MARIANI’S

Virtual Gourmet


  November 14, 2021                                                                                            NEWSLETTER



Founded in 1996 

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"Still Life, 1871" by Gustave Courbet

        

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IN THIS ISSUE
DINING OUT IN L.A.
Part Two

By John A. Curtas

NEW YORK CORNER
L'Artista

By John Mariani

CAPONE'S GOLD
CHAPTER 33
By John Mariani


NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR
MODERNIZING MARSALA'S IMAGE
By John Mariani




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On this week's episode of my WVOX Radio Show "Almost Golden," on Wed. November 17 at 11AM EST,I will be interviewing Wesley Whatley,  creative director of the MACY'S DAY PARADE.  Go to: WVOX.com. The episode will also be archived at: almostgolden.






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DINING AROUND L.A.
PART TWO

BY JOHN A. CURTAS


 
Ivy at the Shore

 

EAST L.A. TACO CRAWL

       Proceeding from exquisite Japanese to wolfing down tacos off the hood of a car is how we were rolling on day two of our Los Angeles food fest. Our sense of adventure led us straight up Olympic Avenue, to Boyle Heights in the heart of East L.A., where Latino feed wagons dole out bulging tortillas to lines of customers, drawn to the food and oblivious to the less-than-affluent surroundings in which it is served. These trucks have huge followings on social media, making them wildly popular with taco-hunting gueros who wouldn't have been caught dead here ten years ago.
        If there's one thing that distinguishes these tacos from what most Americans think of as tacos, it is the utter, unbridled abandonment with which they are made and seasoned. Meat is cooked in great volume, right in front of you, then chopped and composed with all the portion control of a four-year-old with an ice cream scoop. Skinny little pockets of protein these are not. Instead you get fistfuls of meat, thick with onions, peppers and salsa, fairly bursting from their corn or flour confines. Every bite is an adventure, a balancing act between getting the food into your mouth before it hits your shirt. The results, either way, are glorious.
        We began at Carnitas El Momo—nothing more than a trailer parked on a side street with three cooks furiously tending pots of luscious stewed pork and searing it on a portable plancha (left) under an unrelenting sun. These overstuffed carnitas were so good we could've spent the afternoon downing several of them, but there were other tacos to be tackled, so no mixtos, tripas or tortas for us.
        After a few bites we were off in search of seafood: Mariscos Jalisco's crispy shrimp tacos (tacos dorados de camarones) and ceviche tostadas to be precise, where the sullied reputation of the hard shell taco is restored by deep-frying corn tortillas into tight little envelopes of succulence, literally bursting at the seams with shrimp, and adorned with a chopped shrimp, tomato, onion and avocado salsa. Then we were off to another venue a mile down the road for some shredded goat at
Tacos y Birria La Unica. These griddled beauties are crisp (but not as crisp as those deep-fried ones), and meant to be dunked in a rich, meat consommé—the savory equivalent of dipping a fudge brownie in chocolate sauce. You may think you know street tacos, but all three of these are clearly in a league of their own (right).
       We ended our half-day of taco diving at Enrique Olvera's Ditroit Taquería—a long narrow space cut into the backside of a warehouse where his more formal restaurant, Damian, is located. The limited menu showcases several types of tacos, each composed of top shelf ingredients and given a chef’s touch, as you can see from his Pollo Las Brasas taco (left)—as deeply-flavored a chicken taco as you will ever find. In keeping with the culture, you eat outdoors, but happily at matching tables and chairs that, when compared with noshing on Olympic Avenue, felt like we were dining at the Ritz. Even though we were stuffed, the quality of Olvera's oeuvre shone through, enhancing this humblest of hand-held lunches, while respecting the essence of L.A. taco culture.
        Note: without a guide, you might feel as out of place in East L.A. as a Baptist at a bar mitzvah, but don't let that deter you. Wherever you are, everyone in line is worshiping at the same church of the immaculate tortilla—indelible, unforgettable street food brought to the pinnacle of deliciousness in the place where it became famous. The surroundings may reflect the taco’s humble roots, but the intrepid press forth, armed only with their appetites, conquering a gourmand's paradise where only the strong survive. And by "strong survive" I mean retaining the strength to always hit another taco truck.

