MARIANI’S
Virtual
Gourmet
September
16, 2018
NEWSLETTER
❖❖❖
IN THIS ISSUE
EATING AROUND BRUSSELS
By John Mariani
NEW YORK CORNER
SANDRO'S
By John Mariani
NOTES FROM THE WINE CELLAR
WASHINGTON'S GÅRD VINTNERS
By John Mariani
❖❖❖
EATING AROUND BRUSSELS
By John Mariani
Annual Beer Festival, Brussels
More than any Belgian city,
Brussels has a
staid and stolid cast—it’s home to both the EU
and 
NATO—despite
the presence of
its beautiful Grand Place (a UNESCO World
Heritage Site), great Gothic town
hall, and more than 80 museums. And, just as
Philadelphia has its Rocky Balboa
statue, Brussels has its Mannekin Pis, a 1619
bronze sculpture of a boy peeing
into a fountain that has been stolen several
times and throughout the year now
suffers the indignities of being dressed up like
a Ken doll in different
outfits.
As a food city Brussels
certainly has put its
stamp on certain items—Brussels sprouts, which
were developed in the city in
the 14th century;
Belgian waffles,
of much more recent vintage; French fried
potatoes, garnished with myriad
toppings, from mayonnaise to vinegar. Then there
are the exquisite and justly
famous Belgian chocolates.
Boosters
will
happily recommend any number of Brussels beers and
will be happy to point
you in the direction of the functioning beer
museum called the Gueuze, run
by the Van
Roy-Cantillon family since 1978.
Brussels teems with pubs and
beer brasseries, including one
called Delirium
Café (below) on the appropriately
named
Impasse 
de la Fidelité, with a
cache of more than 2,000 beers from all over the
globe.
Belgian cuisine has influences
from France,
Germany and Scandinavia, but its most indigenous
dishes are waterzooi,
a rich stew usually made with
chicken or seafood, cream and eggs; Boterhammen,
slabs of bread spread with a variety of toppings
and eaten with a knife and
fork; and the hearty beef stew called carbonnade.
Such dishes are the kind
found in many of the narrow
streets around the cramped, bustling Rue des
Bouchers, which is touristy but
not untypical in its menus. A quick peek
down an alley called Impasse St.
Nicholas brings you to the city's oldest, Au Bon Vieux Temps, dating to the
late 17th century.
Somewhat
younger (it opened in 1905) but still among
Brussels’ best restaurants is Vincent
(below)
on the Rue des Dominicains near
the Cathedral, where the tiled walls are painted
with game and seafood,
mariners and cooks, and its Movado clock is in the
shape of a life
preserver. The
waiters are all veterans,
dressed in white shirts and black aprons. The wine
list of about 50 bottlings
is geared to the food and the clientele. Prices
are moderate.
You
might begin at Vincent’s
with some Landes goose liver, or cold lobster with
mayonnaise. There are
always oysters of many varieties, at least six
mussels dishes, and the classic
Belgian shrimp
croquettes are
seriously addictive. The meat section
features a flambéed rump steak with
a creamy peppercorn sauce, and beef carbonnade,
portions of which are replenished as per your
request. The waterzooi of
chicken, gently cooked
with egg yolks in broth, vegetables and its own
juices, is as satisfying and
comforting as food can ever be.
If you go for dinner at
Vincent’s, stop before
or after at Le Cirio (opened
in
1886) on the Rue de la Bourse for their specialty,
the “half-and-half” of equal
parts sparkling and 
white wines.
Since Brussels is such an
international city,
it has more than 3,000 restaurants, five with two
Michelin stars, including the
illustrious Comme Chez
Soi (right)
on the
Place Ruppé, there since 1926 and now run by
Laurence Cuvélier, granddaughter
of the original owner, and her husband, chef
Lionel Rigolet.
The menu has a more or less French cast
with Belgian products and offers several options,
from à la carte dishes to
four courses for €99, five for €147, six for €198
and 7 for €241.
On
my latest visit to Brussels I had a superb
dinner at a splendiferous place named Belga
Queen (which has a branch in Ghent) via
Portugal-born restaurant designer
Antoine Pinto. It’s located in a vast 18th
century landmark
building on the Rue
du Fossé that combines the stately pillars of its
former bank premises and a
grand glass ceiling with gorgeous back lighting
and cool colors of aqua, salmon
and rose, with widely separated, beautifully set
tables (left).
