CALENDAR/NEWSLETTER

The Digest - The Newsletter of Mesa Grill & Bolo Restaurant & Bar

1 Signature Flayvors: 16 New Condiments to Spice up Your Cooking
2 Piquillo Peppers: The Spanish Pepper with a Kick
3 Meet Billy Steel Bartender of the Millennium
4 Mesa Bolo News: All the News That's Fit to Print
5 Brunch: Check Out Mesa Grill's Award-winning Menu

New from Bobby's Kitchen
This January Bobby launched his new line of condiments. Now you can take the lively flavors of his cooking home with you. Bobby's new line consists of 16 sauces, marinades, spices and rubs full of the bold flavors that have become his signature. Red Chile Citrus Marinade, Horseradish Maple Glaze and Smoked Yellow Pepper Sauce are just some of the choices available to use on chicken, beef, pork and even vegetables. And don't worry, his classics haven't gone anywhere. Mesa Grill Hot Sauce and Mesa Grill BBQ Sauce are back and better than ever. You can purchase the entire line at Mesa Grill and gourmet stores across the country, or call Mesa Grill directly at (212) 807-7400 or Private Harvest at (800) 463-0594 to have the products shipped to you.

The sweet-tasting pepper with a KICK!
piquillo (pa-key-oh) peppers

Although the Spanish have been using pimientos del piquillo for years, piquillo peppers are still relatively unknown to diners in the United States. These small, triangular, deep-red peppers (descendants of the first Spanish bell pepper grown from seeds brought back by Columbus from the New World) appeared early in the twentieth century in Navarra, Spain. Since the piquillo is extremely bitter in its raw state, it is slow roasted in huge wood-burning roasting drums until the outer skin is completely charred. This process gives the pepper its piquant sweetness and smoky undertones. After roasting, each piquillo is peeled, seeded and packed in jars by hand. Because of the painstaking and time-consuming manual work involved in processing, the piquillo is not inexpensive - but nothing this good ever is. Bobby Flay has known about these extraordinary ruby-red gems for years and has been using the piquillo at Bolo in everything from risottos to sauces to salads since the restaurant opened in 1993.

FYI· The piquillo loses 60% of its weight in liquid during roasting, leaving the flesh with intense flavor.

This recipe is one of Bobby's favorite ways to use the pepper and one of the most popular appetizers at Bolo. The lemon oil adds a nice touch.

Piquillo Peppers Filled with Salmon Tartare with Lemon Oil


Bartender of the Millennium

Billy Steel, Mesa Grill's bartender/bar manager, has been at Mesa Grill since it opened nine years ago. Originally from Trenton, New Jersey, Billy went to Rider College in Trenton and majored in English, but he always had a passion for bartending. When he wasn't studying for exams, you could find him in the neighborhood bars observing the crowds and drinking in the atmosphere. "I've always enjoyed the craft of bartending," he says. "There's a proper way to make a drink, to stir a drink, and to pour a drink that must be learned. These days, bartenders just make it up or do it their own way."

Billy learned how to mix his drinks the proper way at the "21 Club" in NYC. "'The 'Club' was one of the greatest jobs I've ever had because I was taught to bartend like an apprentice - similar to the way a chef is taught. The bartenders were a group of older guys who kept you in the kitchen learning how to bartend for six months before they would even consider letting you near the bar. All of them took it very seriously. They would come to work every day dressed in a suit and tie and carrying a briefcase that held their bar equipment. You still see a few bartenders around like that, but not many. I think all bartenders should go through that kind of training, but unfortunately that is not the case anymore."

After spending five years at "21," he moved on to the Hudson River Club in the World Financial Center. "It was a fun place but I got tired of the Wall Street scene. Not that I have anything against the financial set, but there was no diversity. Everybody looked the same and talked about the same things." That's when he decided to move uptown to Mesa Grill. "I have met a lot of great people here - more than any other place I ever worked through the years. I love the variety of people who come in: artists, actors, businessmen, tourists and neighborhood people."

What has kept Billy at Mesa Grill for so long? The answer is simple. "It's been a great working environment, not to mention a wonderful learning experience. For example, when I began working at Mesa Grill, my tequila knowledge was extremely limited. I now know where and how tequila is made and what differentiates the good from the not so good. There are so many different characteristics, classifications, and quality levels. Without a doubt, Mesa Grill has one of the largest selections of tequila in New York."

When asked about the worst part of his job, Billy says it's when people come in in a bad mood and don't enjoy the experience of being at the bar. "They're mad because they have to go to the bar while they're waiting for a table. This is a fun place! I try to get them into a good mood. Usually it works but sometimes, well, let's just say there's only so much you can do as a bartender."

When not tending bar, Billy pursues his first love, acting. He has acted in everything from Shakespeare to a screwball comedy written by S.J. Perelman that he just finished in the West Village. His next project is a brand-new play in midtown. It's a comedy in which he plays a wacky bartender-type character. Is it a coincidence or could it be art imitating life? Billy says he has always liked acting, but he has no illusions about becoming the next Tom Cruise. It's strictly for fun.

If you're wondering what his favorite drink is, it's the Mesa Margarita. Billy likes his margaritas made with a good tequila like Chinaco, a splash of Cointreau, and fresh lime juice served very cold, straight up (without salt, which he feels masks the flavor of the tequila). His favorite drink to make for others? A martini served straight up, with vermouth.

