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MARIANI’S
Virtual Gourmet
July
23, 2006
NEWSLETTER
Tom Cruise in "Cocktail" (1988)
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go to my web site, in which I will update food
&
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ARCHIVE: Readers may now access
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Archive of all past newsletters--each annotated--dating back to July,
2003, by simply clicking on www.johnmariani.com/archive
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In
This Issue
La
Dolce Vita in Torino by Marianne Camarda
NEW
YORK CORNER: Fillip's by John Mariani
QUICK
BYTES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chocolates by Peyrano, Turin
La Dolce Vita in Torino
by Marianne Camarda
In Italy, when you crave
something with sugar, the
first place
to go is Torino.
This city
more or less doubles as a national shrine to confections; those who
aren’t aware
beforehand find out pretty soon after they arrive here.
Chocolates. Bonbons. Torrone. Marrons
glacés—they don’t say ‘La
Dolce Vita’ here for nothing.
From
the windows chock full of with candissoires
to the displays of
colorfully
wrapped
morsels, I am amazed at what the city can do with the corner
candy
store.
I
headed to Turin and straight away prepared to take on the arcaded
streets
lined with
baroque candymakers and the slew of pastry shops and caffès
that go with them. I
was delighted to find myself a room at the Hotel Roma (right; Piazza Carlo Felice, 60;
011/561-2772),
situated right on the city’s famous via Roma. The
building overlooks Piazza Carlo Felice--a great spot
if you have a
romantic rendezvous--or a serious sweet tooth. Besides,
this beautiful property is family run, and has
been since 1854. With its palatial high
ceilings and distinctive
rooms, the Roma always reminds me of old world Italian elegance.
Before
I made the rounds of sumptuous confetterie,
I made a stop at the first chocolate factory of them all, the legendary Caffarel, world
famous as one of Italy’s masters, and located a short distance from
town. In 1826 Pier
Paul Caffarel (left) converted
a small tannery into a workshop where he would make chocolate into an
art.
Today Caffarel has an enormous complex,
and every
square inch is saturated with the most delightful, sweet aroma. Luca
Serafina, a Caffarel brand manager, explained to me a few essentials of
great
chocolate. First, that cacao beans come
from four primary portions of the globe – Africa, Guyana, Central America and Venezuela – and each maker blends as they see fit. Deeply flavored African beans give chocolate
body,
while beans from Central
America are known for
their
rich, fruity notes. Those from Caribbean and Venezuela impart their own special flavors as well. Like many chocolate makers here, Caffarel
roasts its own hazelnuts and cacao beans.
Serafina
also explained the importance of the conching process, which uses
centrifugal
force to grind down the paste of cacao and sugar into a liquid that
will then
become chocolate. The longer and more
intense the conching, the sweeter and creamier the final product. Caffarel has managed to orchestrate a system
that
brings their cacao paste to a superfine consistency 20 microns—causing
the delightful
sensation of the chocolate’s melting in your mouth.
But
among the people of Torino, candy makers and lay people alike, the
great
chocolate of all chocolates is the Gianduiotto. The
name comes from the character Gianduja, a farmer who
fought for
Piemontese independence and since entered the ranks of the
Commedia
dell’Arte (below, left). Even creamier and more
heavenly than its solid counterparts, the Gianduiotto owes its sublime
flavor to
the addition of finely ground hazelnuts. Gianduiotto
was created almost by chance, when the Napoleonic wars made it
difficult to import
cacao beans from the New
World.
Hazelnuts
were used as a filler to make cacao last longer – and what a filler it
was! Their deep nutty overtones and
silky texture make for a thoroughly decadent experience.
Only a handful of companies, including
Caffarel, use what is considered Italy’s premium hazelnut, the Tonda
Gentile delle Langhe. It grows in the
misty hills of the Langhe region of
Piemonte, and has a
flavor no other nut can rival.
It
is also the supreme pride of Caffarel that their creamy Gianduiotto
(below) maintains
the soft consistency of the original recipe. This
is due to a specially patented machine which
carefully extrudes
soft dollops of chocolate mixture, just firm enough for wrapping, in
the size
of a gold ingot. Since 1865, when
Caffarel first introduced the candy to the world, the shape (which also
mimics
the hat worn by Gianduja) remains unchanged.
To
appreciate fully what chocolate means to the city of Torino requires a little history on chocolate in
general and Torino in particular. In
fact, Torino
is the birthplace of chocolate as we know it. It
all began in 1560 when Emanuele Filiberto, king of Savoy, moved the capital city of his sovereignty
from Chambéry
to Torino. Since he was
also
general of the Spanish army, Filiberto had ample access to
precious cacao
beans from the New
World.
