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What would be the latest that it would be reasonable to buy and drink this wine? Roughly how expensive is it?

Fascinating discussion. What is the potential for these non-native crops, etc. getting out into the ecosystem and running amok, especially if they are so well suited to this climate? I was just reading how they are beginning a program to bring a European beetle in to combat purple loosestrife, a pretty European import that has run amok. Supposedly the beetle will control it and nothing else. from a personal point of view, I would love to see wasabi grown here. It sounds as if this would have been the perfect summer to do it!

What more incentive do I need!

That was quick! Congratulations and best wishes, but keep this blog going, please!!!!

Interesting reviews. Is it possible that the Guigal dessert wine was simply a bad bottle or were several bottles opened? Buller makes excellent dessert wines that are also superb values.

Thanks for the link to Pasteis de Belem. That is a pretty cool website even if I can't understand Portuguese very well.

I'll have to keep my eyes open for them in October.

Where are the purple feet?

Taormina is stunningly beautiful, but the food, while good is nowhere near the best food on the island. Sicily is filled with marvellous food with great produce and magnificent seafood. Unfortunately, I don't have any pasrticularly strong recommendations for eating in Taormina and I've never been to Cefalu nor the islands. Good luck and enjoy.

Looking forward to it! I loved the sicilian wines I had in Sicily and those were two of my favorite varietals.

Isn't this the truth! The more I try the more I want to try. This applies not just to restaurants, but to different kinds of food and wine as well.

The texture of cioccolato modicano is interesting indeed. I can only speak of Franco Ruta's. he sugar remains crystallized mostly because of the low temperatures used during production if I remember correctly. My personal favorites are the pepperoncini. Interestingly, his chocolates are becoming more widely available in the US. I have seen them for sale in Zingerman's catalog as well as in Mrs. London's Bakehouse and Cafe in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. The chocolates they most closely resemble to my palate are the mexican chocolates of Ibarra. Southeastern Sicily is a beautiful area with a lot going for it, especially gastronomically. I wish you luck with LoveSicily!

John, This is a great Q&A. I've been wanting to get to your restaurant in DC for awhile. I'm going to have to figure out how and when to get the time to get down there! Thanks for the insights.

If you need more veggies, you could always add ketchup!

I have visited and enjoyed the chocolate delights of Antica Dolceria Bonajuto. Presumably that would fit under the classification you mention. I am, however, unfamiliar with other chocolatiers from Modica or whetehr there is a specific Modica style of chocolate. Welcome to eGullet and please tell us more!

Fantastic, Ore. I spent a few days in Modena last fall, wherre I got the chance to visit a cooperative parmiggiano producer and several producers of balsamico tradizionale di Modena. By far the best experience was tasting the 100 year-old vinegar at Acetaia del Cristo. Unbelievable! ER is truly an area very rich with cuisine. Thanks again for wonderful descriptions, impressions and photographs.

I have been to Avignonesi. It is a beautiful place and they make wonderful wines. The vin santo (10 year old) is one of the finest wines I've ever had.

I too think the only mozzarella is di bufala. The other stuff is fior di latte. last year I stayed at Agriturismo Seliano in Paestum. They have a bufala farm, that I toured. I also toured a mozzarella producer. There is nothing like fresh mozzarella di bufala made from fresh unpasteurized milk! Yum. Your photos are intriguing as always. The burnt flour is fascinating, too. Was it good? Did you prefer it to regular flour? What exactly do you mean by "pasta filata"? Thanks, again. Please keep it coming.

John, Unfortunately, I don't get down to DC terrribly often. Unfortunate because there are a number of restaurants there I would love to try, including Firefly. Can you describe your culinary philosophy and style? What kind of food do you really enjoy cooking and how do you incorporate wine into your cuisine?

Bummer!!

Simon, While there is wonderful high end food in Campania (I very much enjoyed Don Alfonso), so much of the lower end food is wonderful because of the fantastic ingredients available, especially the tomatoes and the cheeses. While not overly fancy, it is rooted in the traditional, Agriturismo Seliano is a wonderful base to sample the traditional fare of Campania using fantastic local ingredients.

I'm working on tables - trying to reserve some.

Sorry to hear about your experience. This was very different than mine almost one year ago. Certainly, a lot can change in that amount of time.

Nice article. The things one learns here on eGullet. I never knew that Bresse chickens were milk-fed. I wish I had a chance to try this chicken when I was at Per Se. I'll need to keep a look out for it on menus. Welcome to eGullet, Stagiere! Are you working at Per Se?

I think the easiest thing to do would be to ask your guests if they minded or would feel uncomfortable. If they reply affirmatively don't do it.