graphic performance. The new version of the long-standing Apple MacBook Air has improved wi-fi speeds when the

18 |||||| PRIME ||||| September 17, 2013

2013 Acer Aspire

Toshiba Kirabook

router is compatible. While the laptop is impressive, it comes with a downside. The new version has amazing battery life, but the graphic did take a slight bump down when compared to its previous version.

Toshiba Kirabook: $1,599 Considered the MacBook Pro’s biggest competitor, Toshiba’s Kirabook comes in at just more than 2.5 pounds and 0.7 inches thick. Here is where that weight and thinness become even more impressive: the laptop features a remarkably crisp, high resolution screen.

Also claimed to be a more impressive build quality than Apple’s Macbook Air, the Windows 8 OS laptop features a magnesium alloy structure that reduces weight and adds stability. For an additional $200, you can purchase a touchscreen version of the Kirabook.

Why would the consumer shell out an additional $200 dollars for touchscreen?

Easy, the trackpad—while trying to keep simplicity in minds—falls short.

Trackpads are going bigger and more smooth, but for some reason the Kirabook’s software is still playing catchup.

Sony VAIO Pro: $1,249 The growing trend in the computer industry, if you couldn’t tell, is to make

Sony VAIO Pro

the lightest laptop and the thinnest.

Sony definitely won this competition.

With the base model, 11 inch and less than 2 pounds, Sony has a laptop that makes other ultraportables feel like they should use their search engines to look into gym memberships. It does not end there with just a heavy-handed slice of weight reduction, the laptop features a touchscreen and comparable specifications as other class-leading laptops. Here is the thing, while the specs look fantastic on paper, that is where they end. The laptop features a build quality, of some other laptops far below the $1,000 dollar threshold, creaky and very cheap feeling. In addition, the laptop features

2013 MacBook Air 13 inch

many issues with the keyboard and software. While it too features the virtues of the new Haswell chipset, this just falls short of being a good Windows 8 driven computer. — Travis Kipper

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photo finish.

Are you a photography addict?

Do you carry your camera with you wherever you go, looking for the perfect shot? If so, send your photos in to prime@nwi. com and you will be entered for a chance to win a $50 giftcard to The Times advertiser of your choice.

The photos will also run in an upcoming edition of Prime.

The photos should be no larger than 4 MB in jpeg format.

Please provide your full name, address, telephone number and caption information for the photo.

Good luck, and happy shooting!

ABOVE: First Place: “Spring at Porter Beach” Ruth Eskilson FAR LEFT: Second Place: “Autumn Leaves” Mike Morgan LEFT: Third Place: “Never Trust a Smiling Pooch” Leah Matulewicz

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September 17, 2013 |||||| Prime |||||| 19

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