docsconz

If you come back in January, come up to Snowbird and I'll feed you!! I ship a lot of food out there (meat from Ottomanelli's, fish from a guy up in Port Washington, Wa.) I think its Wegmans, they have an online service and will deliver groceries to your condo. The restaurants up at Snowbird are not so fantastic, mostly we eat in. ← Judith, that is a truly tempting offer, but alas, I will not be able to take you up on it this time! I do like the idea of Wegman's though. I will look into that. Thanks.

As I said earlier, I don't doubt your skepticism. You have good reasons for it, however, some of your logic is faulty. WWII was certainly traumatic to the area with plenty of losses as it was elsewhere in Europe including the famous wine regions of France. Nevertheless, even there valuable wines were protected and preserved. Why not in Modena as well? I did not walk in off the street to the Acetaia, one of top repute. I was introduced to it by a very well-connected friend, who has written a very good book on Balsamico in which this particular Acetaia was featured. Especially given the quality of what I had (and yes, Robyn, it really was that much better), I have no reason to doubt that what they gave me was what it was purported to be. To the poster who said that balsamici tradizionale from Modena are labeled as either 12 or 25+ (extra-vecchio) technically that is true, however, that does not mean that there aren't special bottlings of the vinegar with greater age and weight to them. Perhaps some of the age labeling is hyperbole, but if tasted side by side in a blind fashion one can definitely taste and feel the difference. Perhaps you, Fortedei, are taking the 100yo designation too literally and assuming that the nectar is all 100yo and therefore would be almost completely dissipated. It is still a product of the solera type system that is used for balsamici, so that the oldest vinegar within the cask is at least 100 years old, but that the bulk of the fluid comes from other younger vintages that have been added over the years. Regardless the vinegar asa whole is still considerably more aged than other balsamici. I said that I did not have the opportunity to buy this stuff at Acetaia del Cristo in Modena as they were out of bottled stock. It is rare stuff, but it is available for sale - at The Rare Wine Company. For anyone who remains skeptical I suggest you buy some and taste it side by side with 12 or 25 y/o balsamici tradizionale.

That doesn't really surprise me, but given the cost differential, I think Yasuda provides much more bang for the buck than Kuruma. I haven't yet dined at Masa so cannot compare it. My understanding though is that in addition to the quality of the fish, Masa is known for his use of other luxury ingredients and for his creativity moreso than either Kuruma or Yasuda.

The way I see it, the beauty part is that you're left with plenty of time to spend with whoever you go with after the meal. (Docsconz probably can't remember what it was like to be single.) ← Like I said, one should have other plans for after the meal

There is definitely not such a thing like a 100 years old balsamico. It's a fake. "ACETO BALSAMICO TRADIZIONALE di Modena (ABTM)" is available in two qualities: Older than 12 years, and older than 25 years The 100 ml bottles containing the 12 years old balsamico owns a cream coloured cap and the 25 years old balsamico a golden cap. There is no sign about the age on the bottle, because it's strictly forbidden when it's the true ABT stuff. The lable "Extravecchio" point to an age of more than 25 years. "ACETO BALSAMICO TRADIZIONALE DI REGGIO EMILIA (ABT di RE)" is available in 3 Qualities: Older than 12 years; older than 18 years and older than 25 years. Like the ABTM rules there is no lable allowed showing the age of the balsamico. The shape of the ABT di RE 100 ml bottle is different from the ABTM 100 ml bottle. All other stuff is industrial made or from a private producer who isn't allowed to name it "TRADITIONALE" ← I didn't say anything about a bottle. I would be happy to continue this discussion, but it will have to be in another thread so as not to hijack this lovely thread.

Thanks, Eliot. I am sure that you would enjoy this restaurant The lighting is just one advantage of daytime dining. I can't vouch for the lighting at dinner.

