MARIANI’S
Virtual Gourmet
"Thanksgiving 1648" by J. C.
Leyendecker (c. 1935)
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IN THIS ISSUE NAPLES, FLORIDA By Geoff Kalish NEW YORK CORNER Charlie Palmer Steak By John Mariani NOTES
FROM THE WINE CELLAR
GAME TIME BY John Mariani ❖❖❖ UPSCALE DINING IN NAPLES, FLORIDA By Geoff Kalish Some twenty years ago, “fine
dining” in Naples, Florida, meant a “jacket and tie”
dinner at The Ritz Carlton dining room or Andre’s
Steak House. Ethnic
cuisine was limited to red-sauce Italian storefronts
or good but standard Chinese fare at spots like
Charlie Chang’s. Moreover, finding a sensibly
priced, expansive wine list that offered bottles
that mated well with the food was wishful thinking.
In fact, the situation was so woeful that dining
excursions to Miami, two hours away, were not that
uncommon. However, owing to an increasingly
cosmopolitan, sophisticated population, especially
in the winter months, when well heeled Americans,
Canadians and Europeans flock to the city, the
dining scene in Naples has done a 180 degree
turnaround. Now
a wide range of establishments offers upscale
American fare featuring local seafood, and ethnic
cuisine ranges from Persian to Peruvian. In
addition, more than a few eateries offer extensive,
well priced wine lists geared to the fare offered. ALEXANDER'S Celebrating 20 years in
Naples, energetic chef-owner Alexander Bernard is
now at the top of his game with contemporary takes
on classic European cuisine, served in a rather
formal space reminiscent of a staid French drawing
room, or in a romantic patio garden (preferable)
with tables draped in magenta cloths and twinkling
lights in the trees. In fact, while some quibble
that the fare served is “old hat,” a very recent
dinner there was exceptional, with carefully
prepared food served in a romantic courtyard by
professional, yet friendly servers, and very
reasonably priced wines from a list of bottles from
consistent top-notch producers. Expect dinner for two to cost
about $80 to $90, not including wine, tax or tip.
SEA
SALT
For
the past five years fans of fancy seafood have
flocked to this “Old Naples” spot to sample the
works of culinary art offered by Venetian-born,
chef-owner Fabrizio Aielli. And they are rarely
disappointed. Housed in an area popular with
tourists and locals “looking to be seen,” the
restaurant consists of a front dining patio open to
the street that includes a bar with a few bar
tables, and an enclosed sleek, contemporary room with
a large open kitchen.
This
epitome of elegant beachside dining, overlooking the
Gulf of Mexico, should not be missed, even on a
short stay in Naples.
At dinnertime, the large, elegant, dimly lit
dining room provides comfortable seating at
white-clothed tables well-spaced to allow for
private conversation.
