While the charcoal is heating up and the table is being set, it’s time to talk beef. This year I’m leaning into a cut above the rest: the 32oz Certified Angus Beef Tomahawk Steak. It’s a beast of a steak, but don’t let that scare you off. The end result is a game changer.
Tomahawk Steak Grilling Tips
PREPARING YOUR STEAK
Remove any excess fat trim from near the bone and exterior. Leaving .5 inch of fat will be ideal.
In a mixing bowl combine: finely chopped fresh rosemary, cracked black pepper, kosher salt, and just enough olive oil to turn it into a paste.
Rub the steak with the mixture and place on a sheet tray, and cover with plastic wrap. This can be done up to 24-36 hours ahead of time, but be sure to keep your steaks refrigerated until cooking time.
Once you’ve lit your charcoal and hardwood (optional) and they have cooked down to hot coals, it’s grilling time.
Gently place your steak on the grill and close the lid. You will want to let this steak cook for 10-15 min per side, turning halfway through to get those classic hash marks.
What if your grill is too hot? Gently remove the steak and lift the grate. Gently push the coals to one side of the grill and resume cooking your steak on the opposite side of the coals. This will slow the cooking down.
Allow your steaks to rest! Once you’ve cooked this beauty to its desired doneness, remove it and place it on a cutting board and allow it to rest for 10-15 mins. This will ensure a juicy and tender ribeye by allowing the muscle fibers to relax and keep those juices in.
IMPORTANT ADDED TIPS
Grilling safely is the most important part. Never leave a lit grill unattended.
Cook on a flat, level surface at least 10 feet from any building.
Play with seasonings. I prefer salt and pepper, and fire, which let the meat shine.
Add a few lemons cut in half to the grill. Simply brush with olive oil and place them flesh side down for a couple of minutes. They make for a great finishing touch for all of your grilled goodies.
Juneteenth is a Federal Holiday celebrating the end of slavery in the United States. It is on June 19, the day news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, in 1865. Food is central to the celebration of Juneteenth. From the groundbreaking book by Bryant Terry, Black Food, essayist Micheal Twitty succinctly writes, “We practiced culinary jazz and improvised, drawing on things we had always done since time began, classical things, endemic to Africa and things we composed with others in mind and creative flourishes dreamed up in the void… no matter where we go, the footsteps will keep coming with creative fire, the character of tradition and sense of the cool that made for food tradition armed with a sense of empowerment and renewal that make for fertile grounds for the footsteps of the children of Africa to come.”
Try Chef Jackie Page’s excellent recipe for refreshing Watermelon Salad this Juneteenth and beyond. It highlights chunks of fresh watermelon with greens, cucumber, and red onion alongside an oil and feta dressing. Plus, you can always add the excess watermelon to a bowl for guests to enjoy and to save food waste.
Chef Jackie Page’s recipe for jambalaya is an authentic nod to a staple of traditional Louisiana cuisine. Food is central to African American history, so while you can enjoy this recipe any time of year, it makes for a good reminder of history on Juneteenth. From the groundbreaking book by Bryant Terry, Black Food, essayist Micheal Twitty succinctly wrote “we practiced culinary jazz and improvised, drawing on things we had always done since time began, classical things, endemic to Africa and things we composed with others in mind and creative flourishes dreamed up in the void…no matter where we go, the footsteps will keep coming with creative fire, the character of tradition and sense of the cool that made for food tradition armed with a sense of empowerment and renewal that make for fertile grounds for the footsteps of the children of Africa to come.”
About Jambalaya
Like the Creole culture of Louisiana, jambalaya is a mixture of French, African, and Spanish cuisine. Its name comes from a Provençal word, but it also bears some resemblance to the Spanish paella. A version of it also exists in Senegalese cuisine, and many Black people have family stories of their ancestors making jambalaya during enslavement. There are also several variations of the dish within Louisiana. New Orleans style jambalaya, called “red jambalaya” is found primarily in and around New Orleans, and gets its name from the inclusion of tomatoes. This is a Cajun style jambalaya, free of tomatoes and more in line with the cooking style of rural lowlands of Louisiana than that of the city center.
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For those who prefer a savory breakfast to sweet, or those looking for an easy, filling meal to start the day with, look no further than this light and fluffy, simple egg casserole. Made with roasted grape tomatoes, our luxurious breakfast strata recipe will be a family meal request every weekend.
