MARIANI’S
Virtual Gourmet
"Drinkers"
By Vincent Van Gogh (1890) ❖❖❖
IN THIS ISSUE ALONG THE RIVIERA, Part Two By Misha Mariani NEW YORK CORNER MAREA By John Mariani NOTES FROM THE WINE & SPIRITS CELLAR A GOOD YEAR FOR BIBULOUS BOOKS By John Mariani ❖❖❖ ALONG THE RIVIERA Part Two By Misha Mariani Grace Kelly and Cary Grant in "To Catch a Thief" (1955)
When
considering Italian vacation spots, the usual
suspects always come to mind. Sicily. Portofino.
Venice. Rome. Florence. But what and where is
Alassio? A small town located on the Italian
Riviera that never seems to be part of the
conversation, it is the home to one of the most
marvelous estates and scenic views you can find
in Italy.
To
wrap up
our trip, we hopped in the car and headed back
to Milan. But before doing so,
we picked up a freshly baked baguette, some
French butter, and a small wedge of
cheese so that we could make ourselves a little
lunch without stopping. Despite
all of the luxurious meals and dining
experiences we'd had, there is very little
that measures up to the perfection that is a
truly great sandwich made from such
glorious French products.
With
our bellies full and being fully caffeinated by
espresso (only in
Italy can you get a perfectly made espresso in a
porcelain cup in a highway gas
station), we landed back into Milan where we
settled into the über-luxurious
Baglioni Hotel
Carlton, located on the innermost ring
of via
Senato, central to everything you'd want to see
and just a five-minute walk from the Duomo di
Milano, La Scala Opera
House, the Brera Gallery, the Galleria Emanuele
and the
heart of the fashion district. You couldn’t be
better situated to take
advantage of what of the city offers.
Our
suite was styled in a traditional décor of
patterned hard
wood floors, heavy woven draperies, decorative
crown and wall molding, ornate
ceiling chandeliers and a coffer ceiling (above).
Some of Baglioni’s other suites and
accommodations are done with a bit more
modern/contemporary flare, with deep,
bold red velvets and clean, hard lines.
Regardless of your taste in interior
design, you will find yourself pampered
throughout your stay.
The
Baglioni isn’t just a place to rest your head,
as they have a full
accoutrement of amenities from fine dining at
the upscale clubbish restaurant, ll Baretto (left)--particularly
popular before the opera--to casual
bites and cocktails in the Art Déco Caffe
& Terrazza, to pampering yourself
in the
health & wellness spa. It's also a good
business traveler's hotel, with comfortable
public rooms to meet in. A lavish
breakfast is inclusive, and the hotel features a
number of special offers, like "Stay an Extra
Night" and discounts of rooms booked a week in
advance, making it one of the less expensive
deluxe hotels in Milan. NEW
YORK CORNER
❖❖❖By John Mariani MAREA
240 Central Park
South (off
Columbus Circle)
I
once asked a noted Italian restaurateur why a
city like New York couldn’t have at least one
restaurant where the seafood is every bit as
good as I’d find in Italy. His
answer was distressing: “If I were to bring in
the best quality seafood from Italy, I’d have to
charge so much money no one could afford it, not
even in New York.” Photo: Noah Fecks The wine list, under Francesco Grosso, numbers 750 labels, largely to complement the seafood (Marea’s menu does have a couple of meat dishes), and features the best Italian white wines available. Photo: David
Axelrod The menu begins with
some crostini
topped with anchovies and salsa verde
or lobster with pickled tomatoes and smoked aïoli
($11-$15). Then
there are the raw fish—ten or more—any one of
which is an example of what should be
served elsewhere and so rarely is—Long Island
fluke with candied ginger and apple; Pacific jack
mackerel with fig and fennel and more. It is crudi of
this quality that has made crudi
popular in Italy. You may opt for a plate
of cheeses from list of six Italian or American
selections ($18 for three; $32 for six), but you
should not miss desserts (all $16) like a crostata
with poached pear and a mascarpone semi-freddo,
walnut and dark chocolate; bomboloni
banana donuts with lemon cream and chocolate
hazelnut sauce; and panna cotta
with pinenuts, black mission figs, rosemary and
brioche and sorbet.
