MARIANI’S

Virtual Gourmet


  October 3,   2021                                                                                            NEWSLETTER



Founded in 1996 

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"103 Broadway" by Berenice Abbott (1935).

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IN THIS ISSUE
JAMES BOND'S MARTINI:
 HIS TASTE IN  FOOD AND DRINK
Part One
By John Mariani

NEW YORK CORNER
BLACKBARN

By John Mariani

CAPONE'S GOLD
Chapter  27
By John Mariani


NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR
AUTUMN WINES
By John Mariani




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On this week's episode of my WVOX Radio Show "Almost Golden," on Wed. October 6 at 11AM EST,I will be interviewing NYC author Jay Neugebren of his books, including The Diagnostic Manual of Mishegas.  Go to: WVOX.com. The episode will also be archived at: almostgolden.













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JAMES BOND'S MARTINI:
 HIS TASTE IN  FOOD AND DRINK

Part One

 
By John Mariani





 

     This month the 25th James Bond movie, No Time to Die, will debut (after a delay of a year because of  Covid), with Daniel Craig back in the Aston-Martin for what he says will be his last outing. So it seems both timely and a good deal of fun to look back over seven decades to see just how much of a connoisseur, gourmet or gourmand 007 really was, or if he was just finicky or—crikey!—bought off by the wine and spirits industry. Over the ensuing months I’ll run through the books and films to detail when and why Bond eats and drinks what he does, in at least one occasion exposing the ignorance of enemies who order the wrong wine.
       “I take a ridiculous pleasure in what I eat,” says James Bond in the 1953 Ian Fleming book Casino Royale. “It comes partly from being a bachelor but mostly from a habit of taking a lot of trouble over details.” 007’s tastes were very specific when it came to his favorite drinks. His knowledge of wine vintages, the best bourbon and the correct temperature at which to drink sake were all important details. Indeed, Bond’s savoir faire and discriminating palate were crucial to his allure as a worldly but never effete masculine figure who says the perfect woman for him would be “someone who can make sauce béarnaise as well as love,” in Diamonds Are Forever (1956).
      His favorite champagne was Taittinger Blanc de Blancs 1945,  which he called a “fad of mine” in Casino Royale, although he’s not against a little Dom Pérignon, Veuve-Cliquot or Bollinger. In the movies, Bond’s champagne houses are constantly changing: in from Russia with Love (1963) it’s Taittinger; in Live and Let Die (1973) he orders Bollinger; and in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) it’s Moët-Chandon; in Moonraker (1979) it’s Bollinger again. 
     
Lest one think Bond is fickle about his Champagnes in the movies, it should be noted that several of the Champagne houses either paid a promotional fee or provided bubbly refreshment for the film crew in order to get 007 to order the label.
      In the movie A View to a Kill (1985) Bond prominently displays a bottle of Stolichnaya to a beautiful spy he holds in thrall inside an igloo in Northeast Russia.
       Bond had an enormous effect on the sale of vodka worldwide, by virtue of his Martinis, famously “shaken not stirred.” In the Casino Royale novel, he stipulates “three measures of Gordon’s gin, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it’s ice cold, then add a large slice of lemon peel, got it?” He later named this odd combination after the character Vesper. In later books he  drops the gin, preferring a mix of six parts vodka to one of vermouth. His preferred vodka is one made from grain rather than potatoes. He favors Wolfschmidt in the books.
      Bond’s taste is not limited to champagne and vodka martinis. When in Europe he may order an Americano; in Rome he does as the Romans do, ordering a Negroni. On assignment in Tokyo in You Only Live Twice (1967), he lets his colleague Tiger Tanaka lead him through the mysteries of sake. And in Greece  007 drinks ouzo as they do with an ice water chaser, while in Turkey he has his first experience with anise flavored raki.  And in American waters, with his CIA pal Felix Leiter, more often than not Bond drinks bourbon, specifying Old Granddad, especially when he wants an Old Fashioned. 
     