Price: Tacos at any of these trucks usually cost about $5 each. The most expensive ones, at Ditroit, were $8.

 

TOTORAKU ("Secret Japanese Beef")
10610 West Pico Boulevard Los Angeles

 

        Good manners and good sense keep me from saying too much about this impossible-to-get-into Japanese steakhouse. For over twenty years Chef Kaz Oyama has run Totoraku like a semi-private club—only accepting reservations from known patrons. It is not like Rao's in New York—where a limited number of regulars "own" the tables on certain nights—but more like a secret society, where only the privileged get the  private number and are allowed to book one of the five tables available five nights a week. The front door sign reads "TERIYAKI HOUSE PICO" and shows a telephone number that doesn't work. Patrons go through the back door.
        It is easy to see why Oyama-san keeps the secrecy thing going. An open-to-the-public reservation policy plus a few social media pictures and the place would be overrun with FOMO Instagrammers and Millennials more interested in bragging rights than the food. The day that happens will be the day he closes up shop, he told me. A meal here feels like you're in someone's home, if that someone was a dedicated Japanese chef sourcing some of the best beef on the planet.
        The meat extravaganza is probably the best you will find anywhere in America; the cooking instructions from the staff are precise (you grill most of it yourself, yakiniku-style, at ancient hibachis at your table); and the booze policy is strictly BYO, which means trophy bottles abound. (He originally opened a teriyaki joint in the space in 1999, but that lasted about ten minutes, so he quickly pivoted to high-end steaks, but kept the sign.)
There is no menu; and the 10+ courses toggle between all sorts of beef cuts (some from Japan, some not), from ultra-tender tartare to spongy beef throat, bracketed by a simple amuse bouche platter of minced and chopped delights, and a soul-warming crab soup at the end—all of it served by an attentive staff, threatened not by flames or unruly customers but by the tsunami of big-hitter red wines being poured all around them. They handle the meat, the guests and the wine with good-natured aplomb, keeping your four-hour feast moving at a smooth clip. Carbohydrates are non-existent, and everyone is usually too drunk or full for dessert. But I was sober enough to remember I promised Kaz-san I would say no more. So I will say no more.

Price: $365 per person

 


IVY AT THE SHORE
1535 Ocean Avenue,
Santa Monica
310-393-3113


        Santa Monica is a funny place. It has some of the most expensive real estate in America but always seems in danger of being overrun by people who can barely afford their backpacks. Any day of the week you'll find the homeless mixing with the well-heeled, interspersed with tourists and Inland Empire families seeking to escape the summer heat. It's probably the greatest mingling of income brackets anywhere in America, which is one of the reasons we love it.
        Ocean Avenue runs the length of the western edge of the city, but the name is a bit misleading. You can see the ocean from Ocean Avenue, but it's still a half-mile hike to get to it, down huge cliffs, across the Pacific Coast Highway and large expanses of sand. There is a nice park running atop those cliffs, across from which is a mile-long strip of motels and one tourist trap restaurant after another.
        It's something of a rule of thumb that the closer you are to the Santa Monica Pier, the worse the food gets, but there is one exception—the Ivy at the Shore, where it is a tradition for us to stop by for our last meal in L.A. before heading back to Vegas. We do this for several reasons: One is the food, which, expensive as it is, is still quite good in a laid-back California sort of way; the other is you never quite know when some Los Angeles Dodger or that guy who used to play that guy in that sitcom might walk in. (Besides beach bums of all stripes, Santa Monica is also full of "what's-his-name?" actors.)
         They serve old-style, Cali comfort food, as they have since 1984, and it never fails to hit the spot. Prices act as sort of a cover charge to keep the hoi polloi out. One look at the “Laura Ashley goes native” décor also does the trick. Whether you’re basking in all those colors or waiting for Steve Garvey or Jennifer Aniston to walk through the door, you should order a couple of the fresh-squeezed juices. They come in milkshake-sized tumblers and are worth every penny of the $13 charged for them. Then, nibble on scones right out of the oven (above, right) served with good butter) as you peruse the menu. Don't expect any surprises, just well-made standards like excellent eggs Benedict, a spicy corn chowder ($12), good burgers with fries ($24), seriously crabby deep-fried crab cakes (left; $19) and generous salads ($15) made without compromise. It’s been a while since I had the legendary “Ricky’s Fried Chicken” ($29) but I remember it living up to its reputation.
        The Ivy (which is not associated with the restaurant in London of the same name) has gone from newfangled to old-fashioned in the thirty-five years we've been showing up and still feels like the owners haven’t lost their fastball. Most restaurants this age would be starting to show theirs, but even the pink décor-thing has been kept fresh. In spite of being a celebrity hang-out, and despite us being nobodies in this part of the world, I've never detected a whiff of attitude from the staff. And from the young couples all around us, it looks like its reputation has grown beyond those who remember their glory days of 1992.  Colorful, comfortable, beach-y and bright, it is the best you can do on Ocean Avenue. 

