Fire Island Cookbook Makes Cooking Feel Like a Day at the Beach

I met Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jennson years ago at Kevin Zraly’s Windows on the World wine class, when I was a neophyte wine lover and they were guest speakers. I always knew the duo as the World Wine Guys, so I was surprised to run into them in Manhattan fresh off of a day promoting their Fire Island Cookbook.  Because man cannot live by wine alone, it turns out they are also very handy in the kitchen.  I’ve always found the pair to have a wonderful breezy attitude and an appreciation for the good life – and it all comes through in this new book.

If you’re not from around these parts, you should know that Fire Island is a very special shore destination beloved by harried Manhattanites.  The lovely strip of beach is a true getaway: no cars are allowed and it’s only accessible by boat. It’s one of New Yorkers’ favorite summer rituals to board the ferry on Friday afternoon.  By the time the crossing is finished, stress has eased away and smart phones aren’t used for work anymore, just texting friends to meet at the nearest bar.  Yet while the island is relaxing, its residents have casual chic down to an art form, and this comes across in the beautiful photography of the summer fresh fare in the book.

Each chapter has a full dinner party menu, from appetizers to mains to desserts and--since the two are experts in the vinous pleasures of life--wine pairings. The menu themes reflect their love of travel: Mediterranean Odyssey, Villa in Tuscany, Portside in Puerto Vallarta.  With recipes like Gazpacho, Greek Yogurt with homemade Fig Compote, Bistecca Alla Fiorentina, Herbs de Provence Grilled Lambchops -these are like four star vacations in a meal.  The recipes make sense for the rhythm of beach life, with many being light and easy to prepare, and others – I love this – being elaborate preparations for those days when sun and fun are rained out.

With Memorial Day Weekend less than seven days away, I’m ready for summer, sand, and taking a spin in the kitchen with the Fire Island Cookbook. 

Pizza, protests, and the Pope - One Day in Rome

I arrived in Fiumincino Airport this morning with no set itinerary, no lodging, and only a vague idea of what I wanted to see. However, I pride myself on being a nimble traveler and knew there was so much to see and do in the Eternal City that I couldn't go wrong.
I immediately ran into a fellow wine blogger, Robbin, and plans quickly were hatched. She had a bed booked at The Beehive, a happily located hostel a mere three blocks from Termini Station. For 40 Euros I had a cheerful private room with fresh modern styling punched up by neon orange accent pieces.
Seeing Rome with little time and less energy due to jet lag is a challenge that was easily solved by the 110 bus, a red double decker with an open air top that followed the route of the major historic sites.
Before boarding, we were treated to a spectacle of a loud parade of protestors waving red flags that was led by a tractor trailer blasting, as Robin said, Italy's most famous rapper. They were calling on Italy's new prime minister to fix the mess left by Berlusconi. After ten minutes, the parade passed and we mounted the 110.
As a bright January sun warmed me in the fresh air, I was entranced by thousands of years of history passing by: the Coliseum, with the audio guide reminding us of the captives being eaten by "wild animals;" Circus Maximus, where the Romans held their beloved horse races; and palaces, fountains, and piazzas too numerous to mention.
But it was St. Peter's Square where we disembarked. I reasoned that it was a place unique in all the world and most deserved my time. The line to enter the basilica was depressingly long, so we took a detour to lunch at a stand up Pizzeria a few blocks away. Robin told me that after the dough is made it rests for three days, giving the thick crust large pockets of air that make it light. We ordered slivers of three types of pizza: a tomato sauce pie with small slices of tomato on top - I had never tasted such sweet tomato sauce, a pie with a mashed broccoli and soft cheese, and a pie of soft roast potato slices and cheese. All were wonderful, but the tomato pie won my heart.
Returning to St. Peter's Square, the line had miraculously shrunk and after our bags and coats went through X-ray scans, we were in. I had visited Rome many years ago and was eager to see La Pieta, Michaelangelo's moving sculpture of Mary seated mourning her deceased son, who lies across her lap. The gentle humanity of the scene of a mother in mourning always moved me. Of course the grandeur of St. Peter's is so great that only the most jaded could fail to be impressed. I paid the 7 euros to enter the small museum inside the church where assorted Popes' gold embroidered vestments and an enormous jewel encrusted miter caught my eye.
The day ended at a small enoteca, drinking Langhe wine and chatting with new friends. In the end, I was incredibly grateful to return to this magnificent city, if only for a day.

Noble rot in a pocket of Umbria at Barberani Winery

Noble Rot, or botrytis cinerea as it is scientifically called, can be cause for great joy among winemakers. Because while other types of mold are harmful to grapes, this one actually can shrivel the grapes in such a way that they are perfect for dessert wines.
There are some places in the world that are well known for producing sweet wines from botryitzed grapes. Sauternes is the most famous region, as well as parts of Germany, Austria, and Hungary.
However, it is a rare thing indeed for any Italian winery to produce such wines.
On a recent visit to Barberani winery in Umbria when I traveled with bloggers from the International Wine Tourism Conference, I had the chance to taste one such wine.
Bernardo Bernardini led our group on a tour of the vineyards and winery, ending in their charming tasting room. We were fed thin, sweet slivers of local ham and salami on crusty bread, and led through a tasting of their high quality Orvietto Classico as well as delicious red wines.
However, it was their dessert wine that intrigued me. Apparently, the region used to produce sweet wines but this style of wine fell out of favor, and for decades everyone vinified their wines dry. But a funny thing happened in the early 1970s. Barberani forgot to harvest a parcel of land, and when it was discovered, some of the grapes had been affected by botrytis. The forgotten vineyard was harvested and a small amount of sweet wine, known as Muffa Nobile, was produced. Robert Mondavi was dining with a distributor in California, who brought a bottle of the sweet wine to dinner. Robert telephoned the senior Barberani in the middle of the night Italian time and congratulated him on his noble rot wine - and with that, it was decided that producing sweet wine in Umbria again was a very good thing indeed.
On my visit, I tasted the Calcaia 2006, a Muffa Nobile Dolce. Amber colored, with notes of apricots and honey, it was a lovely dessert wine that was bright and not cloying. I bought two bottles and will toast the innovators at Barberani when I drink their sweet sipper.

