Strega Prime: A Brief Lunch Review

Opened for less than two weeks, Strega Prime, located in Woburn at the site of the former Beacon Grille, is Nick Varano's third restaurant. Strega Prime is intended to be an upscale Italian steakhouse and it seems to fit that objective. I recently ate lunch there and will provide my thoughts though please keep in mind that the restaurant is newly opened and needs time to iron out the initial kinks that all new restaurants face.

Though it maintains a similar basic layout to the Beacon Grille, there have been some changes to the decor, from the "cow hide" bar stools to the multiple TV screens in the main dining room showing black & white movies.

Their wine list is extensive, with over 1300 selections, but it is pricey. For example, the Caymus Conundrum, at an average retail of $20, is on their list for $65. A 3 1/2 times markup on the retail is huge, especially considering the true markup is even higher.  "Upscale" shouldn't mean that wine prices are at such a high markup, catering to businessmen on expense accounts.

The Lunch menu is broken into Raw Bar, oysters or shrimp, ($14), 3 Salads ($7-$12), 2 Soups ($6-$7); 4 Appetizers ($9-$14), 3 Sandwiches ($12-$14), 3 Lunch Salads ($14-$18), 4 Lunch Specials ($14-$26) and 6 Desserts ($8-$9). For example, you could start with a Hand Chopped Beef Tartar ($9) and then get a 12 oz. Sirloin Burger ($14) with Parmesan Frites. Or a Shrimp Caesar Salad ($18) or even a Grilled Chicken Club ($12)

Lunch begins with a warm Popover, which though some see them as old-fashioned, I still enjoy. This was a nice popover, with what seemed like a dusting of parmesan atop it, and I smeared butter all along the eggy inside. A good start to lunch.

I then began my meal with the New England Corn & Clam Chowder ($6) which has crispy pancetta and parsley butter. Though it had a pleasant taste, and plenty of corn, lots of onions and tiny potatoes, it seemed to lack many clams. What clams seemed to be present were minced to tiny, almost unidentifiable pieces. It seemed like far more of a corn chowder, with some clam flavor, and not quite what I was expecting.

The Grilled Salmon ($19) comes with Yukon gnocchi, fresh peas, cherry tomatoes, and is in a white wine sauce. The large piece of fish was cooked well, and was tender and flavorful, complemented by the light white sauce. The gnocchi were well made, pillowy and tender. A good lunch choice.

The Chicken Milanese ($16), with capers, tomatoes, and baby arugula, has a light Marsala sauce which adds flavor to the chicken without swimming in it. It was a substantial piece, with moist, tender chicken covered by a crisp & clean coating. I was impressed with this dish and would order it again. Highly recommended for lunch.

For dessert, the Italian Smores ($9), with gianduja budino, marshmallow, & pizzelle, makes a cool presentation. It is also tasty, with rich, smooth chocolate, covered by sweet marshmallow, with a caramelized crust. You can either take your spoon to the chocolate and marshmallow, or smear it on a pizzelle. It is large enough to share, and I am sure both of you will enjoy it.

There were a couple services issues initially, basically a server who didn't pay attention to what told to him. In addition, another server was apparently soaked in a strong cologne and every time he passed by the table, you couldn't help but have your nose assailed by his cologne, detracting from lunch. These are issues though which hopefully will be fixed in the near future as the new restaurant works out its initial kinks.

I'll return here and report back on the progress of Strega Prime.  

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Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.
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1) On August 4th, Boston’s restaurateur, Nick Varano, the CEO and owner of The Varano Group, will open the doors to his newest dining establishment, Strega Prime. Located in the former Beacon Grille space at Tradecenter 128 in Woburn, this will be an upscale Italian Steakhouse, a new concept for Varano. Strega Prime’s new Executive Chef Farouk Bazoune, the former Executive Sous Chef at Mooo in Boston, worked hand-in-hand with Corporate Chef, Salvatore Firicano and Varano to develop the upscale steakhouse menu to incorporate touches of Varano’s famous modern Italian cuisine.

For salads and appetizers, highlights include: Hand Chopped Steak Tartar (prime beef, soy glaze, pickled red onion and marrow toast - $16); Fried Parmesan and Truffle Calamari (gremolota, sishitto peppers, fennel, spicy Arrabbiata sauce - $13); Braised Kurabuta Pork Belly (parsnip puree, exotic mushrooms, Madeira sauce -$14); and Roasted Beet Salad (beet puree, honey-whipped ricotta, Mache, pistachio dust - $11). For a la carte options, notable mentions include: Petite Filet (8 oz -$37) and the Porterhouse Steak for Two (42 oz - $88). There are a number of sharable sides like the Four Cheese Macaroni ($10/ with fresh lobster meat - $18) and the Sherry Wild Mushrooms ($14). There is also a section of fully plated entrées with options like: Seared Sea Scallops (mushroom pesto fregula salad, salsa verde, crispy shallots - $34), Butter Poached Lobster (parsnip puree, lobster beure monte – MRKT) and Cavatelli (ricotta cavatelli, fontina cheese, cheddar cheese, black truffle puree, confit garlic - $16/$29).

For lunch, menu highlights include: Prime Beef Carpaccio (house mustard sauce, shaved parmesan, arugula, Grissini -$13); Veal and Pancetta Dumplings (ginger soy sauce, micro cilantro -$12); Maine Lobster Roll (salad of greens -$19); Strega Prime Open Face Sandwich (sirloin, gorgonzola, baby tomatoes arugula -$15); and the PLT (pancetta, lettuce, tomatoes, Tuscan bread, parmesan fries -$12).

Strega Prime offers an extensive beverage program featuring house-made martinis, craft cocktails, wines and beer. The newly renovated space will feature a large wine cellar with over 1,300 selections of red and white wines and over 7,500 bottles for guests to enjoy. The extensive selection includes a number of rare and exclusive wines that date back as far as the late 1940’s. In addition to the by-the-bottle options, Strega Prime will offer 45 wines by-the-glass, as well as a selection of beers including 6 craft on-tap choices and 12 bottled beers.

Strega Prime is open Monday through Friday for lunch from 11:30am-5pm, and seven days a week for dinner service from 5pm-11pm. Strega Prime’s Ultra Lounge will be open until 2am seven nights a week. Strega Prime will also offer a Sunday brunch service, which is set to begin in the early fall of 2013.

2) On Tuesday, August 20, at 6:30pm, Legal Sea Foods in Park Square will host a wine dinner with Hugel & Fils. Hugel & Fils’ production averages 110,000 cases per year, of which around 90% is exported to more than 100 countries worldwide. Legal Sea Foods will team up with Frederick Wildman & Sons’ Director of Marketing & Fine Wine, Martin Sinkoff, to host a four-plus-course dinner featuring signature cuisine paired with Sinkoff’s choices from the Hugel & Fils vine.

The menu will be presented as followsr:

HORS D’OEUVRES
Crab & Wild Mushroom Tartlet, Thyme Lemon Aioli
Citrus Arancine, Dill Crème Fraîche
Oysters* on the Half Shell, Lime & Mint Granita
Hugel Gentil, Alsace, 2011
FIRST COURSE
Poached Sole Veronique (White Wine Sauce, Baby Mache)
Hugel Pinot Blanc, Alsace, 2010
SECOND COURSE
Pan Seared Striped Bass (Quinoa Salad, Tarragon Butter Sauce)
Hugel Riesling, Alsace, 2011
MAIN COURSE
Maine Lobster Casserole (Herbed Red Bliss Potato, Radicchio, Frisée Salad, Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette)
Hugel et Fils Riesling Jubilee Grand Cru, Alsace, 2007
DESSERT COURSE
Caramelized Pear Crostata (Honeyed Mascarpone Cheese)
Hugel et Fils Gewurztraminer Vendange Tardive, Alsace, 2005

COST: $75 per person (excludes tax & gratuity)
Reservation required by calling 617-530-9397

3) Lucia Ristorante Owner Donato Frattaroli and Executive Chef Pino Maffeo introduce the next class in the Lucia Winchester cooking series by teaching guests how to make a variety of Risotto dishes. On Wednesday, August 21, from 6:30pm-9:30pm, Chef Pino will show guests the methods and techniques it takes to make the perfect fall dish just in time for autumn. This class will include hands-on demonstrations on how to make his Saffron Risotto, Wild Mushroom Risotto, and Seafood Risotto. Some topics will include different varieties of risotto, as well as recipes and cooking techniques.

