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July 11,  2021                                                                                            NEWSLETTER


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IN THIS ISSUE
STONINGTON, CONNECTICUT
By John Mariani


NEW YORK CORNER
HORTUS

By John Mariani

CAPONE'S GOLD
Chapter 15
By John Mariani


NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR
DO YOU NEED A MASTER SOMMELIER
TO BUILD YOUR WINE CELLAR?
By John Mariani




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On this week's episode of my WVOX Radio Show "Almost Golden," on Wed. July 14 at 11AM EST,I will be interviewing Jeffrey Sussman, author of several books on the great boxers, incl. Rocky Marciano (right). Go to: WVOX.com. The episode will also be archived at: almostgolden.


















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STONINGTON, CONNECTICUT
 

By John Mariani

`


      Many years ago, when Stonington was summer’s home to Wall Streeters and there was no train to the city, there was an amazingly fast speedboat that would take them to New York in little more than an hour. That service has long ceased, and, after an era beginning in the 1790s when Stonington’s wealth was based on its being a harbor for the seal trade, the town languished until revived as a mill town after the Civil War; then the mills closed.
       Founded in 1654 as a trading post, it grew to an area of 50 square miles, but the town itself is happily small and a leisurely walking tour takes little more than a morning down Main Street and its parallels.
      Stonington’s only real claim to historic fame came during the War of 1812, when British ships bombarded the seaside town for three days with stinkpot incendiaries that spread a noxious smoke into the air. Little damage was done and the Brits were repulsed, as commemorated in a jocular poem by Philip Freneau that read:  

They kill'd a goose, they kill'd a hen
Three hogs they wounded in a pen—
They dashed away and pray what then?. . .
It cost the king ten thousand pounds
To have a dash at Stonington.

 

     Today Stonington has a population of 18,000, added to but not overwhelmed in summer by vacationers. In fact, on a recent Friday morning, I found that you could have rolled a stinkpot down Main Street and not hit a hen or a human being—one of the municipal benefits of having minimal parking. Downtown is called the Borough, and the streets are lined with 18th and 19th century houses. There is also a fine 1840 harbor lighthouse, which was decommissioned in 1889 and now is home to the town’s historical society. Unlike lighthouses set out at sea, Stonington’s afforded its keeper a social life, since his quarters were within steps of Main Street.

       The town is now a fishing village with a large Portuguese population and the Portuguese Holy Ghost Society’s origins date to when Queen Isabella sold her jewels to feed the famine-stricken people in the 16th century.
    One of the more majestic buildings is the Nathaniel B. Palmer House (1852-54), named after a seal hunter, Antarctic pioneer and clipper ship designer. With its beautiful Corinthian columns and Italian Victorian architecture, it, too, is now a local museum. The old William Clark Company Thread Mill (1892) once greatly bolstered Stonington’s economy, though in size and sober red brick it looks out of place in view of the historic old clapboard houses, so many of which have been restored with a fidelity to antiquity and all modern amenities, even if the ubiquitous use of plastic clapboard has been adopted as the only sensible way to beat back the elements.
     The town’s historic architecture was put to use in Steven Spielberg’s 1997 movie Amistad, about the 1839 slave ship revolt, as well as in the 2012 romantic comedy Hope Springs, starring Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones.
     At the end of Stonington Harbor is the small duBois Beach, (there is also a seaside trail) opposite the lighthouse (there is some parking there), and from there you can walk up Water Street, taking in the old houses, boutiques and restaurants, then turn right at the Stonington Free Library on Wadawanuck Square and then down Main Street to the very pretty, well laid-out Cannon Square and the La Grua Center for the arts, set in an old foundry building called the Atwood Machine Company, this summer  featuring the work of local artists in various media at all skill levels. Another former plant, called the Velvet Mill (1888), is also an arts center, containing an artisan bakery and wood-fired pizzeria.
      Main Street narrows down to end at Water Street, and along the way are some superb antique shops, like Grand & Water, whose owner, Deb Norman, features top quality, high-end furniture and artwork.
       The Inn  at Stonington on Water Street looks more like a classic New England hotel, but is actually a B&B, with 18 rooms, which Yankee magazine called New England’s most romantic inn. This summer room rates (depending on the days of the week) run $195-$495.
       For New England seafood—chowder, raw bar, lobster rolls and fish and chips—the well-named Breakwater at Stonington Harbor (below) is set on a pier and is even reachable by private boats. Dog Watch is also perched on a pier and has a similar menu. The Milagro Café is a favorite for standard Mexican fare. For any given breakfast, lunch, brunch or dinner the guests at Noah’s are predominantly locals. The building, on the corner of Water and Church streets, has been an eatery for decades and has been under the same ownership since 1979, with a fourth-generation baker. People come for the wild blueberry pancakes, the six-ounce burger, the rice-and-quinoa Boro bowl, Stonington scallops with mashed potatoes and on Wednesday night whole lobsters, which are surprisingly difficult to find in area restaurants outside of nearby Noank. Occasionally there’s a Portuguese item on the menu.
      Having recently written about the better-known and tourist-rich town of Mystic, I was happy to find the untrammeled Stonington, just four-and-a-half miles away on a country road, as peaceful as the local residents wish it to be and visitors are glad to find it so.

