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MARIANI’S
Virtual Gourmet
September 18, 2005
NEWSLETTER
Bacchus (c. 1597) by
Caravaggio
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In
This Issue
OUR FAVORITE
MANSIONS: Le Manoir aux
Quat' Saisons by Naomi R. Kooker
AMERICA'S BEST CHOCOLATES by
Suzanne Wright
NEW YORK CORNER: Restaurant Daniel by
John Mariani
QUICK BYTES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
WHAT
HAPPENED TO LAST WEEK'S NEWSLETTER?
Owing to an internet server problem,
last week's (Sept. 11) edition of this newsletter did not appear on
Sunday but was delayed three days. The server has informed me
that they are working on the problem, but it may not be fixed as of the
time this newsletter is sent out, so there may be a delay on this
edition too. To be on the safe side, this edition is going out a
day early. My apologies.
--John Mariani
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our
Favorite Mansions
Raymond Blanc serves as French ambassador in an English
estate
by Naomi
R. Kooker
Le
Manoir aux
Quat' Saisons
Whoever said the French
and the English are at odds has never been to Le Manoir Aux Quat'
Saisons near Oxford,
England. It is a quintessential English manor, run by French native and
chef/proprietor Raymond Blanc and his cheerful staff.
Le Manoir is housed in a
15th-century estate on 27 acres of stunning grounds that
includes a 32-room inn. There is also an
extraordinary
restaurant, and a
cooking school, L'Ecole de Cuisine, which Blanc (below) opened more than 10
years ago. Everything about Manoir
feels like classic English countryside--the gravel drive, the pristine
manicured lawn, the 400-year-old horse chestnut tree standing
magnificently at the inn's entrance.
Pruned rosemary bushes flank
the restaurant entrance, an aromatic greeting and indication of things
to come from the organic garden. Once you pass the Anglo
threshold into the
manor, you sense the Franco fervor in the restaurant. Cooks fuss about
in a bright yellow kitchen; copper pots line up at attention; the
airy dining
room (below) is soothing, with
an opaque roof that cloaks the room in soft
daylight, an indoor gazebo, white linens, and still lifes that are
meditations in simplicity.
The menu is French,
albeit contemporary. At lunch, with a prix fixe of
45£
($81), our menu was harmonized between
delicate and gutsy, hints of truffle, and transporting flavors.
Blanc was not in the kitchen on
that particular day, but Gary Jones, Blanc's executive head chef, was.
To begin, tuna carpaccio had a fresh, clean flavor, with hints of
summery basil
pesto and the peppery punch of arugula salad, what the English
call
rocket salad. We swooned over the white truffle risotto, fragrant and
rich with a mushroom fricassée that included chanterelles, black
trumpets, and button mushrooms.
A simple roast cod à l'ancienne, set on braised
cabbage with lardons, had a
delicacy needed for the mild fish but also carried a bold hint
of rosemary in the surrounding beurre
blanc. Roast chicken breast, juicy and tender, carried a
hint of Thanksgiving--roast pumpkin seasoned with thyme and
garlic, and garden corn.
A bottle of Saint-Aubin
"Les Charmois Premiere Cru" 2001 carried each dish
memorably.
An iced chestnut
parfait for dessert was the coveted choice, with a sweet rum sauce and
chocolate ganache. A caramelized pear feuilleté
draped with caramel and
ginger sauce was also exceptional. A stroll through the Japanese tea
garden (right), a
contemplative
space with "very old carp"
is an excellent way to digest.
The rooms at the inn are individually designed
with specific regions and
themes in mind, such as "the Provence" with wood-smoke original beams
and
orchids; "Opium" (left),
decorated with bamboo and featuring a Zen garden, and
"Snow Queen" with snowflake wallpaper. Madeira is placed in all the
rooms.
A 7-course tasting
dinner is 95£ ($172). à la carte, first
courses are 25-30£
($45-$54) and entrees 40-45£ ($72-$81).
Le Manoir aux
Quat'Saisons is located on Church Road in Great
Milton, just outside of Oxford;
Tel: (+44)-1-844-27881; www.manoir.com. Lodging rates begin at 360£ ($650)
per
night and rise to 1,250£
($2,258) for a 2-bedroom
suite.
