hathor

OK....you're all a bunch of wiseguys! We thought about the tin cans, but no one had any cans. We talked about pigeons, but no one wants to pluck them. We definitely talked about the Erba Luna benessere program...guaranteed to lose one size in one week. We're actively looking for footwear sponsors....of the orthopedic kind! The first week, Jeff and Martina were in a miserable competition to see whose feet were in worse condition Jeff won. Of course that was after we wore pointy boots for 2 days in a row. He will NEVER live that down. Divinia: what kind of handhelds? For placing orders? What happens when someone orders off the menu? My fantasy is electrodes. Attached to the FOH staff, in discreet places...then when the plates are ready to go..zap! OK, FOH is my husband, so I may have some ulterior motive going on. But, damn! Wouldn't that be effective?? And on a completely unrelated note: I'm stunned at what people feed their kids. OK, pasta bianca (plain pasta with parmigiana), that I get. Simple ravioli. OK. But someone wanted us to make this sort of broth with little pasta..again, ok, but it was the saltiest broth you can imagine. It was like drinking pasta water....and it came out of a box. Then there was this overweight little kid, and his parents requested that he have just a plate of potatoes. What? Why?? Sorry, just a rant. But, its so surprising to me. And, uh...keep the ideas coming...!

Yes but unfortunately I have returned the book so I can't send you the list. He tells me that the book is available in most of the larger book stores. If you don't see it just ask, I am sure they can order it. ← Thanks. I'll check around for it. Our local book store is always happy to order something for me. Of course, I don't know what I'll do with the list....I don't get out too much either!

Haven't you heard? 13 is the new black! ←

Sense of humor only returned a few days ago! Thanks for all the kind words and support! One of the challenges of this space is that it is in the walls, and although that means we have a very dramatic space, it's long and narrow (about 5 meters wide). Every 5 round trips from the kitchen to the garden is 1 km! We are all looking a little more svelte than a few weeks ago. We named the garden Milano and the kitchen Rome, and let me tell you, that highway gets a lot of traffic! We're struggling to find a good system to communicate between FOH and the way-BOH. Head sets are weird. Walkie talkies are obnoxious....if it's in the bar and you're in the garden you can't hear it. So, any suggestions would be nice. Not too expensive. Needs to work thru very thick stone walls. And what's with everyone coming to visit and hang out in the kitchen?? We have this gorgeous restaurant, with all these nooks and crannies for seating, and all our friends hang in the kitchen. Not that I'm complaining in the least about that, it just strikes me funny.

Yeah.... Beto is like that... and so am I. Oh wait - you were talking about the Italians! ← Well, Beto could be an Italian name. And your new name is Ovidio. There. You're Italian. (like I have any authority on the subject.. )

Mitch, that sounds really cool. I've always wanted to do that...hope it works out for you guys.

Anything that you really, really like or want...bring it along. I live in the boonies.... I can only occasionally get ginger....never scallions.... Listen to Divinia, she's got a much better handle on the situation. I'm just envious!

Via Michellin tends to dump you right in the middle of small towns, regardless of what address you input. I'm sure once you are in the area things will become much clearer. Italians have a loose concept of giving directions.....

Sorry, I'm checking in late on this one...but Judy is correct...treat it like a wild rice. We got a bunch of it directly from a mill, and it's a bit 'touchy' to work with.

Ciao Ragazzi!! Our doors are open for business!! My apologies for falling off the face of the eGullet planet, but life took a turn for the TOTALLY INSANE. We held our 'inauguration' party on Friday, August 9th. Although we had lovely plans for lovely invitations, we decided to go ahead with the party about midnight on Thursday, and did a boat load of phone calls on Friday morning. It wasn't the smoothest way to go about it, but we live in a small town and words travels fast. We were mobbed!! I mean mobbed. And although I think this was totally insane, we hadn't really put the kitchen thru its paces and we had electricity failures, and coffee machine issues and hot water heaters leaking, and the Telecom guys ripping up the front walk way, etc. etc. etc. It was a fun party, although my memory of it is sort of in little clips and not very coherent. The next night, Claudio,who is our leader, fully booked the restaurant! Was he insane??? Yes. We couldn't handle a fully booked restaurant, and I'm sorry to say that things did not go smoothly. When the 20 lb bag of cinghiale sausage hit me instead of Martina, I'd say that was a low point. You guys want the real story, right? Not the 'pretty version'..... But wait, we sank to an even lower point....that Saturday night after the fully booked fiasco night that I would like to block from my memory...it was about 2:30 am....we had probably had 2 to 3 hours sleep in the past 48 hours....when the wall in the bar started sprouting leaks. It's an ancient stone wall....and it must have ancient drain pipes that have never been cleaned. At 3:30 in the morning. we finally built a dam and let the water flow out of the door. We've since named the bar the Venice Room. The pipes have been cleaned....and new drains installed, so hopefully this problem is solved. But remember, no one has used this space since the 1500's, so we may be in for some other surprises. The first week is just a blur.... learning to work together, fine tuning the menu, working on service and presentation...and these are things we are still working on, and I hope we will always continue to try and do better. Oh, and we had our town festa going on, which is a HUGE deal. But...life is taking on a rhythm and things are more manageable. Here are some photos. There are some more on my blog (which I have to keep update because for some reason, my mother is eGullet shy or challenged, I'm not sure which and I have to keep my mother up to date...I'm sure you understand.) We now have music in the kitchen, people have forgiven us for the first night panic mode (our Italian friends were incredibly understanding and supportive...it was amazing!). We have lots of repeat customers, new friends, we've become a late night hang out spot, I think we are responsible for rerouting foot traffic in town, and all in all, I pinch myself to believe that we pulling this off. I promise more stories later...ok! And yes, Cbrezi...get out of Rome and come visit!