 



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NEW YORK CORNER



HORTUS

                                                                                        271 Fifth Avenue

                                                                                    646-858-3784


By John Mariani




         Three years ago when Hortus opened, it was a very welcome Asian-fusion restaurant in an area of Manhattan that sorely needed some innovative food. Just east of Chelsea and north of Flatiron, Hortus is best described as within the Garment District, where good restaurants of any kind have been rarities, and where, after six o’clock, the streets are pretty much deserted. Nevertheless, partner and general manager Suhum Jang (formerly at Per Se, Daniel and Jungsik) persevered through the first year of getting traction and was then hit with the pandemic, though Hortus was kept open whenever the Mayor said it was safe to be. Now, on the basis of a recent visit, things are all headed in the right direction. 
     
It is set on two floors, the first centered around an open kitchen with a pink marble counter and a Chef’s Table, the second featuring the main dining room and a garden patio. The décor is well out of the ordinary, with deep green leather banquettes, sconces hung on wood-framed deep green walls and bare dark wooden tables with candles and a wall of glass that looks out on Fifth Avenue. I don’t know why they’ve
turned down the lighting (which was excellent three years ago), which robs the room of its rich colors.
  

  Jang is everywhere during the evening, and, although he seems short-staffed, he’s the one to call for recommendations. Sadly, although the wine list is adequate, Hortus lacks a liquor license, but there is a cocktail called Black Plum that contains a low-alcohol Korean beverage called makgeolli.
      There’s a new chef at Hortus, Lenny Moon, who grew up in the South Korean restaurant industry via a family enterprise, then studied at Han-Sol Cooking Academy in Seoul and the French Culinary Institute in New York before cooking at Jungsik, the renowned high-end Korean restaurant. His menu brings novelty and a good deal of the Mediterranean to what had been the previous chef’s dishes, so there is a mix of the two. (In an interview Moon said that Korean barbecue was his favorite dish, so I hope he might add that to the menu sometime this summer.)
       There are oysters aplenty, especially on the royal platter ($30 and $55) that also holds lobster tail, fluke and shrimp cocktail along with a dozen oysters. There are eight appetizers, and I highly recommend the pretty coconut carrot soup laced with cool ginger yogurt foam and al dente wild rice ($16), as well as the King crab noodles ($20) with an onion pesto spiked with jalapeño, tomato, lemon oil and hot Sichuan mala sauce that happily does not compromise the fresh flavors of the crab and noodles. Crispy octopus (above) with pickled beets and a wasabi aïoli ($20) shows the best kind of East-West fusion cookery, and I liked the grilled eggplant with  pickled mushrooms, mozzarella and pine nut breadcrumbs ($17).

      The menu, as elsewhere, has been abbreviated for the moment, so there are currently only six main dishes, which include a nicely cooked branzino with a sweet mizu glaze and the delightful surprise of cilantro-scented polenta ($28). Moon seems to love sea urchin, so you find it more than once on the menu, but it is too pungent for a dish called donabe with a nori seaweed purée, ikura red caviar, cured egg yolk and tasteless summer truffles ($41). My two favorite entrees were the rosy-pink breast of duck (right) with an Asian soy glaze and celeriac puree ($30) and sumptuously spicy braised short rib with creamy millet risotto and an Asian pear gremolata ($30).
      The desserts are quite interesting, including a rich and delicious mango rice pudding made with condensed milk ($7), while a type of Thai tea crème brûlée with berries ($7) was pleasantly refreshing. The best is the monaka ice cream made from Japanese azuki bean paste and chocolate mochi wafers ($7).
     At dinner there is a two-course $45 menu, and a tasting menu at $65. Starting July 19 through August 15 Hortus will feature a three-course $39 meal. On Thursdays, the Jinjoo Yoo jazz quartet plays.
        Many of Hortus’s clientele are young Asians and Asian-Americans who clearly approve of Moon’s cooking, as do I. Often suspicious of fusion gimmickry, I found Moon’s chemistry both appealing and applaudable at a time when Korean food is having its day in New York.