The Risotto class costs $60 per person. For more information about this event, or to make a reservation for the class, please call (781) 729-0515. I'll be at this class and am looking forward to learning more about making Risotto, which is certainly one of my favorite dishes. Hope to see you there too.

4) In late August 2013, Chef Tony Maws opens The Kirkland Tap & Trotter, his second Boston-area restaurant, touting a menu of rustic, hearty fare combining ingredients and unexpected flavors that you would find Chef Maws cooking at home for family and friends. Located in Somerville, The Kirkland Tap & Trotter’s atmosphere will embody an eclectic and cozy neighborhood vibe akin to some of the best “gastropubs” in England.

“The Kirkland Tap & Trotter is an ‘every night of the week’ kind of establishment, serving favorites you would find my friends and family gathered around on a Monday night,” says Chef Tony Maws. “You’ll find the same ingredients on the menu at Kirkland Tap & Trotter that you see at Craigie, but here they will be prepared simply and perfectly executed. You won’t see any swooshes on the plates here. I wanted to create a place where I could hang, and guests can embrace my jeans and a t-shirt philosophy, feeling comfortable enough to eat with their hands and play air drums.”

The 115-seat restaurant includes a 12-seat bar, with additional seating at high top tables alongside a large open dining room. The kitchen and menu centers around a large wood-fired grill set into a masonry base, featuring dishes such as: Grilled Spice Crusted Chicken Wings, radishes, arugula; Grilled Red Chile Salmon Head, oxalis; and Grilled Sardines Provençale, parsley, red onion.

The drink menu is also representative of the libations that Chef Maws and his friends and family enjoy imbibing at home, and will feature a large beer list, and an expansive wine by the glass list tilting toward Old World terroir and funky wines made by real people. Additionally, The Kirkland Tap & Trotter has partnered with Revolution Cocktails to create a unique cocktail menu with drinks that are well-crafted but “don’t take ten minutes to make.”

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Sequoia Grove Winery: Michael Truijlllo, A Forte With Fermentation

"Fermentation is a more important discovery than even fire."

With a jolly smile, Michael Trujillo, the President & Director of Winemaking at Sequoia Grove Winery wanted to emphasize his passion for winemaking, using a bit of hyberole to make his point. That passion was evident in much Michael said at dinner earlier this week at Grill 23 and Bar.

I was invited, along with two other writers (James Campanini, editor at the The Lowell Sun, and Anne Banas, executive editor at Smarter Travel) to meet Michael Trujillo for dinner and get the opportunity to taste three of his wines. Joining us was also Mark Carnucci, a manager for the distributor Kobrand Fine Wine & Spirits. Michael was personable, charismatic, open and passionate.

It was a very pleasant evening of excellent conversation, food and wine. To Michael, the importance of wine and food cannot be underestimated, as he feels it permeates many aspects of our lives. He is also pleased to think that 90% of the wines that come off his bottling line will lead to happy occasions. Wine is most often a source of pleasure, not despair, so it plays an important function in our lives. We all can use a bit more joy in our lives so why not let wine bring us some?

Let us start with a little history lesson. In 1979, the Sequoia Grove Winery was founded by Jim Allen in the Rutherford AVA in Napa Valley. The vineyard consisted of 22 acres and Jim consulted with some legendary winemakers such as Andre Tchelistcheff and Tony Soter. In 1982, Michael Trujillo started working with Jim and by 1991, Michael would also start his own small brand, Karl Lawrence, which he continues to produce. In 1998, Michael became the Assistant Winemaker at Sequoia, though the 1990s were a challenging time for the winery. In 2001, Jim retired and the Kopf family, who had been partners since 1985, took control of the winery and they placed Michael in charge of winemaking operations.

Michael grew up on a Colorado ranch and stated that he spent much of his early years behind the wheel of a tractor. He credits his father with instilling in him a strong work ethic. He is also very proud of his Spanish heritage, being able to trace his ancestors back to the mid-1500s when they settled in the area of Santa Fe, New Mexico. In response to one of my questions, Michael said that no one has ever inquired about his heritage, and he believes he is one of the few winemakers with a direct Spanish ancestry. Michael also mentioned that he currently is on a kick, seeking out value Spanish Tempranillo wines.

Since Michael took charge of winemaking operations at Sequoia, great change has come to the winery. For one, in 2003, Molly Hill, a UC Davis graduate, was taken on as an assistant winemaker and would eventually, in 2008, become the winemaker. Another important step, in 2006, was the acquisition of the 48-acre Tonella Estate Vineyard, which they replanted with select Cabernet Sauvignon clones. Tonella's first harvest was in 2010, and it is allowing Sequoia to transform from a winery which once purchased about 80% of their grapes to a winery which will soon be using about 80% estate fruit. The original 22 acre Sequoia vineyard is planted primarily with Cabernet Sauvignon, about 85%, and the rest has Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec.

To Michael, purchasing such a large percentage of grapes put them at the mercy of inflation, as well as the vineyards who might or might not choose to sell them grapes in any particular year. For more independence, and as a potentially cost-cutting measure, he knew that growing more of their own grapes was necessary. However, he doesn't want to use 100% estate fruit, as he wants the flexibility of being able to purchase grapes to help in his blends. His vineyards are not the best source for all types of grapes, so he would prefer to buy other grapes from where they grow best.

Their vineyards are fairly organic, though not certified, as Michael has issues with certification laws. He understands that such laws are often too broad, that federal definitions allow much leeway, allowing for some practices that others might not consider to be organic. Michael also feels that the Rutherford region has the best microclimate for Cabernet Sauvignon, and that Rutherford Cabernets reflect its terroir. Famed winemaker André Tchelistcheff once said that "It takes Rutherford dust to grow great Cabernet." You will find some famous vineyards in this AVA, including Beaulieu Vineyards, Caymus, and Grgich Hills Estate. To Michael, the typical Rutherford Cabernet is silky, fruit forward and with a dusty/earthy element to it.

Michael's personal philosophy is that "everything in our life comes back to wisdom and experience." This is applicable to all aspects of life, including winemaking. He values his mentors in the winemaking industry and now possesses 30 years of his own experience. He continues to perfect his winemaking style each year, and states that much of what he does is by feel and taste, based on his lengthy experience in the field. He may used technology at times, but is not wholly reliant on it and believes he could still make great wine without it.

One of his greatest lessons was provided by Andre Tchelistcheff, who use a tea brewing analogy to make him understand the process of fermentation. Andre took Michael to the top of a fermentation tank, explaining how the process is similar in respects to steeping tea. As you steep your tea, you constantly taste it to determine when it is at its optimal flavor. The same goes with fermentation, that taking it continually will allow you to know when it is ready. You don't need a slew of scientific instruments to tell you when your wine is ready.

Michael believes there are not many bad wines on the market any longer, but he also feel that far too often there is "too much frosting on the cake." He means that there is too much manipulation of wine, which obscures its sense of place. Part of that problem he attributes to the 100 point scoring system, which tends to lead to bigger, overmanipulated wines. To Michael, a "great wine is about balance" and it is those balanced wines which will age the best. His goal is to produce wine with a sense of place, that shows the varietal and which possess a sense of balance.

Michael's winemaking style is more Old World except that he brings in some California sunshine. He finds some Old World wines to be too rustic and wants to take advantage of the fine California weather. It would be a disservice not to take advantage of what California weather brings to the vineyards. Michael believes that his forte is fermentation, and that with white wines, everything happens within those roughly ten days of fermentation.

