Poster for Fiestas
Primaverales by E. Mirabet-Valencia, circa 1929
❖❖❖
IN THIS ISSUE MANCHESTER,
VERMONT By Geoff Kalish
NEW YORK CORNER LEYLA
By John Mariani
NOTES
FROM THE WINE CELLAR
WINES FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY
By John Mariani
❖❖❖
MANCHESTER, VERMONT By Geoff Kalish
While usually
considered primarily
a ski and snowboard destination and not a
gourmet mecca, the Manchester area
offers a range of excellent dining options, as
well as opportunities for
hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, fly
fishing for trout and a spectacularly
scenic golf course that more than meets the
needs of the most jaded golfer.
Moreover,
with its “old
fashioned,” well stocked book store named Northshire (below; 4869 Main Street) and
designer outlet shops running the gamut from
Armani to Orvis,Manchester Center
offers enough upscale, bargain-priced shopping to
more than take up any apres sports
time.
As to lodging, there’s a number
of
hotels, motels and the historic 195-room Equinox Resort
(left),
located on 1,300 acres
and dating from 1769, which has hosted four
American Presidents (Taft, Lincoln,
Theodore Roosevelt and Harrison). In fact, Robert
Todd Lincoln (son of Abraham
and Mary) enjoyed his 1864 summer visit so much
that later in life he built an
estate, Hildene, only a mile and a half away,
which offers a self-guided tour,
as well as twice daily guided tours of the home,
gardens, farm, an authentic
Pullman car and 12 miles of walking trails.
Of the many upscale dining
establishments in and around
Manchester, the Chop
House in the Equinox Resort (3567 Main Street,
802-362-4700) and The Silver Fork
(4201 Main
Street 802-768-8494), just
outside Manchester Center, aregourmet-worthy favorites. On a par with top
New York City steak houses,
in price as well as quality, the Chop House (below) is a
rectangular room of 12 tables fitted with starched
white
cloths and featuring a large marble fireplace,
muted lighting and a rather
hushed sound level.My wife and I
recently enjoyed appetizers of braised, tender
locally raised Waygu beef,
served with three zesty homemade sauces and a
crisp Bibb lettuce salad, as well
as main courses of a generous portion of moist U-8
scallops, and a perfectly
broiled medium-rare prime New York strip steak,
accompanied by a bottle of
sensibly priced, plummy Turley “Old Vines”
Zinfandel. And, if you go, be sure
to try the creamy homemade ice cream for dessert.
(The restaurant is open daily
for dinner only. Expect dinner for two to cost
$140-$150 excluding wine, tax or
tip.)
Since The Silver Fork
restaurant
has only six tables in one eclectically decorated
room, advance reservations
are a must. Cooking is conducted by acclaimed chef
Mark French, whose affable
wife, Melody, runs the front of the house. Some
worthy choices from a very
extensive, frequently changing menu, with numerous
daily specials, include
appetizer orders of Lobster “Caribbean” Risotto,
loaded with fragrant saffron,
and a Caprese salad prepared with local heirloom
tomatoes and creamy burrata
cheese, as well as main courses of tangy tamarind
BBQ shrimp and dewy cod stuffed
with crab. And from a very well-priced list of
wines by the glass or bottle, a
lemon-scented 2017 Jermann Pinot Grigio and/or
berry-flavored 2015 Grady Family
Zinfandel make excellent accompaniment to most
menu items. Also, be sure to
save room for the thick, rich bread pudding
soufflé; it’s decadent. (The
restaurant is open for dinner only,
Monday-Saturday. Expect dinner for two to
cost about $100, excluding wine, tax, and tip.)
Also of
note, the Equinox Resort’s
Marsh Tavern (left), where
Ira Allen, the younger brother of Ethan, first
proposed
confiscating Tory property to equip the “Green
Mountain Boys” at the start of
the American Revolution), offers top-notch,
family-oriented classic New England
fare like veal pot roast, cast iron roasted
chicken and grilled salmon in a
spacious, contemporary setting. And for those
wanting to taste a range of wines
made from local Vermont grapes (like St. Croix and
Marquette), there’s the
Whale Back Winery
(200 Old Lake
Road, Poultney, 802-287-2256, open
Wednesday-Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.), about a
half-hour car ride from Manchester
Center. It’s owned by the Brown family (Dean and
Amy and their two daughters
Jacinda and Sadie), who recently refurbished the
barn housing the winery for
Sadie’s wedding).
