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CONVIV IOS P R I N G 2 0 0 7
NOW SERVING : ART & PASSIONSPRING RECIPES AND COCKTAILS
FROM THE VINE : SARDINIAN WINESSOLVING THE WORLDS PROBLEMS BITE BY BITE
COURTSIDE CONNOISSEUR : NBA COACH GREGG POPOVICH
C O N V I V I O • S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 33
Dear Friends,I took the opportunity the other day, which happened to be the first day of spring, to visit
the studio of Dario Andrea. Dario Andrea, as you will read in this issue of Convivio, works
at L’Impero as one of our very fine wait staff, but he is first and foremost an artist and a
philosopher.
When I stood in his studio and listened to him describe his work and his vision while he
unfurled his incredibly powerful canvases, a word came into my head that I have not let go
of for two days……..passion.
As you will see in this issue, passion and humor are the driving forces for all of our featured
personalities and are what make both L’Impero and Alto so special. From Gregg Popovich’s
love of the vine and his great humility and warmth and Messrs. Civili and Fareed’s drive to
make the world a better place with their collegial humor to Dario Andrea’s very personal
need to express his soul through his art, passion is the link that makes them special.
Through passion and humor they make their mark on the restaurants. Working with and
serving such people on a daily basis is truly a privilege, and it is what makes each lunch
and dinner service that we conduct new and exciting.
I hope that this issue of Convivio Magazine stimulates your appetite as well as your mind
and your sense of humor.
Food without passion or Laughter has no taste. Enjoy, spring is in the air!
Chris Cannon
S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 • C O N V I V I O4
Whatever you do, don’t try putting Dario Andrea in any
kind of a box. Ask him where he was born, he’ll say,
“Florence, but I lived in four different countries the first
three months of my life.” In all, he’s lived in 35, grew up
in seven, calls New York home (“I feel grounded here.”)
But he thinks the place to be is Barcelona. “They have
integrity, they have balls but they are peaceful.”
It is safe to say that Dario Andrea is an accomplished
artist. His bold paintings on canvasses as large as 27’
by 12’ (36” by 36” is the smallest) hang in collections
all around the world and have been exhibited in several
countries.
His subjects’ faces are filled with story and compassion
but he is quick to point out, “I don’t do portraits. People
always want to put me in a box. I don’t know any of
these people. When I do faces, it’s raw.” He does admit
to every now and then finding a face worthy of his
brush.
Dario Andrea paints alla prima, meaning ‘as it comes.’ He
uses paint and brushes, no tricks, no mixing colors; only
full color touches his canvasses. “There are so many
tools, I believe in taking away the technology. Painting is
painting. Where is the artistry in computers?” While he
has been all over the world and attended many schools,
he’s never been to art school. “I’m self taught. I have
no interest in art school,” he says dismissively. “The
closest I’ve been to formalized art was the paintings I
saw as a kid.” Maybe it all began there.
He was born in 1968, two years after the Florence flood.
Dario Andrea points out that 500 years of culture was
destroyed and his family lost everything. His parents
N O W S E R V I N G :A R T & P A S S I O N W I T H D A R I O A N D R E A
were diplomats dedicated to fighting for
human rights all over the world. “They
worked in developing countries, countries
at war, anywhere where there were affronts
against humanity,” Dario Andrea explains with
pride. He and his brother have never lived
for more than seven years in a country. He
speaks Italian, English, Portuguese, Spanish,
his French isn’t bad (his mother was Basque)
and is presently studying Japanese (he has
lived in Japan as well).
At a certain point Dario Andrea turned his
attention to acrobatics. His troupe, Extreme
Troupe, performed in circuses. He stopped
doing it when he was told his art work was
marketable. He sees marketing, branding and
selling art through credentials as unfortunate
factors in today’s art world. “I want to be
respected for the quality of my craft without
the marketing.” His upcoming shows include
one in Montreal in October and another in
Tokyo in 2008.
When Dario Andrea leaves L’Impero around
one in the morning, his day is hardly over. He
heads home, takes a shower and paints until
six in the morning. After a couple of hours of
sleep he volunteers as a Spanish translator
for people and their lawyers who need help,
usually related to humanitarian issues.
“I love what I do. If I wanted to be rich I’d
do something else. I just want to keep doing
what I’m doing.” With that, he’s off to catch a
couple of hours of sleep before heading back
to work and then to his painting.