Price: It's not cheap, but after dropping over a grand on each of two dinners (n/naka and Totoraku), a $165 for lunch for two seemed almost parsimonious.

 





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NEW YORK CORNER


L'ARTISTA

                                                                                      142 Hamilton Place

                                                                                  646-858-0312


By John Mariani


Autumn squash ravioli


 

        Before considering the appeal of the three-year-old trattoria L’Artista, it is pleasant to consider its location on the west side of Harlem in what is known as Sugar Hill, which gets its unofficial name from its offering of the “sweet life” to affluent Blacks who were part of what was called in the 1920s the Harlem Renaissance. These included Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway and Thurgood Marshall, who lived within its ten blocks in some of Manhattan’s most beautiful, majestic townhouses. North of Columbia University in Hamilton Heights, the neighborhood is within sight of the Hudson River and so removed as to be exceptionally quiet and peaceful.

    It seems appropriate, then, for this little trattoria to commemorate the artistic bounty of the neighborhood in its name L’Artista, as well as the artistry of Chef German  Rizzo (below), who opened the restaurant with Swiss musician-composer Daniel Schnyder. Turin-born Rizzo (with Southern roots in the family) worked around Europe, then came to the States to cook for the Cipriani Group, then had his own restaurant in Queens. Here at this small, rustic spot in Sugar Hill, he is doing highly personalized cuisine with both vivacity and generosity of spirit.

     This begins with hot, puffy rolls with two dipping sauces that go well with the colorful array of Italian charcuterie ($21) and cheeses ($20). There are pizzas on the menu, and I loved the one made with burrata, Parma prosciutto, fresh tomato and arugula ($19), whose yeasty crust is every bit as important to its appeal and flavor as the first-rate toppings (left).  Staying simple here means a platter of burrata with ripe cherry tomatoes and a dashing of balsamico ($18).

     Just about any dish here could serve as either antipasto to be shared or main course, so the big, baseball size arancini rice ball alla siciliana ($15) oozes with short rib ragù, stringy mozzarella and green peas. The beef meatballs ($19) called polpette are lavished with a rich tomato sauce with green peas and served with toasted country bread. Finish one of these by yourself and you’re set for the night. The same goes for grilled octopus  with asparagus, olives, almonds and  cauliflower puree ($19).

     And so. . . the pastas. You won’t find better in New York, all freshly made to a precise thickness and texture, so that they remain wonderfully al dente mixed with just the right amount of sauces. Wide egg noodles called pappardelle are the classic tangle for a terrific bolognese ragù, besciamella cream, tomato and a good dose of Parmigiano ($22).  The ravioli are light and delicate, stuffed with autumn’s butternut squash and dotted around with sweet green peas and accented with lemon ($23), while pudgy agnolotti needed nothing more than a lavishing of fine melted butter and a little sage ($22). Cacio e tartufo ($23) combines excellent spaghetti with sharp pecorino, a crunch of black pepper, parmigiano and shavings of white truffles from Abruzzo (which are not nearly as expensive as those from Umbria). But the risotto here is a triumph: Superbly cooked, chewy rice suffused with broth and served with butter and mascarpone cheese, as close to perfection as you’ll find anywhere ($24).

