Mortadella, Proscuitto? Tuscans, Barolo's? Sam's Italian Deli is the Place!

When one does a search on Google for Sam's Italian Deli, Fresno, one can't help but notice  the repeating factor of Five Stars! Sam's Italian Deli is loved by many, if not by all!

The history that you find on Sam's Italian Deli website explains that a young Italian couple living in Canada decided to open up a grocery business in 1968. While fighting the fierce Toronto winters, they and their two children sold the freshest produce, meats, hot bread and foods of their native Bari, Italy.

Sam and Angela Marziliano opened Sam's Deli in Fresno in 1980, after relocating here from Toronto. Sam, the family patriarch and founder of Sam's passed away in 2011. Nick has taken the reins and has simply taken a great thing and make it better! And it still improves to this date.

The aisles of the deli are a delightful scene of imported Italian pastas, olive oils, fresh cold cuts, imported cheeses, Angela's take-home pasta dinners, specialty dishes, Sam's homemade sausage and specialty groceries. Their bread and foccacia are baked on site and the heritage of old Italy is preserved within the walls of this fantastic deli located at the north-west corner of Clinton and First streets in Fresno.

With Nick's direction, Sam's Italian Deli has grown, taking over most of the entire corner building with but a couple of small businesses yet occupying a couple of spaces. Sam's Deli pastas are actually made in the area which used to be the back of the old US Post office that occupied the far end of the building.

Further, Nick is gaining massive attention in the Fresno Area  for his expansion of their specialty wine department. If you want it, they have it! From the boutique style wines of California to the highly sought after, Super Tuscans, Barolo's, and Brunellos di Montalcino produced in Italy to Argentinean Malbecs. You will have a difficult time picking your favorites from Sam's Italian Deli's collection of over 700 different labels. Further, Nick has reached out to the internet market and made it easy for you to purchase them on line at his website www.NicksWineCorner.com.

On June 16, 2014, Henry Perea spoke of Sam's Italian Deli, "Their commitment to serving the community and expanding their business has been passed down to the next generation as Nick continues to run the business and bring the business online. Congratulations to Sam's Deli!" This statement made when Sam's Deli was honored in Sacramento  on that date as the 31st Assembly District's Small Business of the Year "for their Italian spirit and familial feel that has customers enter as strangers and leave as family."

 

Thank you, Nick and Sam's Italian Deli!

Fresno Has Nostalgic Taste

With all this talk of restaurant history around Fresno, it's probably a good time to bring up one of the old time favorites that so many of us still miss today!

This is what it looks like today - YES, TODAY! The photo was taken today...

An empty lot - just DIRT! Do you have a clue yet? Here's a little more history for those of you who don't know which restaurant we're talking about:

The restaurant was built in 1946. It's original name had the word Bavarian in the name. At that time, most of it's customers came from Hammer Field. Now who knows what Hammer Field was and what it is today? We'll tell more as we talk more about this wonderful establishment where such great food was served at excellent prices. After several years, it was described as a "cozy 1950's roadhouse". It had open-beam ceilings, red brick walls and redwood paneling. There was a Cheyenne Banquet room that sported vivid red booths and table linens. If you haven't guessed it yet, you're probably one of the younger crowd.

Back then, your choice of appetizers were shrimp cocktail or.... yes, you guessed it, shrimp cocktail!

One of the customer's favorites was the "Signature Clam Chowder". And get this: At it's peak performance between 1965 and 1985, it sold up to 4,500 dinners a WEEK! That's over 640 dinners a night for 20 years running - seven days a week. Phew! Most likely many restaurants do that kind of business today, but back then with a privately owned establishment, that was a bunch!

And imagine this - $9.95 in 1993 would get you prime rib or filet mignon dinner with foil wrapped baked potato, soup and salad along with hot French rolls  with garlic butter. And it's safe to guess that they didn't charge for the sour cream, butter or chives, either. Find that kind of price for prime rib in Fresno today!