To see more of Dario Andrea’s work, visit
www.darioandrea.com or for a studio visit,
email [email protected].
A R T O F T H E T A B L E
C O N V I V I O • S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 5
S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 • C O N V I V I O6
The kitchen is open aboard this house boat in Borneo.
Outside of Asia, Madagascar has the largest history of rice production.
Many families in Madagascar eat rice three times a day, most of it is homegrown.
C O N V I V I O • S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 7
A Soup Takes Flight
Anyone who has sampled bird’s nest soup in
his local Chinese restaurant may be wondering
what all the fuss is about. But the real thing
is not made with noodles but with swallows’
nests – spun out of their own gummy saliva,
which hardens in the air. Washed and then
simmered in chicken broth, the nests are
considered a delicacy and rumored to be an
aphrodisiac. – Borneo
A N A T U R A L I N F L U E N C E
I N S P I R E D D E S I G N
A celebrated interior designer and accomplished photographer, Vicente Wolf possesses an unbridled passion for travel. Once a year, he leaves his New York studio behind to immerse himself is the daily life and culture of distant lands: Borneo, Ethiopia, Madagascar and beyond. Wolf incorporates the influences of his travels and experiences into his signature modern and elegant design style, an approach guided by integrity and simplicity.
Floating Kitchen
A ride up the Mahakam River in this house
boat. The kitchen was very basic – just two
hot plates, a sink, no refrigerator, and a large
plastic container holding purified water – all
lit by one fluorescent bulb. – Borneo
Perfect Paddy Symmetry
The countryside is terraced with rice paddies, and the
new plants have turned the ground into a soft blur of
green. What I found interesting was the geometry. If you
look at the field in a certain way, you see very exact
rows. Step three feet to the left, and suddenly you see
the seedlings en masse, like a blanket of color. It’s such
an intense, vivid green. – Madagascar
Swallows make their nests in the lime caves on these dramatic cliffs in Long Bagun, Borneo.
S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 • C O N V I V I O8
W I N E
The man himself is as colorful as he is charismatic.
Arriving for lunch in red corduroys and a bright yellow
sweater over his navy shirt with a wide-knotted paisley
tie, he chuckled through his account of his previous
night out in “the discos in New York” accommodating
photo-ops with partiers who fell in love with his outfit...
His Cannonau (Sardinian for the grape called Grenache
in France and Garnacha in Spain – whose invaders
brought to the island in the 1300s) is no less unique.
Bold but rustic, Cannonau is replete with flavors
of crushed wild berries, tobacco, and an intriguing
potpourri of licorice, mint and spice: the flavors of the
myrtle leaf. This wild herb, found throughout Sicily, has
berries that are used to make Mirto, a bitter Sardinian
digestif. Cannonau makes an excellent counterpart for
a ragu of wild boar or rabbit, or even Chef Conant’s dish
of braised baby goat, matching the wine’s wild, savage
flavors with the gaminess of the meats.
Soletta’s goal is to produce a “clean, well-made wine
that keeps the characteristics of the grape and extracts
the best of the terroir.” Not easy to make though,
Cannonau grapes are low-yielding and expensive to
cultivate. Soletta admits that he “could be a much
richer man” if he appealed to popular demand and
tore out his vines, replacing them with Cabernet
instead. Thankfully, however, he continues to put on
his headphones and mans his own tractor through his
small but significant plot of Cannonau.
S O M M E L I E R ’ S N O T E S
Not all wines need to boast such an eccentric
pedigree to exhibit distinction in the glass. In
fact, just a few kilometers from Tenute Soletta
is another fantastic example, produced by
Sella e Mosca, Sardinia’s largest winery, if
not one of the biggest in all of Italy. Tanca
Farra, “Iron Earth” in Sardinian dialect, is
a 50/50 blend of the traditional Cannonau
and Cabernet Sauvignon: a grape native to
Bordeaux introduced to the island a little
over one hundred years ago. Much riper,
red fruit flavors, as well as notes of cassis,
violet and leather come through in this more
modern example of Sardinian winemaking.
Unencumbered by excessive use of new
oak barrels or numbingly high levels of
alcohol, the bold, dusty flavor of the soil
– for which it is named, as well as the token
herbaceousness – the indicative signature of
the island’s wild vegetation, shine through
clearly and harmonize beautifully with the
rich supple texture of lamb or steak.
