MARIANI’S
Virtual
Gourmet
Ann
Southern and Barry Sullivan in "Nancy Goes to Rio"
(1950) ❖❖❖ IN THIS ISSUE DINING OUT IN MILAN Part One By John Mariani NEW YORK CORNER BROOKLYN CHOP HOUSE By John Mariani NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR WINTER WHITES By Geoff Kalish ❖❖❖ DINING OUT IN MILAN By John Mariani "Still Life" by Giorgio DeChirico
LA
VERANDA When
the Four Seasons Milano opened in 1993 in what
was once a 15th century convent named Santa
Maria del Gesù, no hotel in the city had
anything close to its luxury, service or
amenities, so it set a bar all other hotels,
especially old bastions like the Principe e
Savoia, had to strive quickly to meet.
VUN
APREA Park
Hyatt Milan opened at the right time—2003—and
right place to be a hospitable anchor for
the Financial District, setting its own standard
of elegance and business efficiency without
appearing corporate. It’s steps away from the
Duomo, La Scala and Galleria and not far from
the Brera. There are 106 guestrooms, including
23 large suites and terraces offering a grand
view of Milan from on high, with décor done with
Jim Thompson silk fabrics, marble baths, Tai
Ping rugs and Murano blown glass. Four penthouse
suites offer a magnificent view of the Duomo and
city skyline. The work desks are spacious and
very well wired. The spa is by Sisley.
❖❖❖ NEW
YORK CORNER
By John Mariani BROOKLYN
CHOP HOUSE
150 Nassau Street (near Spruce Street) 212- 619-1200
As
many steakhouses as there are in America, no
other city has the sheer variety New York
does—Italian steakhouses, French steakhouses,
Korean steakhouses, Japanese steakhouses, Rumanian steakhouses
and kosher steakhouses. Now, at the Brooklyn
Chop House (which is near the Brooklyn Bridge
but actually in downtown Manhattan), owners
Stratis Morfogen, tech entrepreneur Dave Thomas
and music industry impresario Robert "Don Pooh"
Cummins have given New York a steakhouse in
which the first part of the menu would fit
handily into any in Chinatown, while the main
courses exemplify the best of what has long
served as a venerable template for steakhouses
around the country. Open daily for lunch and dinner. ❖❖❖ NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR
WINTER
WHITESBy Geoff Kalish "Babette's Feast"
While
many whites, like Pinot Grigio and Chablis, are
often overwhelmed by the heady flavors of
winter-time fare, it’s no wonder that many wine
consumers favor reds to accompany seasonal
favorites like chicken cacciatore, pasta with
meat sauce and beef or lamb stews. However,
based on a number of recent pairings, I’ve found
that there are more than one or two reasonably
priced, widely available whites that can weather
the storm of cold weather fare. 2017
Zind-Humbrecht Gewürztraminer ($25)—Hailing
from one of the premier producers in Alsace, this
wine was made from grapes grown in gravelly soil
on vines almost 50 years old. It has a distinctive
bouquet and taste of lychee nuts and ginger with
hints of exotic spice and a crisp finish. However,
this is not a lush wine that shows its fruit as
soon as it hits your palate but one whose flavor
lingers long after it’s swallowed and makes great
accompaniment for braised beef with sweet onions
or pork with prunes. 2017 Jordan
Chardonnay ($34)—Following
harvest
of the grapes (100% Russian River Valley
Chardonnay), fermentation was conducted over two
weeks in a combination of new French oak barrels
(61%) and stainless steel (39%). This was followed
by five weeks of aging on its lees and six months
in new French oak barrels, all of which gives this
wine a toasty bouquet and taste with notes of
pears and peaches and a lemony finish and an
elegant taste. Yet it is bold enough to provide
worthy accompaniment for roast chicken or salmon
dishes. 2018 Nik Weiss St.
Urbans-Hof Bockstein Kabinett Riesling ($21)—This slightly
sweet, low alcohol (9%) wine from
Germany’s Saar Valley has a fragrant bouquet and
taste of apples and honey with a bit of gooseberry
in its finish. It makes perfect accompaniment to
spicy Asian fare, like Indian vindaloos, fiery
Szechuan fare and tangy Thai specialties. 2017 Domaine Pichot
“Domaine Le Peu de la Moriette” Vouvray ($17)—For this bottle
from France’s Loire Valley, proprietor Jean-Claude
Pichot uses
hand-picked grapes, with fermentation and
aging in oak. And while not usually thought of as
a winter-time wine, this easy-drinking semi-sweet
white has a floral bouquet and flavor of white
peaches and apricots with a touch of honey in its
lively finish that makes ideal accompaniment to a
range of hors d’oeuvres and appetizers from smoked
salmon to roasted beets and fish tacos. It also
pairs particularly well with sushi and sashimi. 2019 Oxford Landing
Sauvignon Blanc ($10)—The
grapes in this bargain bottle from South
Australia’s Murray River area were fermented at
cool temperatures, with a percentage left on its
skins for added complexity. It has a fragrant
bouquet and assertive taste of pineapple, passion
fruit and grapefruit, with a crisp citrusy finish
and mates well with hearty dishes like mushroom
and barley risotto or cassoulet.
2017 Ciro Picariello
Fiano di Avellino DOCG ($25)—This
wine was fashioned from hand-picked grapes grown
in the hills of Campania, in southwest Italy.
Following fermentation using indigenous grapes, it
is aged on its lees for 12 months before bottling.
It shows a bouquet and taste of peaches and lemons
with lively acidity in its finish, perfect to
match with appetizers of piquillo peppers and
charred Brussels sprouts, as well as main courses
of veal or chicken Parmesan and pasta with red
sauce.
❖❖❖
"The
Tadich Grill became
a full-service restaurant in 1887 when employee John
Tadich bought it. The restaurant claims to be the first
in the U.S. to grill seafood over mesquite charcoal, a
cooking method Tadich used growing up in his native
Croatia."—Dan Meyers and Syjil Ashraf, "The Oldest
Restaurant in Every State," Daily Meal (2/2/20).
January 2, 2020 THIS JUST MIGHT BE TRUE
In an article
in Eater.com,
LA Restaurant Industry Experts gave their thoughts on
the “Biggest Dining Surprises of 2019.” According to
Stephanie Breijo, Time
Out
La Editor, it was, “Nic Cage singing post-divorce 'Purple Rain'
in a K-town karaoke bar.”
❖❖❖
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:
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. If you wish to subscribe to this
newsletter, please click here: http://www.johnmariani.com/subscribe/index.html © copyright John Mariani 2020 |