MARIANI’S

  November 21, 2004                                                         NEWSLETTER

                                                    HAPPY THANKSGIVING! 

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EDITOR'S NOTE:  Readers may now access an Archive of all past newsletters--each annotated--dating back to July, 2003, by simply clicking on   ARCHIVE .

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        One of the bigger surprises in my wanderlust life has been the city of Wolfsburg, Germany, about which I knew next to nothing before visiting this summer, save that there was a Volkswagen factory there.  This alone would not have attracted me to the town, except that I was also told of an amazing museum there devoted to  modern transportation and that it was a magnificent piece of architecture.  That, dear reader, was an understatement.
     Autostadt is the formidable and somber name for one of the most exciting exhibition spaces in Europe. The best thing I can do is direct you to the extensive website (www.autostadt.de), which details the remarkable things to see and do.  Basically this is a paean to the automobile--and none too subtly, those made by Volkswagen, which includes Bentley, Lamborghini, Audi, Seat (formerly Spanish), and the Czech Skoda.  Indeed, the original concept was to show off Volkswagen's eminence as a cutting edge car company to those who come here to pick up their new car purchases.
     Begun in 1996, the concept evolved rapidly, carving a city of the future from what was pretty much a dumpy industrial city. By its opening in June of 2000, Autostadt had broadened into an entertainment and education center, straddling a winding canal and deliberately  landscaped to slow people down as they walk through it so that they may appreciate the beauty of the greenery and water, not unlike in a Japanese garden.  The walkways are pebbled, not smooth.
    In the lobby of the KonzernForum (above) there hangs a 13-meter tall globe exactly one million times smaller than the earth itself. Move into the hall and there is a KinderWelt for children between the ages of 3 and 11, including driving courses (get 'em while they're young), and a pizza station where they can make their own lunch.  There is much to be learned about modern auto design and safety, alternative fuels, and for automotive history buffs floor upon floor of classic cars of the past century. Several restaurants dot the property, operated by Mövenpick, including the 500-seat buffet Lagune, serving sausages, vegetarian food, and ice cream; Giardino, an al fresco eatery on the water; a marble coffee bar, Café Central, that makes Starbucks look bush-league (which it is anyway); Chardonnay, a posh upscale restaurant where execs meet for lunch and dinner, with a Weinbar attached and an open kitchen; an American-style diner called Cylinder done in the streamlined style of American 1950s autos; TachoMeter, a buffet; and StadtCafé, which offers breakfast and nine different rösti potato preparations.
    From the museum you exit to the various branded auto pavilions, including a strange, massive black cube out of which emerges every few minutes a bright yellow Lamborghini Murcielago banked on its side, consumed in fog. It comes into view then recedes back into the mysterious black cube.
    Autostadt is one of VW's canniest marketing ideas, not only because it promotes the religion of the car, but because those who have actually purchased one of their cars gets to stand inside a gleaming glass tower of 20 stories  of parked new cars (right) where you wait patiently as news of your own new auto is flashed on a gigantic screen next to your name. The doors part, your car shines like a diamond, and it is accompanied by a very attractive representative who knows everything possible about your car, taking as much time as you need to have it all explained to you. (Think of Marisa Tomei on the witness stand dissertating on axle widths in "My Cousin Vinnie.") It is brilliant, it is fun, it is like Christmas, any day you want to collect your new toy.
    And way out on the horizon, the long, low  Volkswagen auto factory  stretches for ten miles farther than the eye can see.    
     There's not much else to see in Wolfsburg, but situating a Ritz-Carlton Hotel (StadtBruecke; 011-49-5361-60-7000) next to the Autostadt makes doing business here or just visiting as much an exercise in good taste as it is sheer relaxation. Henn designed the 174-room hotel, while its interior shows the hand of designer Andrée Putman. Everything about it seems it is organically connected to Autostadt in spirit and design, and the beauty of the hotel is in its curves; there is no German rigidity here: walls of alabaster and glass swerve off to the left and right; light pours through every large window, especially that overlooking a marvel of industrial design, the old Volkswagen power plant.  The rooms are exquisitely modern, with every inch devoted to maximum comfort and the pragmatics of modern business.  Thus, the Bang & Olusen stereo TV has 100 cable channels in 8 languages, there are two desk phones and one cell in each room, high-speed internet access works well, and  there is a state-of-the-art spa.
    The hotel is currently running a very good package from now until Dec. 30, from €399 ($515), that includes accommodations in an executive suite, breakfast, a bottle of Champagne, use of the health club, including sauna, one massage per person, afternoon teas, and entrance to the Autostadt.