Breakfast Strata Recipe
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE STRATA
6-7 cups of crusty Italian bread cut into 2” cubes
12 eggs
3 cups whole milk
½ tsp salt
¾ tsp garlic powder
¾ tsp onion powder
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 ½ tsp spicy brown mustard
Roasted grape tomatoes*
2 cups chopped kale
2 cups baby spinach
3 cups grated cheese (I used Swiss & Gruyere)
*FOR THE ROASTED TOMATOES
3 ½ cups grape tomatoes
¼ cup olive oil
5 cloves of peeled garlic
¼ tsp salt
Cracked black pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
FOR THE ROASTED TOMATOES
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and place tomatoes and garlic in a bowl.
Pour the olive oil over tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir to coat evenly and then place on a baking sheet.
Roast for 10 minutes, stir the tomatoes, and roast for an additional 10-15 minutes. You want the tomatoes to burst and get slightly caramelized and charred. As oven temperatures vary, keep your eyes on them so as not to burn the tomatoes.
Use as many tomatoes as you’d like for the strata. Store the remaining in an airtight container in the fridge.
FOR THE STRATA
Lightly grease a large casserole pan.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the milk and seasonings and set aside.
Begin layering the strata by placing a layer of the bread cubes, followed by kale, spinach, and tomatoes, tucked between the cubes. Sprinkle a light layer of cheese and then repeat with more of the bread, kale, spinach, and tomatoes.
Continue doing this until you’ve nearly reached the top of the casserole dish. Pour the egg and milk mixture, making sure the bread gets adequately soaked. Top with more cheese, tucking in the final pieces of kale, spinach, and tomatoes.
Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes or until baked through, and the edges are lightly browned.
Recipe and Styling by Veda Sankaran / Photography by Dave Bryce
Radish… in a cocktail? You read that right. Don’t let the idea of root vegetables in your drink turn you away from trying our Pickled Radish Martini. This unexpected cocktail is the perfect balance of tangy and sweet, with a refreshing kick from Boyd & Blair’s Cucumber Vodka. It’s also incredibly easy to make, so you can spend less time mixing drinks and more time enjoying them with your friends and family.
What’s the Deal with The Savory Martini?
One of 2024 and 2025’s biggest cocktail trends appears to be the savory dirty martini. Yes, a radish martini might seem a little outlandish, but is it really that much weirder than the salad-dressing levels of olive brine and blue cheese you see in some martinis? If you’re not into the olives but also don’t want to go full on with a vodka martini, the pickled radish martini is a nice alternative. Plus, its pink color is adorable and delightfully camp, part of the appeal of the martini.
Recipe by Anna Franklin Photography by Laura Petrilla
Nothing says summer like fried chicken. Enjoy this recipe by Chef Jackie Page for your summertime family picnics.
Juneteenth is a Federal Holiday celebrating the end of slavery in the United States. It’s observed on June 19, the day news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, in 1865. Food is central to the celebration of Juneteenth. In the groundbreaking book by Bryant Terry, Black Food, essayist Micheal Twitty succinctly writes, “We practiced culinary jazz and improvised, drawing on things we had always done since time began, classical things, endemic to Africa and things we composed with others in mind and creative flourishes dreamed up in the void… no matter where we go, the footsteps will keep coming with creative fire, the character of tradition and sense of the cool that made for food tradition armed with a sense of empowerment and renewal that make for fertile grounds for the footsteps of the children of Africa to come.”
Fried Chicken Recipe
INGREDIENTS
Chicken parts
Buttermilk
Hot sauce
Season salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Flour
DIRECTIONS
To a large bowl, add chicken, buttermilk, hot sauce, and all the seasoning and let marinate for at least four hours but up to 24.
Remove chicken and let excess marinade rip off but do not pat dry.
Add the same seasonings to flour in a ziplock bag, put the chicken in, and shake. Remove chicken from flour, shake off excess flour, and add to cooking oil at 345 degrees.
Cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. If you’re not sure, use a thermometer.
Recipe by Chef Jackie Page / Photography by Scott Goldsmith / Styling by Keith Recker
Jennifer Gerasole, the exuberant force behind much of Pittsburgh restaurant Girasole’s deliciousness, shares her delightfully simple recipe for Spinach Spaghetti. You can make it at home, or if you’re local, head over to Girasole in the bucolic Pittsburgh neighborhood of Shadyside for take out or a meal on the terrace in the summer months or a cozy dinner in the rustic interior when it’s cold. If you’re not lucky enough to be able to enjoy Jennifer’s cooking in the Steel City, she’s let us share this dish with you to make a restaurant-quality Italian meal full of mouthwatering ingredients in your own kitchen. Salud!
About Girasole
Girasole means “sunflower” in Italian, which is a fitting name for the warm and welcoming environment Jennifer Girasole and her staff cultivate in their Pittsburgh restaurant. Girasole features an all-Italian wine list and a rustic villa-esque environment with a varied menu of both northern and southern Italian fare, including this spinach spaghetti. This pasta dish is perfect to cheer you up in the winter months with its bright colors and filling portions. It also works for a Christmas table setting with its red and green hues!