America's Best
Chocolates
by
Suzanne
Wright
I never
thought I would utter
the phrase, “I am sick of chocolate.” Then
again, my sickness was temporary, predicated on a
massive
American chocolate tasting undertaken over the last two months, with
the help
of several
trusted peers. I am happy to report that
I have recovered fully from my chocolate-induced malaise and am now
happily back to my daily dose of sweet heaven.
We tasted hundreds of
chocolates from more
than 15 artisan chocolatiers; the best are highlighted here, in no
particular order. In
requesting samples from across the
country,
I asked
each company to
send his or her most distinctive products. Our impressions
include the packaging and
look of the products, but, most important, the taste.
Chocolates we sampled that were cleverly
outfitted but fell short in taste are not included here.
One caveat for all
chocolates: for best flavor, plan to
consume them within a week. Most have no
preservatives and are
made
with natural ingredients, so they will go stale or rancid.
Freshness is what sets the ultimate
chocolates apart from the mass-produced variety, and must be
shipped overnight
on dry ice to preserve them in transit. Store
them in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat.
Christopher
Elbow (left). Hands
down the most gorgeous
chocolates we
saw. Hand-painted, they look like small,
shiny works of modern art (one taster compared them to marbles) and
felt hefty
in the hand. The flavor combinations were
daring, intense and true; the aromas were rich; the innovative shapes
melted
softly on the tongue. Among many favorites were the delicious rosemary
caramel with
an unusual but appealing grassy flavor; the espresso with lemon is both
bitter
and zesty, like the drink; citrus caramel, with fresh lime cutting the
buttery
richness. Young, bespectacled Elbow has
done the state of Missouri proud with these
sweets. Visit www.christopherelbowchocolates.com
or call 816-842-1300.
Garrison’s. Andrew
Garrison Shots (right) was
once the pastry
chef at the Russian Tea Room and Lutèce. His
beautifully crafted (each piece takes four days to
make), intensely
flavored, European-style confections are seasonal: the entire
collection
changes every three months. We sampled
the Vernal Equinox 2005 collection and fell for the fresh, clear
flavors of the
sunfruit marzipan, an almond marzipan topped with citrus pate de fruit
enrobed
in dark chocolate; the we-can’t-believe-it’s-salted-celery dark
chocolate ganache
coated in milk chocolate kissed with the crunch of celery salt on top;
and
peppered pineapple. Log onto www.garrisonconfections.com
or
call 401-277-CHOC.
Gearhart’s. I
discovered these on a trip to Charlottesville, Virginia, where a four-piece
box of these on my
pillow at the
upper-crust Keswick Hall made for the sweetest of dreams. A Marine
veteran of
the Gulf War, Tim Gearhart uses Venezuelan criollo cacao with local
sweet cream
and butter to make his complex confections. I
adore his Michigan cherry, a fudgy,
semi-sweet ganache touched
with
kirsch, featuring a plump, dried cherry in the middle and dipped in
dark
chocolate. Also worth trying: Taj, which
tastes like India, a splendid, lightly fragrant bittersweet ganache
with
candied ginger, cardamom and rose dipped in dark chocolate; the best
white
chocolate we sampled, tequila-lime: aged añejo and fresh whipped
lime
fondant
dipped in white chocolate; and mint julep, real mint spiked with aged
Kentucky
bourbon and dipped in milk chocolate. Nice heft
to all pieces. His
local shop displays the goods like a fine
jewelry store.
Visit www.gearhartschocolates.com
or
call 434-972-9100.
Jean-Phillippe
Mauary. You just know something
extravagant awaits
you inside this gorgeous, leather-esque box (complete with pull-out
drawer),
which looks like it could house fine cigars or fine jewelry (the prices
match
the packaging). The gems inside are
astonishing: the Sevillian, dark chocolate coated orange marzipan
scented with
Grand Marnier; the Menton, pucker-worthy
zested lemon ganache coated in dark chocolate; the
Tahiti, crispy outside with a soft white vanilla rum
ganache
interior surrounded by a dark chocolate robe; the Sicilian: roasted pistachio tucked inside white
chocolate ganache. If you are in Las Vegas, check out his
dazzling, edible artwork at The
Bellagio (right) or call
702-693-8788 to make
someone’s day.
Norman
Love (below). Love,
from South Florida,
famously
provides
chocolates to The Ritz-Carlton Hotels and excels with fruit and exotic
spice flavors. These beauties “look like
little planets or
polished stones” said one taster, although several of us felt they were
a
little skimpy in weight. All the
truffles had knockout perfume to them. Elvis
would heartily approve the banana peanut butter (no metallic flavorings
here);
the Saigon cinnamon had a lingering finish; the coconut had a fresh
crunch; the
passionfruit was zingy; the five spice dipped in velvety milk chocolate
ganache
was fantastic.