     Two restaurants at the Ritz offer both casual and not-so-formal dining.  The first, Vision, is a good spot for breakfast and lunch, with food accented with Asian spices and ideas, while Aqua (below) is a marvelous exemplary of modern European and German cooking, under Chef de Cuisine Sven Elverfeld, who has succeeded in establishing his reputation with a very demanding crowd of international business people who dined here, including the Michelin Man, who has awarded Aqua one star, in a city where it recommend little else.   There are all sorts of options here, from dining à la carte, to a series of tasting menus, with wines if you like, ranging from 5 courses at €75 ($95) to 7 courses at €89 ($115) to 10 courses for €118 ($140), which these days is an outright steal in Germany, along with vegetarian menu options. (The menu quotes Irish dramatist G.B. Shaw, from "Man and Superman, " to the effect that "There is no love sincerer  than the love of food." But then Shaw was a vegetarian. )
    Aqua's decor plays off its name-- all cool gray, mahogany and silver, with red counterpoints, and beautiful glass ceramics. The cutlery is by Robbe & Berking, the linens by Frette.  Tables in the 48-seat restaurant are widely separated, service is extremely cordial, and the wine list, especially for the best labels of modern Germany viniculture, is exemplary in its breadth and depth.   My 8-course dinner began with an amuse of four items, including delicate duck mousse, a morsel of suckling pig, ravioli with tomatoes and crayfish, and arugula foam. Five different breads are presented, including a delectable sauerkraut-and-bacon loaf.  A tart and cappuccino of smoked sturgeon followed, dotted with osietra caviar, then a superb open ravioli of Brittany lobster with a foamy tarragon-lobster bisque.  Next came tender morsels of chicken called in French sol l'y laisse with peas and yet another froth.  (Yes, Elverfeld is heavily in the throes of his foam period right now.) 

     Though I think sorbets as intermezzos are silly and dated in a 21st century meal, one of rosé Champagne was quite good of this type.  Then came an absolutely marvelous dish of veal cheeks braised with vanilla and set on a chickpea mousseline with flamed raspberries  whose tangy and sweet components worked so well against the velvety texture of the veal.  I also got to taste my friend's steamed turbot with a shellfish, lemon and leek bisque that was sheer and delightful.
      We enjoyed a selection of impeccably ripened cheese ands then a light chocolate mousse, ending off with chocolates and cookies.   The meal was light but sumptuous, streamlined and quite beautiful, set on transparent glass that echoed the restaurant's name and setting.  In a word, Aqua is simply, artfully luminous.
       Whether or not Wolfsburg is worth a special journey for anyone who is not either nuts about cars or buying one is a matter of personal interest.  But go and be amazed.  There's nothing like it anywhere.

     Through primarily a wine drinker, I’ve never shied away from Scotch,  tequila, Cognac or rum.  For some reason, though, I've been unable to find similar sensual satisfaction in grappa—the Italian distillate prepared from fermented grape pomace leftover from the winemaking process. 
       My experience making the German version of grappa, "schnapps," this past fall while working as a winemaking assistant on the Mosel River did little to improve my opinion of the spirit.  As the least experienced winery worker, I was assigned the none-too-glamorous task of preparing the pomace (a brown mass of Riesling skins, seeds, and stems) for fermentation, which involved packing the grape debris  in large                   Fratelli  Bruno Distillatori,  Montegalda, Veneto                                                        green tubs by foot as my coworkers heaved shovels-full over the side.  Apparently the sight of me jogging in these tubs was a great source of amusement to the local farmers, beer deliveryman, and grape pickers, so I frequently had a small audience.  Once the tub was packed to the rim, I doused the pomace with simple syrup, wrapped the tub in industrial plastic wrap and moved it out to the winery yard where it would ferment for months before being sent away for distillation.  I remained unconvinced that the final product was worth the effort.  
     It wasn’t until months later that grappa became palatable, even interesting to me.  At the time I was traveling in Veneto with Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani,  an association  of  Italian chefs and restaurateurs devoted to increasing the awareness of authentic Italian cuisine in the States through a variety of educational programs, events and scholarships.  To this end, the GRI also sponsors an annual trip to Italy to investigate regional gastro-enologic traditions at their source.   (For info on GRI, visit www.gruppo.com. )