In fact, he
celebrated his arrival in Torino by serving every single citizen a cup of hot
chocolate. His
son, Carlo Emanuele I furthered the chocolate legacy by marrying Maria
Giovanna
Antonia Nemours, known to the people of Torino
as Madama Reale. She became the queen of Savoy in 1674, and three years later granted the
first
license for ordinary vendors to sell chocolate. Previously
the law forbade anyone other than
a café owner from doing so.
Fast
forward to 1826 and you have Paolo Caffarel opening his chocolate
factory in Turin. That’s
how long it took before industrialization came to
the chocolate
bar. Henri Cailler studied the process
with Caffarel, then returned to Switzerland to launch his own operation.
The
legacy of Turinese chocolate lives on. To this day, the elegant Via
Roma is
dotted with coffee houses, pasticcerie,
and candy makers or confetterie, all
part of the city’s gastronomic history. You
can spend many an afternoon parading the arcaded streets of Piazza
Carlo
Felice, Piazza San Carlo, and Piazza Castello sampling the different
flavors. One of my favorite stops is for
lunch
at Neuv
Caval ‘D Brons (Piazza San
Carlo, 155; 011.545-354 ). I
dropped in for a light repast of tramezzini
(finger sandwiches), effervescent mineral water, and a chinotto. It
was really just an excuse to peruse the
display of pasticcini in the
window. This
place is always bustling, so I quickly
pointed to one of everything in the shop, with doubles of some, and
had it all
wrapped in double paper to take home on the plane. Believe
me, if you have any important
appointments back home, there is nothing like a package from Neuv Caval
‘D
Brons to put you on good footing with someone.
With
my destiny safely secured under my arm, I made my way to the grande
dame of
confectioners, Flli. Stratta (Piazza San Carlo 191; 011 547920 011 547920 011 547920011-547-920). Even if you’re not hungry, one look at this
elaborate shop will change all that in about one minute.
Crystal chandeliers, elaborate carved wood paneling,
beautiful Nineteenth Century glass showcases and a wonderland of
sweets in
every color, shape and size. Oversized
goblets
were toppling with wrapped bonbons della
nonna, the window cases piled with at least 50 or 60 different
types of
pralines, with a separate case of sorbets, macaroons, Turineis
(chocolates filled with chestnut and rum cream), tartufini,
and loads more.
A
mere stone’s throw away is Peyrano (Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 76)
which puts out some 90 types of chocolate, and Roma
già Talmone (Piazza Carlo Felice, 36; 011-50.69.215),
one of the
very first confectioners of Torino. Talmone offers
a selection of home-made gelati in
addition to candies. My favorite item here
is the vanilla-laced chestnut
cream. Its subtle, nutty flavor enhances
just about everything – though how would I know? I can’t stop pairing
it with
vanilla ice cream. I
love stopping into Talmone because it looks
out right on Piazza Carlo Felice. Unlike
Stratta, which is a store, Talmone is also a caffè, and a
delightful spot to
spend an afternoon watching the comings and going in the city center.
Torino’s
12 miles of arcaded streets are ripe with candy-filled opportunity. All you need is the time to explore. Via Lagrange is the spot for the city’s most
famous gourmet shops. There
are also magnificent ice creams, caffès
and candies all along Via Po and Piazza Vittorio Veneteo.
Many caffès celebrate the local drink, bicerin,
a frothy mix of chocolate, coffee and cream. Plan
on arriving hungry. And
plan
on a very lengthy stay in Torino.
NEW
YORK CORNER
by John Mariani
F
illip's
202 Seventh Avenue
212-242-4787
www.fillipsnyc.com
More
than once in this newsletter I have sung the praises of the humble
French bistro, as much for its conviviality as for its dependable, good
food based on classics of bourgeois cooking. Yet as fond as I am
of those classics, it is nice to know that the genre is, like the
blues, amazingly resilient and elastic, allowing for young interpreters
to bring freshness and new ideas. Such is happily the
case at Fillip's, a darling, two-year-old restaurant in
Chelsea.
Inconspicuous among a slew of ethnic eateries in a
restaurant-rich neighborhood, Fillip's ups the ante for finer
fare. Owner Fillip Billan works on a small
scale--only about 12 tables, with a few more outside in good
weather--while Chef Brian Biehler work with a very varied palette. And
you will pay a modest amount for excellent food here, where appetizers
run $7-$15 and entrees $16-$30, with a remarkable 3-course $29
pre-theater dinner available Monday through Friday. There is also
a 5-course tasting menu at $59 (with wine $85) and 7 courses at $75
(with wine $105). And every bottle on Fillip's admirable wine list is
priced at only $15 above cost!--and they serve it in thin Schott Zwiesel glassware.
