Mark Picone Culinary Studio

[Kerry Beal]

The hubby and I were fortunate enough to be invited to spend the afternoon eating, drinking and gabbing at Mark's studio in Vineland with 3 professors from the culinary program at Niagara College and their wives.

Mark was previously the chef at Mark Picone at Vineland Estates Winery and is now a professor at Niagara College. He lives just down the road from Vineland Estates on 10 acres, where he grows Cab Franc and Riesling grapes. He has built a gorgeous 800 sq foot studio, adorned by wonderful 19th century French carved oak cabinets. The studio overlooks the vineyard - a stunning view, even on a rainy day such as today.

Walking in to the studio you pass a garden with culinary herbs, tomatoes, cardoons and just beside the door - a small bay tree.

It's not quite a restaurant, and not quite a cooking school - people who come to eat bring their own wine - and he creates a meal using the best of local ingredients.

We enjoyed some wonderful charcuterie produced by Mark's uncle, tomatoes and basil fresh from the garden, grilled eggplant and zucchini - brushed with maple, mustard and grapeseed oil - that was amazing, a couple of nice local cheeses with a raspberry/redcurrent jelly and far too much excellent wine and grappa. He had planned to feed us some leftover fois from dinner last night, but apparently it was so well liked, that they all had seconds - so we had to do without.

I would love to have the opportunity to have dinner there sometime. I'll have to save up my allowance I expect.

If you are going to be visiting the Niagara Peninsula area and might want to check out the studio, the website is here.

[jenc]

woo, sounds fun! How many people were there in total or was it just your group?

[Kerry Beal]

Just us - a total of 9 with Mark. He has one big table - so can do small weddings and private parties etc. He has one family that comes yearly from NYC just to celebrate dad's birthday.