 

Hortus is open Tues.-Sun. for lunch and dinner.


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CAPONE’S GOLD


By John Mariani

To read all chapters of Capone's Gold beginning April 4, 2021 go to the archive

                                                Al Capone's Palm Beach Island Residence


       K
atie landed at MIA and exited into the oppressively steamy, humid air, thinking she’d just been hit in the face with a hot, wet towel.  She hailed a cab, asked the Haitian driver to crank up the a/c, and rode to her hotel, The Colony on Miami Beach, one of the old, now restored, art déco places whose basic rooms went fairly cheap.
         By then it was five in the afternoon, so she went out to dinner, alone with her reporter’s spiral notebooks. Nursing a negroni, she began going over what she’d researched thus far about Capone’s Palm Island mansion. In light of David’s response to her going on the trip, she didn’t dare ask him for a police letter of introduction.
         The next morning seemed even hotter and more humid than the day before. She put on navy blue linen Bermuda shorts and a white sleeveless blouse but decided she looked too much like a schoolgirl. She switched to a flower-patterned skirt with the same blouse and judged it just about right for Miami. 
     
For the first time in years she suddenly thought of how her childhood hero, girl detective Nancy Drew, would always dress up to go on her adventures—usually in shirtdresses—but none of the mysteries, as she recalled, ever took place in the heat of Miami.  Then Katie mused about how a passing fancy about becoming a girl detective gave way to her wanting to be a writer like Carolyn Keene, the made-up name of the authors (there were several over the years) of the Nancy Drew books. Funny how things turned out, she told herself.
      Katie came down the stairs into the hotel lobby and asked the desk clerk where could she get a taxi.
      “You won’t need one,” said a voice near the door. “I rented a car on your expense account.”
      It was David, smiling grandly.
      “What are you doing here?” asked Katie, herself breaking into a smile.
      “I thought the humidity would be good for my skin,” said David. She walked over and gave him a quick hug.
      “Seriously, what are you doing here?”
      “Ah, I figured you were having all the fun, flying off to Chicago and Miami.  I thought I’d come down and tag along, another set of eyes.  I’ll show you my best snooping techniques.”
      “That’s fabulous,” said Katie.  “Do you have a room yet?”
      “I just checked in here. So, shall we go visit Al Capone’s mansion?”
      Katie took his arm and they headed for David’s rented compact car.
      “You look very . . . Miami Beach,” said David, who was wearing his usual outfit of jeans and polo short.
      “It’s my Nancy Drew girl detective outfit. Like it?”
      “Very unobtrusive down here. Like the sunglasses.”
      They pulled away from the curb and headed south on Washington Avenue, turned onto the MacArthur Causeway and halfway across the channel took a right onto Palm Island.  It was a ten-minute drive to Capone’s old mansion.
      “So this is it,” said Katie. “It must have been beautiful when he bought it.”
      “I’m sure you’ve done your history homework on the place?” asked David, parking on the roadside.
      “I did,” she answered, taking out a notebook with the words “PALM ISLAND HOUSE” written across it. 
     
“The house was built in 1922 and Al had actually been approached by local realtors.” (Katie suddenly realized she had taken to calling her subject “Al.”)
      “He apparently fell in love with the place and bought it, even though there was a lot of opposition to the sale when people found out who he was.”
      “I can only imagine,” said David.
      “So, immediately upon taking occupancy, Al built a boat dock and a very big pool—both of them larger than zoning allowed at the time, but apparently no one dared say no to him. Then he built a seven-foot wall all around the property, which of course made the locals believe that Miami would soon be crawling with Italian mobsters.”
      “Did any of your research turn up any digging under the foundation or the pool?” he asked.
      “Nothing I could find. Here’s the lay-put of the property.”
      David could see how the additions of the wall and other sections on the estate would have made it quite secure from infiltration.  There were only two ways onto the island: by the narrow bridge they’d just driven over, where anyone coming over would then be stopped at a guardhouse, or by water, pulling up to the dock Capone had constructed, but then there would be the wall—well patrolled—to contend with. 
     