It's and yellow walls, dark wood chairs,
beamed ceiling, vases of flowers bistro
lighting, and, hurrah!,
tablecloths! The service staffers, which for some reason are made
to wear ties six inches too short, are well meaning if not always
quick on their feet (the rudiments of English escape some of them), but
just relax and enjoy yourself. This ain't Pastis or Balthazar,
where they'll want your table toute
suite!
I was looking forward to solid
traditional cooking but I got much more, starting with very good crispy
skate wine with a warm fingerling potato salad, braised bacon, and sauce verte. Biehler poaches
his foie gras, which is a pleasing alternative to the ever-seared
variety, and serves it with pistachios, pickled California raisins, and
baby mâche--all tantalizing, complementary counterpoints of
texture and
taste. Excellent indeed was a warm purée of English pea
soup with
a dash of white truffle oil and shavings of Pecorino Toscano that gave
it a good little bite.
The main courses included a finely
rendered wild sea bass with warm shiitake and oyster mushroom salad,
parsnip purée, and arugula pesto,
as well as a good crisp-skinned duck breast with broccoli di rabe, pignoli, a baby carrot confit, and natural
reduction.
As noted, such dishes go beyond, but not too far out of focus from,
bistro classics and they are very welcome. Braised pork belly was
not very fatty (isn't fat the point?) and a tad stringy, embellished
nicely with Granny Smith apple, wild rocket greens, and French
lentils. Rack of lamb was cooked well beyond medium-rare, but the
flavor, from Cedar Spring Farms, was all there, along with chestnut
spaetzle, roasted baby veggies, and a thyme-scented reduction.
It's hard to resist Fillip's
delightful plate of cheeses, three for $12, five for $15, which are
well described on the menu. Desserts include a chocolate opera cake
with chocolate crunch, praline, coffee butter, and raspberries; a warm
Callebaut chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream; and an heirloom apple
tart with crème fraîche ice cream. For those who can't
live without one, there is also crème brûlée.
I suspect that Billan and Biehler have
fashioned the kind of place they themselves have always
loved--unpretentious,
devoted to good food, dependent on fine ingredients, and done with
personal flair. I hope the neighborhood responds and appreciates
what they've got amidst a slew of mediocre places. If I lived in
Chelsea, Fillip's would be my once-a-week choice, with a good bottle of
inexpensive wine, and a menu I could never tire of.
OTHERS
BELIEVE IT SAID $9.60 A POUND
A tuna caught off the
coast of Kenya that bore what some believed was a
Koranic verse--"You are the best provider"--was recovered after being
stolen from a government fisheries office in Mombasa. Some Muslim
clerics in Kenya have preached about the five-pound tuna, with offers
to buy it running up to $150.
MORE
EVIDENCE OF ILLEGAL ALIENS TAKING JOBS AT THE L.A TIMES!
Corrections
in recent LA Times Food
Section Stories
Milkshakes:
An article in last week's Food section about where to get a great
milkshake misspelled the last name of Louis B. Mayer as Meyer. Also,
the former name of ice cream store Mashti Malone's was Mugsy Malone's,
not Bugsy Malone's.
Wine bottles — In
last week's Food section, an article about winemakers reusing bottles
said more than 30 billion wine bottles are used annually in California.
The correct figure is more than 3 billion.
Stonehill
Tavern manager —
An April 26 Food review of Stonehill Tavern, the restaurant at St.
Regis Resort Monarch Beach, stated that manager Tim Flowers is a master
of wine. He is not.
For the record Corkage policy: A review of Republic
restaurant in last week's Food
section said that if a customer buys a bottle of wine from the list,
the corkage fee is waived. The policy is that if a customer buys a
bottle of wine from the list, the corkage fee on a bottle of wine
brought in by the customer is waived.
Restaurant name: In
an article in last week's Food section, the name of the restaurant
where Mia Sushi chef Kazo Ozawa previously worked was incorrectly
stated as Flying Fish. The restaurant's name is Frying Fish.