Soletta’s Cannonau Riserva and Sella e
Mosca’s Tanca Farra are just two of the many
hidden treasures the Sardinian world of wine
has to offer, each waiting quietly in the
shadows of perhaps more hyped labels and
critic darlings for a chance to take center-
stage and belt out a tribute to the beauty
of the land and the people who nurtured it.
At l’Impero we are constantly looking for
examples such as these to pair with Scott’s
menu in order to excite your senses and
tickle your palate.
Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of hosting Umberto Soletta, owner and winemaker of Tenute Soletta, his family’s estate on the island of Sardinia, and producer of one of my most recent favorites: 2003 Cannonau di Sardegna D.O.C. Riserva.
BY JAMES HAMILTON OF L’IMPERO D I S C O V E R I N G S A R D I N I A N W I N E S
C O N V I V I O • S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 914
COACH CLASS ‘POP’ KNOWS
THE CORK
C O U R T S I D E C O N N O I S S E U R
Gregg Popovich, coach of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, always looks forward to facing the New York Knicks because that means he gets the chance to dine at L’Impero.
Coach Popovich initially read about L’Impero
in Zagat and some other publications. “The
first time I went there, I sat at the bar to scout
it out. I came back with ten people.” The team
favors the ravioli dishes. “The pumpkin ravioli
with walnut sauce is fantastic. Our guys also
like the pecorino, melon and prosciutto. We
have a veal guy and he’s always satisfied.”
“I guess you can call me a pusher. I push
wine on other coaches,” laughs Popovich,
also known as Popovich the Oenophile. He
still remembers his first glass of grown-up
wine, a Pinot Chardonnay in a little wine shop
in Los Altos. He now has a wine collection
that boasts more than three thousand bottles
(he’s just added an ‘86 Château d’Yquem and
a few bottles of an 1843 Madeira) and is a
partner in two Vineyards, A to Z and Rex Hill,
both in Oregon. The name and label of his
private blend, ‘Rock and Hammer’, a Pinot
Noir, pays homage to a quote by the great
social reformer and photo journalist, Jacob
Riis. It’s also the team’s creed, translated in
five languages in the Spurs’ locker room.
Coaching beyond the X’s and O’s of
basketball, Popovich and his team share their
love for great food and good wine. The night
before a game, many of the players can be
found seated in fine restaurants that Coach
Popovich has already checked out. Their
favorite NBA cities for food? “New York is
easily at the top, yet Minneapolis’ D’Amico
Cucina could stand up to any great Italian
restaurant. We like Portland, Seattle, Miami,
Chicago and Toronto, too.”
When asked the question, “Would you like
to have dinner with Condoleezza Rice?” it
doesn’t totally come from behind the arc.
With so many international players on the
Spurs’ roster, Coach Popovich isn’t too far
from being a Secretary of State in his own
right. And he happens to be a Sovietologist.
“I studied Soviet Studies when I entered the
Air Force Academy. After two years, I decided
to make that my major instead of pre-med.
The language, culture, literature - I love it all.
We have some great Russian players in the
league, none so far in San Antonio, but we’ve tried.” So
yes, he’d very much like to dine with Secretary Rice.
Another name on his dinner wish list is the NBA legend
John Havlicek.
He demurs when asked who the Spurs will face in the
playoffs. “I can tell you who I think the best teams are in
the league today,” he offers, “The Dallas Mavericks and
Phoenix Suns. We’re pretty good,” he adds modestly
for a coach who sports three NBA Championship rings,
“but those two are in a category by themselves.”
And one last question – “Have you had dinner with
Tony Parker and Eva Longoria?”
“Of course,” he answers quickly, adding, “Tony’s pretty
good with wines; he knows what he’s drinking.”
The NBA is becoming more international. Who would be your starting line-up if you based your favorite wines on the player’s origins?
Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
A Riesling from Germany
Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
A Romanée-Conti from France
Manu Ginobli, San Antonio Spurs
An Angelica from Argentina
Andrea Bargnani, Toronto Raptors
A Gaja Barolo from Italy
Pau Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies
A Vega Sicilia from Spain
When nothing seems
to help I go looking
at a stonecutter
hammering away at
his rock perhaps a
hundred times without
as much as a crack
showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first
blow it will split in two and I know it was
not that blow that did it but all else that had
gone before.