Belga Queen also has
better than usual service for Brussels, though it
became lax later in the
evening.
Three of us ate our way through both
classic and new dishes,
from light, crispy shrimp fritters (€18) and lush foie gras with a
sauce of balsamic vinegar for
acid and chocolate snaps for a little nudge of
sweetness (€22).
One very large raviolo
was packed with succulent crab with grated
truffles, black radish chips and
graced with a cream
bisque
(€25). A
roasted
royal cod was napped with a well-made sauce
vierge of lemon and olive oil with tomato
and a jus made from cockles and
Steenbrugge white beer, with melted
leeks, all accompanied by a good dollop of
mashed potatoes (€30).
I don’t
often see “cuckoo” on a menu, but it’s really a
Belgian chicken from Malines
(right)
that at Belga Queen comes with a wonderful glaze
of pear syrup and a slice of gingerbread,
with Belgian frites
and a mixed salad
(€24). For
a very big appetite, or
a main course to share, there is a rack of seven
lamb chops in a Ghent mustard
crust, beer jus,
gratin of potatoes
and a sauce of rosemary and thyme (€36).
Our desserts included three
very good chocolate
mousses (€8), and a textbook crème brûlée (€7.50).
They also do a refined
version of a Belgian waffle with vanilla ice
cream, chocolate sauce and whipped
cream (€8).
Belga
Queen is a special place in Brussels for
all the most lavish reasons, yet it is not in the
least pretentious and is
there as much for your dining pleasure as for your
delight in its
ambiance. It
is open for lunch and
dinner daily.
By John Mariani
306 East 81st Street (off Second Avenue)
212-288-7374
Outside of Italy the
distinction between a ristorante
and
a trattoria
has become as blurred as
have bistro and brasserie outside of France.
Traditionally, a
ristorante is a mid- or-upper level
dining establishment of whatever size
offering a fairly extensive menu, whereas
a trattoria
is small, unfussy,
usually family run, with a short regional
menu.
New York has an
applaudable
number of the former, but not really many good
examples of the latter, which
tend to be Italian-American or pan-Italian.
Sandro’s, on the Upper East Side
since 2007, is the epitome of what a true trattoria
should be, and the fact that it’s run by
one of the most ebullient masters
of the form, Sandro Fioriti, makes it one of
the best Italian places to dine in
New York, or anywhere else in America.
Fioriti is resolutely
Roman,
and he spent many years in ristoranti
in
Rome and Milan before opening his own,
D'Artagnan, in Frascati, where he diverged
into nuova
cucina stylistics. But, at the
urging and support of Tony May, then head of
the Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani,
he came to New York in 1985 to open the first
Sandro’s, whose menu was a
balance of the traditional and the innovative. That ristorante
closed
in 1992 and Fioriti moved with his family to
the Caribbean, but a hurricane
destroyed his restaurant there. He came back
to New York to open Sandro’s on
Second Avenue as a trattoria with a menu of
Roman classics done the way they
were meant to be.
You’ll
spot the place by it
daffodil-colored awning showing a
Hirschfeld-like caricature of the chef, which
also appears on some of the restaurant’s
china. Inside, the place is
pretty bare bones—also quite
typical—off-white brick walls, soft lighting,
white tablecloths and a bar up
front. All eyes are on the kitchen in back,
for at any moment the ever-smiling
Fioriti, looking like the heftiest tenor at La
Scala, may come bounding across
the room, bringing a plate of cheeses and
salume to a table, spotting a regular
or old friends and raising his arms with
delight. His English, after all these years,
is not the King’s and part of his charm is in
that thick Roman accent of his.
When you sit down
you get
long, thin, warm grissini
to nibble
while you look at the brief menu and the
sensible, decently priced wine list.
If you order something like mozzarella di
bufala ($17), which is on every other
menu in town, you can be sure Sandro’s will
taste the way it does in Italy. The
prosciutto is San Daniele ($22), and don’t
miss the fried ricotta (left)
with tomato
sauce ($18).