Transit, Wine and Valentines

I spent Valentine's night in a rather unusual location: The New York Transit Museum. Valentine's Day is not a holiday I put a lot of stock in, but a free party was too good to pass up.
Right away I noticed this was not your average museum: you descend into the museum through a genuine (albeit no longer in use) Subway entrance.
When I asked, "How much?" I was told the party was free and handed two drink tickets. Is there anywhere else in New York that will give you a couple of free drinks as well as entertainment? I was already a NY Transit Museum fan.
My drink tickets were put to good use with Le Jaja de Jau, a Sauvignon Blanc from the Cotes de Gascogne. While Gascogny is more known for producing France's beloved aged spirit, Armagnac, it can apparently take Sauvignon Blanc grapes and create an almost New Zealand-style pour: grassy, big nose, clean and refreshing in its acidity. Nicely done, Gascogny.
The party included live music from You Bred Raptors, an unusual trio from Astoria who wear Carnival masks and create nicely rendered experimental/folk/jazz songs.
But the grandest entertainment of the night was Alan Feuer. who trolls Craigs List Missed Connections for unusual and unintentionally hilarious postings. According to Alan, all he does is add line breaks and these postings become poetry. Yet it was Alan's masterful delivery of these missives, replete with varying voices, animated gestures, and the rare accent that made these heartful soul-bearings of the Internet poignant indeed.
I highly recommend a visit to The New York Transit Museum. Especially for an unusual and fun Valentine's celebration.

International Wine Tourism Conference in Perugia

I'm thrilled to be speaking next week at the International Wine Tourism Conference in Perugia, Italy, Jan 30 – Feb 2, 2012. The subject of my talk will be "The Innocents Abroad," a comparison of European and American wine tourism. Perugia is in the region of Umbria, known for world-class wines such as the powerful red, Sagrantino di Montefalco and the famous white, Orvieto. The conference will include three days with over 40 talks, presentations, panel discussions and workshops combined with opportunities to taste world class wines. Registration is still open. Look forward to lots more blog posts next week from Italy!

Italian Gladiators at Table: Sagrantino di Montefalco and Seafood Fra Diavolo

"I'm making Seafood Fra Diavolo" was the text I received while cranking up My Chemical Romance as I worked up a sweat on the elliptical at my Jersey City gym. My first thought was, "Yay!" My friend Jordan is an accomplished seafood cook, and I was looking forward to his rendition of this spicy treat. "Fra Diavolo" is from the Italian "brother devil," and the dish is believed to have come from Italian immigrants in New York City in the early 20th century. The concoction of seafood - which can include a chef's choice of shrimp, calamari, lobster, and other fish - tomato sauce, and of course the element of heat, in this case from a few chopped dried Serrano chiles, is a powerful mouthful of flavor. So, my second thought was, "What wine will stand up to all that heat and flavor?"
Luckily I had a bottle of Sagrantino di Montefalco on hand, a 2005 Tabarrini. It's made from the Sagrantino grape, indigenous to Umbria, that is grown in Montefalco and several surrounding villages. I'm fascinated by small-production, unique wines, and this is one that is completely specific to its native land.
The dinner was great - our Fra Diavolo was a fun mix of interesting flavors, shapes, and textures: shrimp; small, sweet scallops; and cod. The Sagrantino did not shy away from the rich spicy flavors. It was like two Roman gladiators well-matched in the Coliseum. But these big boys weren't fighting each other. Unlike in Ancient Rome, the powers of Sagrantino & Seafood Fra Diavolo blended harmoniously, albeit with brashness.

Art on Tap at Montclair Art Museum

What do you get when you combine contemporary art, artisan beers and ciders, and a heaping helping of indie music? You get Art on Tap from the Montclair Art Museum. The museum is a beacon of culture in the burbs, a beautiful neoclassical building that sits serenely on a bucolic corner in Montclair, NJ. It houses an impressive permanent collection of native American art, as well as fascinating temporary exhibits, right now Marina Zurkow: Friends, Enemies, and Others, and The Spectacular of Vernacular.
Art on Tap is a one of a series of innovative special events that brings the community together in fun ways. Previous events have included wine tastings on the beautifully landscaped front lawn. This event was presented in partnership with Amanti Vino, a local wine and spirits shop that is an oasis of cool pours in this upscale suburban community.
Driving the beat of the event were two terrific deejays from WFUV, Rita Houston and Russ Borris. They took turns spinning the radio station's unique blend of funky, indie, folky music.
And as for the beverages of the evening? A fun mix of local and international pours, many notable for being poured from cans, a phenomenon we can thank the trendy PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon) revival for, among other cultural influences. The locally brewed Brooklyn Pennant Ale, which celebrates the memory of the1955 World Champion Dodgers (when they were in Brooklyn) was one of my favorites of the night - a traditional English-style pale ale.