Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Thatzza Pizza and More!

Thatzza Pizza

201 South Main Street
Monticello, UT, 84535

Phone: (435) 587-9111


Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Thatzza-Pizza-Monticello-106413056146613/



Six years!  Thatzza Pizza has been open for six years in Monticello, Utah; where has the time gone?  Chatting with Linda Wigginton, owner, operator and head cook, she enthusiastically loves what she does; providing good food to her local and visiting customers.  In an area where it’s common for small businesses to come and go, Thatzza Pizza is a cornerstone of the town due to an important reason, listening to the customers.  Linda has taken to heart the likes, dislikes, praises and complaints; it’s the only way to know what is the best, how to improve, and, most important, make people happy so they will come back again.

Now, and I’ve said this before, being from New York, Brooklyn born and raised, I admit to being a pizza snob.  When I first tried the menu items at Thatzza Pizza, I judged by my New York palette and found it seriously lacking.  It’s been six years since that first try and here we were, hubby and myself, giving it another go around; so happy we did!  By the way, I don’t judge eateries by just the food; atmosphere, attitudes and behavior of the owners and staff make a huge difference as well.  Thatzza Pizza is a small shop, so it’s take out or delivery, but when you enter you are warmly greeted, questions are knowledgeably answered, and you will get exactly what you were craving.

The Pizza comes in four sizes, dough is house made and Linda admits she puts a special ingredient into the dough mixture to make it taste extra yummy.  I didn’t ask, she didn’t tell and I’m alright with that as the crust was perfectly browned on the bottom and around the edges.  The thickness is between thin and pan styles, but inside it’s similar to focaccia bread, light, airy and not doughy.  The sauce is also house made, nicely seasoned; toppings are very generous and it just made for a delicious pizza experience.



Now when it comes to Chicken Wings, I’m a deep fried fan, but I did give them a try even though they are baked in the oven; Honey BBQ and Garlic Parmesan were our choices. The sauces are not house made, but I recognize the brand Linda uses because I use it myself at home, and it is one of the best on the market.  The wings are sold by the pound, so the number you receive may differ as they are a good sized wing.  The wings were meaty, sauces infused the meat instead of just sitting on top of the skin; finger licking good!



Calzones are a big favorite with hubby and myself, so we had to try out what Thatzza Pizza offered.  The same dough is used as for the pizza, but the crust is dusted with grated Parmesan cheese.  As a piece of calzone is brought to the mouth, the scent of the cheese invades the nostrils and you know you’re about to enter food heaven.  The calzone is stuffed to the brim with ingredients; sauce, melted cheese, delicious meat; as I said, food heaven.  Linda had me fooled with the meatballs, I thought they were homemade fresh and I’ve made many a meatball in my lifetime!  “No”, she stated, “They are purchased premade.” and I told her she better stick to whatever brand she’s using as they are so close to homemade, I couldn’t tell the difference!


Now for some really great news, both the pizza and calzone passed the “cold pizza” test.  After sitting overnight in the fridge, the flavors from the house made sauce, cheeses, veggies and meat melded together.  No reheating was needed to enjoy a slice, just grab, go and eat!  Oh, the wings, those were gone in one sitting, so no leftovers to try out the next day.

Folks, if you’re in the mood for some really good food, then I recommend giving Thatzza Pizza a tryout.  Hours are Monday thru Saturday, 3pm to 9pm, located on the corner of Main Street and 200 South, just across the street from the post office parking lot.  Mangia!

Mary Cokenour



Thursday, January 11, 2018

Cold Enough for Soup, but Not Snow.

For San Juan and Grand Counties, snowpack on the Abajo and La Sal Mountains is extremely important during the winter months.  There is much concern that the 2017-2018 season is seeing abnormally dry conditions; drought is a high probability at this point in time.  At the same time, the temperatures are not being helpful, being just above or below the optimum point of producing snowfall.

At the same time, illnesses such as pneumonia and influenza are rearing their angry heads. Roy almost lost his own mother recently when she was hit by a double whammy, both illnesses at the same time!  Thankfully she was taken to the hospital in time and is making a full recovery, but it was touch and go for over a week. 

Ending and beginning the years with news items that are detrimental to our communities is not pleasant, but this is where strength of spirit comes in.  It’s a pulling together of all residents to take care of, not just immediate family, but friends, neighbors and, yes, even strangers just moving into the area.  It’s a testament to the pioneer character; stand strong together in the face of adversity.  So, to create a self-fulfilling prophecy, focus on the positive and watch the miracles appear!