Bond is not much on Cognac, though he may order one in a café in Paris, and never drinks port or Sherry. In one instance, it seems uncharacteristic for Bond to finish off a meal of caviar and Champagne with a sweet vodka stinger, as he does with Tiffany Case in Diamonds,   a mixture of that might well faze the mind of a lesser man.
       Oddly enough, while Fleming larded his thrillers with gourmet meals—though always simple, not extravagant—Noël Coward said that he dreaded being invited to Fleming’s house Goldeneye in Jamaica because, Coward said, he was "a filthy cook."
      In the movies, the writers made food and drink leitmotifs that fans came to expect, especially when Bond shows condescension to his enemies’ choice of a wine, as he does with Dr. No, who plans to torture Bond after dinner.
      In  Bond films, there always had to be a mention of the famous Martini “shaken not stirred,” so it was something of a shock to audiences when Daniel Craig, in his first outing in Casino Royale (2006), replies to a waiter who asks him if he wants his Martini shaken not stirred, Bond replies—wholly out of character —“Do I look like I give a damn?”
      It has always seemed to me that Bond, more than any other fictional character, including a long list of gourmands that range from Nero Wolfe to the Saint, played an enormous part in causing men and women after 1960 to appreciate, learn about and enjoy fine food and wine—which was not lost on companies that got the various Bond actors to hawk their products in paid ads.
      Women found it alluring that Bond was not a traditional hero who just knocked back whiskey like Sam Spade (right) and Philip Marlowe at every opportunity. Bond was handsome, impeccably dressed, brave, witty and highly sophisticated, and the female characters plied 007 with his favorite foods and drinks. 
      
The repartee, the cars, the guns and gimmicks and the exotic locales have always been essential to the appeal of a hero like no other, who, in addition to his savoir faire, never gets drunk and never flags in bed. That, and the fact that in real years, Bond would now be close to a hundred years old, doing so with a tin of caviar and a bottle of
Taittinger Champagne.

 