The Troon-managed Equinox golf
course (below),
originally developed in 1927 and revised by Rees
Jones in 1991,
provides 18 holes of golf in a spectacularly
scenic setting, framed by the
Green and Taconic Mountains (the norther ranges of
the Appalachians). In fact,
the view from the tee box of the 14th hole of the
tall, white triangular
steeple of the First Congregational Church of
Manchester, alongside the golden
dome of the Bennington County Courthouse (dating
from 1822), with a backdrop of
the deeply forested mountains, is one of the most
photographed settings in the
state and often found on postcards from the area.
In addition, as might be
expected,
the 14th tee box has been the site of many wedding
ceremonies, and,according to Director of Golf Craig
Luckey, it is “even a spot where people have
strewn ashes of departed loved
ones.”
And then there’s the almost
mesmerizing view back up the fairway of the
majestic mountains from the 6th and
7th greens. As for the actual golfing experience,
the course, with its hills
and dales and elevated greens, offers more than an
adequate challenge for
golfers of all levels.
And for
before or after golf,
there’s Dormy Grill adjacent to the pro shop,
servingtypical breakfast fare as
well as soups, salads and a choice
of hot or cold sandwiches and a fried seafood
basket, Buffalo wings, haddock
tacos, and, of course, a New England Lobster Roll.
❖❖❖
NEW
YORK CORNER
By John Mariani
LEYLA
108 West 74th Street (near
Broadway)
347-334-7939
It
goes without saying that many Middle Eastern
countries share a food culture based on
longstanding traditions that involve
breads, beans, rice, lamb and myriad
seasonings that show up as readily on a
Persian or Syrian menu as a Lebanese or
Israeli one. Yet, within the individual
food cultures of the region there are as
many distinctions as similarities, and
Leyla, a new restaurant on the Upper West
Side, offers an array of dishes you
won’t easily find elsewhere in New York.
Together
with Executive Chef Met Kaba and
General Manager Murat Akinci, partners Huseyin
Ozer (who also runs nearby
Bodrum, which is more Pan-Mediterranean) and
Berna Erbilgin Gundogdu have taken
the ground floor of a brownstone building and
transformed it into a bar, a
U-shaped dining area and an outdoor garden
patio.Turkish artifacts are
arrayed throughout, from beautiful
Ikatwall
textiles to rustic
baskets and shelves of Middle Eastern
cookbooks. Soft lighting brings out all
the colors of these very comfortable dining
areas and the tables have globe
candle lights. Do ask for a table in or near
the garden to avoid the noise up
front.
The menu is of sensible
size, with much of the
food coming forth from a ceramic oven that
produces addictive pide
flatbreads (below);
best to choose the “3
Cheese Pide” with
halloumi, kashar
and mozzarella, drizzled with truffled honey
($11). The lahmacun is also terrific,
topped with minced meat, sumac, onion,
parsley and tomato ($11).
The
mezzes
and salads include a wonderfully smoky
eggplant “caviar” with charred onion,
bell pepper and garlic on toasted sourdough
bread ($12), and Leyla’s unusual
version of a Greek salad with ezine
cheese, pomegranate and lemon dressing($14), big enough for two people.Muhammara
($8) was new to me—a
puree of sweet red peppers and crushed
walnuts, flecked with red pepper flakes
and mixed with pomegranate molasses and ground
cumin—a very savory dish that
balances out heat, acid and sweetness together
with a delightful texture.
Non-mezze
starters—and you could make a hearty meal from
only the mezzes and starters—include
braised beef tongue with housemade
pickles ($14), a very juicy dish I could eat
often, especially since it’s not
easy to find in restaurants. Karides
güveç ($17) is a platter of plump,
tender shrimp that take on just enough
sweetness from bell peppers, cherry tomatoes
and shiitakes.
If you go on to the main
courses, you cannot
fail to try the erişte,
a hand-cut
Turkish pasta riddled with small lamb cubes,
sumac, cumin, and a rich
brownbutter-yogurt
sauce($23).