His goal is to "build a house brick by brick," to allow the winery growth to be slow and steady. He wants his customers to be able to expect consistency from year to year. He does not want to become the next Screaming Eagle, but rather would like to be the next Silver Oak or Cakebread, two brands which he feels followed that slow and steady pattern.

The biggest challenge he faces is getting people to taste his wines, to get to know his brand. Michael feels that his wines over deliver for their price and are as good as any other high-end California Cabernets. He feels his wines are competitive on the market, and continue to improve each year. Because of this, he ensures that the winery tasting room remains unpretentious, that it is a welcoming place for all.

Michael is not a fan of the "one man critic," preferring when wines are assessed by panels or groups. His best advice for consumers is to "build a relationship with a local retailer." Consumers need to be open minded, willing to take recommendations from their retailer so that they can learn about the wine types and styles they prefer.

Sequoia wines are currently exported across the world, and Japan is one of their best foreign markets. They have chosen not to aggressively court the Chinese market, but see lots of potential in the international market. Within the U.S., they obviously are strong in California, but they also do very well on the East Coast. Currently, only three of their wines are available for sale in Massachusetts through Horizon Beverage Company and I got to sample all three. Michael, like most California winemakers, noted that the 2012 vintage was great, and will lead to many great wines. However, though many winemakers say 2011 was a challenging vintage, Michael feels that his 2011 vintage red wines are close to perfection.

We began with the 2011 Sequoia Grove Napa Valley Chardonnay ($28), which is produced from 100% Chardonnay which spent 10 months sur lie in 35% new French oak barrels. The wine underwent minimal manipulation and no malolactic fermentation. Michael stated that the French use malolactic to tame the acidity in their Chardonnays but that California wineries don't need to do so, or only to a minimal level. However, French chardonnay ages much better than California and Michael feels that keeping a California Chardonnay for five years might be pushing it. He also feels that California really doesn't need to age their Chardonnay, that they shouldn't try to be something they are not.

The wine is produced in more of a French style and possesses a crisp and fresh taste with appealing flavors of apple, lemon and melon, with elements of toast and minerality, especially on the finish. It has a bit of richness to it, and Michael suggested it would pair best with oilier fish, or seared scallops as the caramelization would work well with the wine. I had some oysters with the Chardonnay, and it wasn't the best pairings due to the brininess of the oysters. It was still a tasty wine, with sufficient complexity to make it interesting as well.

For my entree, knowing we had two Cabernet based wines ahead of us, I went for the beef, a 100 Day Aged Ribeye. An excellent hunk of steak, it possessed a strong and savory taste, full of flavor and a perfect companion to the red wines.

The 2009 Sequoia Grove Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($38) is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 6% other Bordeaux varieties. The wine spent about 20 months in 45% new American oak barrel and has an alcohol content of 14.2%. It is their "workhouse," wine, the one of which they produce the most each year. This dark purple colored wine possesses an alluring aroma of subtle black fruit and spice, and on the palate it presents as silky and elegant, with delicious flavors of black cherry, ripe plum, subtle spice, vanilla and hints of leather. A well balanced wine, the smooth tannins lead to a lengthy and satisfying finish. Paired with the steak, it was a worthy companion. Impressive and highly recommended.

One of their higher end products is the 2008 Sequoia Grove Napa Valley Cambium ($140), whose name refers to the layer, the growing layer, of a tree between the bark and the wood. The blend, which varies year to year, is 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Though the blend often would qualify to be labeled as Cabernet Sauvignon, Michael wants the flexibility to go against that blend if he feels it is warranted. 2008 was a challenging vintage. This wine spent 22 months in 100% new French oak, was aged two years in the bottle and possesses an alcohol content of 14.4%. This wine is intended to compete with wines such as the Caymus Special Selection.

This inky dark wine has a more intense aroma than their basic Cabernet, with rich black fruit, dark spice and hints of mocha. Again, it is a silky, elegant and well balanced wine with complex and deep flavors of ripe plum, black cherry, blackberry, vanilla, toast and subtle, and almost elusive, hints of other flavors that tantalize your palate, including an underlying earthiness. The tannins are smooth and well integrated, the finish is incredibly long and pleasing, and the wine impresses with its intriguing complexity and depth of flavors. It also was a superb accompaniment to my steak and I am sure this wine would impress most wine lovers. It is pricey but is worthy of a splurge for a special occasion.

I ended the evening with some Famous Coconut Cake, accompanied by pineapple sherbet and coconut dulce de leche. This sizable slice is large enough to share with another person or two, and was moist and flavorful, with plenty of coconut, satisfying my love of coconut.

It has been maybe ten years or so since I last tasted a wine from Sequoia Grove, so it was enlightening to taste them again after all of this time. The wines clearly have improved greatly and Michael's vision and philosophy seem to be pivotal to those changes. Sequoia Grove, led by Michael, is now producing impressive California wines which are competitive to other established brands. I recommend that my readers check out the wines of Sequoia Grove, and acquaint yourself with some delicious and complex wines which don't conform to the big and bold Cabernets that far too often dominate the market.

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Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.
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1) Frank McClelland is the Chef & Proprietor of L'Espalier and he is one of few Chefs in the country to reside on his own farm, Apple Street Farm. In one of the country’s most ambitious sustainable agriculture initiatives for the restaurant industry, Apple Street Farm is the primary source of organic harvests for L’Espalier and is a source for various other restaurants throughout the city of Boston. Apple Street Farm is located just north of Boston in Essex, MA and is Chef McClelland’s revitalization of a two-century pastoral 14-acre equestrian farm.

Every Summer, Chef McClelland and his talented team hosts the Apple Street Farm Summer Dinner Series. Each month from June until October, Apple Street Farm will celebrate the freshest ingredients of the season with a special dinner showcasing the organic produce, poultry and eggs fresh from Chef McClelland’s own backyard. Guests are invited to arrive at the farm and explore the beautiful grounds while enjoying a seasonal cocktail and hors d’oeuvres prepared by the chefs of L’Espalier.

They will then be seated outside (or under a tent in the case of inclement weather) to enjoy a five-course themed meal with wine pairings.
June 21, 22 – Summer Solstice (Reservations open beginning May 15)
July 19, 20 – Firefly Festival 
August 23, 24 – Brandywine Bash 
September 20, 21 – Fire Pit Fiesta 
October 18, 19 – Essex Harvest Feast

Guests are asked to arrive at the farm at 5:30 p.m., with dinner served at 6:30 p.m., rain or shine. The Summer Dinner Series cost $180 per person, inclusive of tax and gratuity. Please call L’Espalier at 617-262-3023 to make a reservation.

2) Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar announces the return of Small Plates, Big Pours, for wine and food lovers looking for a light meal and elegant pairing options. For a limited time, guests can match any of their seven Small Plates with an oversized wine pour for $24.95. Guests can select any of the seven Small Plates including: New Zealand Petite Lamb Chops (pistachio-mint pesto, "F17" sauce, polenta fries); Fleming’s Lobster Tempura (soy-ginger dipping sauce, arugula, jicama salad); Colossal Shrimp Skewers (chimichurri dipping sauce, fennel citrus salad); New Bedford Scallops (Meyer lemon-honey glaze, carrots, green beans, asparagus); Sliced Filet Mignon (shiitake risotto, chili oil, porcini butter drizzle); Braised Short Ribs (boneless, savory arugula and spinach, natural au jus); or, Ahi Tuna (fresh vegetable salad, spicy mustard sauce). Each Small Plate is matched with one of their seven premium Big Pours, each carefully selected by Fleming’s Director of Wine, Maeve Pesquera.

Available May 15 – June 30
Promotion is only available in the bar area.

3) From May 13 to June 9, Legal Sea Foods is celebrating Wines of Chile, a country that is home to several distinct terroirs that provide ideal growing conditions for a wide range of grape varieties and wine styles, by offering a feature menu of eleven Chilean wines and exclusive wine dinners.