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NEW YORK CORNER


BLACKBARN

                                                                                       19 East 26th Street

212-265-5959


By John Mariani



      I’ve been following the career of chef John Doherty since the late 1980s, throughout his long tenure as executive chef overseeing all the food service at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, where, at the age 27, he had to serve as much a field commander as a chef. Doherty left that storied caravansary (now nothing but another deluxe Park Avenue condo), and since 2016, with partner and boyhood friend Tom Struzzieri, has made Blackbarn into one of the NoMad neighborhood’s major draws for American cuisine with a wide net. (He’d run a Blackbarn Café in Chelsea Market, but that closed when Covid hit.)
       The restaurant’s hangar-sized interior (formerly the elegant Italian ristorante SD26) is now built around rustic elements heavy in lumber, centered by what looks like a barn in the early stages of being erected. Hanging lights give it a glow within walls and ceilings that are dark gray or black. There’s a long bar room with an avid cocktail hour crowd that leads to the main dining space, with private dining rooms above and off to the side. The open kitchen blazes with additional light and a measured activity of cooks working the fiery grill.
     When I first visited back in 2018, the noise level of a full house was deafening; on my return last month, with a room only about half full, conversation was amiably easy to carry on.
      It’s worth noting that when Blackbarn Café was open, the menu announced it was all about “healthful eating,” with an emphasis on vegetables. You won’t see that phrase on Blackbarn’s menu, but anyone seeking whatever “healthful eating” is will find it amply represented in dishes like a charred corn and kale salad with heirloom tomatoes, avocado, quinoa, bacon lardons, baked ricotta and herbed butter milk ($21), as well as marvelously rich wild mushroom toast incorporating  robiola, taleggio and parmesan cheeses along with watercress ($17). There is also a curried cauliflower steak seasoned with cilantro, yogurt, a summer salad, toasted pine nuts and pears ($29). One of the best among the dishes “to share” is the butternut squash ravioli (right) with Swiss chard, toasted pumpkin seeds and bacon lardons ($32).
      A true feinschmecker can pounce on the appetizer of bone marrow (below) with manila clams and lemon herbed crumbs ($18), as well as on a lavish Mangalitsa charcuterie and aged cheese platter with housemaid pickles, whole grain mustard, honey comb, toasted and seasonal fruit ($32).
     There is the inevitable olive oil-braised octopus, here done with roasted pepper, hummus, Fresno chilies, shaved fennel and preserved lemon gremolata ($26). And in a city whose restaurants are awash with  pizzas, Blackbarn does a delicious one using black mission figs with spicy coppa, arugula, caramelized onions and truffle oil ($21).
     There’s a “slow cooked” section to really get your teeth into, including luscious beef barbecued ribs with a chipotle/orange rub, crispy shoestring fries that are addictive and a cucumber salad ($42), and a big hearty beer-braised Cheshire pork shank (below) with broccoli di rabe, butterball potatoes, sun-dried tomato, charred tomatillo relish and chicharrones ($38). If you go the seafood route, the crispy-skin striped bass with chanterelle mushrooms, crispy pancetta, grilled zucchini and creamy corn risotto ($42) is a terrific dish, while among the wood-grilled items the duck breast pastrami and sausage with local greens, cipollini, Spanish torta and a tangy black cherry gastrique with peppers ($42 ) is very unusual and very welcome. A side order of truffles ricotta with Parmesan ($15) is not something you should miss for the table.
      Doherty prides himself on finding the best local ingredients, and the Union Square Market is nearby, so a cheese selection ($18) is quite special, with options like Bent River from Minnesota, Bailey Hazen blue from Vermont, Bouche de Lucay from France and Fire Florys Truckle from Iowa. The best fruits of autumn go into desserts (all $13), like a panna cotta with poached rhubarb, strawberries and candied almonds. Two people can readily share the rum butterscotch bread pudding with vanilla ice cream and toffee sauce, and you may have a fight on your hands when the plate of apple cider donuts with caramel sauce hits the table. (A new pastry chef is arriving momentarily to bulk up the dessert menu.)
      The wine list hits on all categories, prices are about average mark-up, and ask the sommelier Andrija Tadejevic for his advice in your price range and for your palate.
       I’m happy to see Blackbarn reopened and gaining its footage on a daily and nightly basis – brunch is very popular, and the tavern menu is too. It is all meant to be a very gregarious experience with food that just about everybody can glom onto with enormous pleasure and leave happy. John Doherty has always been such a pro that his ability to pass on what he knows and how to do it is daunting and you can taste it in every dish.


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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
 
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

 