S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 • C O N V I V I O10
73579
PEG_PER_06016K_D_1D1.INDD
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7/28/06
133
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Flavours, Le Guide Cuisine, Standard PubsSize: P4CB Color: CMYK Scale: 1:1 Gutter: None
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Account Exec: M. Fein Print Producer: J. Gregorio Traffi c: B. RatzerEngraver: Extreme
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At finer restaurants in Paris, London, New York and of course, Milan.
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C O N V I V I O • S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 11
A C U R E F O R S P R I N G :THE DEL ICATE FLAVORS OF BOTTARGA
S I G N A T U R E D I S H
1. Place shad roe in brine for 1 day to remove excess blood
2. Place shad roe in cure mix for 1 day
3. Following day, rinse off roe, place in cure mix again, and press for 5 days
Total cure time: 2 weeks
5 pairs of shad roe
White wine
BRINE MIX:
16 oz salt
1 liter of water
CURE MIX:
4 oz of Muscovado sugar
4 oz of granulated sugar
2 oz pink salt
Shad is a relative of the herring family and its roe has been prized in North America for the last two hundred years as a delicacy and a harbinger of spring.
At this time of year, the Shad swim up various estuaries on the east coast in search of spawning grounds. In the process, they eat voraciously and gain
significant weight and flavor, as do their eggs. Traditionally, shad roe was eaten sautéed with bacon and hollandaise sauce. We have decided to salt, press
and cure the roe to make a traditional bottarga. It is much superior to the Bottarga di Mugine that we import from Italy, and its freshness and delicacy
burst through in the accompanying recipe for Scialiatelle.
SCIALIATELLE
6 oz spaghetti
2 Tb shad roe
2-3 preserved lemon slices
8-10 fava beans, blanched
1 Tb scallions, chopped
1 Tb butter
Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente.
In sauté pan add extra virgin olive oil and a
bit of pasta water. Heat over a low flame;
when pasta is ready, add it to the sauté pan
and heat over medium heat. Add the 2 Tb
of shad roe and toss together. Next add
the preserved lemon slices and blanched
fava beans. Finish with butter and chopped
scallions
Season with salt.
4. Take out of mix and place in acidic wine for 1 day
5. Remove from wine and dry in a cool dark place for 6 days
CURING SHAD ROE
S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 • C O N V I V I O12
S P R I N G O N I O N R I S O T T O M A R I N A T E D S P O T P R A W N S , S U G A R S N A P P E A S A N D B A S I L
S I G N A T U R E D I S H
I N G R E D I E N T S
4 cups vialone nano rice
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup white wine
5 cups sliced spring onion
(tops reserved and
finely sliced)
20-30 spot prawns peeled
(shells reserved for stock)
1/2-3/4 lbs. sugar snap peas ends removed
1/2 cup julienne of basil
1/4-1/2 lbs. butter
1 clove garlic
1/2 teaspoon chili flake
salt/pepper to taste
Begin by placing the shrimp shells in approximately 1
gallon of water or light chicken stock and boil for 10-15
minutes to extract the flavor from the shells.
While this cooks, finely chop the clove of garlic and
marinate the shrimp with 1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin
olive oil, half of the chili flake and the garlic.
The sugar snap peas (end removed) should be blanched
in boiling water for one minute and then sliced into
cross-sections.
To begin the risotto, place the rest of the olive oil and
sliced spring onions in a large pot and cook over a low
to medium heat until the onions have a medium brown
caramelization (about 10-15 minutes), season with a bit
of salt and pepper, then added the rice.
Stir the rice continuously over medium heat
for a minute, preferably with a wooden spoon,
until the rice begins to look glossy and slightly
translucent.
Add the white wine and the rest of the chili
flake and cook until the wine has mostly
evaporated.
At this point, have the shrimp stock strained
but still hot and begin adding it, one or two
cups at a time and stir constantly while the
rice absorbs most of the liquid.
Then add more of the stock. Season it slightly
at this point with salt and pepper but wait
until towards the end to season it to the full
taste that you wish.
Continue this process for 15-20 minutes until
the rice has lost any grainy center but still
retains its shape and a bit of texture.
At this point add the blanched and sliced
sugar snap peas and butter--the risotto
should have a consistency that allows it to
slowly roll out as it is being plated.
If it is too thick, add more stock, if too loose,
cook for a minute longer.
At this point you can either add the spot
prawns to the risotto and mix through for
30 seconds to cook them or they could be
separately broiled and arranged on top of the
risotto.