No matter how busy it gets, it's never too busy for Billy. He welcomes the crowds and says he can handle it. So the next time you're at Mesa Grill for dinner, come in a little early, have a seat at the bar, and let Billy mix up one of his "proper" drinks for you.

Mesa Grill Margarita

MesaBoloNews

Reunited
Mesa Grill welcomes back Chris Hewitt and Neil Manacle as executive sous chefs. Both left Mesa Grill and Bolo respectively to pursue other interests and are very excited to be back. Along with Sous Chef Tara Keeler, the three make an excellent team under Executive Chef Bobby Flay.

Back to School
Bobby recently became a member of the master faculty at the French Culinary Institute, his alma mater. Joining some of the world's greatest chefs - like Jacques Pépin, Alain Sailhac, Andre Soltner, Jacques Torres and Alice Waters - he will be giving six cooking demonstrations a year.

Where's the Beef?
Are you a burger fanatic? Then the Mesa Burger is for you. Voted the best burger in New York by New York magazine, this burger is to die for. Served with double cheddar cheese, grilled Vidalia onions, and horseradish mustard on our homemade cornmeal bun, this classic is one of Bobby's favorite things to eat. It's on the brunch and lunch menu, so drop in and try one.

Wake up with Bobby
If you haven't tuned in yet, you've got to catch Bobby as the new food correspondent every other Thursday on CBS's The Early Show. Alongside hosts Bryant Gumbel and Jane Clayson, he demonstrates different dishes to go along with the week's theme. From Thanksgiving dinner to trips to the apple orchard or Fulton Fish Market - whatever Bobby is cooking is sure to spice up your appetite.

More Flay on the Way
Are you hungry for new episodes of Hot Off the Grill on The Food Network? Well, here's some news to whet your appetite. Bobby and Jacqui just taped 50 new episodes, so don't just stand there - grab the remote!

Bobby Flay's Schedule

• January 20-22 - San Francisco Fancy Food Show
• January 23-26 - Tape Northern California shows for Food Nation
• February 1 - The Early Show on CBS
• February 9-11 - Tape NBA All Star Special for Food Network - Washington DC
• February 15 - The Early Show on CBS
• February 19-March 2 - Tape 40 new episodes of Hot Off the Grill
• March 5 - Mass Mutual Event in Las Vegas, Nevada
• March 15-20 - Tape Southern California shows for Food Nation
• March 29 - The Early Show on CBS
• April 12 - The Early Show on CBS
• April 13-17 - Tape Pacific Northwest Shows for Food Nations
• April 26 - The Early Show on CBS
• May 10 - The Early Show on CBS
• May 11-15 - Tape Hawaii shows for Food Nation
• May 24 - The Early Show on CBS
• June 7 - The Early Show on CBS
• June 15-18 - Food & Wine Festival in Aspen, Colorado
• June 24 - The Early Show on CBS

Take a Piece of Us Home with You
Can't get enough of Mesa Grill or Bolo? Take something home with you. The following can be purchased at either of our restaurants or by mail. Purchase any book, T-shirt or hat with your American Express¨ Card and receive a 15% discount.

Gift Certificates
Treat your friends, relatives and business associates to the ultimate gift for even the most discriminating recipient - dinner or lunch at either of our restaurants. Available in any denomination.

Bobby Flay's Signature Flavors Bobby Flay's new line of 16 sauces, rubs and marinades ($6.50 - $9.00).
T-Shirts ($12) XL only
Baseball Caps ($15) Perfect for those bad-hair days.
Books Autographed copies of Bobby's Bold American Food ($34.95), From My Kitchen To Your Table ($32.50), and Boy Meets Grill ($32.50); and Laurence's Mesa Grill Guide to Tequila ($9.95) are available for purchase. They make perfect gifts.

We Have a Hunch You'll Love Our Brunch
Haven't tried Mesa Grill's award-winning brunch yet? What are you waiting for? Our brunch was voted #1 by Time Out magazine. Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30a.m.-3:00p.m. Take a look at the menu:

Appetizers

• Roasted Cauliflower-Green Chile Soup with Goat Cheese + Blue Corn Taquito
• Spicy Tuna Tartare Wrapped in Roasted Yellow Peppers on Crispy Tortillas with Mesa Hot Sauce + Cilantro Oil
• Key Lime + Red Pepper Ceviche with Calico Bay Scallops, Squid, Shrimp Sophie's Chopped Salad
  

Entrées

• Spicy Chicken + Sweet Potato Hash with Poached Eggs + Green Chile Hollandaise
• Toasted Blue Corn Pancakes with Bananas + Orange-Honey Butter
• Ranch Style Eggs with Blue Corn Tortillas, White Cheddar Cheese + Ancho Chile Tomato Sauce
• Scrambled Eggs Chiliquiles with Roasted Tomatillo Sauce, White Cheddar Cheese + Sour Cream
• Mesa Burger with Double Cheddar Cheese, Grilled Vidalia Onion, and Horseradish Mustard on a House Roll + Southwestern Fries
• Warm Spinach + Poached Egg Salad with Hickory Smoked Bacon, Goat Cheese + Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
• Caramelized Banana + Wild Berry Crêpes with a Toasted Pecan-Mexican Cinnamon Sauce
  
  

Editors of The Digest - Stephanie Banyas & Michelle Bedusa

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