      The phone rang in David’s kitchen while he was making espresso for the two them.
      “Can you get that?” he asked.
      Katie picked up the phone and said hello.
      “Hello, my name is John Frascella.  May I please speak with David Greco?”
      Katie looked at David, put her hand over the phone and whispered, “It’s that guy John Frascella calling.”
     "I'll take it on the phone in my bedroom,” said David. Then into the phone, “David Greco speaking.”
      Katie started recording the conversation through the phone in the kitchen.
      “Oh, hey, Detective Greco, I’m so glad I reached you. My name’s John Frascella, and I’m a police officer here in Chicago.  I think you may know about me from your friend Lieutenant Cunningham?”
      “Yes, he and I spoke about you.”
      “Well, he told me that you inquired about why I was at Al Capone’s house taking pictures at the same time your friend was there.”
      “Yeah, I did.”
      “And that he told you I’m a crime mob history buff and was just out there taking pictures for my own use, which is true. I did know your friend was going to be there and thought I might even be of some help if she couldn’t get into the house.”
      “Yes, he told me that,” said David, “and that you’d been a cop in Philadelphia?” David didn’t want to give too much away of what Cunningham had told him, in case it had been confidential.
      “Well, first of all, give your friend—I’m sorry what’s her name?”
      “Cavuto.”
      “Tell Miss Cavuto I’m really sorry if I spooked her. I just had the afternoon off and wanted to see the house.  I’ve only been on the force a few months.”
      “I’ll give her your apologies.”
      There was a brief pause, then Frascella asked, “Detective Greco—may I call you David?”
      “I’ve been off the force for two years, so Mr. Greco will do.”
      “Okay.  So, here’s the thing. I don’t know everything Lieutenant Cunningham told you about me, about how I’d try to get into the rackets squad in Philly and how I was trying to get into it here in Chicago.  Fact is, I got turned down both places because I used to have some, well, some connections with the Philly mobsters in the neighborhood where I grew up."
      David stayed silent. Frascella kept speaking.
      “Now, I’m telling you the absolute truth, Mr. Greco, swear to God. I was never really part of the mob, more a runner, y’know?  I was eighteen, nineteen years old, and the older I got the more I realized two things: first, I had no future as a wiseguy, and second, those were very bad wiseguys.”
      “So you became a cop?” asked David.
      “Yessir, I became a cop.  And lemme tell you, funny thing is my former friends in the mob actually congratulated me, saying as long as I didn’t ruffle their feathers they’d help me out with passing information and shit. But, frankly, they never did.”
      “Well, I can readily understand why the Philadelphia police didn’t want you on their rackets squad.”
      “I know that now.  But I have to say I was very, very disappointed when I got turned down here in Chicago. I’m a good beat cop, but I could really be of help because I know how things work inside the crime families.”
      “They must have had their reasons,” said David.
      “Well, whatever they didn’t tell me I don’t know.  So, as sorry as I am to tell you this, I’ve quit the Chicago police force.”
      David looked out of the bedroom at Katie and wrinkled his eyebrows.  Katie raised her palms.
      David tried to sound disinterested. “Oh?”
      “I came to the conclusion—I’m twenty-seven years old—that I wasn’t going to rise much further than sergeant, when, like I said, I wanted to work with the rackets squad. So, I wasn’t much enjoying the work I was doing
      “And what do you intend to do now?”
      “Take a break, then maybe get my own security firm. There’s a lot of call for that everywhere.  I’m not wedded to staying in Chicago.”
      David went quiet.
      “But that’s not why I called, actually,” said Frascella.  “First off, I want you to know that I’ve been an admirer of yours for years. You’re a legend, you know.”
      David just said, “Well.”  Frascella went on.
     “You’re one of the reasons I wanted to get into the rackets squad.  I mean, busting the wiseguys is one thing, but scoring a really big capo, well, that’s why you’re so famous. And you deserve it.”
      “Thanks.”
      “So, Lieutenant Cunningham told me you were working with Miss Cavuto on locating where Al Capone stashed his gold after the heist?”
      David looked at Katie and raised his eyebrows.
      “Well, I’m sure you know there’s a considerable reward,” he said, “and Miss Cavuto is a very resourceful reporter. I’m just helping her out.”
      “Well, I know this might be very off base,” said Frascella, “but do you think there’s any way, any way at all, I might help you on this case?  I mean, I’m sure you have way more contacts than I do, but, y’know, you can never have enough leads or too many guys beating the bushes for clues.”
      “I appreciate your offer, Mr. Frascella, but Miss Cavuto and I haven’t the money to pay you, and there’s no assurance we’re going to find the gold and get the reward.”
      “Oh, no, no, no,” protested Frascella. “I wasn’t looking for payment.  I’m looking for experience. Y’know, working with a legend like yourself.  And, like I said, I’m really into the history of the mob.”
      Now Katie was rolling her eyes, mouthing the words “bullshit artist.” 
     