On June 5, at 6:30pm, Legal Sea Foods in Framingham will host the Chilean Emiliana Wine Dinner with Emiliana Organic Vineyard’s Export Director, Fernando Pavon. Chile is a country with spectacular natural advantages for wine production including brilliant sunshine, moderate heat, and little or no rain during the growing season but plentiful mountain water from the Andes for irrigation which all add up to abundant quantities of ripe, structured grapes that are harvested in healthy conditions.

The four-plus-course pairing menu will be presented as follows:
HORS D’OEUVRES
Littleneck Clam* Ceviche, Crispy Shallots
Lobster Tomalley Toasts
Jonah Crab, Cucumber, Yuzu Salt
Caponata, Ricotta Bruschetta
Emiliana "Novas" Gran Reserva Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca, 2011
FIRST COURSE
Shrimp Empanada (hearts of palm, tomato, creamed corn, herb salad)
Emiliana "Natura" Chardonnay, Casablanca, 2012
SECOND COURSE
Pancetta-Wrapped Block of Tuna* (scallion mashed potatoes, maitake mushrooms)
Emiliana "Novas" Gran Reserva Pinot Noir, Casablanca, 2010
Emiliana "Natura" Carmenère, Colchagua, 2011
MAIN COURSE
Roasted Lamb Shoulder (olive relish, flageolet beans, roasted kale)
Emiliana "Natura" Malbec, Rapel, 2011
Emiliana "Novas" Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo, 2009
CHEESE COURSE
A Variety of Cheeses (cashew and honey, crusty bread)
Emiliana "Coyam," Colchagua, 2009

COST: $65 per person (excludes tax & gratuity)
Reservation required by calling 508-766-0600

4) As the Chinese proverb says “deep doubts, deep wisdom…” well, it’s time to doubt the stereotypical beer and sake pairings that generally accompany the intrinsic flavors of Asian cuisine and grab a glass of wine. On Saturday, June 1, from 1pm-5pm join the Wine ConneXtion and China Blossom, both located in North Andover for “Wok n’ Wine,” as they debunk the mysteries of pairing Asian cuisine and wine with a complimentary in-store tasting. Guests will sample authentic sweet, spicy and savory dishes as they discover the art of pairing these two unlikely flavors. The Wine ConneXtion will educate guests on fantastic duo while they learn about the art of pairing Asian cuisine for an upcoming restaurant visit, or become inspired to plan a delicious dinner that is sure to impress guests.

Walk-ins welcome all day!
Cost: Tasting is complimentary; Must be 21+.

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Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently.
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1) Now in its 16th year, Chefs in Shorts brings together a group of the area’s top culinary talent who will fire up the grills and create their favorite dishes during this expansive outdoor, summer-in-the-city barbeque hosted at the Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center. Join some of Boston’s best chefs for an evening of grill-offs, desserts, beer & wine and fun all to benefit Future Chefs, a local non-profit school-to-career program focused in culinary arts. Future Chefs’ mission is to prepare urban youth in Greater Boston for quality early employment and post-secondary education opportunities in the culinary field and to support them in developing a broad base of transferable skills as they transition into the working world.

This year’s confirmed chefs and venues include the following:
Alma Nove & Wahlburgers Paul Wahlberg
Aura & Tamo at the Seaport Hotel Robert Tobin
Backyard Farms Tim Cuniff
Bambara Jay Silva
Battery Park & Sweet Caroline’s Joshua Smith
BOND at the Langham Hotel Mark Sapienza
Brasserie Jo Nicholas Calias
Catalyst William Kovel
Church Jonathan Gilman
Cinquecento Justin Winters
Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse Rodney Murillo
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House Derek Barragan
Flour Corey Johnson & Jeffrey Stevens
Jamaican Me Hungry Eric Campbell
Kick Ass Cupcakes Sara Ross
LaVallee’s Bakery Goods Distributors Andy LaVallee
Lucky’s Lounge Luke Beardslee
Mela Ranveer Brar
Philip R’s Philip Rotondo
Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center Karen Hodsdon & Richard Rayment
Taranta Jose Duarte
Top of the Hub Mark Porcaro
Treat Cupcake Bar Adie Sprague
Tremont 647 Andy Husbands
Union Bar & Grille Keenan Langlois

Where: The Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center,  200 Seaport Boulevard, Boston (along the upper level viaduct)
When: Friday, June 14
VIP/Media Reception: 6:30pm
Main Event: 7pm–9:30pm
Cost: $70 per person (includes admission with complimentary beer, wine and culinary tastings) Tickets: Tickets available online: www.seaportboston.com.

2) Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar has just launched, at each of its 65 locations nationwide, the Fleming’s WiNEPAD™, a custom app on iPad that helps guests navigate the restaurant’s extensive wine list tableside or at the bar. “For our guests, the Fleming’s WiNEPAD™ takes the guessing out of ordering wine,” said National Director of Wine Maeve Pesquera. “We look forward to enhancing the experiences of our guests and taking the intimidation factor out of wine.”

The WiNEPAD™ has easy-to-use, intuitive and interactive software, but it also provides label-specific tasting notes and, in some cases, the story behind the wine. Another unique and differentiating element is the ability for guests to match their current mood with specific varietal categories and tastes, providing a customized experience with the “What’s Your Mood” function. White wine moods range from Fragrant & Fruity to Rich & Elegant, red wine moods include Big & Intense and Rich & Voluptuous, and sweet wine moods feature Sweet & Mouthwatering and Sweet & Powerful. The Mood Matcher function offers more than 10 moods with various wine selections for each to satisfy guests’ ever-changing tastes.

Other standard features including:
--Wine List Tab: Sorts wines in progressive order from lightest to fullest by region, varietal, Fleming’s 100® selections, wines rated at 90+ by Robert Parker Wine, Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast and local selections chosen by the location’s wine manager.
--Maeve’s Raves: Presents wines selections recommended by the National Director of Wine Maeve Pesquera.
--Perfect Pairings: Showcases wine and food pairings based on the guests’ menu selection by providing three paired wine options that accentuates complementary flavors. This takes the guesswork out of selecting a glass of wine for each course.
--Spin the Bottle: Provides a fun and adventurous take on ordering wine for the indecisive. The bottle icon spins and lands on a different selection each time.
--Share This Wine: Gives Fleming’s guests the ability to email themselves any wine on the wine list. The email comes to the guest’s inbox complete with their new favorite wine, tasting notes and an image of the label.

3) Tuscan Village, in Salem, New Hampshire, will host their very own cooking school “Scuola Culinaria,” for those wishing to learn and experience true Italian-artisan cooking. Launching Wednesday, May 22, from 6:30pm–9:30pm, the first in the school’s series of classes will launch with “An Evening in Tuscany” featuring celebrity Chef Mary Ann Esposito and the creator of the Tuscan Brands empire, Joe Faro.

The first class, An Evening in Tuscany will consist of a demo class and a 3-course dinner held in Tuscan Kitchen and led by Esposito and Faro in which guests will see each dish demonstrated, followed by the presentation of the dish. Guests will get to interact with Esposito and Faro during the demonstrations. Guests will received an autographed copy of one of Mary Ann Esposito’s books and a Tuscan Market apron as well as recipes from the evening’s dinner for $85 per person (beverages, tax and gratuity not included).

MENU
--ANTIPASTI: Chickpea Meatballs, Roasted Tomato Sauce, Pecorino Toscano Spiedini of Grilled Fig, Robbiola Wrapped in Speck, Vin Cotto Drizzle
--PRIMI: Sweet Potato Gnocchi, Butter Sage & Walnut Sauce Duck Raviolo, Amarena Cherry & Sangiovese Pan Sauce, Candied Hazelnut Crumble
--SECONDI:  Shrimp Amalfi Style Crispy Pork Shank, Braised Peach & Shallot Mostarda, Creamy Ancient Grain Polenta
--DOLCI: Almond Paste Cheesecake, Blackberry Gelato, White Chocolate Drizzle

Tickets for the event are available by calling Tuscan Kitchen at (603) 952-4875, or online at: http://www.tuscanbrands.com/kitchen/cooking-school/

4) Chef Tim & Bronwyn Wiechmann of T.W. Food, an excellent Cambridge restaurant, are opening a new restaurant, Bronwyn. This will be a Central and Eastern European-inspired restaurant, located in Somerville, and will open on Wednesday, May 15. Located at 255 Washington Street, Bronwyn will initially be open for dinner, with brunch and late-night sausage to follow. The restaurant will begin accepting reservations at 617-776-9900 on Saturday, May 11.