     This year’s destination was Veneto, and we set out both to observe the production of and to taste gastronomic specialties including radicchio from Treviso, white asparagus from Cimadolmo, and Asiago, Montasio, and Casatella cheeses.  Our enologic focus was sparkling Prosecco, but we also touched upon the wines from the Soave, Valpolicella, and Breganze DOC’s, and, finally, grappa, of which Veneto is Italy’s leading  producer.  Indeed, the region is responsible for 40% of total production and supplies 60% of all grappa exports The big names there are Jacopo Poli and Bartolo Nardini.  Were I ever to gain an appreciation for grappa, Veneto was the appropriate place to begin.   

      Traditionally a “hard liquor for strong, poor, earthbound people,” grappa  evolved over the centuries to become a sophisticated spirit for a select market.  Flavors and characteristics of any particular bottle are influenced by many different factors, including grape variety, vineyard site, and pomace character.  White pomace is the byproduct of the grape-pressing and must be fermented before distillation.  Red pomace, on the other hand, is the byproduct of wine-making and is immediately distilled.  For both red and white pomace, the prevention of bacterial fermentation, which produces unpleasant byproducts that end up in the distillate, is key to quality.  There are also characteristics introduced by the type of still used and distillation style.  Finally, there are factors related to additional product treatments and aging.  Possibilities are limitless but grappa can generally be categorized as traditional, single varietal (pioneered by the Poli distillery in 1973), flavored or infused, and aged.  Over the decades, consumer trends have been responsible for the shift to flavored or wood aged products.  Both treatments increase the smoothness and accessibility of the spirit. 
     Less than one third of the pomace generated in Italy is utilized for grappa, but with wine production levels currently estimated at close to 50 million hectoliters, this represents an impressive quantity of both pomace and distilled spirit.   There are now more than 130 distilleries in Italy producing grappa, bottled and sold under 5,000 or so brand names.  Here are a few I found among the best.
 
Distilleria Acquavite Visná (www.acquavite.it)
This ultra-modern facility is under the direction of Roberto Castagner, enologist and master distiller trained at the prestigious Enological School of Conegliano.  He is also an inventor and innovator dedicated to bringing the benefits of technology to the ancient art of distillation.  In 1996 he founded Acquaviti Ricere,  devoted to the improvement of grappa production. Castagner’s patented Grappa System manages every aspect of grappa production with computer-controlled precision. His Torba Rossa, a barrel-aged grappa distilled from peat-smoked red grape pomace, is perhaps his greatest innovation. This is an incredibly smooth, elegant spirit with pleasant hints of peat smoke accompanying fruit and floral notes. 
 
Fratelli Brunello Distillatori (www.brunello.it)
In contrast to Acquavite Visná, Fratelli Brunello Distillatori is like stepping back in time.  We were greeted at this artisan operation, founded in 1840, by the current generation of brothers Brunello—Giovanni, Stefano and Paolo.  The plant could be a museum, with its beautifully aged antique copper extraction vats and four-chamber still system.  The Brunello brothers procure much of their pomace from some of the top Italian wine producers including Planeta and Caparzo.  A batch from noted Amarone producer Guiseppe Quintarelli had arrived that morning and the distinctive odor of distilling pomace filled the air.  We tasted three Brunello grappas.  The Grappa Bianca, a traditional-style grappa distilled from white pomace, is fruity with citrus-oil and fig aromas.  The Grappa di Amarone produced from Quintarelli’s amarone pomace is more complex with its earthy and grassy aromas.  Finally, the award-winning Grappa di Muscato, a limited production grappa from the pomace of a local aromatic grape known as Moscato Arancio, is sweet and has intense floral and honey aromas with hints of citrus.                                                                                           Assessing the pomace before distillation