Finish the risotto with the julienned basil,
check that the salt and pepper is to your taste
and serve.
Serves 4 people
C O N V I V I O • S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 13
M E Y E R L E M O N T O R T A
S W E E T T O O T H
By: Tim Butler
CURED LEMON SEGMENTS:
3 ea Meyer lemon
8 oz granulated sugar
To prepare: Peel lemons and cut into individual
segments. Place in a container and pack the sugar on
top of the segments. Refrigerate until sugar begins
to become broken down by the lemon juice. This will
make them sweeter.
FINAL PREPARATION:
Cut the Sable into desired shape (rounds works well).
Place a dollop of the ricotta mixture on top. Garnish
with the limoncello gelee. Place the segments along
side and drizzle the dish with the lemon confit.
MEYER LEMON RICOTTA CREAM:
1 lb ricotta
1 ea Meyer lemon (juice and zest)
6 oz granulated sugar
3 sheets of gelatin
4 oz heavy cream
To prepare: Take ricotta, sugar, lemon
juice and lemon zest. Mix in blender until
smooth. Bring heavy cream to a boil and
soak the gelatin sheet in liquid until melted.
Pour mixture into blend and incorporate all
ingredients together. Refrigerate ingredients
for approximately 4 hours, or until set.
MEYER LEMON CONFIT:
6 ea Meyer lemon
6 oz granulated sugar
4 oz Water
To prepare: Peel the lemons as well as
juice them. Blanch the zest in boiling water
2 times. (10 minutes each time). Pour the
juice and sugar over the zest in a small pot.
Reduce the sugar and liquid until it is syrup
consistency. Put mixture into a blender and
mix until smooth. Add water to thin out the
confit.
LIMONCELLO GELEE:
7 oz gin
7 oz Limoncello
3 oz simple syrup
(equal parts water and sugar…
brought to a boil and cooled)
3 ea sheets of gelatin
To prepare: Boil the simple syrup and add
gelatin sheets to melt. Stir into the gin and
limoncello. Place in refrigerator to cool.
SABLE BRETON:
8 oz butter, room temperature
8 oz sugar
2 ea eggs
9.5 oz AP Flout
1 tsp salt
3/4 oz baking powder
To prepare: In a mixer, place sugar and
eggs…whip the mixture with the whisk
attachment until it forms ribbons. Add room
temperature butter until it is incorporated.
Sift in flour, salt and baking powder. Whisk
it until everything is well mixed together.
Roll out the dough between two sheets of
greased parchment paper to 1/8” thick.
Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350°
F for approximately 8 minutes, until lightly
golden.
S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 • C O N V I V I O
PREPARED BY: RED CELL | PRODUCTION CONTACT: 213.689.9644 | JOB NUMBER: 07ZEG003_7_01.30.07 | JOB NAME: EZ.S2 single page
PUBLICATION NAME: Convivio | DOCUMENT SPECS: Trim 8.25 x 10.875 | Bleed 8.375 x 11 | Live .25 (from trim)
DATE: CREATIVE: ACCT MGMNT: PRODUCTION:
NOTES:
New
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43 M
adis
on A
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2.42
1.44
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m
C O N V I V I O • S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 15
G L O B A L P A L A T E S
When two diplomats met in Geneva over 24 years ago, they quickly found out they shared interests beyond a desire to make the world a better place: a love of good food.
Both men exude a natural, easy going
demeanor that can only behoove their
positions as UN representatives taking care of
serious business over the years: responding
to natural disasters, humanitarian crisis, and
doing their part to maintain world peace
through delicate negotiations in trouble spots.
And as they work, they simultaneously make
it their mission to unearth the world’s top
dining spots.
They make light of their competitive nature
for scouting out restaurants the globe over.
In fact Mr. Fareed credits Mr. Civili with first
discovering L’Impero – where they have
collectively dined on over 375 occasions.
Crossing the border of 1st Avenue from the
UN into the comforting enclave of Tudor City
Square, L’Impero is a safe haven where these
two representatives spend a lot of time.
Proximity to the UN is only a bonus. After
making the rounds at some of the top
restaurants in New York which Mr. Fareed
describes as the “delegation circuit,” he
always “comes home” to L’Impero. “It’s a
place you can bring Foreign Ministers to one
day, and then your mother to the next. While
it’s warm and inviting and not too stuffy, it’s
also a very discreet place where we always
find the usual suspects.”
