Stevarino

I found eGullet by accident one day while googling something, and have been hooked ever since. I went to Puglia last year, and I have this incredible library of photos and hours of video. I'd like to share as much of it as I can with anybody that's interested. I started a folder in imagegullet on the subject, and will keep adding to it when I can make time. I don't get to use all of this information on a regular basis, so please help me keep these memories fresh. Please ask questions, and please share your knowledge and experience as well.

This is a photo of a Tiella Barese. Please forgive me while I painfully follow this learning curve. I have lots of photos to share from this trip, would love the conversation on the subject with all that are interested.

Thats a very solid argument JohnL. Note taken, that the serious wine buyer will seek out the good stuff regardless of how confusing the label is. On the other hand, simplicity, as I have seen attempted by Valkenburg, with labels like "Frenzy" and "Falcon Hill" are trying to take it to a consumer level that, I feel, lessens my quality perception of the wine inside the bottle. That is where I was going earlier when I mentioned holding on to some level of heritage. If you look at these labels, you wouldn't know the wine was made in Germany, or maybe, that is what they are trying to accomplish. Simple, English Name "Dry White Wine". Maybe a little too simple? Its a competitive market at that level, and like you said, they'd have to make enough to meet the market's demand. At that point, what "really" in the bottle?

Thank You David, that is what I was attempting to say. That is very useful information. Erstes Gewächs and Grosses Gewächs (First Growth and Great Growth, Premier Cru and Grand Cru) were used on the labels of wines mentioned at the top of this thread, however, I didn't realize what it implied. Its a great day!

A former boss of mine once said to me, "Have you ever of "propensity to profit"?" I once wanted to upgrade the miniature pastries that we were using to a much higher standard. In my thinking, it would set a better image of what kind of caterer we were, and obviously, I wanted to be able to take pride in what was coming from my kitchen. He was more concerned with making as much money as possible, and the current food spec was working for him. On another occasion, on one of my first jobs with the caterer, they dressed me up in Chef whites, and took me to their Oktoberfest job at the Ski Lodge account. I was on the job only for a week. I was more or less there to see how they did this annual event, and to assist in its preparation. The GM, a J&W grad, took the saurkraut, without rinsing out the salt, and put it into the hotel pan to heat for service. I called him on it, and he said, "that's how we always do it." I had the conversation about trying to do things right, and he said that, "nobody knows the difference anyway." Well, what happened that day is this; I was standing out there in my "Cute" little Chef uniform, and this German woman walked up to me, and said, "ARE YOU THE CHEF?" with a not so English accent. I said, well, kinda? I knew it was coming. "You call this German cooking?! This is disgraceful; you didn't even bother to wash the saurkraut!" She was up one side and down the other with me. The owner saw what was happening, and he came over and said,"Chef, you are needed in the kitchen." He says to me, "don't worry, everybody else thinks its great. Besides they're not here for the quality food, they're here for the Oompah show." I really wanted to quit right then and there. I was embarrassed, insulted, and furious! So, you see, so much food sucks because the expectations of most pre-conditioned citizens are very low, and good food is not a priority,(unless you come from a background that it matters) and second, its economics; "We're in business to do business, and to make a profit." My point, you can stick a uniform on anybody, the cheaper the better, and as long as no one is complaining, with the exception of the occasional trouble maker AKA "Old German Woman", most people are happy, as long as the percieved value is in play. In todaays market, its less about the food, and more about the sizzle.

If this was a strictly German tasting, then the audience member who asked this question demonstrated an incredibly large amount of ignorance. Almost all pradikat wines (kabinett, spatlese, auslese, etc.) are labeled with the name of both the village and the vineyard. How much more emphasis on terroir can you get? In Alsace, on the other hand, not all wines are labeled with the name of the vineyard. And there, the trend is more away from single-varietal wines and toward vineyard wines where the wine is made from more than one variety of grape grown in the vineyard. ← The gentleman that made the statement was called on, by name, by the moderater several times, so I'm sure he was well respected for his opinion. He certainly didn't call on me, so I am the ignorant one! Not to mention that I enjoy swallowing my wine, and had worked the tasting room before sitting in. I believe what he was saying was to adopt France's system of grading a wine, such as Grand Cru, Premier Cru... like that. I don't make a habit of collecting or drinking these wines, so I am the ignorant one, for I've forgotten what its called. It's not something I use often, for I'm a commoner. Although I do recall the story about Mouton Rothschild getting all bent out of shape over it. I can imagine there might be some bad feelings drawn if Germany did something like that as well. It sure would shake up a media frenzy.