 
Bartolo Nardini Distilleria D’Acquavite  (www.nardini.it) 
  At sunset we crossed the Ponte Vecchio that spans the banks of the Brenta River in Bassano del Grappa.  At the far end of the bridge a spirited throng of people, shots of grappa in hand, congregated outside the tiny, historic Nardini Grapperia.  The Nardini family has been in the distillation business since 1779, and over the centuries they have grown to become one of the largest producers, currently  distilling more than 40,000 metric tons of pomace from Veneto and Friuli annually to produce over 4 million bottles.  The bulk of their production is used for the Acquavite di Vinaccia, a traditional grappa aged in stainless steel for one year, and the Acquavite di Vinaccia Riserva, aged at least 3 years in Slovenian oak barrels.  I prefer the smoother Riserva with its complex aromas of dried fruit and floral notes with hints of caramelized sugar on the finish.  Nardini also produces a variety of infused grappas and liqueurs worth seeking out.  The Nardini alla Mandorla, a bitter almond-infused grappa with hints of cherry, the Nardini Liquore Acqua de Cedro a citron-infused liqueur, and the proprietary digestive Amaro Nardini liqueur. 


NEW YORK CORNER: Italian Casual
by John Mariani

bar.vetro
222 East 58th Street
212-3083-0112
Try as they might, restaurateurs can't seem to keep their kids out of the business. In the case of Angelo Vivolo, who owns Vivolo on East 74th Street and ran this space on East 58th for many years under the name Anche Vivolo, he gave in to his handsome, enthusiastic, 25-year old son Frank, who had been toiling in technology,  and said, "Make me proud."  I think he already is.
    Where Anche Vivolo was a smart-looking casual restaurant of the 1980s, bar.vetro is as sleek as the mesh steel bar (left) and the silver-and-black metal-and-leather accents provided by designer Robert Ascione.  Personally, I'd like a dash more color on the walls, or perhaps some flowers on the tables under the little spotlights tracked in the ceiling.  But bar.vetro is clearly intended to attract a young crowd like Frank himself, and he's given the menu a welcome twist for those who like to eat many small dishes or share them with friends.  The focus here are the assagi, which means "tastings," which run $7 each or $18 for any three, and you could make a considerable feast of them if you went with a few friends.  The assagi run the gamut from beef carpaccio over arugula with Parmigiano to poached and chilled mussels in a marinade of olive oil, lemon, pepper, onion and celery.  There is pork tonnato with anchovies and capers in a rich, creamy mayonnaise, and sautéed scallops with garlic and tomato over polenta.  Grilled zucchini are rolled with red peppers and goat's cheese, then roasted, while shrimp come with cannellini beans.  My favorite assagi among many were the ricotta gnocchi in brown butter with sage, and the fried zucchini and carrots drizzled with malt vinegar. 
     The winelist is a two-pager, nothing stunning, but serviceable, and most bottlings are under $35.
     Did I eat too much? Yes. Did I still want more?  Yes. Did I push on to the main courses? Uh, yes, I did, and quite happily, with big portions of rigatoni in a wonderful Bolognese sauce, a grilled branzino with Bermuda onions, sliced tomato and arugula; and a rollatine of veal, stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella, Parmigiano and dressed with plum tomato-basil sauce.  None of these costs more than $21, which is really remarkable, especially for this neighborhood of tony, pricey restaurants.  I'm wishing bar.vetro as long a life as Vivolo has had, believing that Frank will build his clientele and build his regulars and draw people who like good food with a good bar scene to boot. 