Alright - one last clue - Do you remember when a Learjet crashed? The two men on board were killed and several people on the ground was injured. The restaurant we are talking about was spared and the pilots were called heroes for managing to miss the private school that was in their path about 3/4 mile before the crash scene. That was December 14, 1994.

http://abc30.com/news/fresno-learjet-crash-20-years-later/413056/

Alright, most of you are most likely saying, "Fine, we KNOW already!" So here's the facts:

Yes, it was The Outpost, originally named The Outpost Bavarian Gardens - built in 1946 on the southwest corner of Olive and Chestnut avenues. We mentioned Hammer Field, which was an army base back then and is now the location of the Fresno Yosemite International Airport (often known as either FAT - by the airlines or as FYI - by Fresno locals).

The restaurant was purchased by Dan Vukson and Pete Troisi in 1951 and although they sold it in 1956, they purchased it back in 1959. Finally, Dan Vukson and his wife, Betty, became the owners in 1965. (Editor's Note: The name rings a bell and just might be a name for research for a future story on Fresno Has Taste)

1990 brought the passing of Dan Vukson. That, the plane crash in 1994, changes in the neighborhood and the debut of Highway 180 through the area affected the decision to close the Outpost in 1997. Certainly, we understand that the Vukson family owned the building and property at that time. When a suitable offer never appeared, the decision was made to demolish the restaurant in 2003 with the hope that the vacant parcel would attract better offers. That's as far as our information goes - if anybody knows anything that has transpired since 2003, please share what you know in the comments.

And another tad of nostalgia about a restaurant that still exists at the north-west corner of Chestnut and Olive: Chopsticks Chinese Restaurant.

Chopsticks is your classic little neighborhood Chinese restaurant, pictured above. There was a day when the Valley Yellow Pages advertising sales reps would make the tough choice about where to enjoy their lunch. It was a tough choice between The Outpost and a fabulous steak lunch and Chopsticks and their Cornish Game Hen special. Chopsticks would prepare a full Cornish Game Hen if one would give them a call about 1/2 hour before your arrival. That was back in about 1998, give or take a few years. Upon research, it was learned that they no longer serve the Cornish Game Hen. But by the looks of things, they are still serving up some good Chinese food!

Another Long-Time Fresno Restaurant - Me-n-Ed's Pizza

Many people in the Fresno area believe that Me-n-Ed's Pizza is native to the Fresno Area. In some ways it is and in other ways it isn't!

Me-n-Ed's first came to be 57 years ago in 1958.Two friends, Russ "Me" Johnson and Ed Sandlin chose to start a pizza business in Sacramento, California. Although they didn't originally open with the intention of building franchises, it happened anyway.

Me-n-Ed's franchises started springing up throughout Calfornia while Russ and Ed operated their own restaurants around the San Francisco Bay area.

Here's where Fresno comes in: Once Russ and Ed expanded into Fresno, they met a couple who ran a boarding house - Ben and Marcella Watters. The Watters made frequent visits to Me-n-Ed's. The story goes on to say that Marcella really desired to purchase a potted plant that was at that restaurant.  The owner refused to sell it to her, so Marcella took matters into her own hands and purchased the entire restaurant. The plant was now hers, but also she was the new owner of the franchise rights to Me-n-Ed's.

Transitions took place. Marcella and Ben joined forces with Bob Cox, who worked with a local baker and perfected a recipe for the signature thin crust pizza of Me-n-Eds.

As time went on, Me-n-Ed's continued to grow. In the 1960's they had even expanded into Orange County! In the mid-'60's, Marcella's nephew, Doug, who had come to Fresno from Saskatchewan, Canada went to work for the Watters. The Watters by then had moved to Southern California, expanding all the while.With the Canadian influence of Doug, in 1969, they expanded to Burnaby with the first ever Me-n-Ed's in Canada. By then, Doug was a co-owner.

Bringing our tale back to the Fresno/Clovis area, today there are more than 20 Me-n-Ed's Pizza Parlors in the Fresno/Clovis area alone! 

Just two days ago, my grand-daughter celebrated her 2 year birthday at Me-n-Ed's Coney Island Grill in River Park. It was my pleasure, of course, to enjoy her celebration.