Sixteen bucks is way too pricey for affogato,
which is nothing more than vanilla ice cream with
espresso poured over it, but you do get a cookie. Marea is open
Mon.-Fri. for lunch; Sat. & Sun. for brunch;
dinner nightly. NOTES FROM THE WINE AND
SPIRITS LIBRARY
A GOOD YEAR FOR BIBULOUS BOOKS By John Mariani
RUM CURIOUS by
Fred Minnick ($25)—This is the second (his first
was on Bourbon) in what I
hope will make a complete series on spirits by
America’s premier writer on the subject. Minnick
is an entertaining writer who puts enormous effort
into research, both scholarly and on the ground,
visiting, interviewing and tasting at scores of
distilleries and rum companies. Rum’s story is richer than
any other liquor’s, beginning with the
ignominious trade whereby African slaves were
brought to the Caribbean to work the sugar
plantations to make rum to ship back to Europe,
and continuing into the 20th century, when rum
runners plied the American seacoast during
Prohibition.
His detailed notes on scores of
rums from different countries have the sense of a
very dedicated connoisseur. THE COMPLETE BORDEAUX: The Wines,
the Châteaux, the People by Stephen
Brook, 3rd edition ($75). I would
not necessarily include a subsequent edition to a
book that first appeared ten years ago, but so
much has changed in Bordeaux, not least concerns
about global warming and global marketing, that
this thoroughly revised volume is requisite for
anyone wanting to understand what is happening in
a region that clings to tradition. There
are write-ups of 13,000 wineries, and Brook shows
how changing hands—the Chinese now own more than
100 chateaus, including some of the most famous,
like Château Fronsac—may mean changing ways. THE BLOODY MARY BOOK
By Ellen Brown ($18)—The indefatigable Ellen Brown
has now turned her
talents, focus, wit and palate on one of the best
loved and most misunderstood cocktails in the
world. As a staple of the weekend brunch, the
Bloody Mary has suffered many watered-down
indignities, so Brown gives a thorough report on
how this classic became a classic in the first
place. She
then adds in numerous but sensible variations on
the drink and good advice on garnishes and some
canapés that go well with a pitcher of Bloodys. STRAIGHT UP: The
Insiders’ Guide to the World’s Most Interesting
Bars and Drinking Experiences By
Joel Harrison and Neil Ridley ($19.99)—The
authors’ last book, Distilled,
won the Fortnum & Mason Drink Book of the Year
award in 2013, and this is a fine follow-up,
providing plenty of sound advice on the best bars
around the globe, from Singapore’s Jigger &
Pony to L.A.’s Harvard & Stone. They give a
description of atmosphere, crafted cocktails, and
bar etiquette, along with profiles of bartenders,
although mixologists come and go with the seasons.
❖❖❖
FOOD WRITING 101: TRY NOT TO SOUND TOO LUSTY
"LA lays out a singular feast of worldwide
cuisines (and remains my
favorite
food city in America), but like the rest
of the country, it’s experiencing a surge of Italian
restaurants — the kinds serving the carby, saucy,
cheesy, herby, garlicky sustenance for which the human
soul lusts."--Bill Addison, "Best New Restaurants of the
Year," Eater.com.
"Can I have a
caprese salad, but with no tomato, no mozzarella."
"Is the ice cream soft or
hard, I am allergic to soft ice cream."
A woman asked
if I could remove the "sour" out of the sourdough bread
we served. "Cappuccino
with the foam on the side.
"No burger, no onions, no
tomato, no egg, no bacon, no pickles, no fries, no
anything, Just buns."
"Paella without rice, please."