"THE
SWEET LIFE" CRUISE
This fall, from Sept. 29-Oct. 6 John Mariani (left),
publisher of Mariani's Virtual
Gourmet and food & travel columnist for Esquire Magazine, will host
and lead a 7-day cruise called "The Sweet Life," aboard
Silverseas' Millennium Class Silver
Whisper,
with days visiting Barcelona, Tunis, Naples, Milazzo (Sicily), Rome,
Livorno, and Villefranche. There will be a welcoming cocktail
party,
gourmet dinners with wines, cooking demos by John and Galina Mariani
co-authors of The Italian-American
Cookbook), optional shore excursions will include a
tour of the Amalfi Coast,
dinner at the great Don Alfonso 1890 (2 Michelin stars), a private tour
of the Vatican, dinner at La Pergola (3 Michelin stars) in Rome, a
Night Cruise to Hotel de Paris and dinner at Louis XV (3 Michelin
stars)
in Monaco, and much more. Rates (a 20% savings) range from $4,411
to
$5,771. For complete information click.
QUICK
BYTES
* On Aug. 6 Wally's Wine Store will host its
3rd Annual Central Coast Wine and Food Celebration, to benefit the
Michael
Bonaccorsi Scholarship Fund at UC Davis' Dept. of Viticulture and
Enology. The tasting incl. 50+ Central
Coast
wineries. Restaurants incl. Spago Beverly
Hills, Lucques/A.O.C., Campanile, Grace, BLD,
Sona, Boa,
Sushi Roku and Katana in Los Angeles, and The Hitching Post, Bouchon,
Olio e
Limone, Miro at the Bacara Resort, and the Santa Barbara Olive Company.
Also, silent
auction of rare wine offerings and premier gift packages. $95 pp. Call
310-475-0606
or visit www.wallywine.com.
* On Aug. 15 Roy’s in San Francisco will present
a culinary tour of the flavors
indigenous to the 5 Hawaiian
Islands, as created by Chef Roy Yamaguchi. This
5-course “Island Hop” Wine Dinner will be
paired with a selection of premier wines. $85 pp. Call 415-777-0277.
* From Aug. 17-20, The
Crested Butte Wild Mushroom Festival
will incl. hands-on activities, lectures, workshops and jazz.
Chefs from Timberline
Restaurant, Buffalo Grille, Cucina, and Arrangements Catering &
Events will
prepare imaginative wild mushroom dishes The
registration fee for the 3-day festival is $115. Call
all (800)
545-4505 or visit www.cbmushfest.com.
* On Aug. 17 in Berkeley, CA, Spenger's
Fresh Fish Grotto Chef
Romero Miraflor will serve a
5-course Anchor Steam Brewery Beer
Dinner. $45 pp. Call 510-845-7771; www.spengers.com
* From Aug. 17-20, The
Crested Butte Wild Mushroom Festival
will incl. hands-on activities, lectures, workshops and jazz.
Chefs from Timberline
Restaurant, Buffalo Grille, Cucina, and Arrangements Catering &
Events will
prepare imaginative wild mushroom dishes The
registration fee for the 3-day festival is $115. Call
all (800)
545-4505 or visit www.cbmushfest.com.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MARIANI'S VIRTUAL GOURMET NEWSLETTER is published weekly. Editor/Publisher:
John Mariani. Contributing Writers: Robert Mariani, Naomi
Kooker, Kirsten Skogerson, Edward Brivio, Mort
Hochstein, Suzanne Wright. Contributing
Photographers: Galina Stepanoff-Dargery, Bobby Pirillo. Technical
Advisor: Gerry McLoughlin.
John Mariani is a columnist for Esquire, Wine Spectator, Bloomberg News and
Radio, and Diversion.
He is author of The Encyclopedia
of American Food & Drink (Lebhar-Friedman), The Dictionary
of Italian Food and Drink (Broadway), and, with his wife Galina, the
award-winning new Italian-American Cookbook (Harvard Common
Press).
Any of John Mariani's books below
may be ordered from amazon.com by clicking on the cover image.
My
newest book, written with my brother Robert Mariani, is a memoir of our
years growing up in the North
Bronx. It's called Almost
Golden because it re-visits an idyllic place and time in our
lives when
so many wonderful things seemed possible.
For those of you who don't think
of
the Bronx as “idyllic,” this
book will be a revelation. It’s
about a place called the Country Club area, on the shores of Pelham Bay. A beautiful
neighborhood filled with great friends
and wonderful adventures that helped shape our lives.
It's about a culture, still vibrant, and a place that is still almost
the same as when we grew up there.
Robert and I think you'll enjoy this
very personal look at our Bronx childhood. It is not
yet available in bookstores, so to purchase
a copy, go to amazon.com
or click on Almost Golden.
--John
Mariani
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copyright John Mariani 2006
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