Reserve a table outdoors on the patio a half
hour before sunset. Order a bottle of wine from one
of the best lists in the U.S, lean back and slowly
survey the menu. Once the sun disappears beyond the
horizon and the mesmerizing afterglow begins, order
at will; everything we’ve tried over the past few
years has been terrific. Other than the prix fixe menu, expect
dinner to cost about $60 a person,
IM
TAPAS SPANISH RESTO BAR
If this restaurant were in New York
City or San Francisco, it would be a darling of the
dining cognoscenti. Tucked away in a run-down strip
mall storefront and well off the beaten path, it
serves exemplary modern takes on classic Spanish
cuisine at white-clothed tables in a spacious room
with pale yellow walls displaying contemporary
artwork. Expect dinner for two (sharing 3 tapas and 2 main courses) to cost about $100 not including tax, tip or wine. Open for dinner Mon.-Sat. L'ANGOLO'S
5TH AVENUE
What
sets this five-year-old downtown eatery apart from
others of similar ilk are its skillfully prepared, elegantly
presented authentic renditions of classic regional
Italian favorites, made with very fresh, locally
sourced and top quality imported ingredients. The
fare at this spacious restaurant--with an open
kitchen, glass enclosed bar area and contemporary
vibe--is a world
apart from others of similar ilk. Also,
service is a cut above most of the Italian
restaurants in Naples, and the wine list offers more
than two dozen top-producer wines by the glass and a
sensibly-priced selection of carefully chosen
bottles, primarily from Italy. Expect dinner for
two (except the “Early Dining” menu) to cost about
$90 to $100,
Run by chef-owner Nicholas Mercier
and his affable (and unflappable) wife, Nathalie,
this 14- year-old establishment--with a setting
reminiscent of a cruise ship dining room (with
water-filled portals lining one long wall)- - is one
of the most popular dining spots in Naples. And
rightfully so. Dinner for two,
excluding wine, tax and tip, will cost about
$90-$100. ❖❖❖ NEW YORK CORNER
By John Mariani Photos by Georgina Richardson Charlie Palmer Steak 3 East 54th Street (near Fifth Avenue) 646-559-8440 www.charliepalmer.com
It
has become pretty much the norm that when a
celebrity chef/restaurateur builds an empire, he
pays little or no attention to the fifth, sixth,
or twentieth unit he opens. Lunch:
Mon.-Sat.; Dinner nightly ❖❖❖ NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR GAME TIME BY John Mariani
The
difference between a true hunter and a weekend
amateur is that the former kills only what he
wants to eat and the latter only eats what he
hasn’t hunted. In the same way, the true wine
lover is one who matches the wine to the food,
not the other way around. Venison—Wild
venison,
with its satiny, lean meat and deep red color, is
among the great pleasures of gastronomy, and
nothing but a fine red wine with some good
fruit and tannin components will do. Even
farm-raised venison, though lacking the desirable
gaminess of wild deer, needs a robust red wine. I find
pinot noirs too delicate and California cabernets
too big. Instead I love Tuscan wines, which can
range from a medium-bodied, juicy chianti up to a
very expensive Tuscan red like Tignanello
($115). Much more affordable, and ideal for
venison, is Peppoli ($18), a chianti made from
90% sangiovese grapes grown in the illustrious
“classico” region, made by the Antinori family,
which makes both fine chiantis and Tignanello. Its
lustiness, its scents of cinnamon and especially
its hints of pepper are perfect for the richness
of venison.
Duck—Whether
you
serve sliced duck breast rare, as is the French
style, or the whole bird roasted crisp, duck
has a flavor finer than chicken’s dark meat and
the succulence that comes from the enormous amount
of fat the bird possesses in it skin. Therefore,
you don’t want a wine it can overpower. Merlot
is a solid choice, because it is made from one
grape and known for its ability to smooth out its
tannins and become velvety and lush at a fairly
young age. There
are plenty of good choices for merlots out of
California, but one of the most consistent,
vintage after vintage, is Clos du Val
($22).
Pheasant—I
don’t find much farm-raised pheasant worth the
money, but a freshly caught bird, even if it
doesn’t have much fat on it, makes for wonderful
eating. The
mild gaminess and the texture of the flesh make
this ideal for a lighter red wine. You will
probably want to bard a wild bird with bacon,
which provides fat and keeps the flesh from drying
out. You don’t
want a big cabernet, which will overpower the
bird’s flavor.
Here a pinot noir is my prime choice,
especially one from California’s Russian River
Valley that shows body, fruit, some spice, and a
complexity that itself can be faintly gamey. I’ve
been particularly impressed by Rodney
Strong’s pinot noirs, which sell for an
amazingly reasonable $15. With
Thanksgiving upon us, pinot noir works equally
as well.
