FOOD & DRINK

Are you a Veteran or have trouble affording conventional dental implant fees?? Our main focus is helping the 400,000 veterans in Arizona.

D E N T A L H E A R T S I M P L A N T C E N T E R W A S C R E A T E D F O R Y O U !

$1,200 Single Implant with Abutment and Crown

$4,000 4 - Implant Overdenture

CALL TODAY! 6 2 3 - 4 7 1 - 6 4 0 0 dentalhearts.org Dental Hearts is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dental implant clinic that was created to provide affordable dental implants to the underserved market in Arizona.

arizona Fine Art Expo Meet artists working in124 studios! VISIT 7-DAYS A WEEK THROUGH MARCH 22 26540 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, Arizona ArizonaFineArtEXPO.com, 480-837-7163 10-week SeasonPass$10; Military/Seniors $8 Open Daily-Rain or Shine-10-6

Jordan Byrd

John H. Burrow Ken Borchardt

Bands take the stage at different times. Such a feat allows festival-goers to take in all the musicians, without having to worry about splitting time between stages.

Sweetwood also gives fans the chance to meet athletes such as former San Diego Padres and Boston Red Sox pitcher Jake Peavy and Hall of Famers like Trevor Hoffman and Jim Thome. Former D-backs Luis Gonzalez and Miguel Montero will also take part.

“If you’re a baseball fan, there’s a possibility to touch these legends of baseball. And from a musical standpoint, we’re not forcing someone to buy a ticket to the whole weekend,” Sweetwood said.

Sweetwood said organizers try to choose artists who love baseball.

One such example is Isbell, who is a lifelong Atlanta Braves fan, adding an extra element to the band’s set.

Innings Festival Where: Tempe Beach Park & Arts Park, 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe When: all day Feb. 29 and March 1 Tickets: start at $99. Info: inningsfestival.com.

Lineup: Feb. 29: Dave Matthews Band, Portugal. The Man, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Dr. Dog, Whiskey Myers, ZZ Ward, Strand of Oaks, Boy Named Banjo;

March 1: Death Cab for Cutie, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, O.A.R., The Struts, Big Head Todd & The Monsters, Nikki Lane, Pedro the Lion, Wilderado

MLB players: Ryan Dempster, Jake Peavy, Bret Saberhagen, Rick Sutcliffe, Luis Gonzalez, Trevor Hoffman, Jim Thome, Miguel Montero and Aaron Rowand.

“We try to see if they’re really into baseball, because if they are, then we can get them involved in different contests or competitions that are going on,” Sweetwood said. “So, that’s just an added feature of what’s going on.”

Sweetwood said this year’s fest, as in years past, will only feature retired MLB players, given the time constraints and restrictions that current players face.

He hopes the who’s-who cast of retired players will motivate interested patrons, given the month-long ode to baseball that is the 15-team Cactus League.

Above all, the greatest highlight for Sweetwood is watching festival-goers flock to the lakeside stages, savoring the work that his team has put forth.

Sweetwood is excited to see how the third installment of Innings Fest compares to previous iterations.

The reaction to previous years has been incredible, according to Sweetwood, giving him a sense of hope that this year’s event will live up to billing.

“You never know what the outcome’s going to be, or if people will really like it when, but this is one where people have taken to it and they’ve really liked it,” Sweetwood said. “And all of our offerings and different ticket types and experiences have definitely helped.

“I think that’s been our nicest pleasurepoint and enjoyment, is that people are very receptive to the programming and to what we’re putting together.”

FRANK ���� page 32

McFeely uses two framing devices for the musical – Captain Walton’s letters to his sister Margaret – and Shelley writing the story and sharing it with friends and relatives at Lake Geneva in summer.

Even before auditioning for the show, Teagan – the only Scottsdale member of the large cast – had read the book.

“I have not watched the first Frankenstein movie as I know it bears little resemblance to the original story,” Teagan said.

Asked what she likes most about the stage, Teagan replied, “I could go on and on about this, but I think the main thing about actually performing is the adrenaline and the feeling that I’m doing something for the community in bringing stories to life.

“What I like best about acting in general is that no matter what is bothering me in my life, when I step onto the stage, I get to leave that behind because that is not part of my character’s life,” she added.