…and on that note, let’s talk soup and the comfort it can bring.  Oh come now, I don’t know of anyone who, no matter how down he/she may feel, doesn’t get a soothing smile on the face after diving (not literally please) into a bowl of soup.  Every family has their own special recipe, a soup they swear by as the perfect fix for “whatever ails you”.  That soup for the Cokenour clan is Potato Leek, a creamy concoction of leeks and potatoes pureed into luscious goodness.  While we enjoy the version that has butter and cream added for a rich, silky texture; it can be made without these two decadent ingredients.  Great news for those who do not do well with dairy products, but still want that creamy comfort.

While leeks are primarily used in soups, this relative to the onion, and asparagus, is more versatile than one might think. Due to its mild onion flavor, a leek can be substituted for a regular onion; cutting it will not irritate the eyes either.  Leeks have a small bulb end; and the tastiest part is the white part which grows deep in the ground, and away from the sun's rays. The green upper part is very fibrous, and used for making stock; or thrown into the compost pile. Growing in the ground has the disadvantage of having dirt caked in between the many layers of the leek, so it needs to be thoroughly washed before use. The best way to do this is to cut the white part either into circular sections, or cutting it up into pieces, placing it all in a colander and washing under cool water.  The pieces can then be used in soups, quiches, casseroles, side dishes; anything an onion can be used for, but without the tears!  Sautéed in butter or olive oil, they turn translucent and release a pleasant onion scent that is easy on the nose, and most especially, the eyes.




Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients:
 
2 Tbsp. butter
4 leeks, white part only,
1 lb. potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russet), peeled and cubed
1 qt. chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup cold water
½ tsp. ground black pepper
2 cups heavy cream
Optional: favorite herb for garnish




Preparation:

Cut leeks into ½ inch pieces, put into a colander, wash thoroughly with cold water to remove grit.  In a large stock/soup pot, melt butter over medium heat.  Sauté leeks until tender, approx. 10-15 minutes.  Add potatoes, stock, water, black pepper; bring to boil.  Reduce heat to low.









Cover pot and let soup simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.  If using a hand-held blender, puree the soup in the pot until smooth.  Otherwise, transfer the mixture, in batches, to a standard blender; puree until smooth.  Return soup to the pot.







On low heat, stir the cream into the soup mixture.  Let the soup come up to a hot temperature, but do NOT bring to a boil.  Ladle into bowls and garnish with favorite herb (thyme, parsley, chives, etc.) if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

As promised, here is a recipe for Potato Leek Soup, but dairy free.  I got this Weight Watchers recipe from my niece, Donna, who is a RN and resides on Long Island in New York State.  After printing out a copy of the Weight Watchers recipe, I compared it to my Potato Leek Soup recipe; pretty similar in nature. I cooked up a pot of this recipe, but added crushed, dried thyme instead of using the chives as they suggested. Wow, was pretty amazed at how good it came out; not as creamy, but it was still thick and rich tasting; the thyme added a pleasant savory flavor. Serving it to my hubby, he too was amazed at how good this non-dairy version was; he equated the texture to cream of wheat, but still enjoyed it...two bowls worth in one sitting.  Donna suggested that I mix in a little low fat or fat free sour cream if we missed the dairy; tried it and didn't care for it at all.

Weight Watchers Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients:

64 oz. canned chicken broth, reduced-sodium
8 medium uncooked potatoes, peeled 
3 medium uncooked leeks, cleaned 
1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 Tbsp. chives, minced (optional)

Preparation:

To clean the leeks, slice them lengthwise and then cut into one inch pieces. Put the pieces into a large colander, rinse with cold water until you can no longer see any dirt; separate the pieces as you rinse them.  Let them stand a few minutes to allow excess water to drain out.

Peel the potatoes and cut them one inch in size; they will cook together more uniformly with the leeks.  Yukon Gold potatoes are yellow in coloring and have a buttery taste; perfect for a soup that usually has butter in it, but is now being cooked without it.

Combine the broth, potatoes, leeks, pepper and herb, if using any, in a large stock pot or Dutch oven; bring to a boil on high heat.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the vegetables are very soft, about 30 to 40 minutes. Uncover and let cool slightly.

Puree at least 2 cups or up to all of the potatoes and leeks (depending on the texture you want), with 1–2 cups of the broth in a food processor, blender or with an immersion blender; pour the mixture back into the remaining soup, stir, and reheat. Serve hot, or cover and refrigerate to serve cold; hot or cold, garnish with the minced chives, if using.

Yields 1 and 1/2 cups per serving.

This soup can be completely or partially pureed and served hot or cold. It can be refrigerated for up to three days, but not frozen.

Try out both recipes and see which you enjoy the best, but most of all, have a positive and happy new year!


Mary Cokenour