A nod toward
Tuscan cookery is the chicken livers dashed
with balsamic vinegar ($22).
And then there are the
pastas. I need not tell you how perfectly al
dente they are all cooked or of
the wonderful texture of the various shapes,
made with organic eggs. One of
Fioriti’s signature items is the spaghettini
al’limone
($22), whose citrus
aroma and subtle taste are so simple they 
need
nothing else to enhance the
pasta. One
might roam all over
Rome to find a better bucatini
all’
amatriciana, the fat spaghetti noodles
sauced with tomato and pancetta
($26), and his cacio e
pepe ($25),
trendy elsewhere, is a
textbook version of why this dish is so
remarkably delicious.
If
you like baccalà,
Fioriti’s version with
tomatoes, onions and potatoes ($33) is very
Roman in every aspect of flavor and
texture, and branzino with lemon and olive oil
and potatoes ($40) is very
good.
For
meat, there’s butterflied Cornish hen ($29)
and sliced steak with
mushrooms ($36.75) that two might share. The
night I was at Sandro’s
he was doing roast suckling pig (left),
its skin crisp, its tender flesh almost
melting at the cut of the knife and fork.
Desserts, too, are as
simple
as they should be in a trattoria, like
“grandmother’s apple cake” ($12.50) and
tiramisù
($12.50).
Sandro’s is a place where
you allow yourself a glass of amaro
after the meal, and the espresso’s correctly
made. Fioriti won’t serve you what
he would not want to eat himself. (Odd, then,
that he imports gelato rather
than make his own.)
To
live near Sandro’s must
cause hungry neighbors constant temptation on
any given night to drop by for a
plate of pasta or a special like suckling pig.
For the rest of us, Sandro’s is
a dreamy reminder of what a trattoria
means
at its very best, and for that, everybody who
loves Italian food should get
there as often as possible.
❖❖❖
WASHINGTON'S
GÅRD
VINTNERS
By
John Mariani
As a general rule I
would contend that wines
costing under $10 range from blah to outright
plonk; from $10-$20, which the
wine industry considers its “premium”
category, there are some remarkably good
values. But it is in the price range of $20 to
$30 that you not only find
bargains but very good varietals and blends as
well. By bargains I mean wines
that in other bottles from other
estates might cost $50 or more for the same
quality, which is especially true
of California Chardonnays.
So when I
sat down over dinner at Palm Too
steakhouse in Manhattan with Josh Lawrence,
proprietor of Gård Vintners in
Royal City, Washington, and his winemaker, Aryn Morell, I was both
delighted by the samples they
brought that cost $22 to $35 and happy to see
how Washington State wines are
getting more justified recognition.
Washington’s is a young wine
industry, with
vinifera plantings begun in the 1960s in the
valleys east of the Cascade
Mountains, especially in the Columbia Valley,
followed by Yakima, Red Mountain
and Walla Walla appellations. Yet, despite the
industry’s growth, Washington
wines haven’t had nearly as much attention as
Oregon’s, and the last
authoritative book on the state’s progress, Washington
Wines & Wineries by Paul Gregutt, came
out eight years ago. (Sara
Matthews’s Washington:
The State of Wine
in 2006 was a splendid photographic odyssey, but
at 112 pages didn’t treat its
subject in depth.)
Washington’s
climate is certainly ideal for some
varietals. As Gregutt points out, “Washington’s
unique geography gives them the
opportunity, the potential, to ripen grapes to
physiological maturity while
retaining high natural acid levels and keeping
sugars and pH in balance.”
In the case of Gård, Josh
Lawrence and his
wife (above
with winemaker Aryn Morrell) . Lisa,
have taken full advantage of its northern
location in Frenchman
Hills, first planting grapes there until 2003 on
the Royal Slope, and three
years later they had their first harvest. Today
they are producing a wide range
of varietals, including Riesling, Syrah,
Cabernet Sauvignon, Roussanne,
Viognier, Pinot Gris and Grenache.
Josh grew up in the Columbia
Valley, Lisa in
Olympia. After careers in wine importing and
marketing, they moved to Royal
City in 2001, partnering with Josh’s father, John,
and their uncle Sandy Lawrence, who had
already been farming apples and
cherries for 40 years.