Me-n-Ed's Coney Island Grill makes for the perfect  birthday party venue for kids. With their private rooms that are available and the back room full of arcade games, it's a perfect spot and at the right price! 

Not only do they have great pizzas, they also offer many more choices at the "Coney Island Grill" including salads, hot wings and a whole lot more!

So, the next time you stop to visit Me-n-Ed's, you'll be the most knowledgeable person about Me-n-Ed's history! You'll be the hit of the party and everybody will want to hear your story.

Lobster - A Delicacy - Interesting Facts

Yesterday we visited the Lime Lite Restaurant in our blog. The main course which was highlighted was their Thursday Special which is lobster. As a matter of fact, should you choose to stop by on a Thursday and order their lobster, you'll find that it's most likely the largest lobster you have ever seen on a plate before you!

All this talk of lobster leads us to today's post. Interesting Facts about Lobster! Now since we're professing "Fresno Has Taste", we must be well-educated about our food. So, read on... below are some interesting and fascinating facts about our beloved crustacean, the Lobster!

First we'll talk about the lobster - as the crustacean that it is. Many people don't know that lobster's aren't red. In fact, they are green or yellow or even bright blue in nature. It's when they are thrown into that pot of boiling water or under a broiler that they turn red. I suppose we would too!

Speaking of their shells, lobsters shed their shells, or molt. A female lobster can only mate just after she has molted.We'll get on to reproduction in a moment. A soft-shelled lobster is one that has just molted - and at that time they are in a growing phase. Many say that the soft-shelled lobster has sweeter, more tender meat. Soft-shelled lobsters are called "shedders" and are generally caught from July to October. As the molting phase takes a toll on the energy of the lobster, they are extremely hungry after molting and eat voraciously.  Often they will even eat the shell that they have just shed. The benefit to that is that it replenishes the calcium lost during the process and hastens the hardening of the new shell.

Ah, so back to that stuff about reproduction. Interestingly enough, when lobsters mate, the eggs aren't fertilized right away. The female chooses when to fertilize her eggs and carries the male's sperm until she is ready. Lobster eggs are called roe, just like fish eggs (caviar). The females carries the fertilized eggs until they are ready to hatch, at which time she lays them. While the female is carrying those eggs around, she carries them with her swimmerets - the abdominal appendages. That female lobster will even carry her eggs for up to year, this all depends on how warm the water is. And sadly, only.1 percent (that's only 1/10 of a percent) of the lobster's eggs live more than six weeks.

So now that we have learned how baby lobsters come to be, let's talk about some of the facts about harvesting. Most people recognize that Maine is the Lobster Capital of the world with nearly a million pounds of lobster caught annually. The second highest record of Maine lobster landings was in 2013 with 125,953,876 pounds! WOW! Maine requires lobstermen to complete a two-year apprenticeship before they can captain their own boat, Apprentice lobstermen can be on a waiting list for 10 years before they get their own license. A crewman on a lobster boat makes about $50,000 a year, while boat owners make quite a bit more than that, but must invest a lot more as well. A lobsterman usually starts around 4:30 AM and works until dark. It's necessary to catch about 150 pounds of lobster a day just to cover the cost of bait and gas. There are around 6,000 licensed lobstermen in Maine.

Now on to the best about lobsters: A little about dining and the history of lobster as food. Amazingly, lobsters were once considered the poor man's chicken. Even in Colonial times, it was fed to pigs and goats and only eaten by humans that were paupers. Slaves sometimes dined like kings, often eating lobster because it was plentiful and cheap. Native Americans ate lobsters after wrapping them in seaweed and baking them over hot rocks. They also used lobster as bait and to fertilize their crops.

Lobster meat  is a great source of protein, providing 28 grams of protein per cup consumed. It is also a great source of heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids. Lobsters are not fattening, as long as you pass on the butter (but who would want to do that?). Three and half ounces of lobster have under 100 calories and about 2 grams of fat.

It's a myth that lobsters scream when put into hot water as they have no lungs and no vocal cords. A one-pound lobster should be cooked for about 15 minutes, overcooking lobster leaves it tough and rubbery. Lobster steamed in beer is delicious. A pilsner or lager is the best choice. 