The menu will showcase Central and Eastern-European dishes made from the best local ingredients from nearby farms in the Boston area, including Hausbrot (breads), Appetizers, Wurst (sausages), Noodles, Mains, Sides and Desserts. The bakery will offer sour and chewy giant Bretzels with sea salt flakes and artisan breads made with whole grains milled in-house, and the beverage program will highlight Central and Eastern-European selections. Many of the design elements in the restaurant were either handcrafted by Chef Wiechmann or brought back from his travels overseas.

Highlights from the menu include Hand-twisted Bavarian Sausages; Dark Beer Soup with Aged Cheddar Kreplach; Foie Gras Knish with Potato, Prune, and Hazelnut; Spatzle with Emmenthaler, Onion, Asparagus, and Verbena; Bavarian Roast Chicken with citrus-pineapple cure and grilled red cabbage; thin veal “Jagerschnitzel” with foraged mushrooms and walnut; and Riesling Sauerkraut.

5) Lucia Ristorante Owner Donato Frattaroli and Executive Chef Pino Maffeo introduce the next class in the Lucia Winchester cooking series: Pasta Making with Pino. Impress your friends and family with your knowledge of how to make a variety of pastas, taught by Lucia Executive Chef Pino Maffeo. Some topics will include different varieties of pasta, filled pastas- ravioli and tortellini, as well as recipes and cooking techniques.

When: Wednesday, May 22, from 7p.m.-9 p.m.
Cost: $50 for the public (and includes a meal after class)
Students can sign up and pay at host station before class date or pay by credit card by phone. For more information or to book a spot, please call (781) 729-0515.

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Liparita: Cabernet of Balance, Complexity & Value

"Don't cheat!"

That is the sage advice from Jason Fisher, the winemaker for Hoopla Wines, Hoopes Vineyard, and Liparita Winery. Though such advice is applicable as a general life lesson, Jason was referring to the act of winemaking. He means that wine should be made right, with minimal intervention, devoid of manipulation. Wine should express terroir, and manipulation only serves to conceal and obfuscate that sense of place.

Jason told me that one of the greatest challenges in the California wine industry is the uniformity of style, how few winemakers are willing to think outside the box. Far too much Cabernet Sauvignon tastes the same and terroir too often seems to take the backseat. Some high end California Cabernets have been chastised in the wine media for seeking high scores, creating homogeneous wines. Little can differentiate some of these $100+ wines as they taste largely the same. There should be alternatives available.

Recently, over dinner at Abe & Louie's, I met and conversed with Jason Fisher and John Healy, who is in charge of sales and marketing for those same three wineries. They are part of a three person operation, the third being the primary owner Spencer Hoopes. Besides chatting with the two of them, I had the opportunity to taste several of their wines over dinner, an excellent way to experience such wines.

Jason Fisher, pictured above, has a strong local connection as he once lived in Arlington, Massachusetts and graduated from Boston College. He has previously worked at wineries including Paradigm, Grace Family Vineyards, and Cosentino, as well as spending eight years as a flying winemaker in South Africa. I found him to be down to earth as well as knowledgeable and passionate about wine. It was an enjoyable evening, especially as I very much enjoyed the wines

Liparita Winery has a long and vibrant history, extending back to 1880 when William Keyes, a geologist, arrived in the Napa Valley and found soil which reminded him of Lipari, the largest of the Aeolian Islands, in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the north coast of Sicily. He planted a vineyard on Howell Mountain, calling it Liparita-La Jota, "Little Lipari." The wines became award winning though unfortunately the winery closed with the onset of Prohibition.

In 1987, the label was resurrected but less than ten years later encountered financial troubles and was sold, in 1996, to Kendall Jackson. Ten years after that, the brand was sold, around 2007, to Spencer Hoopes as the principal owner. Hoopes was once involved in manufacturing, but had long been a wine collector and connoisseur. He eventually bought a small vineyard, at first selling his grapes, but decided that he should try to produce his own wine. Mitch Cosentino, of Cosentino Winery, initially made wine for Hoopes and that led to the creation of the brands of Hoopes Vineyard and Hoopla Wines.

Hoopes was familiar with the old Liparita Winery and desired to bring back the label to its former glories so he purchased it in 2007. Part of that homage entailed designing a label that would reflect the original Liparita label. In 2008, they released their first two wines, from the 2006 vintage, both Cabernet Sauvignons, one from the Stags Leap district and the other from Oakville. Their intent was to produce an “ultra premium wine” but at a more reasonable price. They didn't want to be just another winery selling $100+ Cabernets.

I started the evening with the 2011 Hoopla North Coast Chardonnay ($18), which sees neither oak nor malolactic fermentation. Instead, it spends about 6-9 weeks on the sur lies and then is racked off and spends a little more time on light lees. It has an alcohol content of 13.5% and only about 700-800 cases were produced in 2011, about half the usual production. The 2012 has just been bottled and will be available soon. Jason stated that the tannins of oak interfere with the white fruit flavors in white wines, giving more of an oak taste, and they did not want any interference with the fruit flavors in this wine. The Chardonnay had a very pale golden color and the pleasant aroma offered plenty of intense fruit smells. It had a full mouthfeel, very good acidity and delicious, clean flavors of green apple and pear. It would pair well with seafood, light chicken dishes and other light dishes. Highly recommended.

The 2010 Hoopla The Mutt ($28) is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 10% Petite Sirah. This is the first vintage and the exact blend will vary each year though they will always use Cabernet and Petite Sirah. They use their best grapes for their estate wines and decided to use the others for this blend, rather than sell the grapes. The Petite Sirah is from 90+ year old vines, and the older the vines, the less tannic the Petite Sirah. I would be intrigued if they bottled a 100% Petite Sirah from these old vines. The wine spends about 22 months aging in about 25% new French oak. With a dark red color, and a nice aroma of ripe fruit and spice, the wine was pleasing. It wasn't overly tannic, and possessed a nice blend of red and black fruit flavors, complemented by a spicy backbone. A good wine with a hearty dish, from a rich stew to a juicy steak. Recommended.

I tasted both of their estate wines, from Oakville and Yountville, which are locally distributed by Andes Imports. These are wines that need to breathe for a time once they are opened. They are not intended to be "pop and drink" wines. Terroir is essential to Liparita and they do not fine or filter their wines, believing that fining is not needed if the pressing is done correctly. They only produce about 5200 cases and might double that one day, though they will never expand if it would cause them to lower their quality.

The 2009 Liparita Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon ($55) is sourced from the same location as the grapes used in the Caymus Special Selection, often selling for $125+. This Liparita has an alcohol content of 14.7% and spends about 30 months in French oak, 70% new. A dark purplish color, its aroma was alluring, with notes of black cherry and dark spice. On the palate, there was a delightfully complex melange of ripe plum, black cherry, blackberry, vanilla, and dark spice with strong tannins. It was well balanced, powerful and possessed a lengthy and satisfying finish. Despite its power, it possessed its own elegance and was clearly not one of those muscular, overpowered Cabernets that are favored in some circles. I feel that this Cabernet is comparable in quality to wines offered at twice the price or more and thus it is an excellent value at this price. Highly recommended.

My favorite of the two though was the 2009 Liparita Oakville Cabernet Savignon ($55). This wine has an alcohol content of 14.9% and spends about 32 months in French oak, 65% new. It too possessed a dark purplish color with an alluring aroma, though there was more red cherry, plum and spice on the nose. Its taste was a complex and compelling blend of red and black fruits, vanilla, black pepper and spice. It was not as tannic as the Yountville, being more hedonistic and smooth, yet still possessed of a good structure. It was a wine of less power and more elegance, balanced well and possessed of a near endless finish that made you yearn for more and more. Once again, this Cabernet is as good as wines at least twice the price and is a superb value. Highly recommended.