Our table of four fought over it
to the last spoonful.Equally
as
delicious was frekeeh
risotto with an
abundance of summer’s asparagus, mushrooms,
string beans and zucchini ($21). Leyla would
not be Turkish without a luscious
lamb shank (below),
cooked for hours and enriched with mushrooms
and sided with orzo
risotto ($27).Branzino comes
infused with raki and
is cooked with
caramelized onions, pickled za’atar and green
olives ($25).
There
were four of us and four desserts, so we
ordered all of them, from a böregi
puff pastry layered with a rich vanilla
custard ($10) and “pistachio mud
heaven” ($13) to a sweet tahini flatbread
($9)—almost as good as a Nutella
pizza—and kesem
maraş ($8) made from
mastic resin ice cream from Maraş, Turkey.
The reasonably sized wine
list, with many
bottles under $60, is geared to the flavors of
Leyla’s food, and contains some
rare Turkish wines. I particularly liked a
Kavaklidere Syrah 2012 ($50), from a
winery that began in Ankara in 1929.
Leyla,
which, by the way, means “dark beauty,”
has quickly won quite a local crowd, and it
has the feeling of being a
neighborhood restaurant. It’s certainly close
enough to Lincoln Center and the
Beacon Theater to make for an early dinner,
and right now that leafy garden
patio is an enchanting draw for some of the
most exciting food of its kind in
the city.
Leyla is open nightly for dinner
and for brunch on Sunday.
❖❖❖
NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR
WINES FOR
THE FOURTH
OF JULY
I’m assuming most
Americans’ Fourth of
July parties will include a lot more
hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken wings
than filet of sole, so here are some very good
bottlings that go well with that
beloved trio and won’t cost much either.
Cameron Hughes Lot 639 2017
Arroyo Secco Rosé ($13)—As an aperitif this
lovely award winning rosé is
made
from the Valdiguié grape planted in
California’s Central Coast. In
southwest France the varietal has gone by
different names and more or less
disappeared, while in California it used to be
called Napa Gamay. It’s a
brilliant rose color and comes in at an
easy-to-drink 12.8% alcohol.
Argyle
Pinot Noir 2017 ($27)—It’s not easy
finding a Pinot Noir of this quality
under $30, and Argyle makes it entirely from its
own estate grapes
from the Lone Star, Knudsen and Spirit Hill
Vineyards in Oregon’s
Dundee Hills in the Willamette Valley. It has
body but is not heavy or
overly alcoholic (14%), meaning you’ll savor the
fruit and peppery
notes that will go so well with beef franks on
the grill and buttered corn on
the cob.
Franciacorta
Non-Vintage
Sparkling Wine($34)—Northern
Italy makes the best DOCG
sparkling wines in the country, tending towards
drier examples like this
well-priced blend of 88% chardonnay and 12%
Pinot Nero, which gives it
more complexity than a blanc de blanc. It’s a
good wine to toast
just about anything festive and would be
excellent with fried shrimp or
other shellfish.
Fall Creek Vineyards
Terroir Reflection Series 2017
($35)—This Texas Hill Country
Tempranillo, at 14% alcohol, is tailor-made for
burgers over charcoal and spicy chicken wings.
The
winery’s notes insist it is a “fruit bomb ...
with new saddle leather,” but
it’s a more subtle wine than that and sells for
a very reasonable price.
Marco
Felluga Russiz
Superiore Collio Cabernet Franc
($25)—Made from 100% Cabernet
Franc grapes in Friuli and aged for 12 months in
small oak barrels,
this has more complexity than you might expect
from a varietal
better known as part of a Bordeaux Blend. It is
a silky wine, with a fine
13.5% alcohol, and would go as well with steaks
orsausages as with
tortillas and hot sauce.
Symington Family
Estates Quinta Do Ataíde 2015 ($23)
—The export of better and better
Portuguese wines from the Douro region, made
with the Touriga Naçional
grape, is now in full swing, and this wine
simply cries out to be drunk with
an array of foods, from octopus on the grill to
skirt steak and short ribs.
It’s got good heft at 14.5% alcohol and can
stand up to any topping you’d
put on a burger.
Erse Etna
Rosso 2016($25)—Sicilian wines have come very far
in the last decade, as
proven by this splendid, solidly knit, volcanic
red wine from Etna, made from
90% Nerello
Mascalese, 8% Nerello Cappuccioand
2% Minella-Carricante. In this region red and
white wines were often
blended together, so while you find a lot of
Sicilian sunshine in the
bottle, its harshness is tamed down. Very good
with franks and beans
that have some sweetness to them.