     There are a few meat, poultry and seafood items, even “Il Burger” ($19), including roasted Cornish hen with peppers, onions and potatoes ($29) and impeccably grilled branzino ($25) drizzled with olive oil and lemon.

     Have at least one dessert, which depends on what Rizzo decided to make for the day, and if you ask for an espresso the way he drinks it, you will get just that.

    L’Artista’s wines are chosen with the same personal taste as everything else here, so you should take Rizzo or the knowledgeable  waiters’ advice as to what is interesting within your price range.

     L’Artista’s local regulars are legion, but those who have a nose for very authentic, very generous cucina Italiana should make their way uptown to Sugar Hill. And yes, you can take the A train.

 

Open for dinner nightly, for brunch Sat. & Sun. 

 





Note: NYC Health Dept. rules require both restaurant staff and guests 12 or older to  show proof they have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
 



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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 THIRTY-THREE

 

    Primerano explained that when the war began Germany stole a tremendous amount of gold from the nations it conquered; at the beginning Italy’s reserves were safe.  But, when the Allies invaded and Mussolini was deposed, Hitler demanded that the Italian gold reserves be shipped to Berlin for safekeeping.
    “Of course, Mussolini knew his friend had no intention of returning it, or even to help Mussolini maintain his puppet government in Salò. Mussolini instead wanted the gold to go to Swiss banks through the BIS.”
    “The BIS?” asked Katie.
    “Bank for International Settlements,” said David. “They coordinate the transfers of central banks (below).  Based in Basel, I believe?”
    “Si,” said Primerano. “So, when the Allies began to move north towards Rome, the Germans demanded the Bank of Italy transfer the gold to Milan by plane. But the head of the Bank, a man named Azzolini, knew those flights would never stop in Milan but would just continue to fly to Berlin. So he arranged to hide some of the gold and silver, allowing the Germans to ship—by train—119 tonnes to Milan.
    “When BIS heard about this transfer, it demanded that the Bank of Italy convert all its remaining investments into gold and ship it to Basel for safekeeping.  Azzolini (below) resisted and somehow managed to move the gold that was in Milan to a northern border city called Fortezza, where they stored it in an abandoned military fortress.”
    David and Katie were astonished by how the gold was able to be moved from place to place, one step ahead of the Nazis.
    “So what happened to the gold in the fortress?”
 