I've never felt rushed at either Yasuda or Kuruma. The fact of the matter is that in neither case is the meal likely to take more than an hour for omakase, unless one has a much bigger appetite (and wallet) than I do. Mind you, I am not complaining. It is a great meal if one wants to get someplace else. It is just not a great place to spend time with someone Don't expect to spend the evening there. You are correct, Sneakeater, it is not that kind of meal. I am simply pointing out that if someone is planning on dining at either place, they should have other plans for the evening as well.

Looking forward to a return visit to the Bay, Erik. Computer game tester sounds like my sons' dream job!

I will be staying at The Canyons towards the end of the month hopefully to do a little skiing in addition to dining. I have a reservation for Metropolitan, want to hit The Red Iguana and Takashi. Is there anyplace else that I really must hit either in addition to or in place of the restaurants I just mentioned? Canyons area? Park City? We wil be in a condo with a kitchen. Any good food markets? Thanks for your help.

it is very thick but once it hits the parm it soaks in!! it was unbelivable! we brought back 30 year old stuff and serve it the same way ← Wendy, did you happen to note which Acetaia the 100yo balsamico was from? When my son and I were given some 100y/o balsamico to taste at Acetaia del Cristo, it was one of the highlights of our trip - truly wonderful stuff. ← Doesn't it strike people (perhaps not) that there is one heck of a lot of 100 year old balsamico around. How is that possible? Let's see... there had to be immense barrels of the initial batch because over 100 years the liquid would have to have evaporated substantially, if not totally. Then you have the question as to who would have had the foresight in 1906 to keep balsamico that long. In 1926, did all those people who were making balsamico say to themselves "aha, if we keep this for another 80 years, Americans will develope a taste for it, even though they don't know what balsamico is, and they will pay big bucks for even tiny drops of it? What happened to the 100 year old balsamico in its 36th. year, 1942, when the area was in German hands? Did it remain in the acetaie untouched? If you talk to the most reputable and famous restaurant owners in a 50 km. radius of Modena, you will hear the laughter when you talk about 100 year old balsamico. If it existed (and no one can prove it one way or the other) they would have had a chance to buy it and would have done so. It's a bit like the 200 plus year old Bordeaux that President Jefferson purportedly had bottled (with his initials on the bottle). Or, to take a topic closer to our hearts... Alba truffles in early September. As the Swiss Chef said so well about truffles in general... the best place to get them is Moncalvo, because too much of what is sold in Alba comes from other places. I would add that many of those places don't happen to be in Italy. ← Fortedei, given history your skepticism may certainly be warranted. I have no doubt that some purportedly 100yo balsamico is not what it is claimed to be. What I also have no doubt of is that the alleged 100yo balsamico that I tasted at Acetaia del Cristo was truly sublime. Maybe it was 80 years old or even 60. Given that I didn't even have the opportunity to buy any of it and we tasted it right out of the barrel, it doesn't really matter to me. I don't care if that was 10, 20, 50, 100 or 200 years old - it was incredible! I also didn't taste it in a vacuum. We had gone through all of their various balsamici. This one was particularly thick, unctuous and balanced - true nectar. I would gladly have bought some if there was some available.

I think Yasuda is just downright excellent, but for its quality in relation to other top-quality sushi restaurants, it is also a downright bargain. The only problem with Yasuda IMO is that it is not geared to be a place to linger and spend an evening. As such it would make a great pre-theater dinner. I believe the quality of Kuruma is on a par or possibly better in some respects than Yasuda, but for overall value I prefer the latter.

it is very thick but once it hits the parm it soaks in!! it was unbelivable! we brought back 30 year old stuff and serve it the same way ← Wendy, did you happen to note which Acetaia the 100yo balsamico was from? When my son and I were given some 100y/o balsamico to taste at Acetaia del Cristo, it was one of the highlights of our trip - truly wonderful stuff.