Jason mentioned that some other wineries have encouraged them to raise their prices, yet they have resisted. I admire their winemaking philosophy, their devotion to terroir, as well as their desire to charge a more reasonable price for their excellent wines. Their wines may be new to many wine lovers but they are wines you should seek out, especially if you love high-end Cabernet but don't wish to pay $100 or more for a bottle. Don't ignore their other labels either, which also are offering delicious wines.

And as Jason Fisher advised, "Don't cheat."

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Rodizio Grill in Braintree

If you dine at a churrascaria, a Brazilian grill where you can eat all you want, and you have room for dessert, then you just didn't try hard enough. When that parade of enticing meats on skewers marches by your table, you can't help but taste a bit of everything until your belly cries surrender.

Last week, I dined, as a media guest, at a new churrascaria, the Rodizio Grill, which is now open at the South Shore Plaza in Braintree. The Rodizio Grill is part of a chain, currently located in ten states, and it was established in 1995 by Ivan Utrera, a native of Brazil. This is their first restaurant in Massachusetts and as it is brand new, some leeway needs to be granted to them in my review, to give them time to work out any initial kinks. Overall, I enjoyed my dinner and believe it has potential to become a popular destination.

As you enter the restaurant, the fully stocked bar is right in front of you, with a couple of televisions behind the bar.

The dining room is medium-sized, simply decorated and with a casual elegance to it. It has an appealing ambiance to it, and even when the restaurant was fairly full, the noise level was manageable.

I like the interesting pictures on the wall, lots of colors and with a cartoon-like style. They help to brighten up the restaurant.

The grilling area is fully open so you can watch them preparing the various meats, or the pineapple, as pictured above. You only have two choices for the menu, either the Full Rodizio (dinner $34.99/lunch $22.99) or Salads Only (dinner $22.99/lunch $12.99), and children under 12 have different, lower rates.
Both choices are all-you-can-eat options.

There is a fully stocked bar though the wine list seemed rather ordinary, and did not have any Brazilian wines, though I liked the fact they have the Taylor Fladgate 10 & 20 Year Old Ports. You might instead want to try one of their eight specialty cachaca cocktails, such as the famed Caipirinha. I decided to try the Caipituba ($8.95), which is basically a caipriniha with the addition of Ubatuba Guarana, a carbonated beverage made from the Guarana plant. The drink was effervescent, not too sweet and you could not taste the alcohol. A fine summer sipper.

Before you go to the salad bar, you are brought three different appetizers, which are also all-you-can-eat. There are Polenta fries, a nice crunchy treat, and Pao de Queijo, a cheese bread made with yucca flour. The bite-sized breads were best when they were warm, with a dominant cheese-flavored interior.

You also receive a plate of Banana Frita, basically sweet fried bananas covered with sugar. Though I liked these, with a fine crunch to the exterior and a creamier, banana inside, I thought they might be more appropriate as a dessert because of all the sugar.

The Salad Bar is a large rectangle, with tons of dishes available, from rice to black beans, from parmesan cheese to slices of bread. One long side has a myriad of salad vegetables so that you can make your own salad. The veggies looked clean and fresh.

The other lengthy side contained a number of prepared salads, such as Artichoke salad, Roasted Edamame salad, and Garbanzo salad. Again, the dishes all looked fresh and appealing. If you only ordered the Salads Only option, you would have plenty of choices on the salad bar. For me, I chose to only sparingly select anything here as I wanted to save room for all of the meats to come. My dining companion though felt that the Couve, sauteed collard greens & bacon, were amazing, some of the best she has ever had.

The Gauchos then began to bring their skewers of meat to our table, slicing off our choices. As the restaurrant is new, the servers were a bit inexperienced, not as polished as you might find elsewhere. They were courteous, pleasant and eager to please, but a little bit raw. I am sure that will change with time as they grow more confident and experienced in their roles. If you like your meat cooked a certain way, such as rare or well done, they will ensure they bring it to you.

On your table, you have an hourglass-like block that is colored green on one side, and red on the other. If you stand it up with the green at the top, the Gauchos will continue stopping by your table with meat. If you need a rest, just turn the red side up and they will pass you by until you turn it back to green. Once you are fully done, you turn it onto its side. This is an excellent way to control the pace of your dinner.

Overall, I was impressed with their meats, which were tender, juicy, and cooked just right. I have been to other churrascaria where the meats were overcooked and dry. Generally, the meats were also seasoned properly, without an overabundance of salt, like some other churrascaria do. Plus, there is a good variety to the meat selection, with maybe 16+ options available each night. Despite the newness of the restaurant, they are on the top of their game with their grills.

Above, is a picture of a skewer of Sobre Coxa, marinated & seasoned chicken, which was quite good.

A skewer of Paiche, a South American freshwater fish, one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. This fish is just starting to be seen on American menus and it has a nice white texture with a more subtle flavor. It reminded me a little of cod and was cool to see it on their menu.

They serve several types of beef, like this Fraldinha, a tenderloin. You will also see choices such as the Picanha, top sirloin, and the Bife Com Alho, garlic beef. The Garlic Beef may have been my favorite of the night, and I had several slices of it. The smell alone was alluring, though the taste was superb as well, with plenty of garlic on the exterior of the beef.

The Frango Agri-Doce, sweet and spicy chicken, definitely has a hot, spicy kick that is balanced with the sweetness. The marinade is delicious, and I loved the heat on the finish.

One of the few items not on a skewer is the Assado, a Brazilian pot roast with potatoes and veggies. Yes, it was tasty too, with tender meat, basically falling apart.

The Linguica were juicy and flavorful.

Some of the other meats included the Lombo, marinated pork loin; Peru Com Bacon, turkey wrapped in bacon; and Coracao, chicken hearts with a twist of lime. All were very good and even the chicken hearts, which sometimes can be tough, were relatively tender.

Besides the meats, there are a couple other grilled treats which you will enjoy. The Tomate Grelhado Com Parmesao, grilled tomato with melted Parmesan cheese, was good but my favorite was the Abacaxi, grilled glazed pineapple, The pineapple slices were still juicy and with only a mild sweetness. You might not think grilled pineapple is that good, but this is compelling and you will want to enjoy more than a single slice.

I didn't have any room for dessert though they looked appealing. The Brigadeiro Royal Banana Sundae is a chocolate cake topped with ice cream, sliced bananas, Brigadeiro sauce, whipped cream, chocolate sprinkles and a cherry.

This is the Rabanada, a warm cinnamon pastry with a creamy center, served with vanilla ice cream and laced with caramel sauce.

The Rodizio Grill has made a very good showing during its initial opening and has potential. The most important aspect, their grilled meats, are already impressive and the rest will hopefully shake out during the next couple months. Come here and bring your appetite as there will be plenty you want to try. Don't load up too much on the salads, saving space for all of the grilled meats, as well as the delicious grilled pineapple.

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Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently. **********************************************************
1) On February 18, at 6:30pm, Legal Harborside will team up with Dirk Hampson, Owner, Director of Winemaking and Chairman of Far Niente, for an exclusive four-plus-course wine dinner. A popular Napa Valley wine estate established in 1885, Far Niente wines are renowned for their ability to gracefully age and become more nuanced and elegant with time.

This menu will be presented as follows:

HORS D’OEUVRES
Foie Gras Benedict*
Chestnut Soup, Roasted Cauliflower, Coffee Foam
Bone Marrow Toast, Chimichurri, Caramelized Apples
Far Niente Chardonnay, Napa Valley, 2011
FIRST COURSE
Roasted Arctic Char, Braised PorkCheek (quince, cauliflower and espelette)
EnRoute “Les Pommiers” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, 2010
SECOND COURSE
Roasted Duck Breast (chicken-fried sweetbreads, sunchoke hash)
Nickel & Nickel “State Lane Ranch” Cabernet Sauvignon, Yountville, 2009
THIRD COURSE
Roasted Rack of Lamb (merguez moussaka, rosemary jus_
Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2009
DESSERT
Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Cara Cara Orange Sorbet
Dolce Late Harvest Wine, Napa Valley, 2007

Cost: $135 per person (excludes tax & gratuity)
Reservations can be made by contacting 617-530-9470

2) Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar’s Executive Chef Russell Skall announced four all-new menu items for Fleming’s. The four new menu items include an appetizer of Pan Crisped Pork Belly with goat cheese grits, an Heirloom Tomato & Housemade Burrata Salad, a small plate of Braised Short Ribs, and a Broiled Pacific Swordfish entrée.