And as a last thought, some people believe that lobster is an aphrodisiac! It ALL sounds good to me!

The Lime Lite, Palm & Shaw, A Reason that Fresno Has Taste

The Lime Lite Restaurant has been a well-respected name in the Fresno area for over 50 years. When it first opened its doors in 1964 on Clinton Avenue, it was a bar with but eight tables, and was already establishing its reputation for great dining.

In 1976, George and Cathy Milutinovich purchased the Lime Lite and naturally a loyal clientele became the mainstay. They developed their claim to fame through their steaks, appetizers and signature menu items such as the “Lime Lite” Seafood  Cocktail and Seafood “Martini”.

Back around 2000, the Milutinovich relocated the Lime Lite to its present location on Shaw and Palm. This is the location which was previously occupied by The Elbow Room which is now located at what was once the old Borelli’s at Fig Garden Village.

Stone Fruit Salad at Today's Lime Lite

What was an eight table restaurant became a much larger establishment with 75 tables and a patio that seats 80. A little known fact is that there is a private dining room in the back that seats 20. A good tidbit to remember should you be looking for a great location for a nice birthday celebration!

The Milutinovich’s continued their expertise of serving first class lunches and dinners until 4 years ago in 2011 when they made a decision that it was time for a little more R&R and made plans to place Brandon Smittcamp, son of well-known food processor Bob Smittcamp, in the position as managing general partner of the Lime Lite.

Thursday's Lime Lite Lobster Special 

This is a good time to share a little trivia. George Milutinovich is a well-respected American Kennel Club judge and enjoys traveling to AKC dog shows, acting as judge in the show ring. George is also the brother of Dave Milutinovich who owns the Manhattan on the south-east corner of Bullard and West in Fresno. (Of course, the Manhattan is on our list for another story.)

A little background about Brandon Smittcamp: He used to be a bartender and server at the Manhattan, so he is a long-time friend of the Milutinovich’s. Further, the Smittcamp family has a food processing venture called Lyons Magnus. Lyons Magnus packages the Lime Lite’s own line of salad dressing and spaghetti sauce.

Fresh Wawona Peach Cobbler & Ice Cream

Brandon has maintained all of the favorites that the Milutinovich’s and the Lime Lite has been famous for in the past.  Brandon has added to the delightful fare by focusing on bringing in as much seasonal, local produce as possible. His menu also boasts fabulous specials on a daily basis as well as the most decadent desserts that have ever tantalized your taste buds.

The Lime Lite is definitely a Jewel of a restaurant in the Fresno Area.

A special thank you goes to Sean Cagle for providing "Fresno Has Taste" with the photos for this blog.

Fresno Has Taste... In so Many Ways

Welcome to "Fresno Has Taste". Long overdue and now ready to bring to light all that Fresno has to offer in the way of Flavor!

Fresno has a strong ethnic background of such a fabulous mix of cultures. From the basic All-American hot-dog and apple pie to the fresh taste of Japanese sushi. From baklava to enchiladas. From lasagne to halupkis. Where else can one find such a rich culture with so many diverse foods and restaurants where you can satisfy any craving that overcomes you?

Not only are we rich in culture, restaurants and diverse foods, we are also blessed with some of the finest fresh produce in the world!

Wait, not only do we have locally grown grapes, but also fabulous wineries! Just wait until we explore those! What about raisins? Nuts? Tomatoes? Zucchini - WHAT? Zucchini - Yes! And so much more - there is so much to explore in our fabulous Central Valley.

Let us not forget our marvelous delicatessens that grace our areas from the Tower District to Sunnyside; Old World Deli, Armenian or Classic American style, you can find them all in the Central Valley.

But wait! There's still more... don't forget that there are marvelous places to purchase almost every cooking utensil known to modern man. We have the upscale stores as well as the other stores offering everything from espresso makers to cheese slicers, pasta rollers to egg poachers, sushi mats to ice cream makers. This is Fresno! We can find it here!

Travel with us, without leaving the Fresno area, while we learn of so many different ways to "tantalize your tastebuds"! Welcome to the flavorful experience known as Fresno California!