David chuckled and said, “Again, I appreciate the offer, but at this juncture we really can’t take anyone on. Besides you live in Chicago.”
      “I understand, but I do know a lot about mob history, and I’ve done a little research of my own on Capone’s gold.  I assume you already know that he tried to get as much of it as possible out of the country.”
      Surprised, David looked straight at Katie and replied, “That is something we’ve figured on.”
      “And that some of it went to Italy?”
      Katie was shaking her head and David was rubbing his temples.
      “Do you mind telling me how you know that?” he asked.
      “Well, when I was in Philly and hanging out with some of the oldtimers in the gang there, they sometimes used to shoot the shit about Capone’s gold, and though nobody knew for sure, the assumption among most of them was that it went to Italy before the war.”
      “And who’d he ship it to?”
      “I don’t know. I think the wiseguys assumed it was to the Camorra, or even the Mafia.”
      David was being careful not to let Frascella sense he was telling them anything new.
      “Yeah,” he said, “that occurred to us.”  He didn’t want to mention the connection to Mussolini.
      “Well, hey, I understand you can’t hire me or let me tag along with you two on your research, but it would be an honor if I could provide you with a tip on anything, a guy to speak to in Italy, whatever.”
      David didn’t want to cut Frascella off entirely, so he said,  “Thanks. Like you said, no lead’s too small.”
      “Well, if you are going over to Italy to do some research, let me give you the name of a mob guy I used to know in Philly who the feds extradited. Once he got back, of course, he beat the rap—drug dealing, mostly—but he decided to live there permanently.  I  think he’s now somewhere in his seventies.”
      “And why would this guy be of any help to us, assuming we did go to Italy?”
      “Because he was always the one who said he knew more about Capone’s gold than anyone else. He wasn’t one of the real oldtimers; he never met Capone personally, but he said he knew guys who did. But you know how these guys worked. They trusted nobody and believed what they wanted to believe, and he said he was pretty sure he knew where the gold was.”
      “And where was that?”
      “All he ever said was `somewhere around Naples.’”
      “That doesn’t really help much,” said David.  “But I tell you what, Mr. Frascella, if you want to give me his name and info, and if we go to Naples, I’ll contact him and see what he knows, or thinks he knows. Of course, if he does know, how come he never got hold of the gold himself?”
      “I dunno.  Maybe he’s full of shit. But if you’re going over there, I think he’s worth talking to, maybe just to get a lead or discard a dead one.”
      “Fair enough. So what’s his name?”  Katie already had a pen and paper poised.
      “His name is Frank Iacobello. They used to call him `Frankie Switch’ ‘cause he never carried a gun, only a switchblade.  I’ll give you his contact info.  So you think you’re going over soon?”
      David thought he should toss Frascella a bone. “At this point we haven’t decided.  Y’know, expenses, time.”
      Frascella then sensed that Katie and David were already making plans, so he said, “Well, if you go, I hope you take a little time to enjoy yourselves.  I hear the food is great in Naples.  There’s this little place called La Rosetta on the Viccolo Ancona with fabulous seafood.”
      “Thanks, we’ll look it up. You been to Naples yourself?”
      “No,” said Frascella, “but I’m dying to go.”
      “Okay, well, then, I appreciate your call and the info about Frank Iacobello. We’ll see how it goes.”
      “That’s great, Mr. Greco. Again, I just wanna say how much I admire your work.  I wish I could have had a chance to do the same thing.”
      David and Katie put down their phones and stared at each other.
      “So, what do you think?” she asked.
      “I don’t know yet.  On the one hand he sounds sincere, and on the other he sounds full of b.s. Cop’s itch.”
      “I agree with you,” said Katie. “He’s not telling us everything he knows. Woman’s intuition.”
      “Yeah, I’ve known guys like him in the past. They get a nice shiny new badge, then when they don’t grow up to be Dick Tracy, they get disillusioned and drop out of the force, usually around the time they’ve built up enough years to get some sort of pension.  Then again, he threw us a lead, maybe a crumb, maybe nothing at all.  It’s worth checking this guy Frankie Switch out.  I’ll call a detective in Philly. He doesn’t sound like he’d be any trouble. Probably retired and likes to shoot his mouth off.”
      “Well,” said Katie, “it’s one more lead we didn’t have twenty minutes ago. And you say you have names of people over there we can get in touch with, and maybe they know this guy Iacobello?”
      “I hope so. Can’t hurt.” Then David put his hands over his scalp and said, “I don’t know.”
      “What?”
      “Something Frascella said bothers me. He said he’d never been to Naples but then he recommended a restaurant that sounded like he knew it firsthand.”
      “Yeah, but he said he’d heard about it.”
      “No, he said he’d heard the food was good in Naples.  Then he recommended the restaurant.  I don’t know the streets of Naples all that well, but I do recall that the Vicolo Ancona is a narrow little alleyway off the beaten path.  He didn’t mention any others.  It sounded to me like he’d actually been there and eaten at the restaurant.”
      “Why would he lie about that?  If he said he knew Naples well, he might have tried to talk us into letting him show us around.”
      “That’s what I’d figure,” said David. “But he didn’t.  Well, I can give another call to Brian Cunningham and see what he thinks. Meanwhile, you go home, get a good night’s sleep, call a travel agent, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
      “Oh, tomorrow’s not good for me,” she replied.
      “Why not? I was going to take you for dinner after we got some work done.”
      “Well, that’s the thing, David. I’ve got to get to the travel agent, do a bunch of stuff that’s piled up, start to pack, then I have a date tomorrow night.”
      David tried not to look too surprised. “Really? A date?”
      “Yeah, y’know, a guy invites a woman out to dinner.  That’s a date.”
      “Who with?”
      “None of your business, Detective Greco.”
      “You serious about this guy?”
      “Listen,” said Katie, brushing off the question, “I’m going to go home, take a hot bath, and get a good night’s sleep, just like you said.  By Thursday I’ll go over the travel plans with you.  Maybe we can leave Saturday.”
      All David could muster was, “Okay, sounds good. See you at JFK on Saturday.”
      “Maybe Newark. The flights are sometimes cheaper.”
      Katie knew she’d hurt David’s feelings, but she thought he was getting just a little too paternal for a guy who was only in his late forties.