While in the Napa Valley for the recent CIA/Greystone World of Flavors Conference on "Spain and the World Table" my wife and I had time for only one dinner and one lunch outside of the conference. Our dinner was at The French Laundry where we met up with my best man and a friend of his and our lunch was at Redd where we met up with one of my wife's best college friends who she hadn't seen since then. I am happy to report that both meetings proved to be wonderful reunions and that the meals contributed their parts to that. I had dined at TFL before and had a good idea of what to expect and those expectations were met. I did not have the same knowledge of Redd, though I chose it over other noteworthy restaurants secondary to descriptions and recommendations from this forum. Neither I nor my wife nor her friend were disappointed. Redd proved to be a superb choice for lunch as I imagine it would be for dinner as well. We arrived in a pouring rain to be ushered into the very comfortable dining room. The restaurant was quite busy when we arrived, though it had largely emptied by the time we left. Some people have complained that the main dining room is too stark. I found it to be nicely understated, conducive to a relaxing meal during which the food and the company were able to keep center stage. Nevertheless, it was enjoyable to watch several hummingbirds gathering nectar from flowers just outside our window table as the rain abated. That additional bit of charm would not likely be visible during dinner except for early on a summer's eve. Later in this report I will post some photos of the dining room. The menu was compelling enough that it was difficult to choose from amongst a number of beckoning dishes. We took the easy way out though and ordered the four course tasting menu (it was lunch and we would be eating well just a little later at WOF) with wine pairings for an additional $25pp. Rather than each of us having the exact same menus, they used a 2x2 format and for each course brought two of one dish and the third another dish. This essentially doubled our experience at the restaurant especially as my wife and I were always served different dishes and wines. As if that would not be enough I ordered the Glazed pork belly with apple puree and soy caramel as an additional dish. Yellowfin tuna and hamachi tartare, avocado, chili oil, fried rice Sashimi of hamachi, sticky rice, edamame, lime ginger sauce These were both delicious with the tartare being exceptional. The flavor combination is one that is not particularly novel- though I love it - what really made this a standout dish was the textural contrast of the crisp-fried rice puffs. This was paired with Von Hovel Riesling Kabinett 2002 The sashimi of hamachi was no slouch on the plate either. Served with SchlossGobelsburg Gruner Veltliner 2005, we were off to an excellent start. My wife was given the tartare while I had the sashimi. For this course I gave her the edge. Petrale sole, chorizo, calamari, saffron curry sauce Caramelized diver scallops, cauliflower puree, almonds, balsamic reduction I was given the sole and expected to prefer the scallops. While the scallops were quite good, I was particularly enamored of the sole. Any concern that I might have had that the sole would have been overpowered by the chorizo were quickly erased upon my first taste. The chorizo was applied with a deft hand. The pimenton in the chorizo was light enough to let the other ingredients through but strong enough to provide superlative smoky accenting. The scallops were paired with Graff Viognier 2005 while the sole was with Y3 Sonoma Chardonnay 2004. Chalk this one up for me. Glazed pork belly, apple puree, soy caramel Though we ordered it as a single extra dish that three of us would share the kitchen took the trouble to provide a plated dish to each of us and paired it with another glass of wine! This turned out to be the dish of the lunch too, The combination and balance of flavors and textures was remarkable and amongst the very best pork belly dishes that I have ever had. It was paired with Alain Jaume Vacqueras 2003 (grenache). Wolfe Ranch quail, smoked ham, warm lentil vinaigrette Braised beef shortrib, horseradish crust, potato puree, chantarelles Despite the fact that these dishes followed the pork belly, they each held up quite well. I am partial to small birds while my wife is not. Of course, she received the quail. The shortrib was rich, beefy and tender the way a good braised shortrib is supposed to be. The quail was moist and flavorful the way small birds are supposed to be. The beef was paired with Hall Cabernet 2003 and the quail with J.K. Carretiere "Provocateur" Pinot Noir 2004. While the shortrib was excellent, I award my wife's quail this round. Banana Beignets, roasted date filling, coconut-rum caramelized bananas, roasted date ice cream Pumpkin praline tart, cranberry compote, apple cider with cider foam, ginger snap ice cream I confess that I have a weakness for banana desserts and I was happy that I received this one. It was all I could want. The other dessert was quite lovely as well, but in this direct comparison took second fiddle to the bananas. The beignets were flavorful, light and fluffy. The ice creams were deliciously complex. This round went to my dish leaving a tie as it should have been. Throughout the meal the wines presented worked nicely with their accompaniments and even across the pairings. Though none of the wines in and of themselves were knockouts, they performed admirably in their allotted roles. For $25pp they were great value. Chef Richard Reddington and crew in the kitchen towards the end of service As promised - some photos of the dining areas. When in the area again, I would happily revisit Redd.