Indeed, lunchtime at L’Impero is like a mini
world conference. When this observant pair
enters the dining room, they size up the “table
partners” and skillfully boast: “We know what
resolutions are being discussed!” At any given
meal, some of the world’s biggest issues are
being hashed out over dishes of truffle-laced
pasta, or Chef Scott Conant’s delicate and
savory meatballs. Mr. Fareed laughs: “It’s a
good excuse to have things unresolved. Go
to L’Impero and they get resolved.” Mr. Cilvili
adds diplomatically: “There are no boundaries
when it comes to food.”
While Mr. Civili appreciates the familiar
Italian flare to the dishes, he is intrigued by
the ‘unexpected’ elements that are added to
the dishes. “There’s always a unique twist
to everything that comes out of the kitchen.
And above all, I can count on the quality of
the ingredients.” That’s a pretty impressive observation
by a world-class gourmand. He has a soft spot for the
polenta with wild mushrooms, and an appreciation for
liver which he wishes was more readily available.
Mr. Fareed’s favorite dish at L’Impero is the skate.
He prefers it with diced potatoes and caramelized
onions. If the dish shows up on the menu prepared
differently, Mr. Fareed’s natural negotiating skills kick in.
“I always ask for it the way I like it,” he shrugs. The
kitchen usually finds a way to make him happy. “It’s all
about the compromise,” he says with a knowing smile.
Crediting a life-long career making people understand
the bottom line no matter the language, Mr. Fareed sums
up the dining experience at L’Impero simply as: “A great
atmosphere, great food – and the company doesn’t
hurt,” he adds with a wink at his good friend Mr. Civili. It
turns out the biggest problem they had to resolve on this
day was where to dine together in Rome next month...
Born in India, Qazi Shaukat Fareed grew up in Pakistan and has served in a Foreign Service capacity for over forty years. He is now Special Advisor on UN system reform. A native of Rome, Patrizio Civili was educated around the world. He is currently Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs.
SOLVING THE WORLD’S PROBLEMS
ONE B ITE AT A T IME
S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 • C O N V I V I O16
B E H I N D T H E B A R
The Flashlight Cocktail from the bartender at Alto
1 1/2 oz Aperol
1 oz Nardini Aqua di Cedro
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1 dash of Fee Brother’s Orange Bitters
All ingredients are shaken and served up with a twist.
S P R I N G S P I R I T ST.J. Siegal, bartender at Alto created The Flashlight Cocktail to both stimulate the palate as an aperitivo, and indulge the lush citrus of spring. Represented in the flavor profile are: lemon, citron, orange, lime, rhubarb and a slew of subtle herbs and roots to provide a touch of that trademark Italian bitterness to balance and whet the appetite.
Jay Veduccio has been performing in the longest running one man, off-Broadway show in history, entitled “Olive or Twist”, now showing weeknights behind the L’Impero bar. In addition to his role as a bartender, Jay has created ‘Me & Ewe: A Love Story’. He likens the bar at L’Impero to an oasis where ‘pirates and princesses’ can be themselves and where luxury food and drink meet a comfortable casualness.
C O N V I V I O • S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 17
U N C O M M O N P A I R I N G S
W I N E A N D C H E E S E
We feel that in limiting the selection, we
provide a service to our customers, since
cheese’s optimal window of consumer
opportunity is rather small, and in many
places is served either over or under ripe.
Wine and cheese are traditionally an
obvious partnership. We have all heard of or
experienced, the pairing of Port and Stilton,
Barolo and Gorgonzola Dolce, and Epoisses
and Pommard etc. In fact, most people think
of drinking red wine with cheese.
At both Alto and L’Impero we feature cheeses in a constantly rotating selection that we pair with house made condimenti that compliment the characteristics of the product. We consult regularly with our cheese monger in selecting six to eight cheeses that are seasonally correct and at the pinnacle of ripeness.
I, on the other hand, being an iconoclast,
much prefer whites. When combined with
the inherent fattiness of dairy products, the
tannins in red wine lead to a muddling of
flavors on the palate so that both wine and
cheese cannot be fully tasted. The point of
pairing wine and food properly is to heighten
each of their flavors through the marriage.
White wine’s bright acidity, minerality, and
often nutty quality after aging do not mask
the nuances of the various milks and their terroir, which
make up the base of the world’s greatest cheeses.