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Casual & Fine Dining Riverfront Restaurant Patios Now Open
An outdoor Pittsburgh Cobb Salad on a sunny day with views of the Ohio River and Mt. Washington? Yes, please. Summer breeze and Lobster Francaise while overlooking the North Shore? Yo Cuz, I’m in.
This summer, the award-winning food and beverage team at Rivers Casino heads outside. Two of the casino’s most popular restaurants—Wheelhouse Bar and Grill and Martorano’s Prime—both offer outdoor riverside patio dining.
Finer Fare: Martorano’s Prime
Reservations are recommended for Martorano’s Prime, the Italian-American Steakhouse concept by celebrity cook Steve Martorano. Gourmet magazine called Martorano’s meatballs “the best in the world.” Start with a salad starter and enjoy the meatballs a main course with an Eggplant Stack and a refreshing craft cocktail.
New menu items have recently been added at Martorano’s Prime. The lineup now includes stuffed banana peppers, Shrimp Fra Diavolo and Rigatoni & Meatball. Add one of the popular steak enhancements such as Sinatra Style or Martorano Style to any prime steak dish.
The Martorano’s Prime patio at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh features intimate tables for two, dining with friends for four, plus accommodations for larger groups.
Following the success of Martorano’s Prime at Rivers Casino Pittsburgh, a second location for Martorano’s Prime at Rivers Casino Philadelphia is expected to open later this year.
Cookbooks by South Philly’s culinary star Steve Martorano, “Yo, Cuz! My Life, My Food, My Way” and “It Ain’t Sauce, It’s Gravy” are available from Amazon. Martorano’s Café in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida is a 30-plus-year dining institution with locals and celebrity visitors alike.
You had me at Loaded Wheelhouse Fries … cheese sauce, chili, sour cream and scallions.
Rivers Casino’s ever-popular Wheelhouse menu has been curated for the discerning Pittsburgh palate since opening in 2009. That means Polish Hill Nachos, Italian Wedding Soup, Pittsburgh Cheesesteak, and a Colossal Fish Sandwich. Don’t forget about summer beverages … boozy buckets this summer are $12 and include specialties like Pineapple Express (Blue Chair Bay Coconut Rum, Banana Rum, peach schnapps, orange juice and pineapple juice), Boozy Banana (Blue Chair Bay Coconut Rum, pineapple juice, pina colada mix, orange juice), and Welcome To The Fishbowl (Blue Chair Bay Coconut Rum, White Rum, Blue Curacao, Sweet and Sour, pineapple juice, lemon-lime soda).
With high-def screens throughout, not only is Wheelhouse a great place to watch the Pirates this summer, but also “on deck”—outdoor dining is now open.
Now that summer is here take advantage of our waterfront location and enjoy the Pittsburgh skyline.
Elevate upcoming celebrations by adding gin, lemon, and a bit of sugar to your favorite champagne to create a classic French 75. Also known as a 75 Cocktail, or a Soixante Quinze in French, this brunch-y drink is a bit stronger than a Mimosa, and more elegant than a Bloody Mary. It’s perfect for cocktail hour, too, so you’ll want to add the recipe to your go-to cocktail reservoir.
What comes to mind with the word “trash” is brought up? Litter cluttering city streets? Maybe someone saying something derogatory? What about a chance for a second life, turning something old into something brand new?
The latter was the idea behind the Mattress Factory‘s annual signature-themed fundraiser held on June 9th. Guests at the 21+ costume garden party, titled Trash Bash, were challenged to contemplate the idea of metamorphosis and dress with found materials from the junk drawer to the recycling bin and beyond. There was someone wearing a water jug as a sort of helmet/hat. A skirt made out of a trash bag and water bottles. Plenty of duct tape and plastic grocery bags made an appearance too.
The theme extended to the artwork up for auction, where local artists were commissioned to create work that was transformed and/or inspired by thrifted items. With our oceans filling with waste like The Great Pacific Garbage Patch and wildfires burning out of control, every step to bring sustainability to the forefront of our minds is crucial. But it doesn’t always have to be serious, and the Mattress Factory’s Garden Trash Bash was an excellent reminder of that. The event was a hotbed for creativity grounded in sustainability — with all the proceeds going to the museum, helping keep the local hub for originality and artistry alive and available for Pittsburghers and more.
If you attended the event, share your innovative outfits with us on Instagram at @tablemagazine_westernpa. We’d love to see your creations.