I have a passion for Italy, and I recieved this book as a gift many years ago. It has become my most prized posession, "Guida gastronomica d'Italia" . It is like being in love with a beautiful Italian lady, that doesn't speak English, and I don't speak Italian. Over the years, we have learned to play beautiful music together. I believe the author, a man?, to be Felice Cunsolo. Does anyone else own this book? Once, I thought I'd like to have an English copy, but not any more.

Thanks for the responses, I was hoping that someone else out there went to this event. I agree with your points regarding labeling, and image. It is good for us that they are less popular for the time being, considering the way the price takes off once the brand, or wine maker is recognized by the media. One sticking point is the availability of many of the wines at this show. Many were looking for importers. Hey, but they tasted great! As for the bottling and labeling looking forward, some producers are putting alot of thought into that area, at least for export to this country. I hope that they can do it in a way that allows them to preserve some of their heritage, as complicated as it seems to us. As for the dry style whites, (trocken?) the quality scale that they use looks slightly generic. One gentleman in the audience suggested that they move more toward a terroir system, as in France, for the reason that Brad mentioned. As far as food goes, these , both sweet & dry, are alot of fun with Asian flavors, especially Thai curries with coconut milk, citrus flavors like limes, and oranges, and mint.

I'll second Salumeria Biellese. I've used their pancetta, bresaola, guanciale, lardo, sopprasatta, French garlic sausage, merguez... their stuff is true artisanship.

I did a Wine Dinner with Konstantin Frank over the winter. They are in Hammondsport NY. I'm pretty sure thats in the finger lakes region. They make quite a few different wines, various levels. One in particular stood out with me. A gamay that they call Petit Noir. All of the wines were challenging to pair up, but in the end, we were pretty successful with all of them; a rose, a chardonnay, a riesling, the gamay mentioned, and a pinot noir. In all fairness, they were well made, and drinkable if paired with the right food. The petit noir is definitely worth a shot. Try it with some roast chicken with citrus, cilantro, green olives, sherry vinegar, a little harissa. The acid & heat really turned on the wine nicely.

I attended a tasting event in NYC last week (May14), sponsored by the german Wine Intitute. The reputation is "not so sweet" because they're sweet? Not neccesarily. I was lucky enough to sit in on a seminar, or selected tasting, modereated by wine consultant, Michael Green, and paneled by Ulrike Bahm, of German Wine Institute, Annie Turso, Sommelier @ Per Se, and Troy Weissman, Sommelier @ Town. It consisted of three flights, dry riesling, spatburgunder, and auslese. The dry rieslings were quite exciting! 2006 Riesling Spatlese Trocken, Konigsschild, Tesch, Nahe www.tesch.de 2005 Riesling Erstes Gewachs, Erbacher Marcobrunn, Shloss Reinharthausen, Rheingau www.shloss-reinharthausen.de 2005 Riesling Erste Lage, Scharzhofberger, Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt, Mosel www.kesselstatt.com 2004 Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Kastenienbusch, Rebholz, Pfalz www.oekonomierat-rebholz.de I am interested in wine from a cook's point of view, but only recently revisited German wine, just from a general lack of exposure. From what I tasted, I was very impressed. I hope they can make their mark in the US marketplace. So sick of hearing people say "Pinot Grigio" What do you think?

I'm in Craig's Camp on this one (pun intended) Hi Craig. "Read Chew Discuss" I think its great that these students have this opportunity, and Banfi undoubtedly does a good job, but they need free advertisement about as badly as say, Olive Garden. After all, these are the guys that we should hold responsible for a generation of Americans that still put ice cubes in their wine. They do a great job, otherwise they wouldn't be where they are. My frustration is that there are smaller producers out there that could use a plug in the press, far greater than Banfi. " As far as the wine goes, the Brunello is pretty good stuff. I also like that pretty little bracchetto that they make. Pairs nicely with chocolate & raspberries.