Visit www.normanloveconfections.com
or phone 239-561-7215.
Jubilee (right). This
Philly pair--John and Kira--met over an inner-city
gardening project. Community-minded,
their thin mint chocolate squares do good (they are made with leaves
grown by
students at the nearby elementary school) and taste simply amazing,
like herbs freshly
plucked from the garden. As one taster noted, “somebody finally got it
right: these are not oily or artificial
tasting.” Other standouts that capture
the true essence of each ingredient are the bergamot, clear orange
flavor with
a slight tea taste and frothy texture; a not-too-unctuous ginger; smoky
coffee
whiskey that’s not at all bitter; and starry night, a nostril-opener of
anise.
Call 800-747-4808 or log onto www.jubileechocolates.com.
Velo
Chocolate. I gotta hand it
to Velo,
I
admire the the sheer creativity of tapping into retro memories to
create a dark
chocolate dome that explodes with strawberry pop rocks and puts a smile
on
even
the grumpiest of baby boomer faces.
Call
212-245-2817 or log onto www.velochocolate.com.
Chocolatesmith. I love ingenuity born of need: the
owners of Chocolatesmith in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Clif and Chris,
are avid backpackers, so they created a striking wax encasement for
their fudgy
pâtés, so
they could enjoy them on a hike. Toss
out the trail mix—you will love the Southwest-inspired flavors, like
the
chile-kissed dark chocolate.
If you are
in Santa Fe, do drop by the
charming shop.
I
am still constantly on the
lookout for
new and unfamiliar chocolates. If you
know of some, write me at Suzanne@writesquared.com.
NEW
YORK CORNER
RESTAURANT DANIEL
by John Mariani
60 East 65th Street
212-288-0033
http://danielnyc.com/daniel
The
American Dream seems
alive and well in the restaurant
industry,
for it has long been the case--back
to the 19th century--that one of the most open paths into American
society has
always been through food service. The Germans, Irish, Italians,
Jews, and
all the Latinos and Asians who've come to the U.S. in recent decades,
have
been
well assimilated into the food stores, delis, diners, bodegas,
salumerias, pubs,
noodle parlors, sushi bars, and fish stores, often rising to the top of
their
field and getting rather wealthy along the way.
When it comes to the French, entering
the
American
restaurant business seemed a natural--so much so that at the beginning
of the
last century, French would have been the first language among kitchen
workers,
as it later became Italian and now Spanish. Thai can't be far
behind.
It was in this way that Daniel Boulud (above), widely
recognized as one of the world's great working chefs, started on his
own
American
odyssey, beginning his life on a family farm near Lyon,
inspired by his grandmother's cooking.
Daniel seemed destined to
follow in the culinary trade, training under
masters like Roger Vergé, Georges Blanc, and Michel
Guérard
before
being appointed Chef
to The European Commission in Washington, DC.
Next, Daniel opened the Polo Lounge at NYC's Westbury Hotel and later
Le
Régence at the Hotel Plaza Athenée, before becoming Chef
from 1986 to 1992 at
Le Cirque, where his star soared.
Twelve years ago Daniel opened his own
namesake
restaurant to great acclaim, then, in 1998 moved it to larger quarters,
on the
former premises of Le Cirque. The more casual Café Boulud took
over the
space Daniel vacated, and in 2001 he opened DB Bistro Moderne in
the Theater District,
then a
second Café Boulud. at Palm Beach’s Brazilian Court
hotel. His
latest
venture is Daniel Boulud
Brasserie opened last April at
Wynn Las Vegas Resort and Country Club. In addition, he runs the
catering
company Feast & Fêtes, and his "Daniel Boulud CONNOISSEUR"
line
of Caspian caviar and smoked Scottish salmon, and he has his own brand
of
professional quality kitchenware, aptly called Daniel Boulud Kitchen
(DBK). Somewhere along the line he's also authored five
books and
does a bi-monthly cooking column for Elle
Magazine.
If, then, Daniel has, through tremendous effort,
achieved the American dream, one might think he has now spread it too
thin, which seems almost inevitable for master chefs these days.