  Primerano went on. “Azzolini and Mussolini kept refusing to release the gold to Switzerland, even though the Germans applied pressure from every quarter.  Finally, Azzolini agreed to ship 50 tonnes of the gold from Fortezza (below) to Germany.  But he also managed in April 1944 to get a train from Como with four freight cars loaded with gold bars straight through to Switzerland.  Two went to the Swiss National Bank in Berne, two to the BIS. Another large shipment followed a few days later for a total of 15,795 kilograms of gold.”
    David whistled. “That sounds like a lot of gold.”
    Primerano took out a small calculator and divided 15,795 by 12.4, the weight of a single ingot. “It would have been. . . 1,263 bars.  Azzolini was later arrested by the Allies and tried for collaborating with the Nazis. BIS itself came under scrutiny but, as an institution, it was able to avoid  prosecution.”
    “So did those transfers account for all Italy’s gold reserves during the war?” asked Katie.
    “No,” said Primerano, rather matter-of-factly.  “Other amounts were  recovered by the Allies.”
    “So you believe the Allies got hold of some of the gold after conquering Rome or northern Italy?”   
    Primerano looked very surprised.
    “It was bound to happen,” he said. “You see, if Mussolini had accepted Capone’s gold in the 1930s, it had to be ingots stamped with the United States Treasury mark.  And that was a powerful mark to have.  It could be used as, what do you call it? A bargaining chip?”
    “Let me see if I understand you,” said David. “Most, but not all, of Italy’s gold reserves were shipped either to Berlin or to Basel?  Maybe some stayed behind in Fortezza?”
    “Very probably.  For years after the war ended the United States authorities were very lax about getting back the gold that the Nazis had looted from conquered nations and civilians, especially the Jews.  Most of that was melted down and put into what was called ‘the Gold Pool.’  Negotiations went on for years, the neutral countries refused to cooperate, and Switzerland, which had become the richest country in Europe at the end of the war, was not easy to work with either.  Allora, if the United States could not find the Nazi gold, I’m sure they weren’t looking hard for the Italian gold.”
    “So, the Capone gold may still exist somewhere in Italy?” Katie asked eagerly.
    “No, it’s not here.  At least some of it is not here.”
    “Then where in God’s name is it?” asked David.
    “David, you have friends in American I.R.S. and F.B.I.  Didn’t you speak with them?”
    “Yeah, I did. They said they were still pursuing the case, still offering the reward money.”
    “Forgive me for smiling,” said Primerano. “They have not told you everything, I’m afraid.”
    Katie and David looked at each other.
    “I’m not really surprised, I suppose,” said Primerano, “They did get back a lot of what I assume was the Capone gold.  What happened, as I understand it—and it is not clear in these case files—is that the U.S. Army authorities appointed to restore order after the invasion of Sicily found it profitable both to keep the peace and to make money by working with the Mafia and the Camorra.  There was a man named Lieutenant Colonel Charles Poletti (left). You know him?”
    “We heard a good deal about him from Giovanni Lucadamo yesterday.”
    “Va bene. So you know he was American Senior Civil Affairs Officer and became very friendly, shall we say, with Vito Genovese, who had first supported Mussolini then switched sides to the Allies. And you know that Genovese was arrested and sent back to America to be tried for a an old murder case but was found innocent.”
    Katie and David nodded, starting to see where this was going.
    “And then, as you know, Vito Genovese became one of the biggest mobsters in New York after that.”
    “But the feds finally got him.”
    Primerano waved his hand. “Si, how many years later? Ten? Twelve? The Americans got what they wanted from him, then went after him when he got too big and too much of a problem to ignore.  I think you know how that works, eh, David?”
    “So, Giuseppe, you’re suggesting that Genovese somehow managed to steal Capone’s gold with help from Poletti?”
    “No, not steal, David. He told the Americans where to find it and return it to the Federal Reserve Bank.”
    Primarano said that if anyone knew where it was it would be Genovese.  The ingots would all have the U.S. stamp on them, and it was the last of the gold that the Fascists would have tried to hold on to.  It would have been valuable in peace negotiations. But by then it was too late for the Fascists. By telling the Americans where it was, Genovese and Poletti gained everything they wanted from the Allies except the gold itself. The two conspirators were probably awarded some money but more important they gained enormous prestige, and for Genovese that meant he could return to the United States and become a much richer mobster than when he left.
    “What happened to Poletti?” asked David.
    “Oh, Mr. Poletti did very well for himself.  He joined a prestigious law firm, was an arbitrator for New York labor disputes, was appointed to the New York State Power Authority and later was in charge of foreign exhibitors at the 1964 New York World’s Fair.  He was very well connected.”
    “My God,” said Katie, “so the feds have had the Capone gold all this time? Then why would they still be offering a reward?”
    David said, “Perhaps because they didn’t want anyone finding out how they’d gotten it back, thanks to Vito Genovese and Poletti.”
    “Perhaps,” said Primerano, “but didn’t you tell me that there were three shipments of gold? One went down on the boat?”
    “Well, the other two must have come over on the Italian ocean liners and were handed over to Mussolini.”
    “I don’t think so, David.  The amounts of gold listed in these files that were returned to the Americans was only about one-third of the gold stolen in the robbery of the Federal Reserve truck.   If you say that another third sank with the boat in the Caribbean, that means there is still Capone gold somewhere.”
    “Couldn’t the Germans or Fascists or even the Swiss have gotten hold of the rest?” asked Katie.
    “Surely not the Germans.  Assolini worked too hard to give them the least he could.  And the Swiss would have been hesitant to hide American bullion after the war, because it was unquestionably the property of the U.S. government and it was all numbered. They wouldn’t dare melt it down. The Americans would simply have to match it up to the gold that was stolen.”
    “In that case,” said David, “there really still is a lot of gold missing and the feds are still offering that reward for it.”
    Primerano nodded and said, “Bravo! You should be proud of yourselves.  You seem to have found two-thirds of the gold.  Only one-third to go!”
    David and Katie profusely thanked the lieutenant colonel for all his help, even suggesting he might want to re-open the case. Primerano laughed and pointed to the pile of folders he’d placed on the floor.
    “As you can see, I am a little busy with Italian criminals.  I have no time left to chase dead American mobsters.  Besides, if I found the gold, I could not accept the reward.  So, Caterina e Davide, buona fortuna!”
    When Katie and David exited the headquarters she asked, wearily, “So what do we do now?”
    David said, “I don’t know about you but I want to fly to Washington and beat the crap out of Frank English.”
    Katie said, “I don’t blame you. But maybe a phone call first to ask why he never told you any of this information.”
    “Always the level-headed one, Cavuto. Let’s head back to the hotel while I cool down.”
    “Think of it this way. Were it not for Frank English, we wouldn’t be in Italy together.”
    She grabbed his arm and pulled him forward, which made David Greco feel a whole lot better.
    As they hailed a taxi to take them back to the hotel, Katie drew a sharp breath.
    “What’s the matter?” asked David.
    “Probably nothing, but I just saw a guy dart around the corner who looked a little like what I remember Frascella looked like.”
    “You think so?”
    “I don’t know.  I only got a glimpse of him that time in Chicago and he was wearing sunglasses and was in the car.”
    “Which way did he go?”
    “Around the corner and down those steps.”   
    David bounded over to the location but saw no one but a couple of police officers talking to some young girls.
    “Probably not him,” said Katie.