Winemaker Morell, whose
degree was in chemistry, had worked at a slew of
California wineries, such as
Joseph Phelps, Quintessa, Chimney
Rock
and Chappelet, before joining Gård in 2010. (He
also has his own label,
Alleromb.)
I asked Lawrence why such
a young winery would make such a wide range of
wines, rather than concentrate
on two or three.
“For one thing,
we’ve found that a lot of varietals do well in
our terroir,” he said. “For
another, I love an adventure and
challenge because it keeps other people out.”
If
Gård’s Rosé of Grenache
($22) is any indication of his intentions, then
competitors will have a high
standard to aim for. I found this
to be one of the most delicious and complex
rosés I’ve ever had from an
American vintner, all more surprising because
Gård has only been making it
since 2011. Grenache is not an unusual grape for
a rosé, but I found its
expression in Gård’s example to be impressive.
And while many vintners make
rosés as a way to use up grapes, Lawrence plants
his Grenache expressly for his
rosé.
His 2014 blend of 47%
Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Syrah, 18% Merlot and 7%
Malbec called Don Isidro (after vineyard
manager Isidro Mondragon) had a production 
of only 1,014 cases,
and it’s a wine
that tastes like it should cost far more than
its $22 price tag. It is full of
ripeness tamed by acid and smoothed out by the
Merlot to make it a very
satisfying wine now and for the future.Gård’s
high-end wine, at
just $35, is more of a Bordeaux-style blend of
83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11%
Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec, and it
has levels of flavor I think
will be better knit in a year or two. But with
my medium rare New York strip
steak and Aryn’s bloody rare ribeye, it proved a
great match right now.
Most of Gård’s wines are
now sold through its wine clubs on-line or at
its three tasting rooms in Walla
Walla, Woodinville and Ellensburg, Washington.
Lawrence’s visit to New York, to
speak to wine media and distributors, is part of
the next step for the winery.
“Our goal is to get more into the New York
market,” he said, indicating that
placement in the East Coast’s major wine buying
city is paramount to getting
the recognition Gård
deserves. Cabernet
Sauvignon vineyards
With only 6,000 cases
currently produced each year and a devoted
number of club members and tasting
room visitors, I can only hope he’ll have enough
left over for New York and
other cities. This year production will be 8,000
cases and Lawrence says they
may someday produce 50,000 cases, now that they
own 335 acres of land. I wouldn’t mind tasting
his full array
of wines like Roussanne ($22), Riesling ($26)
and Pinot Gris ($24). Better yet,
I hope I can find them in New York wine shops
soon.
YOU WANNA DIE? TRY DRINKING FROM A PUBLIC WATER FOUNTAIN IN CAIRO
When archaeologists opened an Egyptian
tomb, they found the decomposed bodies of three
non-royal people and a some red liquid. The disclosure
caused more than 17,000 people to sign a Change.org petition to drink
the red coffin juice "in the form of some sort of
carbonated energy drink so we can assume its powers and
finally die." But according to the Egyptian Antiquities
Minister, the liquid is not "juice for
mummies that contains an elixir of life" or red mercury,
but is instead just sewage water that leaked into the
sarcophagus. To which the petition's creator posted,
"Please stop trying to tell me the skeleton juice is
mostly sewage. That's impossible. everyone knows
skeletons cannot poop."
WORST NAME FOR A RESTAURANT IN 2018
FLAX & KALE, Barcelona, Spain, offering gluten-free
pizzas.
Wine
Column Sponsored by Banfi Vintners
SANGIOVESE
Wine is a joy year-round but
in cooler weather one
grape varietal has really taken center stage in
my daily activities – that most Italian of
grapes, Sangiovese, and its ultimate expression
– Brunello di Montalcino.
From mid-September through mid-October,
the Sangiovese grown for our various styles of red
wines are be harvested, culminating with the top
selection for Brunello di Montalcino.