Katie continued: “After the house was sold by Al’s wife in 1952 it went through several owners. Curiously enough, the price went down, then up. It sold for only $50,000 in 1969, and $56,000 three years later.”
      “That was probably because of the curse of the Capone name,” said David, “but Miami Beach is always going through boom and bust in its real estate. So, who owns it now?”
      “That’s where we’re in luck. The guy who currently owns it is only here in the winter, and he opens it up for pre-arranged tours to the public.”
      “And, of course, you pre-arranged.”
      Katie made a little bow with her head.
      “Well, then, let’s take a tour,” he said, sweeping his arm before her.
      At the guardhouse gate there was a sign saying “PLEASE RING BELL FOR ASSISTANCE.”  Soon enough, Katie and David could see an elderly man coming towards them on the walkway from the house.
      “Miss Cavuto?” he said. “Welcome, I’m Richard Spickler, the caretaker.” The man was in his sixties, with very white hair and a healthy tan. He was wearing tan chinos and a white linen shirt.
      “And this is David Greco,” said Katie. “Thank you so much for having us in on such short notice.”
      “Not at all, not at all. The owner likes journalists. And what do you do, Mr. Greco?”
      “I’m a retired police officer.”
      “Ah, well then both of you have good reasons to be interested in this historic house, even if its inhabitant was Mr. Capone.”
      He led them along the pathway, lined with tall palm trees, with the blue waters of Biscayne Bay beyond the walls.  The mansion ahead was done in the Mediterranean Revival style popular in the 1920s, with several rounded archways, a red terracotta roof, a small stone bridge. Columns were topped with Corinthian capitals.  The acreage was 30,000 square feet.
      “The pool was the largest of any in the area,” said Mr. Spickler, opening the gate, “and it was a saltwater pool in Mr. Capone’s day. Over here is the dock—this is not the original—and Mr. Capone had two speedboats tied up here.  It’s said that he would often go out on them and sail to Bimini, which is about 50 miles east, or even Cuba, which is about 230.”
      David leaned towards Katie and said, “Now there’s an interesting connection.  He was running booze out of both places at the time.”  Katie made a note in her pad.
      “Do you mind if I take some pictures, Mr. Spickler? And record what we’re talking about?”
      “No, not at all. The only room off limits is the owner’s bedroom, for reasons of privacy.”
      The three of them walked slowly around the outside, David looking for anything that might give him another piece of the puzzle.  Knowing that the gold heist had been planned and taken place while Capone was in prison, David was convinced that whatever went wrong with the plan after Capone left Alcatraz had to have happened here. 
     
Perhaps one of the robbery trucks had made it here, to be relocated as quickly as possible elsewhere.  He wondered if that third of the stolen bullion might have been loaded on Capone’s speed boats and sent to Bimini or Havana, where he had connections.  He would ponder that later with Katie.
      Mr. Spickler then took his guests inside, showing them all the rooms, every one remodeled since the 1950s, none of them as large as the mansion from outside made them seem.  The dining room would seat perhaps twenty people, yet the neighbors had complained of huge wild parties and orgies at the mansion.
      “Was there a wine and spirits cellar?” asked David.
      “I suppose there was room for such after Mr. Capone bought the house, during Prohibition.  After alcohol was again legal, he must have had quite a good amount of wines and spirits here.  He was said to throw lavish parties, even after he returned from prison.”
      Katie added, “Yes, from what I understand, the local police raided the house several times and carted away alcohol during Prohibition.  Even after his return in 1939 those parties were legendary.”
      “If one is to believe the press on such matters,” said Mr. Spickler, perhaps suggesting Katie might be prone to exaggeration herself.
      David’s eyes were searching every surface of every room but he sensed that this mansion was the last place Capone would try to store the gold, since, as Katie noted, he’d expect it to be raided.  Unless it was hidden in plain sight, the gold was not on the property.
      “Mr. Spickler, would you know if there are any hidden spaces or tunnels underneath the mansion?”
      “Only a crawl space, not much use for anything.”
      David thought otherwise but let it pass.
      “Is there any of Al Capone’s furniture or anything original to the décor?”
      “A few of the ceiling lamps are original,” he said, “and many of the tiles, especially in the bathroom.”
      “Were there any gold fixtures?” asked Katie.
      “Well, if there were, I’m afraid they’re all gone.  From what I can tell most of the fixtures were brass or perhaps silver. After Mr. Capone died and his wife sold the house in 1952, she left a lot of the original furnishings behind, and a good deal of them seem to have survived the subsequent renovations. But then in 1992 the owner auctioned off whatever was left. I really don’t know how much, but the contents were scattered.  You still find supposed bits and pieces of memorabilia offered for sale.”
      “Was there an auction catalog?” asked David.
      “I wouldn’t know.  I’ve only been here for two years.  But I tell you who might know.”
      In unison, David and Katie asked, “Who?”
      “Well, I believe Mr. Capone has a niece who lives north of here in Vero Beach, and I believe she attended that auction and bid on some items.”
      David and Katie looked at each other. David asked, “You wouldn’t happen to know her name and address, would you, Mr. Spickler?”
      “As a matter of fact, I believe I do.  She was a visitor here a few months ago and, even though it was her uncle’s house at one time, she had to fill out a request form to visit, putting down her name and address. It would be in the reservations book. Let me take a look.”
      Mr. Spickler disappeared into another room.  
     