©
John Mariani, 2015






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NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR


THE WINES OF AUTUMN

By John Mariani




"Autumn Wheat Fields" by John Constable

       "All things on earth point home in old October; sailors to sea, travellers to walls and fences, hunters to field and hollow and the long voice of the hounds, the lover to the love he has forsaken." So said novelist Thomas Wolfe, who might have added, “drinkers to robust wines.” Here are several new to the market this fall that make delectable sense. 

 

Marques de Casa Concha Carménère 2019 ($24.99)—Peumo is a classic Chilean vineyard, called “the birthplace of Carménère wines” in Cachapoal Valley, which has been farmed since 1981 by Domingo Marchi, agricultural manager in the Rapel zone.  The wine has excellent structure, deep fruit and spends.12 months in French oak barrels. Its acidity enhances the soft tannins. A fine wine for lamb chops.

 

Trapiche Broquel Selected Barrel Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($15.99)—Year after year this wine from Argentina’s Maipú, Luján de Cuyo and the Uco Valley improves. The 2017 was outstanding, and this is nearly as good.  Aged in 20% new wood, the oak induces a pleasing roundness and nuttiness to the dark fruit of this 100%  Cab, so it’s a brawny but not overpowering example. Drink with T-bone steaks.

2018 Bouchaine Las Brisas Vineyard Riesling ($38)—California Rieslings are gaining stature, and Napa’s Las Brisas Vineyard seems to be a showcase for the varietal. The wine’s got a lovely aroma and the fruit and acid are in good balance, so it is very refreshing, without being cloyingly sweet or too tangy. A delicious match for seafood of any kind or with ripe cheeses.

 

2019 Ram’s Gate Estate Pinot Blanc ($38)—Pinot Blanc rarely rises above the level of being a nice white wine without much to distinguish it, but Ram’s Gate’s is sourced from three different blocks grown on the estate vineyard, each planted to a different clone (Bien Nacido, Étude and Beringer), which is highly unusual for this grape. It’s a cool climate, so it doesn’t get burnt by California sun, and the result is a Pinot Blanc with dimensions. Drink with salmon or chicken.