Second, cooler weather here means
it is time to start enjoying more red wines and
especially Sangiovese based wines. That
includes Banfi’s cru of Brunello, Poggio alle Mura,
literally the cream of the crop of our Sangiovese
vineyards. Alongside our Poggio alle Mura Brunello di
Montalcino, this year we introduced two more wines
from the cru Poggio alle Mura – a Rosso di Montalcino
and a Riserva of Brunello. Rosso is sort of like the
younger brother of Brunello, also made from 100%
Sangiovese grapes but usually a selection from younger
vines and the wine is aged only two years compared to
the four required for Brunello. The
Riserva, on the other hand, is an even more selective
harvest of Sangiovese, and ages for an additional year
before release.
What is so special about this cru
Poggio alle Mura?
Well, it is the result our over 30 years of
ongoing research at my family’s vineyard estate,
Castello Banfi.
When we first began planting our vines there in
the late 1970s studies from the University of Bordeaux
indicated which strains of many varietals we should
plant, based on the soil type and microclimate of each
vineyard. But
when it came to the region’s native Sangiovese, there
was only local lore, no scientific research. So we took
it upon ourselves to figure out this vine, and set off
on three decades of incredibly detailed research.
We started
with 600 apparent variations on Sangiovese, because it
is so susceptible to variations in weather and soil,
and narrowed that down to 160 truly genetically
different clones.
We planted a vineyard with two rows of each
type, made wine from each of them, and charted the
differences – remember, you only get one chance a year
to make wine, so this took time.
It took about ten years to get some
concrete results, though we continue to experiment
today and always will – you never stop learning in
science and nature!
Once we determined which were the best,
complementary clones that could be planted together to
make the best Brunello, we chose to plant them in what
we determined to be the optimal vineyard sites. Coincidentally,
the best soils and climate conditions are in the
slopes surrounding the medieval fortress today known
as Castello Banfi, known since Etruscan times as
Poggio alle Mura – the walled hilltop. Hence the
name of our most special “cru” of Brunello,
representing a synthesis between tradition and
innovation.
Though the focus of this study was
our Brunello, all of our Sangiovese-based wines,
including the super Tuscans SummuS, Cum Laude, and
Centine, benefitted from this work. And that’s
the third reason for celebrating Sangiovese this
month, for the range of wonderful reds that usher us
into autumn! One
wine in particular was inspired by our research – the
BelnerO, a Sangiovese dominant blend with what I like
to call a kiss of Cabernet and a whisper of Merlot. We grow the
grapes a little differently for BelnerO than for
Brunello, make the wine with less oak aging and
released it earlier from the winery, providing a
counterpoint to Brunello and a lovely terroir-driven
wine in its own right.
If you
know Italians, you know that by nature we are
multi-faceted, varying in mood, and always passionate. As a
nation, we span from the hot sunny beaches of Sicily
near the African coast to the rugged mountains and
Alpine ski slopes of Trentino-Alto Adige in the north. Sangiovese
is grown in almost all of Italy’s regions and reflects
the unique nature of each; it is most famous
(rightfully so) in Tuscany, yet even there it reflects
the nuances of each hilltop, valley and subzone. It has
something a little different to say in Brunello than
Chianti, Morellino than Vino Nobile di Montepulciano,
Rosso di Montalcino than Super Tuscan blends.
Here is a smattering of
Sangiovese-based wines that you may wish to get to
know better, reflecting a spectrum that appeals to
every occasion, every taste, and every budget. We can
assure you that the conversation will never become
boring. 
Recommendations for Celebrating
Sangiovese
BelnerO Proprietor’s Reserve Sangiovese
– A refined
cuvée of noble red grapes perfected by our pioneering
clonal research. This dark beauty, BelnerO, is
produced at our innovative winery, chosen 11
consecutive years as Italy’s Premier Vineyard Estate.
Fermented in our patented temperature controlled
French oak and aged approximately 2 additional years.
Unfiltered, and Nitrogen bottled to minimize sulfites.
Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino –
Rich, round, velvety and intensely
aromatic, with flavor hints of licorice, cherry, and
spices. Brunello di Montalcino possesses an intense
ruby-red color, and a depth, complexity and opulence
that is softened by an elegant, lingering aftertaste.
Unfiltered after 1998 vintage.
Castello Banfi Rosso di Montalcino – Brunello's "younger brother," produced
from select Sangiovese grapes and aged in barrique for
10 to 12 months. Deep ruby-red, elegant, vibrant,
well-balanced and stylish with a dry velvety
finish.