Rules are made to be broken, and I'm sure there are red wines that will pair beautifully with a mushroom quiche. The trick is to not create a conflict in your mouth, and fight your way through the course just to prove it. I agree with JohnL on the sherry selection for some egg dishes. Manzanilla & Fino work very well with eggs, especially when garlic is part of the equation. The tortilla with small diced potato & salt cured capers, topped with strips of roasted peppers, drizzled with EVO, served at room temp. is sublime. Champagne, with scrambled eggs, creme fraiche, and smoked salmon on butter toast is also wonderful. The key is not neccesarily the egg as the focal point, but the flavor that is added to the egg. Consider if one were to use the concept of a mushroom quiche, served as a royale (eggs & cream) with mushroom, lets say a morel, in the form of a timbale. That earthy richness with lush mouth feel, perhaps with a morel sauce prepared with veal glace finished with raw butter; now the egg has been brought to another level that will pair with Cote du Rhone. So, if you look at it this way, eggs will pretty much work with any wine.

It sucks to be me!!! The good news is I have found a brotherhood of passionate foodies that share in my frustration with our great nation. I believe that if some polititian would be bold enough to entangle culinary/hotel school with the public school lunch program, this would be an excellent way for our nation to educate a new generation of cultured consumers. I am a Chef at a Country Club in New England. These people have money to burn, but not on food!!! It was mentioned earlier about what Americans are willing to spend on the stuff. Read the book "Fat Land" for a little on this. A young man, the son of a club member, who worked in my kitchen, asked his dad why he didn't like to buy the chef's specials, and try the suggested wine with the courses. His father, a successful stock broker, told him that it was a waste of money! You should see these ANIMALS at events with the piles of cocktail shrimp on their plates, and whatever else (carved tenderloin)that they percieve as "valuable"; they are absolute pigs. At the end of business, they complain at the cost, and don't want to raise the price for the next years event. These people have the wherewithall to make a difference. The problem is that they don't care, and don't place any value on it. As far as crappy food in bars and restaurants, the food end of the business is a drain on the profits, which has also been stated. Add up the hourly payroll in the kitchen and you get the picture, not to mention the square footage required, investment in equipment and repairs, codes and everything else. Its hard to make any money if you want to do thing right. The chains have made it idiot proof and work through the magic of volume. For the little guy trying to make a living, its much easier to invest in a fryer & sell freezer treats to go with a bottle of the number 1 selling beer. I really have a big problem with the tipping system in the US. It absolutely sucks that a person with no food background can work less hours than a professionally trained cook, and sometimes Sous chef, and consistently walk out suffed with cash! Im sure Thomas Keller agrees with this as well. I read an article on that subject, but I'm not sure what he ended up doing about it. Feel free to bring me up to speed on it if you know.

I am a CIA Graduate(1986), although it was much more affordable then, $15,000. Many young people, including myself, choose culinary school as an easy way to a college degree. I didn't do well academically in school, but saw culinary school as a 2 year investment to get a Chef's job. I was a line cook before school, and almost immediately sought a Chef position. That was a mistake, but I wanted to make some money quick. I survived the burn out, but could've done much more had I been more patient. Live it up asked if it is a good move for her. I think that if you have a degree from NYU, and are a strong reader, have good writing skills, organization skills, and have a passion for food & wine, you can do it. Success is really about the individual. Carrot Top posted the article about the kid with the $705 a month loan, working for $10.50 an hr. If he is smart enough to work tables, he could work in the kitchen in the morning, and work the dining room at night. I guarentee that he knows more about the product than most servers. When I was a Chef in NYC, it was very painful to know that the waitstaff made more than me. I guess I was Stupid? No, I just wanted to use my education in the role it was intended for.