❖❖❖
FOOD
WRITING 101: Avoid Asinine Alliteration
and
Conspicuously Creaking Consonants at All Costs.
"Sometimes, despite
dire dictums to the contrary, more is decidedly more.
Spare us the long, lea, lonely lines of Prairie
architecture, the basic slabs of Brutalism and the tiny
cluster of heritage microgreens perched on a platter
that could easily hold a large pepperoni pizza. Bring on
the gilded excesses of Versailles, the overwrought
Chinoiserie of Brighton Pavilion, the piled-high plates
of Aunt Pat’s Thanksgiving…and the eclectic exuberance
of Wild Mango in Legacy Village.--Beth Segal and
David Petkiewicz, "Wild
Mango: Lush and luxurious culinary adventures in
Lyndhurst," Cleveland.com
(June 07, 2019).
NOT TO MENTION
AIRLINE FOOD
Among the "21 Things You Should Never Eat on an
Airplane" by Holly van Dare of Daily Meal, these
are among the no-no's: ∙ Beans︎ ∙Burritos
∙Coffee
∙Sparkling
water
∙ Tap water
∙ Sushi
❖❖❖
Wine
Column Sponsored by Banfi Vintners SANGIOVESE
Wine is a joy year-round but
in cooler weather one
grape varietal has really taken center stage in
my daily activities – that most Italian of
grapes, Sangiovese, and its ultimate expression
– Brunello di Montalcino. From mid-September through mid-October,
the Sangiovese grown for our various styles of red
wines are be harvested, culminating with the top
selection for Brunello di Montalcino.
Second, cooler weather here means
it is time to start enjoying more red wines and
especially Sangiovese based wines.That
includes Banfi’s cru of Brunello, Poggio alle Mura,
literally the cream of the crop of our Sangiovese
vineyards. Alongside our Poggio alle Mura Brunello di
Montalcino, this year we introduced two more wines
from the cru Poggio alle Mura – a Rosso di Montalcino
and a Riserva of Brunello.Rosso is sort of like the
younger brother of Brunello, also made from 100%
Sangiovese grapes but usually a selection from younger
vines and the wine is aged only two years compared to
the four required for Brunello.The
Riserva, on the other hand, is an even more selective
harvest of Sangiovese, and ages for an additional year
before release.
What is so special about this cru
Poggio alle Mura?Well, it is the result our over 30 years of
ongoing research at my family’s vineyard estate,
Castello Banfi.When we first began planting our vines there in
the late 1970s studies from the University of Bordeaux
indicated which strains of many varietals we should
plant, based on the soil type and microclimate of each
vineyard.But
when it came to the region’s native Sangiovese, there
was only local lore, no scientific research.So we took
it upon ourselves to figure out this vine, and set off
on three decades of incredibly detailed research.
We started
with 600 apparent variations on Sangiovese, because it
is so susceptible to variations in weather and soil,
and narrowed that down to 160 truly genetically
different clones.We planted a vineyard with two rows of each
type, made wine from each of them, and charted the
differences – remember, you only get one chance a year
to make wine, so this took time.
It took about ten years to get some
concrete results, though we continue to experiment
today and always will – you never stop learning in
science and nature!Once we determined which were the best,
complementary clones that could be planted together to
make the best Brunello, we chose to plant them in what
we determined to be the optimal vineyard sites.Coincidentally,
the best soils and climate conditions are in the
slopes surrounding the medieval fortress today known
as Castello Banfi, known since Etruscan times as
Poggio alle Mura – the walled hilltop.Hence the
name of our most special “cru” of Brunello,
representing a synthesis between tradition and
innovation.
Though the focus of this study was
our Brunello, all of our Sangiovese-based wines,
including the super Tuscans SummuS, Cum Laude, and
Centine, benefitted from this work.And that’s
the third reason for celebrating Sangiovese this
month, for the range of wonderful reds that usher us
into autumn!One
wine in particular was inspired by our research – the
BelnerO, a Sangiovese dominant blend with what I like
to call a kiss of Cabernet and a whisper of Merlot.We grow the
grapes a little differently for BelnerO than for
Brunello, make the wine with less oak aging and
released it earlier from the winery, providing a
counterpoint to Brunello and a lovely terroir-driven
wine in its own right. If you
know Italians, you know that by nature we are
multi-faceted, varying in mood, and always passionate.As a
nation, we span from the hot sunny beaches of Sicily
near the African coast to the rugged mountains and
Alpine ski slopes of Trentino-Alto Adige in the north.Sangiovese
is grown in almost all of Italy’s regions and reflects
the unique nature of each; it is most famous
(rightfully so) in Tuscany, yet even there it reflects
the nuances of each hilltop, valley and subzone.It has
something a little different to say in Brunello than
Chianti, Morellino than Vino Nobile di Montepulciano,
Rosso di Montalcino than Super Tuscan blends.