Her favorite actress is Emma Stone, “not only is she a very talented actress but [also] I relate to her because she has struggled with anxiety just as I do.”

Outside of rehearsals and dance classes, she likes to write music - mostly instrumentals “but occasionally songs with lyrics,” she said.

“Also, some friends and I have been working on an animated series we hope to begin releasing on YouTube this spring. I help with the writing and voiceovers. In spare moments, I am teaching myself to play the guitar and attempting to write a play,” Teagan added.

For now, she’s focused on her key role in a musical that McFeely wrote, choosing the story of the lumbering, stitchedtogether creature and its maker because “healthy, happy, transparent heroes and heroines rarely make for interesting character studies.”

“I have long been interested in the character of Victor Frankenstein with his hubris and sad charm,” McFeely explained, recalling how “as a child, I learned that Frankenstein was the creator of the creature, not the creature himself.”

She has “always had sympathy" for the nameless creature, rejected by his father/ creator over his appearance.

McFeely is not about to dismiss the fact that the monster, well, is a monster – albeit a complicated one.

“He learns to read and write and to discuss philosophy - but he is still willing to kill a child,” she explained. “He craves love and companionship but hates with an unfortunate focus.”

The play’s namesake is no angel, either, McFeely believes, noting: “Victor is a moral coward in so many ways.”

Although there was a musical version of the legendary monster novel that was produced in New York in 2007, the State 48 musical is an original written by McFeely, who also wrote some of the music. The musical drives home McFeely’s interpretation of Shelley’s work:

“Victor, who wants to leave his mark on the world by ending the pain of loss, the creature, who simply wants to be recognized, accepted – they both desire what we all desire but they both fail spectacularly in their pursuit of happiness.”

As for her spin on this classic, McFeely said, “The body count is a bit higher in our production than in the novel – actors love to die onstage – and some subplots and destinations were modified.”

Asked about the challenges in mounting production, McFeely said, “This production requires a ton of costume changes, furniture/set pieces being brought on and off stage and cast members standing ready to do our sweeping set rotations.”

“Our stage area is perfect for this large and mobile set, but our actors have to respect each other’s property and space, master doing quick changes in the dark with no elbow room, and remember to remain silent backstage only three feet away from the audience.”

“The structure of the story mandates 10 significant locations so we designed a set that is primarily comprised of three large rotating platforms that always remain onstage and several light pieces that can move quickly on and off the stage,” McFeely said, noting she’s added “plenty of thunder and lightning, candlelit laboratories, all-too-brief moments of gaiety out in the sunshine.”

Choreographer Halle Glazebrook “has

been quite inventive with movement and dance choreography.”

The cast has been up to the challenge from day one of rehearsals, McFeely said, noting that Teagan is part of “a bright, passionate, experienced cast.”

“They are inquisitive and excited to bring a classic piece of literature to life,” she said, noting that even in an age of super monsters with souped-up CGI effects, the young thespians were fascinated with the two-century-old monster.

“I have had so many interesting philosophical discussions with my cast members in and out of rehearsal about the relative culpability of the Creature versus Victor Frankenstein,” McFeely said.

“We’ve also had the opportunity …to ask questions about moral failures, question how far good intentions mitigate bad choices, discuss the implications of certain relationships… These kids are fascinated by both Victor and his brilliant, nameless, abandoned monster.”

The costumes are relatively elaborate. “Frank won’t be green,” she joked, “but he will look like someone dug him up a few days after he went into the ground.” The rest of the cast will be wearing midGeorgian era fashions or late Regency era clothes since “we deal with two time periods and eagle-eyed audiences will notice the Regency-dressed writers and poets of the Lake Geneva summer intruding upon the characters of Frankenstein as Mary Shelley peoples her tale with those close to her,” McFeely said.

Food & Drink

Scottsdale.org l @ScottsdaleProgress /ScottsdaleProgress

Stratta Lifestyle Kitchen will aim for good health

BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

Local chef Alex Stratta may be a James Beard Award-winning chef with two Michelin Stars and have a resume boasting experience at top-tier restaurants in Las Vegas and Arizona like Renoir at The Mirage and The Phoenician Resort, respectively.

But it’s his new restaurant, Stratta Lifestyle Kitchen, that he considers his most personal feat to date.