“David, if we can talk to this woman, it would be terrific!”
      “Forgive me for being a skeptical old flatfoot, but don’t get your hopes up. Unless she’s living in the lap of luxury and sleeping on gold foil sheets, she probably doesn’t know much or anything about the heist. But it’s worth a try. Vero Beach is less than three hours from here.”
      “So we can make it by late afternoon.”
      “Well, first we have to convince this woman to speak to us.”
      Mr. Spickler returned and handed them a piece of paper.
      “Here it is, a Mrs. Theresa Scali.  I believe Mr. Capone’s mother was named Theresa, too.”
      Katie and David thanked Mr. Spickler for his hospitality, got in the car and drove back onto Miami Beach to pick up their luggage.
      “You hungry?” asked David.
      “I could eat,” said Katie.
      “Ever been to Joe’s Stone Crab?”
      “No, but I’ve always wanted to.”
     “Well, let’s see, it’s now 11:30, so we could have lunch at Joe’s and then be on the road by two, be in Vero Beach late afternoon.”
      “Sounds good to me, now that you mention it. I didn’t have breakfast and I’m starving.”



Photos of Capone residence permission from Mario Gomes


©
John Mariani, 2015












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NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR


DO YOU NEED A MASTER SOMMELIER
TO BUILD YOUR WINE CELLAR?

By John Mariani




       For most people, especially those who live in apartments, a wine stash consists of a dozen bottles or so in a rack in the kitchen or dining room. But for those with lots more space the possibilities make for absolutely giddy fantasies. Too often, though, many people who really love wine do not have even modest knowledge of how to assemble a collection of a hundred bottles. So, wine consultants can tell you what to buy within your budget, what wines to avoid and what wines to put down for a few years. Some can even design an extensive cellar for you.
      In the case of Melissa L. Smith, you’re also hiring someone certified as a sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers and trained at the Culinary Institute of America, who’s cooked at The French Laundry and was a chef on a private yacht. She is also a member of the Appraisers Association of America. I interviewed Smith about the twists and turns of her life that somehow led her to her career as a wine consultant.


Photo: Sarah Deragon

You’ve had a very checkered career. Explain how you went from training as a chef at the CIA to“roaming the country with [your] knife bag, bouncing from a Relais & Châteaux dude ranch in Montana to a hunting camp in Idaho; board[ing] a charter yacht in Southeast Alaska and spend[ing] a pineapple scented season in Maui.”

    There was a very clear ceiling. I started out at the top restaurants in the country, making $7.50 an hour at one, and working for free (staging) at The French Laundry, then deciding to go to the Harvard of cooking schools, The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. Once I graduated culinary school I could no longer afford to work for low wages while paying my student loans, and for housing and living expenses. I loved, and continue to love, to travel, so taking seasonal positions was one way to get around paying for the housing part of it.     
    The first role that I took was as the Chef de Cuisine and Wine Steward at the Relais & Châteaux property Triple Creek Ranch in Darby, Montana. I wanted to cook French Laundry-style food and ride horses on my days off. My next opportunity was a favor for a chef instructor and friend of mine from the CIA. His cousin had an “outfitting” company and needed a chef for the season in Idaho. I thought an outfitting company had to do with fashion. I had no idea what I was in for, and it ended up being the best experience of my cooking career. We lived out of canvas tents, relied on horses for transportation and I learned a profound respect for hunters and hunting.
    I returned to the Bay Area for a season and that was when I was presented with the opportunity to be the chef on a charter yacht in Southeast Alaska for a summer. I cooked fresh seafood every day and went to sleep with the sounds of humpback whales blowing mist into the air. When I returned from that experience, I ended up settling down in the Bay Area. I needed to take a mile-high view of my life and my career, and I knew I needed to make a change. 