In cooking, it is very rare to make a sauce from milk or
cream with the addition of red wine as opposed to white.
In Burgundy, in fact, vignerons very often drink their great
whites after their reds, claiming that the natural acidity of
the white is a palate cleanser and a perfect segue into
cheese or dessert.
Here are some suggestions of great matches of cheese and wine that are currently available at the restaurants.
Parmigiano delle Vacche Rosse (Reggio Emilia, Italy)
A name-protected raw cow’s milk cheese aged for 18-24 months. It displays a crunchy, nutty, spicy, salty interior with distinct caramel flavors.
I would pair the Parmigiano with a Krug Multivintage Champage. Krug always displays a slightly nutty, oxidative quality and great bracing acidity that will only accentuate the great depth of character in the cheese.
Evora (Alentejo, Portugal)
A raw, rustic sheep’s milk cheese with aromas of yeast and a distinct sharp, vegetal grassy flavor.
A Trebbiano D’Abruzzo from Edoardo Valentini, with its great mineral character and barnyard in the nose, works well with the rusticity of the cheese.
La Tur (Piemonte, Italy)
From a mix of pasteurized sheep, goat and cow’s milk, the flavor has a note of tang, but suggests crème fraiche with hints of mushrooms.
A bright Meursault from Guy Roulot, with its enormous acidic length, balanced with a slightly yeasty, nutty, bread-like quality, makes a perfect match for me.
Valencay (Loire, France)
A pasteurized goat’s milk pyramid with an ashed rind. Fresh, tangy and grassy.
Although traditionally paired with a Sauvignon Blanc from the region, such as a Sancerre or Quincy, I find that the Quarz Sauvingnon from Cantina Terlano in Alto Adige is great. It displays the proper mineral and grassy vegetable tones while adding a layer of mushroomy, oaky complexity that really make the cheese sing.
S P R I N G 2 0 0 7 • C O N V I V I O18
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AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBERTudor City is a unique New York neighborhood to where many
people have never ventured.
So receiving an invitation to an event at L’Impero is particularly
special for guests who will be delighted by the architecture of
this “city within a city”. Beneath the restaurant’s Tudor/Gothic
bones lies an ultra-crisp and polished, yet convivial setting
designed by Vicente Wolfe. Using folded linen wall coverings,
elevated candles and celadon upholstery, the upstairs private
dining room is an engaging space to host up to forty guests
for social gatherings, holiday parties, weddings or corporate
events. Every attention to detail is accounted for from the
focused and fascinating ingredient pairings of the food, to the
carefully compiled wine list, and the unfailingly upbeat and
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45 Tudor City Place. To plan an event: (212) 599 5045.
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06-0044-SZF Prk pg_HautePrss_p.i1 1 3/26/07 4:11:50 PM
19
THE RICHARDS GROUP
JOB #: SZF-06-0044
CLIENT: Sub-Zero/Wolf
AD NAME: “Pork” Page Ad
PUB: Haute Life PressINSERTS: June 2007
LIVE: .25" all sides
TRIM: 8.25" x 10.875"
BLEED: .125" all sides
LS/COLOR:
133/CMYK
QUESTIONS CALL: Terry Gilg214-891- 5259
F o r M o r e A b o u t T h e C o m p l e t e L i n e O f W o l f P r o d u c t s , V i s i t w o l f a p p l i a n c e . c o m O r C a l l 1- 8 0 0-3 3 2-9 513
Wolf is the corporate companion and kitchen soul mate of ®
®
With 70 years of professional cooking savvy embodied in equipment you can command with ease, confi dence never
came so easily. From seared roasts to slow-simmered sauces, the Wolf sealed burner rangetop places total control in
your hands. And the dual convection oven is such a thoughtful partner, it can signal when the
dish inside is perfect. Suddenly you fi nd yourself cooking with a new ingredient: fresh aplomb.
06-0044-SZF Prk pg_HautePrss_p.i1 1 3/26/07 4:11:50 PM
Ad No.: AQU-06-1 SAP No.: PEGPEL.06004.K.011Ad Title: Acqua Panna
This advertisement prepared by: Ogilvy & MatherTo appear in: ConvivioSize: page Color: 4/c
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Creative Director: N/A Art Director: N/A Copywriter: N/AAccount Exec: N/A Print Producer: J. Gregorio Traffi c: B. Ratzer
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© 2
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