Slated to open mid-April, the restaurant embraces the necessary lifestyle change that helped Stratta not only lose more than 100 pounds but also overcome colon cancer.

“I call it Strata Lifestyle Kitchen because it’s the lifestyle change that needed to happen, not only the diet, but just about taking care of yourself,” said Stratta, a northern Scottsdale resident of four years.

While living in Las Vegas for 15 years, James Beard Award-winning chef and northern Scottsdale resident Alex Stratta will open his new restaurant in mid-April in Scottsdale near Hayden Road and Via de Ventura. (Debby Wolvos)

Stratta maintained an unhealthy lifestyle. In 2009, when his children were born, he was diagnosed with colon cancer.

“Luckily, I had it all removed very quickly, but I was about almost 300 pounds at the time. I was just unhealthy, and I didn’t feel good about anything,” Stratta recalled. “So, I started by taking care of myself by starting to curb all of my bad lifestyle habits.”

Located near Hayden Road and Via de Ventura, Stratta Lifestyle Kitchen is described as a “fast-casual healthy whole food dining” spot with a vibrant menu boasting natural and fresh ingredients.

The Mediterranean-focused restaurant’s menu is largely inspired by the foods Stratta himself ate to get his health back.

“The way I cook, which is inherently Mediterranean, is just a natural healthy way to eat,” Stratta said.

“It has a lot of benefits, so that kind of transmuted into a restaurant concept that I felt was very strong and very much to my heart and very relevant in the sense of people trying to find that magic bullet of a special diet.”

In short, the Mediterranean diet is a primarily plant-based plan that emphasizes healthy fats, like olive oil, as well as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans and other

seeSTRATTA page 36

Francine will reflect the cuisine of owner’s mom

BY KRISTINE CANNON Progress Staff Writer

Growing up in the south of France, acclaimed restaurateur Laurent Halasz fondly and vividly recalls his mother Francine Halasz’s frequent trips to the market, her meticulous approach to crafting each meal and her delicate and impeccable table settings.

“The memories I have are of setting the table, which is so beautifully set with flowers and the white napkin and the nice plateware,” he said. “The art of welcoming and gathering people around the table are really fond memories.”

In April, Laurent will recreate those memories with the opening of Francine, a French Mediterranean restaurant inspired Acclaimed restauranteur Laurent Halasz will open his most personal project to date, Francine, a restau rant named after and inspired by his mother, Francine Halasz. (Francine/Special of the Progress)

by none other than his mother.

“Everything on my mother’s table was fresh, seasonal, and full of flavor, and that is exactly what Francine will offer our guests,” Laurent said.

Located in the luxury wing of Scottsdale Fashion Square alongside other renowned restaurants such as Nobu and Toca Madera, Francine will boast the look, feel and tastes of Laurent’s childhood home. Originally, Francine was going to be called Farmhouse, a Los Angeles-based farm-to-table restaurant of which Laurent is founder.

“I wanted something where you feel welcomed at someone’s table. That’s why I chose the name [of the restaurant] to be a name, to feel that you are in someone’s home,” explained Laurent, who is also founder of Fig & Olive.

Francine’s menu will boast Laurent’s new take on classic French Mediterranean cuisine.

Signature dishes include grilled octopus, zucchini terrine, salad nicoise, salmon carpaccio, spring pea ravioli, Grilled Mediterranean Branzino and Seared Duck a la

36 SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | FEBRUARY 23, 2020 FOOD & DRINK legumes, nuts, herbs and spices.

Foods with animal proteins — preferably fish — are eaten in smaller quantities at least twice weekly.

Research shows that the Mediterranean diet is effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

For instance, a study published by JAMA Network Open in 2018 showed that nearly 26,000 women who followed the Mediterranean diet had 25 percent less risk of developing cardiovascular disease over 12 years.

Other benefits include reduced risk of stroke in people with diabetes or other risk factors for heart disease and weight loss, among others.

The Stratta menu is composed of six sections: shareable plates, grains, greens, “the goods” or protein, sauces and sweets.

“We’re trying to make it more customized to the guests,” Stratta said, describing the menu as “well-curated, thoughtful and healthy.”

The customizable menu allows patrons to mix and match the proteins and sauces in their grain- or greens-based dish.