You worked as a private chef for industry giants. What did they expect of you? Nightly? Weekly? Travel with them? Feed the kids?

    I had some families where I would live at the Atherton estate for the weekend, arriving on a Thursday and preparing until their arrival on Friday evening, and then preparing meals and snacks during their stay, and preparing meals for them to take home on Sunday when they departed for their homes in San Francisco. I had another family that expected me to travel with them to their homes in Lake Tahoe and Hawaii, and I cooked meals for the five children daily. That family inspired my decision to get paid to drink for a living.


                                                                                Drawing by Lauren Rust



How did you find the time and how long did it take to become a sommelier?

    I decided to pursue my Sommelier certification in 2006. I did a 48-hour seminar at the CIA Greystone campus with several Master Sommeliers, some of whom I am still in contact with, and passed my Sommelier exam on the first try. I had moved to Napa Valley the week that I graduated high school to become a chef, and was always around wine. I remember driving home from my restaurant shift in the middle of the night in November, and the smell of wine fermenting was literally intoxicating. It took years to fully understand pairing wine with food. It’s not part of our culture the way it is in Europe. Once I made the decision to segue from the back of the house to the front of the house, I started opening restaurants, designing wine programs, and then one day walked into K&L Wines, the largest online wine and spirits retailer in the country at the time. The restaurant I was working at was a sinking ship, and K&L made me a great offer.
    The exposure that I got from working at K&L made it the best decision of my life. Every week we tasted hundreds of wines and spirits, met winemakers, winery owners and those considered royalty in the industry. While I was there, I developed the first iPhone app for wine pronunciation, the Enotria Guide, and started Enotrias, which led me to doing legal work with wine collections. I knew there was a good chance that I would have to serve as an expert witness for wine collections and appraisals, so with that looming over me I decided to get the next level certification, through the Court of Master Sommeliers. It was much harder than the first, and it took me two tries to pass it. I’ve since gone on to mentor several candidates and help them to pass, first time.

Describe what Enotrias software does to service clients.

    I have created a database over the years that allows me to streamline and catch any errors in an inventory. It is constantly being updated, which allows a wine to be catalogued in a fraction of the time it would take to do it manually or using other software. My software also works with other well-known cellar tracking software, including Cellartracker and Vincellar, which makes it that much easier for my clients to understand the scope of their collections.

You must have some good stories about marine and aviation services, including full-suite support for private jets in your role as “SkySomm.”

    Ah, yes, I’ve had the honor to train incredible flight attendants for a private charter company, helping them to understand how wines change at altitude, how to prepare and pair meals to go along with their clients’ needs, and how to design wine collections for their in-air service. We focus on curating a collection of library wine from top producers that have aged long enough for the tannins to soften and oak to integrate for the Cabernets and Chardonnays, and then bring in classic varietals from classic regions, Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre, Cabernet Franc from Bourgueil, aged Riesling from the Mosel, Syrah from Côte Rôtie, and of course, Bordeaux and Burgundy from top vintages. And Champagne is always on hand.
One of the services that I provide to my clients is wine recommendations for private events, special meals, trips etc. I had a client in my early days need wines for their trip to Mexico, and as I started making recommendations on how to transport the wine, my client interrupted and reminded me that they had a private plane, so they could essentially bring whatever they wanted.

Tell me about being certified by the California State Bar Association for your seminar on the Valuation of Wine Collections.