(He gave up a consultancy for the Queen
Mary 2 when things didn't meet
his standards.) Yet while I rail against other chefs who manage
their portfolios
without ever actually cooking in any of the restaurants they oversee,
Daniel Boulud is one who is continuously in his kitchen, most of the
time at Restaurant Daniel in
NYC, which is where I found him on my last visit to this grand luxe
dining salon on the Upper East Side.
Upon
entering through what were once
hotel doors, you are immediately greeted—by name if you’ve ever been
there
even once before—and notice to your right a very sophisticated bar (above, right). There
is also one of NYC's loveliest private dining and banquet rooms at
Daniel. Down a few steps you come to the
reception
desk and are greeted again with the most cordial welcome
imaginable—none of
that faux-chumminess or disgraceful
“I’ll-be-with-you-when-I-get-to-you”
demeanor. Charming young women and men note your reservation and thank
you for
coming, You are shown to your table,
which is in a truly grand dining room (below)
that has grown more graceful with time. It’s
still a very formal room,
complete with Venetian pillars and mezzanine, yet there are still some
males (I
cannot
muster up the word “gentlemen”) who buck the “jackets requested”
guideline in
clothes that would be out of place at a Ninth
Avenue sandwich shop. You
know you’re badly dressed when the staff at a
restaurant looks
far better than you.
Service will be superb throughout the
evening, especially wine service, under sommelier Philippe Marchal, who
oversees a cellar
of more than 1,500 selections, with many good bottlings under $50.
There are also Daniel Boulud Cuvée Selections, including a
Champagne
made for the restaurant by Abel Blondin.
Boulud's chef de cuisine, Jean-François
Bruel, 28, has a background uncannily similar to his boss's, having
been raised on a farm outside of Lyon and trained under some of the
same mentors. He became sous-chef at Café Boulud in 1998,
chef at DB Bistro Moderne in 2001, and took over from departing chef de
cuisine Alex Lee at Daniel. Jean-François Bonnet is executive
pastry chefs, and Mark Fiorentino makes all the wonderful breads for
the restaurant.
With my wife and two sons we sat down to
a beautifully set table (the one in the middle there in the photo at
left) with immediate access to Mr. Marchal and his wine list.
With the consent of my family, I merely turned to him and said, "Just
have Daniel cook whatever he likes and choose whatever wines you think
go best with the dinner"--the kind of challenge sommeliers get giddy
about. Within moments we were digging in to a duck foie gras
terrine with Marconia almonds, a fig chutney and little celery salad,
and rabbit cooked like suckling pig, with chorizo, foie gras, mustard,
pickled chanterelles and toasted hazelnuts dotted around the
plate. With this Marchal chose a lovely, slightly sweet Vouvray
Domaine de la Haute Borne 2003.
The next courses (we split two different
dishes among the four of us) was the last of summer's
triumphs--Carolina shrimp and melon salad with opal basil, a spicy
watermelon gelée, and avocado, and a duo of Peeky Toe crab done "en gelée" with fennel and a
cumin-carrot foam, and a summer roll with jicama, a hint of curry, and
basil salad. Both dishes had their virtues but perhaps too many
of them for two plates, and the choice of a rather dull Ried Schön
Federspiel Grüner Veltliner 2003 didn't do much to quiet things
down.
The meal returned to exciting form with
zucchini flowers stuffed with saffron-scented squid and and arugula pistou, and tender
poached octopus with eggplant caviar and an herb
salad, which was very good with an exceptional Blain-Gagnard Chassagne
Montrachet 2002. The flavors increased measurably with a crayfish
risotto with slender asparagus, baby romaine and sauce
Américaine, and
potato gnocchi with poached langoustines and peas in a watercress
emulsion--very French ideas about pasta, and well complemented by a
Bruno Clair Savigny-les-Beaune 1998 that had plenty of richness to
contain the vegetal
flavors.
Daniel's
bar and lounge dining area
One fish course was grilled wild salmon
of exquisite delicacy, served with suman-braised fennel, roasted figs
and a balsamic-laced bordelaise; the other was slowly baked Maine
halibut with carrots, creamy spinach, an orange-mustard glaze and
telecherry pepper sauce--assertive flavors that admirably did not
overpower
the fish in the slightest. The big red Sori' Paitin Barbaresco 2000
that
was poured was an ideal match.