Here is a smattering of
Sangiovese-based wines that you may wish to get to
know better, reflecting a spectrum that appeals to
every occasion, every taste, and every budget.We can
assure you that the conversation will never become
boring.
Recommendations for Celebrating
Sangiovese
BelnerO Proprietor’s Reserve Sangiovese
– A refined
cuvée of noble red grapes perfected by our pioneering
clonal research. This dark beauty, BelnerO, is
produced at our innovative winery, chosen 11
consecutive years as Italy’s Premier Vineyard Estate.
Fermented in our patented temperature controlled
French oak and aged approximately 2 additional years.
Unfiltered, and Nitrogen bottled to minimize sulfites.
Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino –
Rich, round, velvety and intensely
aromatic, with flavor hints of licorice, cherry, and
spices. Brunello di Montalcino possesses an intense
ruby-red color, and a depth, complexity and opulence
that is softened by an elegant, lingering aftertaste.
Unfiltered after 1998 vintage.
Castello Banfi Rosso di Montalcino –Brunello's "younger brother," produced
from select Sangiovese grapes and aged in barrique for
10 to 12 months. Deep ruby-red, elegant, vibrant,
well-balanced and stylish with a dry velvety
finish.
Poggio all’Oro Brunello di Montalcino
Riserva – A single vineyard selection of our most
historically outstanding Sangiovese, aged five years
before release, the additional year more than that
required of Brunello including 6 months in barrel and
6 months more in bottle to grant its “Riserva”
designation.Incredible
elegance and harmony. Intense with lots of fruit and
subtle wood influence. Round, complete, well balanced
with hints of chocolate and berries. Unfiltered after
1998.
Poggio alle Mura – The first tangible result of years of
intensive clonal research on Montalcino’s native
Sangiovese grape.Estate bottled from the splendidly sun drenched
vineyards surrounding the medieval Castello from which
it takes its name.The Brunello
di Montalcino is seductive, silky and smoky.Deep ruby
in color with an expressive bouquet of violets, fruits
and berries as well as cigar box, cedar and exotic
spices. The Rosso
di Montalcino is also intense ruby red.The bouquet
is fresh and fruity with typical varietal notes of
cherry and blackberry, enriched by more complex hints
of licorice, tobacco and hazelnut.It is full
bodied, yet with a soft structure, and a surprisingly
long finish. The Poggio alle Mura Brunello di Montalcino
Riserva is deep ruby red with garnet
reflections and a rich, ample bouquet that hints of
prune jam, coffee, cacao and a light balsamic note.It is full
and powerful, with ripe and gentle tannins that make
it velvety and harmonious; this wine is supported by a
pleasing minerality that to me speaks soundly of that
special hillside in southern Montalcino.
SummuS – A wine of towering elegance, SummuS is an
extraordinary blend of Sangiovese which contributes
body; Cabernet Sauvignon for fruit and structure; and
Syrah for elegance, character and a fruity bouquet.An elegant,
complex and harmonious red wine.
Cum Laude – A complex and elegant red which graduated
“With Honors,” characterized by aromas of juicy
berries and fresh spices.
Centine – A Cuvee that is more than half
Sangiovese, the balanced consisting of equal parts of
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.Vinified in
a firm, round style that easily accompanies a wide
range of dishes, this is a smooth and fragrantly
satisfying wine with international character, and a
perennial favorite at my own dinner table.
Banfi Chianti Superiore – The “Superiore” designation signifies
stricter government regulations regarding production
and aging requirements, as compared to regular
Chianti.An
intense ruby red wine with fruit forward aromas and
floral notes.This
is a round wine with well-balanced acidity and fruit.