"I want the stuffed salmon. I don't like
the taste of salmon though, so don't make it taste
like salmon."
"Can I get
the special with fettuccine? I'm allergic to penne."
"You're allergic to a shape?" ❖❖❖ Any of John Mariani's books below may be ordered from amazon.com. The Hound in Heaven (21st Century Lion Books) is a novella, and for anyone who loves dogs, Christmas, romance, inspiration, even the supernatural, I hope you'll find this to be a treasured favorite. The story concerns how, after a New England teacher, his wife and their two daughters adopt a stray puppy found in their barn in northern Maine, their lives seem full of promise. But when tragedy strikes, their wonderful dog Lazarus and the spirit of Christmas are the only things that may bring his master back from the edge of despair. WATCH THE VIDEO! “What a huge surprise turn this story took! I was completely stunned! I truly enjoyed this book and its message.” – Actress Ali MacGraw “He had me at Page One. The amount of heart, human insight, soul searching, and deft literary strength that John Mariani pours into this airtight novella is vertigo-inducing. Perhaps ‘wow’ would be the best comment.” – James Dalessandro, author of Bohemian Heart and 1906. “John Mariani’s Hound in Heaven starts with a well-painted portrayal of an American family, along with the requisite dog. A surprise event flips the action of the novel and captures us for a voyage leading to a hopeful and heart-warming message. A page turning, one sitting read, it’s the perfect antidote for the winter and promotion of holiday celebration.” – Ann Pearlman, author of The Christmas Cookie Club and A Gift for my Sister. “John Mariani’s concise, achingly beautiful novella pulls a literary rabbit out of a hat – a mash-up of the cosmic and the intimate, the tragic and the heart-warming – a Christmas tale for all ages, and all faiths. Read it to your children, read it to yourself… but read it. Early and often. Highly recommended.” – Jay Bonansinga, New York Times bestselling author of Pinkerton’s War, The Sinking of The Eastland, and The Walking Dead: The Road To Woodbury. “Amazing things happen when you open your heart to an animal. The Hound in Heaven delivers a powerful story of healing that is forged in the spiritual relationship between a man and his best friend. The book brings a message of hope that can enrich our images of family, love, and loss.” – Dr. Barbara Royal, author of The Royal Treatment. ❖❖❖
❖❖❖
FEATURED
LINKS: I am happy to report
that the Virtual
Gourmet is linked to four excellent
travel sites: Everett Potter's Travel Report: I consider this the best and
savviest blog of its kind on the web. Potter is a
columnist for USA
Weekend, Diversion, Laptop and Luxury Spa Finder,
a contributing editor for Ski and a frequent contributor
to National
Geographic Traveler, ForbesTraveler.com
and Elle Decor.
"I’ve designed this site is for people who take
their travel seriously," says Potter. "For
travelers who want to learn about special places
but don’t necessarily want to pay through the nose for
the privilege of staying there. Because at the end
of the day, it’s not so much about five-star
places as five-star experiences." THIS WEEK: PALM
SPRINGS ARCHITECTURE
Eating Las Vegas
JOHN CURTAS has been covering the Las Vegas
food and restaurant scene since 1995. He is
the co-author of EATING LAS VEGAS – The 50
Essential Restaurants (as well as
the author of the Eating Las Vegas web site: www.eatinglasvegas.
He can also be seen every Friday morning as
the “resident foodie” for Wake Up With the
Wagners on KSNV TV (NBC) Channel 3 in
Las Vegas.
MARIANI'S VIRTUAL GOURMET
NEWSLETTER is published weekly. Editor/Publisher: John
Mariani.
Editor: Walter Bagley. Contributing Writers: Christopher Mariani,
Robert Mariani, Misha Mariani, John A. Curtas, Geoff Kalish, Mort
Hochstein, and
Brian Freedman. Contributing Photographer: Galina
Dargery. Technical Advisor: Gerry McLoughlin.
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