    When I started Enotrias, one of my first clients was going through a divorce and had an incredibly valuable wine collection. While he was married, they had purchased a barrel of wine from an auction that had been labeled specifically for them. It was by far the largest amount of any one wine in the collection, but because it had a private label, it was assigned a zero-dollar valuation. So even though they had spent several thousands of dollars on this lot, the only thing it was worth was the recycling fee of the glass. I ended up having to argue the valuation over the phone to the opposing attorney. I told my attorneys the story, who are also my best friends, and they asked me to put together a presentation for the Napa Bar Association on The Valuation and Appraisal of Wine Collections. I was then invited to give the same presentation for the Sonoma Bar and several others after that, and in the process had my presentation certified through the California State Bar Association. Because of Covid, I was able to get my presentation certified in ten states and teach it remotely. There is no other seminar in the country that covers this topic as it pertains to Family Law, and Trusts and Estates, and I am the only sommelier with extensive credentials in these areas. In 2021, I will be launching a cross-country tour giving the presentation in-person at country clubs in the ten states in which the presentation has been approved.

Tell me some stories about customizing wine cellars.

    Over the years I have perfected the organization of wine collections. I’ve been referred to as the “Mari Kondo of wine cellars.” I work predominantly with Artistic Wine Cellars and Thomas Warner Wine Cellars (right) on the West Coast to help design cellars for my clients. We focus on the existing collection as a whole, and then take into consideration growth and taste changes. Many of my clients start out loving and collecting California Cabs and then transition into collecting and drinking Pinot Noir. I also hone in on whether this is a collection focused on investing or for personal enjoyment. Allocating room for OWCs (Original Wooden Containers), is a huge one for investment collections. Carving out space for birth year wines is another consideration I take into account, as well as high value wines like First Growths and DRC [Domaine de la Romanée-Conti] that need to be tucked away in case someone decides they are thirsty and don’t know what to grab.

Some hints about how to drink wine like a connoisseur on a student budget?

    Getting to know your local retailer is paramount. They will get to know your tastes, and your budget. And more often than not, wine professionals are drinking the inexpensive food-friendly imports on a regular basis, versus the baller selections, so those are often our go-tos. If you can start a relationship with your wine retailer, there is a great chance that they know the winemaker, know how the grapes are grown, and the wine is made, which could not be more important once you start to realize the number of ways wines can be manipulated before they hit the shelf.
    Another tip is to turn to wines like Chenin Blanc and Pinot Noir that are going to be incredibly food-friendly but won’t break the bank if you find them from regions outside of the U.S. and Burgundy. Pinot Noir, aka Spätburgunder from Germany, is one of my favorite wines and can be typically found for under $25. And Spanish sparkling Cava! It is made the same way as Champagne but for a third of the price.


What’s the difference between a connoisseur and a snob? Does money buy taste?

    There is so much ego in wine. I’ve led classes for tech companies and some of the executives won’t stop talking about their last trip to Burgundy long enough to hear me speak, until I remind them that they have paid me (handsomely) to be the one talking about wine.

    It takes no substance to be a wine snob. Spend a lot of money on a bottle, recite tasting notes and stick with only a handful of producers from a handful of regions. I’ve served many people that were just concerned about status but didn’t understand the wines, didn’t appreciate everything that had gone into the several-thousand-dollar bottle of wine that they were drinking at dinner. It is so easy to spend money on wine, I get to do it for a living, but for me, I want my clients to have a level of respect and understanding for the wines, an appreciation for the final product, a sense of place when it comes to the region from which they come.
    The clients that are my favorite have done the research, traveled to the wine regions, sat with the winemakers over a home-cooked meal, and return home to enjoy great wine with great food and with great company. They have a respect for how the wine was made, and the history and skill that went into the bottle. One of my last clients didn’t own a bottle of wine under $100, with most being $300 and up. He is one of the wealthiest men in his industry, and every night he would invite me to select a wine from his collection, and we would sit down and talk about it for an hour. He was humble, had come from nothing, and had built an incredible career and collection that he was proud of, but rarely got to enjoy it with other people who understood and respected wine the same way that he did. He loved to learn and asked me so many questions, and the next day would ask follow-up questions. Once it is safe to travel to Europe again, he is planning trips to wine regions with my assistance. That is a connoisseur.  






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OUR LAME-BRAINED CROOKS, NO. 224

Obdulio Gudiel
(left) approached two men in the parking lot of El Diamante Restaurant in Las Vegas at gunpoint and demanded money. They refused, so when the police showed up  Gudiel went into the restaurant and asked am employee to hold onto his gun.  She turned him down, and he apparently decided that hiding it in the deep fryer would be the next best thing. The gun then went off while the restaurant was being evacuated.








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Sponsored by






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 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. 

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“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.




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The Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink by John F. Mariani (Bloomsbury USA, $35)

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.

                                                                             






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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." 






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.

 

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