"What's next? Will we turn the booths into a couch and recliner?" Actually, there is a very successful chain of independently owned restaurant/cinamas in my area that do precisely that. They provide patrons with a movie and luxury automobile reclining seats while their customers eat pizza & chicken fingers, and drink beer. Its not about the food. An alternative form of entertainment is required. Kinda like Hooters, not about the food, its about the...owls?

"Are Cooking Schools being oversold?" I would not say they are. After all, they serve a demand in the education marketplace, and create job opportunities for accomplished professional veterans. "Is it worth it?" Ask the successful graduate, and the answer is "yes." "Should the uninformed by warned?" I have warned every young Bobby Flay wannabe that has ever worked for me. What do I think? I think about it all the time. I will say that I understand a pleasure that most other Americans will never experience in their lifetime. You can't taste what's on TV.

I also work for a private club. %'s aside, the chef needs to run a clean & organized kitchen with enough staff to deliver a consistent quality product to the table in a timely manner. It is a mistake to set unrealistic expectations without first determining the minimum labor requirements for the periods of operation, and a strategy for menu selection and pricing to achieve financial success. The F&B manager should accept responsiblity in achieving the sales volume required to "use" the labor available and neccesary. In my experience, the success will come from the banquet sales, not from the club sandwich. Good Luck to all of us!

"Birdseye" Refrigeration and freezing as a means of preserving shelf life of food product. The TV Dinner & the microwave oven. The automobile & McDonald's. America's school lunch program. HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP used as a preservative in snack food. The BIG GULP, and SUPER SIZE VALUE PLAY! Yes, we are free to make choices, but are we really? This has become the American food culture, one that most Americans are HAPPY with. Media plays a big part in forming our opinions about what we eat. Who else is going to show us the way? Unfortunately, that influence is all about making $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ After all that venting, I should feel alot better, but I don't.

After we left Brindisi, we stopped in Ostuni, mentioned earlier by Kevin72. It is called "The White Queen of Olives," as it is predmonitately painted white, and surrounded by olive groves. I was told they painted it white, because it gets so hot in the summer, the white helps to reflect some of the suns rays. The city sits on top of a hill, which makes it all that more impressive. Unfortunately, we were on a tight schedule, and couldn't take as much time as I would've like to, and if I make it back, I will try Il Frantoio on Kevins recommendation. I have photos of this really fun street carnival that was taking place. I would post pictures if I knew how.

Puglia Trip Day 2 We traveled from Hotel Lafayette in Giovanazzo, south to Brindisi 1 1/2 hrs in a very small car, to visit wine maker Luigi Rubino at Tenute Rubino in Lecce We tasted : Marmorelle (Chardonnay, malvasia) Marmorelle Rosso (negro amaro, malvasia nero) Nice color, good quality wine, too cold to make an accurate call Punta Aquila (4-5 year old vine primitivo 4 mos in oak barrels) Visellio (10-12 yr old vine primitivo 8 mos in new barriques) Torre Testa Rosso (75 year old vine susumaniello, 14 mos in barrique) And their estate Olio Extravirgine di oliva (Cellina di Nardo, Coratina, Leccina olives) After our visit, we headed to Brindisi, where we had Sunday lunch at "Penny" Ristorante & Enoteca, Proprietario, Mario. Lunch was amazing, and quite busy for a Sunday it seemed, but this is the culture. 1. Sformato di rabe olio d’tartufo 2. Sformat di rabe con ricotta affumigato 3. Cozze ai forno 4. gamberi e formaggio scamorza gratinera 5. caprio dolce e geletina di negro amaro 6. Gnocci con gamberi e limone 7. Ravioli di carciofi 8. Spigola in forno con olive I failed to note all the wines, but we did enjoy a Rubino Visellio primitivo that went exceptionally well with fresh artichoke ravioli.