 


© John Mariani, 2015






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NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR



FLORIO OF SICILY IS MODERNIZING MARSALA'S IMAGE
By John Mariani



    The fortunes of Marsala wines in the post-war period have been restricted by being thought of as good for cooking with but not refined enough for drinking with meals. Yet it once had an admirable reputation because, being fortified, it was a wine that was easily shipped without damage and could be made in sweet or dry versions. Too many inferior Marsalas further dimmed its reputation but Florio, which was founded in 1833, has maintained its own reputation for refinement. Marsala earned a DOC in 1969, and in recent years Florio has been trying to upgrade the wine's image by certifying a much closer definition of what distinguishes the wine from Port or Sherry as one to be enjoyed as an aperitif or throughout the meal. I asked Roberto Magnisi (below), director of Duca di Salaparuta, Corvo and Florio wineries, as to efforts being made towards this end in Sicily.



Marsala has a history that goes back hundreds of years. Can you bring me up-to-date as to the most recent developments in marsala and specifically in Florio?

Cantine Florio was founded in 1833 by Vincenzo Florio (below), an Italian entrepreneur who later became one of the most important figures in the wine industry and significantly contributed to the internationalization of Marsala. Located right on the Mediterranean Sea, in the city of Marsala, the brand represents the past, the present and the future of authentic Marsala.   Today more than ever, the Florio Marsala, embodies traditions and authenticity but paves the way in the modern world as a perfect companion for various different occasions. 

 

It seems that Marsala has had an uphill struggle to gain recognition after so many decades of being associated with cooking and with poor quality marsala in the marketplace. When I was last in Sicily I asked a few bartenders if many people ordered marsala, especially the young generation and all of them said it is not very popular at all.

While over the last couple of decades Marsala has been mostly associated as a cooking wine in the United States, Cantine Florio has always prided itself in promoting high quality authentic Marsala, with a special emphasis on its Sicilian roots. The brand’s goal is to bring Marsala back to its original scope and glory by focusing on education and estate visits to demonstrate to both the media and consumers the true beauty and versatility of Marsala. Florio also produces a premium line of Marsalas that fully embody and best express the authenticity of the Sicilian territory.  

 

Marsala has a connection with American history, and it was enjoyed by our founding fathers, correct?

Marsala was appreciated for years in the United States, thanks to English trader John Woodhouse who brought it stateside in the 1770s after having seen the potential of Marsala beyond Italy. Unfortunately, the Marsala we often find now in the US is counterfeit, and is not authentic to the Sicilian tradition. Cantine Florio continues its dedication and commitment to ensure a high-quality product, synonymous with tradition and “made in Sicily.”

 

Tell me about your wine tasting program in Trapani.