For meat we were served three
tastes: honey-glazed Muscovy duck breast with cauliflower,
caramelized black radishes, and braised leg with scallions
"craquelins," otherwise known
as cracklings; organic veal came as a
roasted tenderloin and grilled liver with a classic mustard sauce,
while braised sweetbreads arrived with sides of zucchini à
la provençale, and sautéed chanterelles; baby lamb
came
in three presentations, as a roasted rack, shoulder, and confit, with
cauliflower, golden raisins, pine nuts, and haricots verts. The
wines chosen to go with all these various sweet-woodsy, reductive
flavors were two beauties--a Rockford "Basket Press" Shiraz 2000, and a
D.R. Stephens Moose Valley Vineyard 2001.
There was a superb cart of cheeses
presented, then four (maybe more) desserts that included a peach
poached
in Darjeeling tea with lemon angel's food cake and honey-thyme sorbet;
a blueberry-almond clafoutis
with candied orange coulis and yogurt
sorbet; and a chocolate fondant with milk jam. The evening ended with
petit-fours and a
sip or two of Château des Charmes Ice Wine 2000.
These
are very complex dishes, but each has been thought through with an eye
towards balance. Perhaps onc less ingredient per plate would be
even better, but this is a cuisine as modern as any in New York
while still retaining that cohesion of classical training that keeps
one flavor from flourishing at the expense of another. Daniel is
a very serious French restaurant and doing very fine business--a taunt
to those who say such places are dinosaurs in the face of trendier
places with no tablecloths and piped-in hip hop music. If one
cannot dine at Daniel every week, it is one of the great gastronomic
thrills to know you can do so whenever the spirit moves you. And,
despite having his fingers in many pies, Daniel will most probably be
there cooking
for you too.
Restaurant Daniel's fixed price
3-course menu is $96; 4 courses, $110; 5 courses $132, and 8 courses
$175.
THEN
WE ALL WENT TO THE ORIGINAL PANCAKE HOUSE AND GOT STONED
"As the tour guide rhapsodized about the monitors in the bus shelters
that update commuters on the buses' ETA every 30 seconds and the
parking meters that know to refuse your money on the days when payment
isn't necessary, a cluster of punk-lite kids in dog collars and
Converse high-tops started heckling him. They also suggested, in no
uncertain terms, that all of us--the losers standing there listening to
the lecture on public transportation--pack it in and go back home. . .
. It only made me love Portland more."--Kimberly Sevcik, "Can a Place
Be Too Perfect?" Budget Travel
(August 2005).
DIDN'T THEIR
MOTHERS TELL THEM NEVER TO LEAVE FOOD ON THEIR PLATES?
In Suffolk, VA, robbers who
stopped for a snack before they
robbed a
fast-food restaurant last year were traced through their DNA left
on the partially eaten burgers.
Marcellus
L. Jones, 45, Thomas Nelson Cribbs IV, 23, and Dexter Carlos Webb, 22,
all of Emporia, were charged with armed robbery, abduction and using a
firearm in a felony.
KATRINA
RELIEF EVENTS
*
From now until Sept 30, Simon Oren's NYC Tour De France restaurants are all
banding together to help those affected by Hurricane Katrina by
donating all
proceeds from the sale of "The French Quarter" a cocktail created by bar chef Aviram Turgeman for
this event, at Marseille, 212-333-2323;
Nice Matin, 212-873-NICE;
French Roast downtown, 212-533-2233; French Roast uptown, 212-799-1533;
Le
Monde, 212-531-3939; Maison, 212-757-2233; L'Express, 212-354-5858;
and Pigalle, 212-489-2233.
* On Sept. 29 Chefs
Without Borders (affiliated
with
the Asian Chefs Association) and Hilton Hotel will host a benefit event
at the Hilton
Continental Ballroom. for The Salvation Army and San Francisco
Foundation to aid victims of Katrina,
$250 pp. Call 415- 677-8688 or www.sff.org. cost
$150 pp; call 415-553-3575 or www.tsagoldenstate.org. Restaurants incl. Ana
Mandara, Asia de Cuba, Restaurant BUDO, BIG 4, Chef Chu’s, Cityscape
Bar &
Restaurant, Damrak Gin, Hilton San Francisco, EOS and Bacar
Restaurants, La
Folie, La Suite, Le Colonial, Left Bank, Ozumo, Parcel 104, Roy’s
Hawaiian Fusion,
Ritz-Carlton San Francisco, Rubicon, San
Francisco Wine Exchange, Silks Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Straits
Restaurant,
Sushi Ran, Sierra Nevada, Sino Restaurant, Thep Phanom, Three Seasons,
Tommy
Toy’s, and more.