Trout—The
two
classic ways to treat trout are either to pan fry
it in butter or bacon fat, or to cook it in a
court-bouillon, whose added vinegar turns the skin
a delightful blue color. In either case, trout takes
well to white wines with an edge and enough acid
to enhance the marvelous freshwater flavor of the
fish. With
its apple-like fruitiness and its tangy finish,
riesling makes a great match. German
rieslings that are labeled “trocken,”
meaning dry, are delicious with trout, but why not
stay domestic and go with Hogue
Cellars Johannisberg Riesling, which at
about $9 is an astonishment for its grace, its
delightful fruit, and its spirit. With some
fried potatoes on the side, this is as good as a
fish dish gets.
Striped bass—A great fish deserves a great white wine, and striped bass, especially those taken from Atlantic waters off Cape Cod down to South Carolina, is one of the finest of all fish for a feast. It can be used for sushi, because its flesh has such meaty firmness and enough fat to demand an equally fat wine like chardonnay. France’s Burgundy region produces the most delicate and most expensive, but California makes the biggest-bodied, with plenty of buttery, vanilla flavors. If allowed too much time in oak, however, the wine tastes more like wood than fruit. Acacia’s chardonnays ($10) have always provided me with the kind of balance I crave when I eat sea bass, which needs nothing more than a green vegetable on the side to make it the perfect meal.
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A study
published in the journal Behavioral
Brain Research links an
ingredient in beer to improved brain function in young
mice, owing to a
type of flavonoid found in beer called xanthohumol.
The study tested very high amounts of xanthohumol,
meaning that a human being would need to consume as
much as 2,000 liters of beer per day to ingest the
same amount as the mice did
-"[Tomatoes]
help protect your skin from the aging rays of the sun!
I learned...[this] tidbit while watching How to
Live to 100 on the Cooking Channel." -"I
am notorious for my table settings and my dishes. If
I'm cooking an Italian meal, I will grab my red
Hermès china to go with the red sauce."
-"I
love this salsa because it's as figure-friendly as it
is fabulous. Especially when you think outside the
tortilla chip bag."
-"My refrigerator has a
personality of its own. (It probably needs its own
Instagram account, too.)"
From In the Kitchen with Kris: A Kollection of Kardashian Jenner Family Favorites by Kris Jenner ❖❖❖
I'm proud and happy to announce that my new book, The Hound in Heaven (21st Century Lion Books), has just been published through Amazon and Kindle. It is a Christmas 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 back 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. Any of John Mariani's
books below may be ordered from amazon.com.
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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." THIS
WEEK: WARSAW; BHUTAN
Eating Las Vegas is the new on-line site for Virtual Gourmet contributor John A. Curtas., who since 1995 has been commenting on the Las Vegas food scene and reviewing restaurants for Nevada Public Radio. He is also the restaurant critic for KLAS TV, Channel 8 in Las Vegas, and his past reviews can be accessed at KNPR.org. Click on the logo below to go directly to his site.
Tennis Resorts Online: A Critical Guide to the World's Best Tennis Resorts and Tennis Camps, published by ROGER COX, who has spent more than two decades writing about tennis travel, including a 17-year stretch for Tennis magazine. He has also written for Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, New York Magazine, Travel & Leisure, Esquire, Money, USTA Magazine, Men's Journal, and The Robb Report. He has authored two books-The World's Best Tennis Vacations (Stephen Greene Press/Viking Penguin, 1990) and The Best Places to Stay in the Rockies (Houghton Mifflin, 1992 & 1994), and the Melbourne (Australia) chapter to the Wall Street Journal Business Guide to Cities of the Pacific Rim (Fodor's Travel Guides, 1991).
MARIANI'S VIRTUAL GOURMET
NEWSLETTER is published weekly. Editor/Publisher: John
Mariani.
Editor: Walter Bagley. Contributing Writers: Christopher Mariani,
Robert Mariani, Misha
Mariani,
John A. Curtas, Edward Brivio, Mort Hochstein,
Andrew Chalk, Dotty Griffith and Brian Freedman. Contributing
Photographers: Galina Dargery, Bobby
Pirillo. Technical Advisor: Gerry McLoughlin.
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