Poggio all’Oro Brunello di Montalcino
Riserva – A single vineyard selection of our most
historically outstanding Sangiovese, aged five years
before release, the additional year more than that
required of Brunello including 6 months in barrel and
6 months more in bottle to grant its “Riserva”
designation. Incredible
elegance and harmony. Intense with lots of fruit and
subtle wood influence. Round, complete, well balanced
with hints of chocolate and berries. Unfiltered after
1998.
Poggio alle Mura – The first tangible result of years of
intensive clonal research on Montalcino’s native
Sangiovese grape.
Estate bottled from the splendidly sun drenched
vineyards surrounding the medieval Castello from which
it takes its name.
The Brunello
di Montalcino is seductive, silky and smoky. Deep ruby
in color with an expressive bouquet of violets, fruits
and berries as well as cigar box, cedar and exotic
spices. The Rosso
di Montalcino is also intense ruby red. The bouquet
is fresh and fruity with typical varietal notes of
cherry and blackberry, enriched by more complex hints
of licorice, tobacco and hazelnut. It is full
bodied, yet with a soft structure, and a surprisingly
long finish. The Poggio alle Mura Brunello di Montalcino
Riserva is deep ruby red with garnet
reflections and a rich, ample bouquet that hints of
prune jam, coffee, cacao and a light balsamic note. It is full
and powerful, with ripe and gentle tannins that make
it velvety and harmonious; this wine is supported by a
pleasing minerality that to me speaks soundly of that
special hillside in southern Montalcino.
SummuS – A wine of towering elegance, SummuS is an
extraordinary blend of Sangiovese which contributes
body; Cabernet Sauvignon for fruit and structure; and
Syrah for elegance, character and a fruity bouquet. An elegant,
complex and harmonious red wine.
Cum Laude – A complex and elegant red which graduated
“With Honors,” characterized by aromas of juicy
berries and fresh spices.
Centine – A Cuvee that is more than half
Sangiovese, the balanced consisting of equal parts of
Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Vinified in
a firm, round style that easily accompanies a wide
range of dishes, this is a smooth and fragrantly
satisfying wine with international character, and a
perennial favorite at my own dinner table.
Banfi Chianti Superiore – The “Superiore” designation signifies
stricter government regulations regarding production
and aging requirements, as compared to regular
Chianti. An
intense ruby red wine with fruit forward aromas and
floral notes. This
is a round wine with well-balanced acidity and fruit.
Banfi Chianti Classico – An enduring classic: alluring
bouquet of black fruit and violets; rich flavors of
cherry and leather; supple tannins and good acidity
for dining.
Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva – Produced from select grapes grown in the
"Classico" region of Chianti, this dry, fruity and
well-balanced red has a full bouquet reminiscent of
violets.
Fonte alla Selva Chianti Classico – This is our newest entry into the Chianti
arena, coming from a 99 acre estate in Castellina, the
heart of the Chianti Classico region. The wine is
a captivating mauve red that smells of cherry, plum
and blackberry with hints of spice. It is
round, full and balanced with very good
acidity.
Col di Sasso – Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Luscious,
complex and soft with persistent notes of fruit and
great Italian style structure.
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. |
"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.
"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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Everett Potter's Travel Report: 
Eating Las Vegas
JOHN CURTAS has been covering the Las Vegas
food and restaurant scene since 1995. He is
the co-author of EATING LAS VEGAS – The 50
Essential Restaurants (as well as
the author of the Eating Las Vegas web site: www.eatinglasvegas.
He can also be seen every Friday morning as
the “resident foodie” for Wake Up With the
Wagners on KSNV TV (NBC) Channel 3 in
Las Vegas.
MARIANI'S VIRTUAL GOURMET
NEWSLETTER is published weekly. Publisher: John Mariani. Editor: Walter Bagley. Contributing Writers: Christopher Mariani,
Robert Mariani, Misha Mariani, John A. Curtas, Gerry Dawes, Geoff Kalish,
and Brian Freedman. Contributing
Photographer: Galina Dargery. Technical
Advisor: Gerry
McLoughlin.
If you wish to subscribe to this
newsletter, please click here: http://www.johnmariani.com/subscribe/index.html
© copyright John Mariani 2017