Notes from day 1, A popular antipasti is a Crostini pomodori, whereby they would simply squeeze a ripe tomato on toast, and dress it with local EVOO. We enjoyed a dish called Tonno Livornese, roasted tuna, cooked in tomato sauce with capers & black olives. The wine was really quite nice, Vino Frizzante "Vivace", Frontera – malvasia, trebiano bianco Bus Trip from Hotel Lafayette in Giovanazzo to Bari. If you dont have cash & a bus pass, they let us ride for free. We visited Enoteca “Sportelli”, where the recommended vino Pugliese follows Augusiale “Grito” Nero di Troia Visiello “Rubino” Primitivo Bottacia “Toresquarto” Nero di Troia Don Carmilio “Carrisi” Negro Amaro” Cappello di Pristi “Candisi” Negro Amaro” Back at the hotel: Dinner: : Crostini pomodori Orrechietti scampi Salsa di cippola, pomodoro, prezzemolo, sambucca Fish , steamed dressed with olive oil Vino Frizzante Vivace, Frontera – malvasia, trebiano bianco

I visited Puglia last year as part of a Chef's cultural exchange. We learned about the land, its history, cultural influences, and natural food products. We were based just north of Bari, and visited places as far north as Molfetta, and as far south as Brindisi. We visited Tenute Rubino Winery in Lecce, and dined at Ristorante Penny in Brindisi. Top notch. I was lucky enough to be selected as a guest to attend a one week cooking program that was orchestrated by the Italian Trade Commission, and Associazione Cuochi Baresi, which is a professional Chef organization. Thanks to the Italian Trade Commission (ICE), and the Associazione Cuochi Barese (ACB) for this very educational and inspiring opportunity, to visit Puglia, and to experience its history, architecture, food, wine, and culture. It went far beyond my expectations, and I will always be appreciative for this incredible gift that you have provided to me. The Chefs from ACB introduced us to both traditional and modern approaches to “cucina Pugliese.” The introduction, presented by Chef Giacomo Giancaspro, emphasized knowing, and staying true to regional traditions, when creating creative new “Italian” dishes abroad. He also stressed that cooking exclusively with “extra virgin olive oil” was essential, and to use Puglia oil whenever possible. We had the opportunity to visit “Il Frantoio Galantino” in Bisceglie, to learn about the processes of harvesting olives, and the time sensitivity involved between the harvest and pressing. We tasted many different oils of various characteristics and intensity, as well a selection of flavored olive oils, prepared by emulsifying the olives with other local ingredients, such as basil, lemon, clementines, and chilies, and then extracting the oil by centrifugal force. Fresh seafood was at the center of most of the dishes that we experienced. The quality and flavors were all exquisite. Our very first meal in Puglia, a lunch served at the Hotel Lafayette in Giovanazzo, was spaghetti with scampi and tomatoes. It was very simple, but perhaps the most memorable dish of the trip. The presentation of the entire scampi, still in the shell, with olive oil, garlic, fresh tomatoes, and a little fresh basil, was picturesque, and very flavorful. Everyone at the table loved this dish. It wasn’t necessarily about how many shrimp that one received on their plate, as it is in the United States. It was purely about enjoying the pasta infused with the flavor of the scampi. The mussels in Puglia had a far superior flavor than any that I’ve tasted in the United States. I have read about their popularity in the region, and now I completely understand why, having tasted them for myself. We had the mussels prepared in many different ways, and added to many of the dishes we experienced. The “Tiella Barese”, a casserole of mussels, rice and potatoes, was exceptional! On the subject of durum wheat, we learned about pasta in Puglia, and Chef Pasquale Antifori demonstrated the art of cooking various pasta dishes for lunch every day. One of the many dishes prepared was “Orecchiette”, the ear shaped pasta of Puglia, and a traditional “ricetta”, boiled with broccoli rabe in salted water, and finished with anchovy and garlic, cooked in extra virgin olive oil. Another shape that we enjoyed was “Cavatelli”, similar in size and shape to the cannelini beans that were included in the sauce of mussels, garlic, and cherry tomatoes. We were also shown some traditional breads of Puglia, such as “pane di Altamura”, a very dense bread, and delicious with fresh tomatoes and olive oil. Also the Chefs demonstrated how to make foccacia, lathered with an abundance of extra virgin olive oil, and the traditional “calzone alla Barese”, a pie made with the focaccia dough, and filled with leeks, cooked with anchovy, capers, tomatoes, black olives and Canestrato pecorino cheese. I have more... but thought I should stop somewhere.