“Each of these new menu items represents months of recipe development in order to finalize the dishes”, says Chef Skall. “For example, we decided to make our burrata cheese in-house so we could get the texture and flavors just right for the new Heirloom Tomato & Burrata Salad. And for the Braised Pork Belly, which is traditionally served with grits, we ended up turning the grits into a whole new dish with the addition of creamy goat cheese complemented by a slightly sweet, cherry-caramelized onion chutney. Our entire culinary team is extremely proud of these new dishes.”

Maeve Pesquera, Fleming’s Director of Wine, announced a major refresh of Fleming’s cocktail menu with new premium spirits, new recipes and fresh ingredient mixers including six all-new cocktails. New cocktails include five “Retro Chic” cocktails: The Vesper, Negroni 2.0, Moscow Mule, Dirty Doublecross, and Whiskey Revival; and one “Couture Cocktail,” The Napa Refresher.

“There is new ‘cocktail generation’ of guests coming to Fleming’s. We took a look at our entire cocktail program…behind the bar, in front of the bar, as well as the cocktail menu. No longer is it good enough just to shake a good martini,” says Pesquera. “We are making a commitment to have the Fleming’s bar become a destination for our guests.”

In addition, Fleming’s popular 5 for $6 ‘til 7 bar menu has been updated with new selections. Two food items have been added: a savory Cedar Roasted Mushroom & Artichoke Flatbread and the Pan Crisped Pork Belly.

3) On Wednesday, February 20, at 7p.m., beer drinkers are invited to come out to Cornwall’s for a taste of the United Kingdom’s number one selling bottled beer, Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer. Crabbie’s is a 4.8% ABV, refreshing ginger beer.

Cornwall’s will feature Crabbie’s as it is meant to be served, over ice with a slice of citrus, as well as in a few cocktails, such as: Dark & Crabbie with dark rum, Crabbie’s and fresh lime and Moscow Mule, vodka, Crabbie’s and fresh lime. The event will be pay-as-you-go and Crabbie's will be offering complimentary samples from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m.

 “Crabbie’s is a great alternative for people who like to drink beer or cider, with no equal in today’s American market,” says Phil Clarke, general manager of St. Killian, the exclusive US importer of Crabbie’s. “We look forward to our Crabbie’s party in Boston, and we hope to meet new friends and fans and enjoy this delicious drink together.”

Crabbie’s is fermented with the finest imported ginger and steeped for up to eight weeks to allow the complex natural flavors to fully develop, creating a smooth ginger beer with deep, deliciously spicy flavor and a sparkling finish. Scottish merchant-adventurer John Crabbie first imported ginger from the Far East into the ancient port of Leith, Edinburgh in 1801. Today, more than 200 years later, John Crabbie’s still uses the same ginger to develop the one-of-a-kind flavor of their ginger beer.

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Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I briefly highlight some interesting wine and food items that I have encountered recently. **********************************************************
1) BOKX 109 American Prime, a steakhouse at Hotel Indigo in Newton, announces the appointment of Stephen Coe as Executive Chef. A seasoned professional with over 20 years of restaurant industry experience, Coe excitedly joins the culinary team at BOKX 109 American Prime for the second time in his career.

"A Massachusetts native, Coe was born into the culinary world and was filling doughnuts at his grandfather’s shop by the age of eight. Coe’s passion was quickly realized and he began competing on the junior culinary circuit for five years. Coe graduated from Johnson & Wales University (Providence, RI) in 2000 earning a Bachelors Degree in Culinary Arts, Pastry Arts and Nutrition and an Associates Degree in Culinary Arts and Business Management for Hotel Restaurants. Upon graduating, Coe brought his near-perfect GPA to The Country Club (Brookline, MA) where he delved further into his budding career doubling as the banquet sous chef and a la carte chef de cuisine. After four years, Coe assumed the position of pastry chef and sous chef at the seasonal five-star, five-diamond Topper’s at the Wauwinet (Nantucket, MA), a Relais Chateau Luxury Resort. During the off season, Coe was employed as private chef for The Chef’s Table (Pembroke, MA) where he was responsible for a myriad of tasks including menu development, servicing a celebrity clientele and business administration. In 2008, Coe became part of the BOKX 109 American Prime (Newton, MA) team as the sous chef under former executive chef Evan Percoco where he was an integral part of the seasonal menu development and nightly execution. Coe left BOKX 109 American Prime to open a 22 acre non-profit training and research bee farm, Hollow Tree Farm (Plymouth, MA). In the last five years, Coe also held executive chef positions at Alba (Quincy, MA) and Patrizia’s Trattoria (Plymouth, MA). Most recently, Coe has taken the food truck world by storm serving as a consultant for Food Truck Nation where he was responsible for conceptualizing and overseeing four trucks and three culinary concepts including Italian Street Food, Lobsta Lova and two Grilled Cheese Nations. To date, Coe has worked in 143 restaurant lines and credits stints in France and California as major inspirations for his aggressive style of cooking and intricate technique."

At the BOKX 109 American Prime, Coe says, “In revamping the menu at BOKX 109, my goal is to appeal to our guests by offering new spins on classic American fare. I’m excited to be back and am anxious to get into the kitchen with the team so we can start pumping out some truly memorable meals.”

Highlights from Coe’s updated menu include: Smoke Show! (pear and mascarpone sacchetti, mustard fruit, chive cream); Wood Grilled Octopus Carpaccio (arugula, picked red onion, tarragon, lemon vinaigrette); Grilled Oyster (pancetta, chive, fennel pollen, oreganata, chive fondue); Sesame Tuna Nachos (sriracha sour cream, wakame, pickled ginger, crispy wontons); Duck Fat Poached Sweet Breads (sorrel puree, frisee, crispy apple); Rabbit Trio (confit leg, bacon-wrapped loin, French rack, stewed butter beans, peperonata); Tournadoes Rossini (Marsala glazed filet, seared foie gras, confit Yukon potato, haricot vert); and, Brick Chicken Tagine (curried cous cous, almonds, apricots, dates, raisin agro dolce). Coe has also developed some sweets including: Frozen Lemon Semi Freddo (Pop Rocks, raspberry leather, blueberry soda); Levitate! (flourless chocolate cake, chocolate mousse funnel, tuille cookie, caramel popcorn); and, Smoke! (freestanding marshmallow crème brûlée, honey nougat, Graham cracker cookie, chocolate sorbet, cinnamon fire). Coe will also continue to dish out BOKX 109 American Prime’s signature cuisine including BOKX Cuts (the restaurant’s a la carte Brandt Beef selections, numbered by the sub-primal part of the animal they come from) and an array of Surf, Turf & Farm options.

2) On Saturday, August 18th, celebrate the kick-off of the second annual North Shore Wine Week at the Wine ConneXtion located in North Andover. From 12pm-5pm, sample wines specially paired with cuisine from participating North Shore Wine Week restaurants Oregano Pizzeria and Ristorante and Chama Grill.

Mix and mingle at this complimentary event while sampling local culinary treats. Sponsored by Northeast FLAVOR magazine, in conjunction with NECN’s “TV Diner” and the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce, North Shore Wine Week seeks to celebrate the North Shore as a premier destination for great wine and food. North Shore Wine Week will run from Sunday, August 19 through Sunday, August 26.

RSVP to VIP@northshorewineweek.com

3) "No matter how you shuck it, nothing compliments the subtle nuanced flavors of an oyster like a crisp glass of champagne." As a toast to this classic food and wine pairing, Central Bottle is reveling in the final days of summer with a special wine bar event: Bubbles + Bivalves.