We propose immersive wine tours in the cellars to introduce our guests to the Marsala “project”. Our winery is a known destination for wine lovers from around the world who want to experience an unexpected adventure where tradition and modernity are combined, together with delicious and traditional food pairings. 

 

I was recently on the island of Favignana, and saw that Florio had a great influence on the island and it's tuna fishing.

For an entire century, the Florio family focused not only on wine production  but also investing in the tuna industry. The first rule behind the Florio business project was to promote and invest in local traditions. Vincenzo Florio invented the montaleva, a mechanism by which you can fish for tuna entering the net in dribs and drabs, as they end up in the trap, without having to wait for entire herds. He introduced the use of oil to conserve the tuna and ship it in cans throughout Italy. He realized that the tuna could be the "sea pork'' and taught also to use its parts that before were thrown away, arriving to produce glue and fertilizer from the last scraps.

 

Florio’s production facilities were destroyed in World War II. But what was “Del 1941” and how was it saved?

Style, passion and craftsmanship, despite physical destruction, survive wars. The Florio soul continued to generate love for Marsala, as well as for the island of Sicily. ”Del 1941” is one of the company’s most precious vintages. A small quantity of this rare Marsala wine was saved from the bombings of Marsala and Cantine Florio during World War II.

 

Why is Terre Arse called a “virgin” Marsala?

The “Virgin Marsala” represents Terre Arse’s capacity to age in oak.  This Marsala is a premium product that embodies the intense aromas of Sicily, Mediterranean Sea and oak tree. Vergine Marsala is a secco (dry) wine, fortified after fermentation is complete with no mosto cotto or sifone. Solera versions must spend at least five years in the solera prior to bottling. Vintage Marsala is produced, the vintage refers to the year of fortification.  Virgin Marsala must have the following characteristics: alcohol content not less than 18% and less than 4% natural sugar.

 

Morsi di Luce is said to be “fortified,” But aren’t all Marsalas fortified to an extent ?

Morsi di Luce isn’t a Marsala, but rather a refined dessert wine made from Zibibbo, a white grape grown in Sicily with a strong aromatic character and intense aromas of flower and citrus fruit. 

 

What is Centottanta?

In 2013 Cantine Florio created Centottanta, to celebrate its 180th birthday. A limited edition, no longer available on the market,  that contains an exclusive selection of Zibibbo aged for three years in “caratelli'', small barrels which previously held the great virgin marsala reserve of 1963; an innovative, never-before conceived wine that only Florio, with its almost two hundred years’ heritage, could create. 

 

How has global warming affected Sicilian wine making?

The effects of climate change are softened by the different microclimatic conditions that are unique to Sicily, and which also allow for the production of wines from both native and international grapes on the island. The increase in temperature and the lighter rainfall have affected the winemaking production in the Marsala territory, but there haven’t been significant changes from a quality point of view. 

 

I count 20 wines being made by Florio? Doesn't that tend to confuse the consumer who is looking for a fine wine in the marsala category?

Today we have seven main Marsalas on the market, which represent the versatility of our portfolio. We’re telling the story of Florio’s culture through VecchioFflorio Sweet and VecchioFlorio Dry; a Dry Marsala Superiore Dry (aged in old oak barrels for 30 months with a sugar content of 39 g/l) and Marsala Superiore Sweet (aged in old oak barrels for 30 months with a sugar content of 100 g/l) which ensure continuity. 

We have recently launched a super-premium line with three Marsalas: Terre Arse Marsala DOC Riserva Vergine Dry, Targe Marsala DOC Superiore Riserva Semi-dry, and Oltre Cento Marsala DOC Superiore Sweet  that are sophisticated and elegant, true expressions of Sicilian terroir; they are unique and part of the “Marsala Gourmet Project” worldwide, featuring a series of innovative combinations of Marsala and food, to spark curiosity and elevate pairings for sommeliers and wine lovers.

 

   











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. . . AND WHILE YOU'RE AT IT, YOU CAN DRIVE YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY BONKERS

"18 Things to Make With Leftover Chicken" By Diamond Bridges and Bianca Sanchez, The DailyMeal  (8/31/21)


 

 





                                                                                                                                                                               
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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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