Wow. I always meant to get to that museum when I used to work in Taiwan, but I never found the time. Stupid me. I bet the Italians have some similar homages...I've often thought about the similarities between the Chinese and the Italians, in regards to food.

Why 13 restaurants? Such an odd number. OK, I'm being odd now..... It just struck me as such an arbitrary number.

Well, I should get out a little more often! Swiss Chef just posted a listing of top Italian restaurants and Vissani is at the top of the list. I've been stuck inside my medieval walls for toooo long..... time to go for a little giro!

Ciao! Does anyone know if DUEMALLEVINI publishes a list for Umbria? or other regions? I tried Googling them and came up empty. Grazie mille!

This guy is hot stuff in Umbria. I know his name, I know he has a restaurant and a TV show on Sunday...but that's about it. What can you tell me about Vissani? I've been reading a cookbook of his and the photography is ....off putting. Silly photos that are so obviously doctored that it makes me wonder.....

So you guys are going to be in Italy in Dec? hmmmmm....... Wonder if we can sneak away for a few days.....

Owen, it would be a pleasure and an honor to have you visit and taste our coffee!! Beto, you should come along too! If you think Italians are shy about giving their opinion on coffee.... These guys are passionate bordering on the truly obsessed!

Let me ask some of my Milanese friends who are always bragging about the restaurants they know! One of our favorites has always been Girarosto on Via Senato. It's old skool classic, but just wonderful waiters who've been there 100 years, and they make a single diner feel very at home.

All I want to know is...does Dario deliver?? It sounds really good, and I could go for a great steak right about now! Seeing him through your eyes has been a pleasure and privilege, and if success mean 'pop sellout', then I'm really confused.

Wait! Don't sigh! "dose" is the Italian word for portion or serving. We grind each 'dose'....no pods! I hate pods. I'm a little, ok a lot stressed, as we just opened last Friday, and I'm losing my ability to communicate in any language. The coffee is really strong and pure and delicious. I love it. Fabulous aroma. As far as milk goes, yes, you need to know what you are doing. Claudio and Marina ran a coffee bar for 12 years, so they have some experience. I'm a novice and make a mess, but I'm learning. Coffee is a very fine art here, and it is ENDLESSLY debated. The other good news is that we are not a regular bar, so we don't serve a breakfast shift, so there is very little in the way of cappucino's in the evening...except for tourists!

We're going with Vergnano. They are a smaller, boutique coffee, not generally used in coffee bars, but in restaurants as you can only make 2 'doses' or cups at a time. Anybody familiar with them? I think 2 of us will go up to their Academy in the fall for a complete coffee immersion course...what fun!

Pontormo, that sounds really delish!! I always forget about the roasting in milk thing, and it's so tasty.

Ciao Saluistagolosa! I work with a Roman, and for 'sport' we have this same arguement! ← I hope he converts you to the true abbacchio ← Dai!!! Said with the appropriate hand gestures and eye roll!! Now that would be a good emoticon.

Lonnie, I fully appreciate what you and Beto are saying, and if there was a local roaster, I would be all for it. The system is a little different here in that it's a package deal....the supplier comes with the machine, the grinder, the cups, the saucers and even the sugar packets. The Italians are very, very picky about their coffee and most grind the coffee right before making it. If they are finished installing our bar, I'll take some photos and give you an update on the coffee we are going with.