 
Inama “Foscarino” Soave Classico 2019
($28)—As with the Ornellaia Sauvignon Blanc, I was amazed at the complexity of this Soave, a varietal found more in bulk wines and all-too-familiar labels as among the blandest of Italian wines. This one comes from 40–60-year-old vines from vineyards on volcanic Mount Foscarino in the Soave Classico area. It’s 100% Garganega, vinified in used barriques, stainless steel and Austrian oak, which adds subtly to the fabric and texture of the wine on the palate. With Venetian dishes like polenta or squid ink pasta, this is perfect.

     

Rombauer Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot 2018  ($52.99)—About 25% of this wine was barrel fermented to provide a richer and more textured pallet (for the palate!), then basket pressed before being racked in French oak barrels. Its combination is 83% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot, with a 14.8% alcohol level, which is high but the equilibrium keeps it from being a bruiser. Drink with any read meats or stews.



Ornellaia Poggio alle Gazze dell’Ornellaia 2019 ($82)—Ornellaia is famous for its flagship Bolgheri reds, including Le Serre Nuove di Ornellaia, made from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, and the 2019 is terrific. But I was equally, if not more, impressed with this blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Vermentino and Verdicchio made from small parcels along the Tuscan coast. Winemaker Olga Fusari says, “The extended harvest times proved favorable to the aromatic expression of the wine, found in the intense notes of citrus and exotic fruit accompanied by the scent of freshly mowed grass and asparagus.” Thankfully I didn’t notice any asparagus in the wine, but here is a Sauvignon Blanc with the same distinction as the best Trebbiano Abruzzo. It has layers of fruit and complexity, best served with a pasta like spaghetti alla vongole.

 

Blackbird Vineyards Illustration Proprietary Red Wine 2017 ($139)—A Pomerol style of Bordeaux, blended from 49% Merlot, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Cabernet Franc. The alcohol level is also closer to Bordeaux at 14.1%, which makes this an easy to drink wine and goes well with everything from chicken and veal to beef and lamb. But caveat emptor: It’s very expensive.

 

Secret de Famille Bourgogne Côte d’Or Pinot Noir 2014 ($23)—From the label, one might think this is just a pleasant family wine from Burgundy, but for being just that it is revelatory of how good the wines of the Côte d’Or can be, even without much fanfare or great names behind them. At this price one could readily drink it any time with almost anything short of delicate fish, and with a juicy hamburger or short ribs or mild cheeses, it is a consistent winner.

 

Villa Maria Earth Garden Sauvignon Blanc 2020 ($20)—Years ago New Zealand wineries like Cloudy Bay made enormous hits in the world market with sweet, punch-like Sauvignon Blancs that didn’t taste all that much like Sauvignon Blanc but was priced to sell. Now evolution has shown that a smaller winery like Villa Maria that is family owned can make a lovely, charming Sauvignon Blanc with just the right green notes are very light sweetness an excellent acid that makes it a fine match for muscles, lobster, and all shellfish.








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THE LAST TIME ANYONE TRIED TO COOK PASTA WITH CHICKEN IN TUSCANY. . .

"Tuscan Chicken Pasta:"Looking for a way to use up leftover chicken? Add it to pasta. This recipe will show you the glory of garlic. Slide the top off the head to expose the cloves and rub them with a little olive oil. Wrap the garlic in aluminum foil and bake for about an hour. When done, the cloves will squeeze right out and form a garlicky paste."—Madeline Buiano, "30 Great Italian Recipes That Will Never Go Out of Style" Daily Meal


 

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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. 

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.




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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,  Misha Mariani, John A. Curtas, Gerry Dawes, Geoff Kalish. Contributing Photographer: Galina Dargery. Technical Advisor: Gerry McLoughlin.

 

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