QUICK
BYTES
* From Sept. 19-23 the
restaurants of The Smith &
Wollensky Restaurant Group will hosts its 37th biannual Wine
Week celebration at which, for $10 over the price of lunch, guests are
welcome to taste 10 wines from the selection offered that day, with
more than 700 participating wineries. For info go to
www.smithandwollensky.com.
*
On Sept. 20 at The
Institute of Culinary Education
in NYC demo kitchen, Hiroko
Shimbo of
Hiroko's Kitchen, cooking teacher and author of The Japanese Kitchen,
will introduce guests us to the
basics of
Japanese cuisine. A copy of Hiroko’s book is included in the
registration
fee. $55
for WCR Members; $65 for non-members; $55 for students; Call 1-877-927-7787, or visit www.womenchefs.org.
*
On Sept. 24 The James Beard Foundation is embarking
on its first "Celebrity Chef Tour” of America, offering diners who live outside of NYC the
chance
to experience a Beard dinner. For their stop in Boston, the Foundation has chosen Meritage and executive
chef Daniel Bruce to a 4-course dinner paired with Mondavi wines. $150
pp. Call
617-439-3995.
* On
Sept. 25 the Asian Chefs Association-sponsored
dinner will be held at Ana Mandara in San Francisco, with multiple chef tasting
stations from
12 top Asian restaurants, plus special guest chef Stuart Brioza from
Rubicon in San Francisco, focusing on Modern Vietnamese
cuisine, and will include a Vietnamese fashion show,
traditional music, a dance DJ, and raffle prizes. The event marks the
launch of the ACA Student Chef Scholarship program. Visit www.anamandara.com or call
415-771-6800.
*
On Sept. 26 more than 35 NYC chefs,
newscasters and daytime television stars will join forces at the 13th
Annual Feast With Famous Faces, to benefit
the League for the Hard of Hearing. Hosted
by JP Morgan Chase. Restaurants incl.: Gonzo,
Beacon Restaurant & Bar, Brasserie 8 ½, Brick Lane Curry
House, Butter,
Café Centro, Candela, Casa Mono, Dim Sum Go Go, fresh, Gonzo,
Ian, Keens
Steakhouse, Lo Scalco, Maloney & Porcelli, Maremma, Mercadito, Park
Avenue
Café, Riingo, Rosa Mexicano, Ruby Foo's Times Square, San
Pietro, Table XII
Restaurant, The Art Institute of New York City, Trio Restaurant &
Wine Bar,
and Zoë. $350
pp. Call 917-305-7804. A select number of
sponsorship opportunities
may still be available.
*
On Sept. 26 Chef
Geoff
Gardner of Sel de la Terre in Boston
will showcase early fall produce from Stillman’s Farm at a 4-course
dinner,
withand owner Glenn Stillman will be on hand to educate guests about
the
seasonality of New England produce and the growing practices at his
farm. $48 pp. Call 617-720-1300.
* On
Sept. 27 “The
Joy of Sake,”
featuring the largest collection of sakes ever assembled in the U.S., will
take place at The Puck
Building
in NYC, with a percentage of ticket sales to the American Red Cross
Hurricane
Katrina Relief Fund. $75 pp: www.joyofsake.com; 212-799-7243
($90 at the door).
* On Sept. 28 Plumpjack Cafe
in San Francisco will hold a dinner featuring
Connie Green of Wine Forest Mushrooms, and Saintsbury Winery, served in
the
courtyard and Private Dining Room. $95 pp. Call
415-440-1133 or
r_gibson@plumpjack.com.
* On Sept. 29 the “Signature
Chefs Celebration 2005” (formerly
known as BestFest) will be held at the River Ranch in Cowtown, Fort Worth, TX. The
City’s Magazine and Bonnell’s Fine Texas
Cuisine are partners of the March of Dimes event, with
Pier One Imports as Presenting Sponsor.
Signature Chefs recognizes chefs and restaurants throughout the Tarrant County area will serve specialty
dishes; also, a
silent and live auction, casino games and music. For info call Joan
Church at 817-
924-9944 x 101 or visit www.modnt.org.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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, Bloomberg News and
Radio, and Diversion.
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).
Any of John Mariani's books below
may be ordered from amazon.com by clicking on the cover image.
copyright John Mariani 2005
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