“When you get your order of the greens or the grains, we’re going to toss them lightly in very high-quality olive oil. And then you get to choose whatever sauce, and it’s up to you to see how much you want to put on there. Most of the caloric intake is going to probably be in that dressing,” Stratta said. The selection of sauces allows patrons to choose their own flavor experience.

“It’s about how you want to carry the flavors of your dish,” Stratta said. “For example, you could have a bowl of romaine lettuce and you could put every one of these sauces on it and you’re going to get a different experience, whether it’s a spicy experience or a sweet or a tangy or sharp experience.”

“Harissa and pesto and pesto chimichurri look the same, but one transports you to Italy and the other one transports you to Mexico,” he said.

Stratta stresses, however, that all of the sauces are oil-based.

Prices range from $6.50 for sweets, like goat cheese panna cotta with berries, to $11.50 for a grains-based bowl with an added $7 to $11 for guests’ optional choice of protein, which include strip steak, salmon, mushrooms and more.

“They’re not huge portions,” Stratta said, “but they’re really nice portions of meat or fish. We’re going to give you a nice 4-ounce portion of protein, which is essentially what is suggested is 4-ounces of whatever protein per meal.”

He said he’s serving high-end food for reasonable prices.

“I’m trying to pare down my experience to just the quality of the ingredients and the execution of the food and making it a very seamless, no-bells-and-whistles approach to having a great bowl of food or having a great plate of food,” he said. “I’ve taken away all those superfluous parts that make fine dining, fine dining.”

Stratta describes the restaurant as more fast-casual, one that fits people who live a more on-the-go lifestyle.

“Most people no longer have an extended amount of time to sit there and eat a full meal, especially for dinner – and definitely for lunch,” Stratta said.

Stratta had the idea for the restaurant for years but didn’t pull the trigger until October 2019.

The restaurant Stratta describes as “light, airy, and open” will replace The Melting Pot’s Scottsdale location, which closed after 22 years last September.

Stratta will participate in a dinner event June 28 called Too Many Cooks alongside other notable local chefs, including Chris Bianco, Charleen Badman, Matt Carter, Tracy Dempsey, Beau MacMillan and others. The dinner, which features 16 local chefs and will take place at Mountain Shadows, is a tribute to Barbara Fenzl, the mentee of Julia Child and owner of Les Gourmettes Cooking School, and will benefit the Jacques Pépin Foundation.

The Rhode Island-based foundation offers those who were previously incarcerated or homeless or struggled with substance abuse free culinary and life skills training through community-based organizations. “I’ve worked with Barbara Fenzl for a long time. I did a lot of her classes when I first moved out here back in like ‘89 and ‘90. She invited me, and I’ve been doing them ever since, even when I was in Vegas,” Stratta said. “She’s a dear friend of mine, so anything I can do to help.”

More information will be announced at a later date.

“Everybody’s done her classes at least two or three times, everybody from Vincent [Guerithault] to Christopher [Gross]. It’s really a great honor to be part of it because she deserves every bit of it.”

Information: strattalifestylekitchen. com STRATTA ���� page 35

FRANCINE ���� page 35

Provencal.

“These dishes are very clean and full of flavor that I’m excited to serve,” Laurent said. “The [Zucchini Terrine] is a very elegant dish, perfect for the summer season in Scottsdale.”

And many of these dishes were inspired by Laurent’s mother, whose recipes were also published his 2015 cookbook entitled “Fig & Olive: The Cuisine of the French Riviera.”

“I’ve been blessed as a child; I grew up with a mother who went out of her way to market to pick the best vegetables of the season and come home and cook. I realized years after that she respected every ingredient’s flavor and the cooking of the fish to be perfect, with the perfect balance of herbs and olive oil and spice,” he said.

Laurent grew up in Mougins, the “birthplace of what is called the ‘cuisine of the son’ by a famous chef called Roger Vergé,” he said.

According to Laurent, Vergé self-revolutionized cuisine in southern France “to be centered around one vegetable and vegetable stock and the lighter cuisine. French Mediterranean restaurant Francine opens late April at the luxury wing of Scottsdale Fashion Square, alongside Nobu, Toca Madera, and Ocean 44. (Francine/ Special of the Progress)

“The dishes were basically the cuisine of my mother that she loved herself,” he added.

