Craig Camp

Not stereotype. But our bad experiences in France were certainly more in Paris than smaller cities and the countryside. So perhaps it's a city/country issue - and not a national issue. Doesn't much matter to me personally these days in terms of the way I travel (and I am also too old to worry about it). Robyn Excuse me I must be lost. I'm looking for the Attacking Italian Restaurants thread. Instead I found the END of a short discussion on something to do with French people. ...ahh here is the Italian thread again.

That's exactly what it is - Here is the only recipe I could find in English ...as always there are many versions.

Always, always a favorite of mine. Carlos and Debbie have never let that restaurant slip. budrichard - please say hello to them from an old friend who is too far away to come for those lovely Christmas lunches anymore, but would love to.

I also quite enjoyed their Brunello. Although surprisingly forward I also think it will age equally surprisingly well. The tannins are very well integrated, but are most definitely there. La Rasina is making very nice wines.

Raccolta: a weekly Italian wine harvested by Craig Camp Click here for 2001 La Rasina Rosso di Montalcino

I have to take issue with this. This is more stereotype than fact. I have traveled extensively throughout France, and I've encountered an obnoxious person there about as often as I encounter one in New York, Rome, or Venice. The French are quite tickled when I attempt to communicate with them in their native tongue. I know they do dislike loud Americans who assume that everyone in France speaks English. As a rule, the French have a very polite, reserved society-- Americans are far, far more rude and brusque than the French. I won't go into detail here, but I have had numerous experiences in France where someone (not in the tourist industry) has gone above and beyond to be extremely friendly and helpful to me. People are really similar everywhere, and I've always had mostly wonderful encounters with the French people. Ditto for me. I have been treated with nothing but kindness during my many visits to France. I do make a point to never eat in Italian restaurants there though.

Both are ready to drink and should be lovely. As it seems they have not been in perfect storage you should drink them and post your notes here!

It is certainly time to start drinking up the 94's. This vintage gave wines on the thin side. Cerbaiona is a good producer though so the wine should be tasty even if it is a little light.

But were them (the posts) intended to be replyed? I don't think so. Very interesting indeed. What a pity. Alberto Yes, I think the intention was to inspire debate, questions and feedback.

Can you show us any other authoritative views that support this point or is it just a personal opinion. As I look over the internet and articles in all the major Italian newspapers I can't find one that supports your claim of exceptional quality - although all support your observation of exceptional prices. As with wine someone can always make a great wine in a average vintage and I am sure some excellent truffles were discovered. However a few great ones do not define the quality of the entire production. ...and let's not forget Portland.

Chablis is a great source of lightly oaked or no oak chardonnay. Generally the higher up the price ladder you go the more oak you will find. The traditional barrel used in Chablis is a bit larger than the barrique used in the rest of Burgundy and helps reduce over oaked flavors. Many straight Chablis and even Premier Cru wines see no oak at all. An easy to find and well made brand of un-oaked Chablis is Laroche whose regular Chablis is light and fresh.

David, Welcome to eGullet! You Chicago wine lovers should make a bee-line to visit David at his store in Niles. There you will find a great wine resource and one of the top Italian wine guys in the States.

LOL

I will add that I thought it was very interesting reading and would also like to see the others posted.

I believe he was discouraged by the lack of response so did not continue. If you want more I would suggest e-mailing or PM'ing him.

Jellybean: Jellybean: Jellybean, Above is your quote from the "Wait 'till Next Year Thread. Has you opinion about the quality of the white truffle "harvest" changed?

-California: Iron Horse Blanc de Blancs -Other US: Agyle Brut, Oregon Gruet Brut, New Mexico -Champagne: Bollinger Brut N/V and many Récoltant-Manipulant brands -Italy: Metodo Classico: Bellavista Franciacorta Gran Cuvee Brut Prosecco: Col Vetoraz, Valdobbiadene Extra Dry Moscato: Marcarini Moscato d'Asti -Spain: Mont-Marçal Cava Brut Reserva (best value) Huguet Brut Nature Gran Reserva (top quality) -Rose: Iron Horse Brut Rose (big and bold, real pinot noir character) Calif. Mont-Marçal Cava Brut Rosado - Spain Pol Roger Rose Vintage Champagne

I usually make extra risotto and use the leftovers. You don't want the rice to be dry as it has to be pliable and sticky. There are big ones and small ones, but the big ones are the stuffed ones you see in Sicily.

fate bravi ragazzi - englese per piacere. I don't think we are here to debate the guides. There are many other treads in that regard. Let's try to stay on the topic, which seems to be quite big enough on its own.

...oh yeah, I almost forgot. If you disagree take it to a PM not on the thread.

Back on topic please and end the personal exchange.

There's another aspect to this. A great many of the artisanal foods that are featured by Slow Food require no cooking -- they merely have to be served up on a plate. They are the original fast food -- they are slow only in the making. In France there may be more emphasis on cooking, but local shops and markets feature excellent ready-to-eat food made in-house which may or may not require warming. In other words, in both Italy and France you can be an enthusiastic and discriminating foodie and hardly need to cook at all. Ready-to-eat meals have a bad name in America because they are overwhelmingly mass-produced, but throughout the rest of the world they have many centuries of history behind them. (In parts of Asia they are among the best meals you can get.) This is very true about many of the most highly regarded Italian food products. This is why you can have a highly-regarded restaurant like Boccondivino that features almost no "cooked" food. Even white truffles are not cooked.

Here is a link to a "most innovative" Italian restaurant outside of Italy. Are these still good restaurants?

I will add an extra component to this argument. During years of selling wine I got to know many Italian, French and Spanish restaurants from the inside out. While they are usually opened with great enthusiasm, it often does not take long for them to become frustrated with how their food is received. This soon leads to cynicism and a bit of contempt for what they come to see as an uneducated and un-appreciative audience. It does not take long for price to take precedence over quality in their purchasing in such an environment. They think why bother spending the extra money and just pocket the extra profit. The very same attitude that you see in tourist restaurants (Venice for example) in Italy. This was brutally evident in wine purchasing and the types of wines they were willing to foist off on customers who they felt could not tell the difference.

There is a major difference between French and Italian cuisine outside their home countries. France exported its top cooking styles and wines. Italy exported its people that took their home cooking with them. It is only in recent times that Italian food outside Italy was considered anything more that good hearty food that you could buy cheaply. The Italians led with pizza, pasta, bulk Soave and Chianti in fiasci -- not white truffles and Barolo. The French went out with foie gras, tournedos rossini(more foie gras), Bordeaux and Champagne -- not Languedoc plonk and cassoulet. By starting at the top the French were able to get people to take their simple (and delicious) peasant cuisine more seriously. That is why today American's are impressed by steak fritte and other Bistro type fair and pay premiums for it. By starting at the bottom (especially wine-wise) it has been hard for Italians to have their restaurants taken as seriously. It is always easier to work down than up.