The Spotted Pig
314 W. 11th Street  
212-620-0393


     I do not know the family situation of April Bloomfield, the chef at the new Spotted Pig in the far West Village.  I understand only that she'd worked at London's River Café, which is as good a résumé item as you can have for Italian cookery, and owner Ken Friedman has done well to bring her here.  (Word is that busy-busy, gad-about chef Mario Batali was also a consultant here).
    The conversion from what had been Le Zoo bistro into this new "gastropub" seems minimal. The corner space, at Greenwich Street, is taken up mostly by a bar  packed to the rafters by 7 PM, with only a tiny dining area to the rear and a couple of tables up front.  The room is dark and loud, the bustle as infectious as you can imagine,  and the service staff (indistinguishable from the crowd) keeps up a frantic  fast pace trying to negotiate a route through the assembled bodies to bring orders to the kitchen and food and drink to the table.  There's piped in music--which the noise level definitely does not need--and it's not a place you want to linger, especially if you are as well along in your pregnancy as was actress Liv Tyler,  who was seated at the next table one night.  I really thought she was going to go into labor in the middle her meal, but she ate heartily with that blissful look of mothers-to-be who are happy eating for two.
        For purely gustatory reasons I was pretty blissful too;  the food is very good here--not quite so simple as you might think, but well within the rusticity of good, wholesome trattoria fare, which includes braised oxtail with a sweet-sour gremolata that is as good a starter as it is an entree; a dish of  sheep's milk ricotta gnudi (which means "nude," because there is no pasta wrapped around the ricotta), served with brown butter and sage, was fabulous but the portion, as an appetizer, skimpy indeed. A delicious roast pumpkin and arugula salad was fine and a pot-roasted pork and fennel sausage with pumpkin polenta was fine fall food. Roasted monkfish wrapped in pancetta with chicory that's been cooked in beer was all right, but they do one helluva hamburger here, about the size of a Mini Cooper's tire, set on a good bun and doused with melted Roquefort cheese.  The shoestring fries get gobbled up quickly, though they are too thin, more like threads.
      Goldilocks would love the lemon-and-lime tart--not too sweet, not too tart, just right--and there's a whole lot to like about the moist cider apple cake with maple syrup. 
    None of this will cost you much, with appetizers $11-$14 and entrees $15-$22, though your bill can mount up depending on what wines you choose from an eclectic list ranging from $25 for a basic Bordeaux Blanc to $84 for a Selene Merlot '00.  But there are plenty of wines under $40.
       The Spotted Pig does not take reservations for parties less than six (unless, I suppose, you eight moths pregnant and a movie star), which, given its size, is quite reasonable. 

JUST IMAGINE IF IT WAS A PASTRAMI SANDWICH ON RYE, OY!

MAYBE, BUT TWO HOURS LATER YOU DON'T WANT TO WATCH ANOTHER WOODY ALLEN MOVIE

QUICK BYTES

* From Nov. 16-20 The Week of La Cucina Romana in NYC will feature Massimo Riccioli, Chef-owner of La Rosetta in  Rome, together with other three Roman Chefs, will present Roman fish specialties at participating restaurants throughout the week at  Barbetta, Barolo, Beppe, Lattanzi, La Pizza Fresca, Paper Moon Milano, Primavera, Remi, Rughetta, and San Domenico  NY.

* On Nov. 16 Cleveland’s Classics restaurant will hold a wine dinner featuring Domaine de la Romanée-Conti will, at $550 pp. with a menu by  Chef de Cusine Guillaume Brard. Call 216-707-4154.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This newsletter is also available on the very comprehensive food site www.sautewednesday.com
which has dozens of other links to food articles from around the world, and also at www.Gayot.com. New York Corner reviews are also available at  www.nycvisit.com/johnmariani

MARIANI'S VIRTUAL GOURMET NEWSLETTER is published weekly.  Editor/Publisher: John Mariani. Contributing Writers: Robert Mariani,  Naomi  Kooker, Kirsten Skogerson,  Edward Brivio, Mort Hochstein, Lucy Gordan, Suzanne Wright. Contributing Photographers: Galina Stepanoff-Dargery,  Bobby Pirillo. Technical Advisor: Gerry McLoughlin.

 John Mariani is a columnist for Esquire, Wine Spectator, Diversion and the Harper Collection. He is author of The Encyclopedia of American Food & Drink (Lebhar-Friedman), The Dictionary of Italian Food and Drink (Broadway), and, with his wife Galina, the award-winning new Italian-American Cookbook (Harvard Common Press).   To  purchase from amazon.com, click on the image below.

copyright John Mariani 2004