The team at Central Bottle will be shuckin’ the ICOs (Island Creek Oysters, of course) and serving up a bubbly flight of Jean Vesselle Champagne and Movia Puro Rosato, a one of a kind Italian rosé rarely available outside of restaurant wine lists.

COST: $48 per person for a dozen oysters and ample amounts of champagne
WHEN: Thursday, August 23, 5:00 – 9:00 PM
TICKETS: Please visit http://bubblesbivalves.eventbrite.com/

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Dario Cecchini: The Singing Butcher of Panzano

To satisfy my inner carnivore, it is always pure pleasure to dine at a restaurant that exclaims, "Viva la ciccia." which translates as "Long live meat!" When you travel through the Chianti Classico region, there is one mandatory stop for all meat-lovers, to meet a singing butcher who revels in the myriad joys of beef. You may have seen him before on television, lauded by Anthony Bourdain.

Praise Dario Cecchini!

Dario Cecchini, pictured above, bursts with enthusiasm, a flamboyant personality who comes from a long line of butchers, at least 600 years of history! It is claimed that Dante Aligheri and Leonardo da Vinci both were patrons of Cecchini butchers. Dario himself can quote from Dante at length, and he also loves to sing. He is a showman, yet it is also clear that he is quite adept at his butchery skills, having been a butcher for about 35 years. He treats his customers like family, or at least members of the same fraternal society, the lovers of meat in all its forms.

During our visit to the Chianti Classico region, we stopped one evening at the Antica Macelleria Cecchini, Dario's butcher shop in Panzano, where we witnessed him chopping up some steaks off a large hunk of beef. He effortlessly and skillfully wielded his cleaver and knife, creating a fine stack of steaks. Yet this was but the preliminary before dinner as above the butcher shop, hidden behind a secret door, is the Officina della Bistecca, his restaurant which is an homage to all things beef. We passed through the secret portal and climbed the stairs to the restaurant, as if ascending to a carnivore heaven.

But before ascending, we need to return to the exterior of the butcher shop, to view two marble signs, on the outer wall, which speak volumes about Dario. The top one is a memorial to the "death" of bistecca alla fiorentina, the famed Steak Florentince of this region. In 2001, due to worries about mad cow disease, some cuts of steak were banned in parts of Europe, including Italy. For example, meat attached to the bone of cattle older than one year was prohibited for sale. The bottom sign is more cheerful though, as it commemorates the lifting of the ban that occurred five years later.

Bistecca all fiorentina is essentially a T-bone steak which has been simply grilled until it is still a bit rare, and olive oil and salt are the only condiments. It allegedly acquired its name from English travelers who were quite pleased to find a familiar "beefsteak" for dinner in Tuscany. The bistecca used to be primarily made from Chianina cows but as it has become expensive, many restaurants now use less expensive beef. Dario though has been instrumental in bringing back the use of Chianina cows to the Tuscan region.

Where does Dario get his Chianina? Since childhood, Dario has been friends with Giovanni Manetti, the owner of Fontodi winery. Giovanni raises, naturally, about 30 Chianina cows and 1 bull on his estate. While visiting the winery, we also got to see his cattle. Giovanni provides Dario with one cow per month for his restaurant and he does not sell his cows to anyone else. When Giovanni was a small boy, his father used to own about 100 cows, and Giovanni is caring on a family tradition.

The Chianina breed may extend back to the ancient Etruscans and they have long been revered for their beauty and expressiveness. They may have originated in the Val di Chiana, from which they derive their name, which once was a fertile plan where they could easily graze. Unfortunately, during the Middle Ages, the nearby rivers flooded, turning the plain in swampland so the cows had to move elsewhere in Tuscany. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the swamps were drained and the plains became fertile once again.

The cattle were primarily used as draft animals and with the advent of mechanization, their numbers started to decline as it was expensive to raise these animals. They require more pasture land than other cattle, and they are very particular in what they eat. In 1960, there were approximately 400,000 Chianina in Tuscany and by 1980, that population had decreased to 100,000. Today, it is even worse, as there are less than 30,000 Chianina cattle left. Interestingly, though they were used for work and meat, they were not used for the production of milk or cheese.

Chianina are typically white, except for their first three months when they have a brown coloration, which will fade away. There is little marbling in their meat, which means there is not much fat, so dry aging of the meat for 30-40 days is suggested. But the meat is dark red, juicy and quite delicious with a clean taste. After dining on their meat, I have become a huge fan.

For dinner, we ate outside at communal picnic tables (though it is also possible to sit inside the restaurant if you prefer). I loved the communal tables though as it promoted a happy and festive environment, and we got to meet new people. It was an experience without pretension, and it almost felt like you were eating with family or close friends. The meal is a prix fixe for only 50 Euros per person, and it includes food, wine and after dinner spirits. I think it is an excellent value for the quality and quantity you receive and I would highly recommend it, unless you are a vegetarian.

The menu includes five courses of beef: Chianti Crudo (beef tartar), Brustico (seared beef), Costata alla Fiorentina (bone-in rib eye or strip steak), Bistecca Panzanese (Panzanese steak), and Bistecca Fiorentina (T-bone or porterhouse steak). Plus, you receive Pinzimonio di verdure dell'orto (fresh, raw garden vegetables), Fagioli all'olio (Tuscan beans with olive oil), Patate al cartoccio (baked potatoes), Burro del Chianti (Chianti "butter" aka lard), and Pane Toscano (Tuscan bread). For dessert, you receive Torta all'olio (olive oil cake), coffee, Grappa, and Italian military spirits. That is plenty of food so you better  ensure you are hungry when you go.

Dario has his own Chianti Classico, served in a fiasco, which is included with your dinner but you can also bring your own wine without a corkage fee. That makes it an even better value.

We brought a number of Chianti Classicos with us for dinner, and my favorite was probably the 2010 Castello di Querceto Chianti Classico, a silky smooth and elegant wine with nice red fruit flavors. It seemed to pair so well with all of the beef dishes.

This video shows Dario in all his glory, entertaining the attendees while showcasing his steaks. I have to say that the beef was so damn good I felt tempted to lick the cutting board.

The beef tartare was amazing, the tender meat melting in your mouth with a spicy aftertaste. It was made very simply, with some lemon and spices, lacking the capers, egg, and other ingredients you often see in beef tartare in the U.S. Yet it didn't lack flavor in the least and I had a couple portions. The Brustico was almost like a grilled steak tip, and was also very tender, simply prepared and had a very savory aspect to it. With superb ingredients, you don't have to add much to present a bounty of taste.

Both the Costata alla Florentine and Bistecca Panzanese were cooked medium rare, though tending toward the rare, which is exactly how I enjoy my beef. Once again, the beef was tender and flavorful, appealing to the primeval carnivore lurking within me. They were generous too, giving people more meat if the guests so desired.

And of course the Bistecca Fiorentina was superb as well, as expected. Though I think some of the attendees were too full by this point to truly enjoy it. Forget all those steak sauces and glazes, this simple steak needed no accompaniment. At this point, after the bistecca, I was quite sated, and immensely happy. It was such a fun and tasty evening, catering to my love of beef. Service was excellent, everyone so personable and accommodating. A perfect evening.

At the end of the evening, it was time for some olive oil cake, which was good but it was hard to eat much after all of that beef. It was also time for some digestives, including some of Darios' own Grappa, a potent spirit.

I was most intrigued though by the Enocordial, a "military spirit," as I had never heard of that designation before. This is a Brandy that was aged for at least 3 years in oak and might be based on a historical recipe from the Military Farmacopea of 1877. It was a potent spirit as well, though I actually preferred it to the Grappa as it was a bit smoother.

So, if you are a buona forchetta, a "good fork," (which refers to an "enthusiastic eater") and you love beef, then you must pay homage to Dario Cecchini and dine at his Officina della Bistecca. I will treasure my own memories for a very long time and Dario receives my highest recommendation.

Viva la ciccia!

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