Went to "Schwa" last week. Again, incredible. One new dish:instead of the Prosciutto Consomme we got the "Elotes" soup....Perfection, that is all I say. ← Lenski, I would be very interested in learning more about this soup. Can you describe it? What made it so "perfect?" They do make some truly remarkable dishes there. Their quail egg ravioli remains one of the most outstanding and memorable dishes that I have had this year.

We went to Redd and had an excellent lunch. I will post on it later on its own thread.

I had a uniformly excellent meal with my wife and friends at The French Laundry a week and a half ago while out for the World of Flavors Conference. I don't have much to add regarding specific dishes. I am happy to say that the FOH and service in general was as good as I have experienced it there. The new Maitre'd, whose name unfortunately escapes me, came from The Breakers in Florida. The only downside of the meal was that my wife and I were both exhausted after having gotten up at 3:30AM Eastern time that morning and flying cross-country. That we enjoyed the meal as much as we did was a testament to the kitchen and our company.

I'm saddened to report that Flying Pigs will not be producing this item again till the spring, owing to the affect the temperature change has on the chickens. They couldn't really answer when I asked them what difference changes in the weather would make to a dead chicken's liver, but anyway... ← Winter is not kind to chickens in Washington County especially when they are raised free-range as FPF does. As such their stock is reduced over the winter to be replenished in the spring. Their chicken is as good as I've had BTW. I have never had the chicken liver mousse though. I will have to make a point of trying some.

We toured the Museum at the factory, you had to make ressies way in advance for the actual factory and from the looks of all the people coming out of it you also had to have a special outfit! Michelle I love that story about your mom!! And Divina we would love to have cocktails next time we are in your fantastic city!!! ← My understanding is that the factory tour is truly special, but that in order to get in one has to either be a Ferrari owner or there with the blessing of a dealer. The Museum is pretty cool in its own right and well worth the detour, especially since I was with my then 12y/o son. There are also some good balsamico acetaia on the way.

Divina this has been a great ride so far with insights not only into the fabulous city of Firenze and the beautiful Chianti countryside, but also the business of running a cooking school. Ever since I went on a trip with Peggy Markel a number of years back, I have wanted to return to Firenze for cooking classes.

Fantastic trip, WEndy and Dayne. I am very much enjoying it as it brings back so many memories and lets me in on a few things new to me. Did you actually go to the Ferrari factory or was it the museum? What kind of car do you drive in Seattle? I absolutely loved Venice, but found it to be the most dificult place in Italy to get an exceptional meal despite the Rialto market and the presence of stellar ingredients. I suspect it is because the city is so dominated by tourism.

Ironic, isn't it? Good luck and best wishes to Aki and Alex. I hope they bring their cuisine back East. I look forward to dining with them wherever they wind up.

I would recommend a tour of a Parmiggiano Caseificio to anyone in that area. It was a ton of fun, very educational and unique to the region. Nice pics, Wendy!

You have probably seen this topic, but if not (and even if you have), Jose Andres' Tapas has some excellent recipes some of which are in RecipeGullet.. Another fine book for Tapas is the one by Penelope Casas.

Wendy, awesome report! You have brought back a number of great memories both in Tuscany and E-R. I am sorry that Villa Gaidello didn't suit you. I found the place very charming with great food. I wonder if it has changed since I was there in 2003? Did you visit any balsamico acetaie?

Wonderful report, Percy. I am curious about the shrimp "pil-pil" that you had. Pil-Pil is generally made with salt cod and olive oil and a fairly involved cooking process. Would you happen to know if this was a real pi-pil to which they substituted shrimp after the sauce was made, or a variation that they called "pil-pil" because of a textural resemblance?