Banfi Chianti Classico – An enduring classic: alluring
bouquet of black fruit and violets; rich flavors of
cherry and leather; supple tannins and good acidity
for dining.
Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva – Produced from select grapes grown in the
"Classico" region of Chianti, this dry, fruity and
well-balanced red has a full bouquet reminiscent of
violets.
Fonte alla Selva Chianti Classico – This is our newest entry into the Chianti
arena, coming from a 99 acre estate in Castellina, the
heart of the Chianti Classico region.The wine is
a captivating mauve red that smells of cherry, plum
and blackberry with hints of spice.It is
round, full and balanced with very good
acidity.
Col di Sasso – Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon.Luscious,
complex and soft with persistent notes of fruit and
great Italian style structure.
❖❖❖
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.
“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.
Modesty forbids me to praise my own new book, but
let me proudly say that it is an extensive
revision of the 4th edition that appeared more
than a decade ago, before locavores, molecular
cuisine, modernist cuisine, the Food Network and
so much more, now included. Word origins have been
completely updated, as have per capita consumption
and production stats. Most important, for the
first time since publication in the 1980s, the
book includes more than 100 biographies of
Americans who have changed the way we cook, eat
and drink -- from Fannie Farmer and Julia Child to
Robert Mondavi and Thomas Keller.
"This book is amazing! It has entries for
everything from `abalone' to `zwieback,' plus more
than 500 recipes for classic American dishes and
drinks."--Devra First, The Boston Globe.
"Much needed in any kitchen library."--Bon Appetit.
Now in Paperback,
too--How Italian Food Conquered the
World (Palgrave Macmillan) has won top prize from the
Gourmand
World Cookbook Awards. It is
a rollicking history of the food culture of
Italy and its ravenous embrace in the 21st
century by the entire world. From ancient Rome
to la dolce
vita of post-war Italy, from Italian
immigrant cooks to celebrity chefs, from
pizzerias to high-class ristoranti,
this chronicle of a culinary diaspora is as
much about the world's changing tastes,
prejudices, and dietary fads as about
our obsessions with culinary fashion and
style.--John Mariani
"Eating Italian will
never be the same after reading
John Mariani's entertaining and
savory gastronomical history of
the cuisine of Italy and how it
won over appetites worldwide. . .
. This book is such a tasteful
narrative that it will literally
make you hungry for Italian food
and arouse your appetite for
gastronomical history."--Don
Oldenburg, USA Today.
"Italian
restaurants--some good, some glitzy--far
outnumber their French rivals. Many of
these establishments are zestfully described
in How Italian Food Conquered the World, an
entertaining and fact-filled chronicle by
food-and-wine correspondent John F.
Mariani."--Aram Bakshian Jr., Wall Street
Journal.
"Mariani
admirably dishes out the story of
Italy’s remarkable global ascent
to virtual culinary
hegemony....Like a chef gladly
divulging a cherished family
recipe, Mariani’s book reveals the
secret sauce about how Italy’s
cuisine put gusto in gusto!"--David
Lincoln Ross,
thedailybeast.com
"Equal parts
history, sociology, gastronomy, and just
plain fun, How Italian Food Conquered the
World tells the captivating and delicious
story of the (let's face it) everybody's
favorite cuisine with clarity, verve and
more than one surprise."--Colman Andrews,
editorial director of The Daily
Meal.com.
"A fantastic and fascinating
read, covering everything from the influence
of Venice's spice trade to the impact of
Italian immigrants in America and the
evolution of alta cucina. This book will
serve as a terrific resource to anyone
interested in the real story of Italian
food."--Mary Ann Esposito, host of PBS-TV's
Ciao
Italia.
"John Mariani has written the
definitive history of how Italians won their
way into our hearts, minds, and
stomachs. It's a story of pleasure over
pomp and taste over technique."--Danny Meyer,
owner of NYC restaurants Union Square
Cafe, The Modern, and Maialino.
❖❖❖
FEATURED
LINKS: I am happy to report
that the Virtual
Gourmet is linked to four excellent
travel sites:
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:
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. Publisher: John Mariani. Editor: Walter Bagley. Contributing Writers: Christopher Mariani,
Robert Mariani,Misha Mariani, John A. Curtas, Gerry Dawes, Geoff Kalish,
and Brian Freedman. Contributing
Photographer: Galina Dargery. Technical
Advisor: Gerry
McLoughlin.