Laurent will use only fresh, seasonal ingredients – as his mother did.

“When you go to the market in Cannes, you have all the produce that come from Provence, from Italy, from Spain, so you have a real abundance of incredible produce and you respect the season,” he said. For lunch and afternoon hours, patrons can choose from a selection of salads, carpaccio, pizza, and informal and shareable dishes, as well.

Laurent described the Francine space as soft and welcoming, boasting beige and blue hues, “two colors of Provence and the south of France.”

The plant-filled 5,000 square-foot space will feature floor-to-ceiling windows,

unique and local artwork, a rustic fireplace, and a marble bar.

Plus, patrons will spot “a lot of personal objects on the shelves,” Laurent said, adding the intent is to have decor that’s reminiscent of home.

Laurent has chosen his executive chef but said he and his team would disclose the chef’s name at a later date. He did tease that the chef is an Arizona native.

“It’s going to be a great combination with me with the French flavors and his Mediterranean flavors that he’s good at,” Laurent said. “He’s a very nice fellow.”

Francine isn’t the only French transplant to Scottsdale; Laurent will make the move from Los Angeles to Scottsdale, too.

“The construction is well on its way and doing well,” he said of his soon-to-be Scottsdale home.

And following the opening of France in late April, Laurent said he plans to host cooking classes every three months.

He hopes to host the first class this summer. “I’m really thrilled about this restaurant, and I love Scottsdale and this community. It’s an amazing market as a restauranteur,” Laurent said.

What’s Cooking

Progress Contributor

This one-pan wonder takes little time to make L ast week the New York Times published a special edition of 24 go-to mouth-watering One Pan Wonder dishes. It got me thinking about my all time favorite oneskillet gourmet dish, my Momma’s Chicken Scaloppine! This is the dish that put her famous restaurant in Lake Tahoe on the map and once you taste it, you’ll see why.

At that time, back in 1955, she was preparing this dish with veal, but we have found that slices of chicken breast pounded into tender medallions are as fl avorful as the veal.

I’m so excited to share Momma’s Scaloppine with you because this is one of the gourmet dishes that you pay a lot of money for at Italian restaurants, and now you can make it at home anytime you want.

It really only takes about fi ve minutes to make once you have all of your items prepped, which is an absolute must for this recipe because it will sauté up so quickly.

This was the fi rst recipe we chose when creating our fi rst cookbook, “Momma & Me & You,” and it was the fi rst time Momma ever shared her recipe from D’Atri’s Italian Restaurant in Lake Tahoe. Buon appetito!

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 medium boneless chicken breasts 1 cup fl our for dredging 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper ¾ cup Marsala wine ½ cup butter, cubed 1 cup sweet yellow onion, chopped fi ne ¼ cup green onions, sliced thin 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped fi ne 4 cups white button mushrooms, sliced thin Salt and pepper as needed Uncle Ben’s White rice for serving with the Scaloppine

Directions:

In a pot, cook rice. (For more fl avorful rice, add a chicken bouillon cube to boiling water.) Wash chicken and pat dry. Remove fat. Cut each chicken breast into fi ve or six slices. Place chicken pieces in a zip-lock bag. Gently pound slices to form medallions, about 2 inches in diameter. Dredge each piece in fl our.

In a large sauté pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the chicken a few pieces at a time. Add a little salt and pepper to each piece. Do not overlap chicken. Brown each piece quickly on both sides, about 1 minute per side, making sure the heat is on high. When all pieces are browned, add Marsala.

Important: Use marsala from the wine department of the grocery store and not the marsala from the baking aisle.

Turn heat down to medium and simmer for about 30 seconds until wine has evaporated. Add butter, mushroom, yellow and green onions, parsley, salt and pepper. Do not cover. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve about fi ve medallions per serving. Place chicken medallions over a bed of rice, scooping sauce from pan over chicken.

BE DEBT FREE IN 24–48 MONTHS!

If you owe more than $10,000 in credit card or other debt, see how we can help.

ACCREDITED BUSINESS

Call today: 1-866-696-2697

HEY VOTERS!

I’m Phil the Ballot - Did you know only registered Democrats can vote in the Democratic Presidential Preference Election on March 17th?

Let’s meet up at

BROUGHT TO YOU BY: