StudioKitchen (2002-2007)

[herbacidal]

I'm intrigued about how he succeeds with so many courses and so many intricate preparations whilst still being on his own. Is there any chance someone could convince him to write/record a day in the life? How many of these meals can he pull off in a week? How many days prep for each meal?

Might someone ask?

←

Shola has considered joining Egullet, he's a lurker now.

From talking with him every now and again, I believe roughly 4-6 days a week he either does dinners at Studiokitchen or caters in private facilities predominantly in NYC.

I doubt he spends more than the day's length preparing that night's meal, although he may spend time beforehand thinking up the menu, shopping, etc.

I doubt he would consider writing a journal, but I'll ask.

He succeeds with this many courses and preparations because he limits the guest count to 8 normally, although I understand this has been pushed to 10 lately with frequency. He also does have someone come in to clean up, wash things, etc.

[philadining]

Some of these questions about how much time does it take, etc just came up in conversation during dinner yesterday, so I feel confident making a couple of comments:

He ordinarily does StudioKitchen two days per week. There may be occasional exceptions.

I'm sure it varies from meal to meal, with some dishes requiring much more prep than others, but Shola says it often takes 2 or 3 days to prepare some of the things he serves. That may not entail standing over a hot stove for 72 straight hours, but many of the sous-vide preps will go for a day or two a low temps, sauces may be done a day ahead to aid clarifying and de-fatting them, etc.

So there is often a good amount of work being done a day or two out, and then many hours the day-of.

I doubt we could get him to write-up a play-by-play for a StudioKitchen dinner, but if you go, he'd be happy to tell you!

[adamru]

so, philadining, tired of you dear readers taking time from pointing and clicking through egullet to point and laugh at him for eating at studiokitchen so often, asked me to give an opinion of my meal there if for no other reason than to assure you all that he doesn't pay $1000 a night to eat ten portions at a time only to then post about it here under assumed names. I was there this wednesday night and the best of my recollection follows:

what would you expect when you read six men and four women paid $100 a head to get into a house along drexel university's fraternity row on a dark and stormy night, spending hours huddled together, bikers and athletes oohing and ahhing around a large table while a suspicious man with a ponytail documented the vice on his digital camera? you'd think kegs, condoms, and regret. but it was courses not intercourse, wine - no beer, and nothing but satisfaction at studiokitchen this past wednesday.

living in manhattan, philadelphia doesn't seem so far to go for a great meal, especially when too often I'm just willing to make the trip for bassett's ice cream and a turkey sandwich at reading market. sure, some things may make the trip - an hour on amtrak - feel uneasy: torrential rain, signal delays and our menu and dining companions being out of our control. but the train offered time to dry off, the signal delays even more time to dry off, not choosing our menu meant no regrets about having not tried something, and one thing we - my girlfriend and I - knew we'd share with everyone at the table is a love of food. chemists, software developers, educational directors, consultants, doctors, foremost authorities on curling, radio producers - they have to eat after all.

upon arrival with our wine dry and everything else wet, six of us found each other outside moments before we were due to ascend to the house, and after our own introductions we were greeted by shola, chef and host, who opened the door and led the way inside and upstairs to a warm lit, candle-scented, thomas newman score-filled dining room. found therein are four chairs on each side of the table - wide, plush in ultrasuede - and one at each end, but none better or worse than any other whether you want to be near the sideboard to examine the standing and chilling wines, near a flatscreen monitor embraced by a wall panel showcasing the highlights of dinners past and around which shola's repossessed plates pile resembling less a dirty countertop than a damien hirst installation.

but if our meal wasn't art, it was music, and jazz at that. for after the doorbell announced the last of the guests and coats are hanged and hands are shaken, after much chatter of food, of favorite meals near and far, the din of the room diminishes for the preparation and presentation of each dish, commencing with the amuse. and then it's a performance. it's one in the way everyone turns to the playbill of a menu and glossary at their seat before shola starts a new movement. one in the improvisation of the arrangement of food on the plate ten times over. one in the way flavors repeat, recur, and play against each other - if music can be as fluid as liquid, surely here the opposite is true and vibrantly in the lentil emulsion and white truffle horchata. and it's jazz in the way every meal is both original and an evolution of the previous, how the next meal couldn't exist until the current one is worked out - if he never made the bomba rice with tomatoes and rock shrimp before, could we on wednesday possibly have enjoyed the rice with parsley puree and escargots?

having gone to birdland a few nights earlier, the question prior to that too arose over how to dress for jazz. this isn't the symphony of le bec fin and it's not the cacophony of your favorite cheesesteak joint. true the wineglasses are aligned at each seat and every practical utensil arranged, the places set for any high degree of formality one wants to bring to the occasion, but go there once and after your glasses have been refilled, your bottles uncorked and yourself decompressed, after you realize every dish is so tender as not to need a knife, the formality just like the food melts away. come dressed in your best favorite clothes, the best outfit you've ever broken in so there's no guilt and just enough room in waist or hips for a third portion of the bergamot-scented lamb or seconds of the fromage blanc ice cream. dress just so and you'll come and go looking and feeling your greatest following your new best and favorite meal.

after said meal, drunk on nearly four hours of this decadence, coffee arrived. I can't recall six courses encompassing that much time yet the trip from plate to palate to art installation on the shelf on the wall, from the signal delay heading down to the rain delay heading back, was far too fast. for the invitation from our hostess, I'm ever grateful and for the ride through the rain and back to the train station, equally as much. everyone and everything encountered over those four hours was an absolute pleasure.

if any of you who have eaten there already and who plan on returning regret not having such a poetic retelling of your evening, by all means invite me back there. really, please, any of you... and I know I talked about everything but the food but philadining does the definitive work of taking the pictures and writing the thousand words they're worth. I'll return you now to his regularly scheduled commentary.

[percyn]

Adam,

Beautiful post...you certainly have a way with words. I found myself reminiscing about SK and I was there 2 weeks ago

I will certainly hold an invitation for you in the hopefully not too distant future.

Cheers

Percy

[mrbigjas]

        I will certainly hold an invitation for you in the hopefully not too distant future.

i have a question: do you and philadining just have like, a standing reservation there? like, you finish up one night, and it's all 'ok shola, see you in a couple of weeks, try not to repeat yourself too much next time we're here.'

just curious, because other people are all, 'OMG we called and there's such a long wait and i can't get the nights i want and he might be closing soon and whatnot' while you guys are like, 'so anyway, i was toolin around powelton village with nothin to do, so i stopped by studiokitchen for a quick six courses the other night...'

[percyn]

        I will certainly hold an invitation for you in the hopefully not too distant future.

i have a question: do you and philadining just have like, a standing reservation there? like, you finish up one night, and it's all 'ok shola, see you in a couple of weeks, try not to repeat yourself too much next time we're here.'

just curious, because other people are all, 'OMG we called and there's such a long wait and i can't get the nights i want and he might be closing soon and whatnot' while you guys are like, 'so anyway, i was toolin around powelton village with nothin to do, so i stopped by studiokitchen for a quick six courses the other night...'

←

Something like that

Edited October 18, 2005 by percyn (log)

[Mummer]

        I will certainly hold an invitation for you in the hopefully not too distant future.

i have a question: do you and philadining just have like, a standing reservation there? like, you finish up one night, and it's all 'ok shola, see you in a couple of weeks, try not to repeat yourself too much next time we're here.'

←

Last week at Carmine's, I said to Philadining, "So when are you going to Studiokitchen this week?"

He replied that he was going again. Something about not wanting to turn down an invitation.

I've been a few times myself, and I gotta say that I'd behave just like Phil A. It's in my sig.

Edited October 19, 2005 by Mummer (log)

[mrbigjas]

i kid, folks! i kid because i love!

[Andrew Fenton]

i kid, folks!  i kid because i love!

Of course you do. And it was a good joke. (For me to poop on.)

Still, you bring up a good point: much like succumbing to heroin addiction, it gets easier and easier to go back to Studiokitchen. First time around, it's kind of intimidating to try to work out a date by email. Plus, you have to make sure you can round up a group of eight, a task that can feel like the beginning of a Mission: Impossible episode ("okay, we've got the explosives expert and the master of disguise. Now, who's gonna bring the wine?")

But once you've done it, it's pretty straightforward. And then you want to do it AGAIN and AGAIN, and then you think, hey, maybe I can push forward my flight back from Europe so that I can work in a dinner...

And then you have to join Phil A. and Percy in that church basement on Tuesday nights, admitting that you have a problem...

[adamru]

of course by the time eight to ten people join that group in the church basement on tuesdays, they're bound to realize they don't have a problem, they have a solution, and back to dinner they go.

[KatieLoeb]

of course by the time eight to ten people join that group in the church basement on tuesdays, they're bound to realize they don't have a problem, they have a solution, and back to dinner they go.

←

You know what they say:

"If you aren't part of the solution, you're part of the problem."

[TarteTatin]

We're going tomorrow night!!!!!

2nd time!

Yes, its easier.

I still feel like I'm imposing whenever I communicate.

(Funny, it usually happens the other way around in my business)

The menu sounds good, a couple of items are exactly the same, but its okay.

We have 8 different people going with us this time.

...and this set of people aren't as much into the wine selection as our wine group from last time.

We might just have a couple of bottles of Turning Leaf for all I know! Gosh, I hope not.

(Now I'll probably overcompensate and bring a million bottles in case that happens!)

[philadining]

...a couple of items are exactly the same, but its okay.

←

I'm willing to bet nothing you get will be exactly the same as last time!

Please do let us know how it was. I'm going through withdrawal - a description, maybe some pics, would get me through....

[shacke]

Mental note..... Tuesdays best for SK.

[TarteTatin]

Okay, Friday night was the bee's knees!

Go to:

http://homepage.mac.com/susangish/PhotoAlbum4.html

Shola started us off with a very special amuse bouche...He knew I loved good scallops.

A gorgeous scallop came topped with a piece of herb that looked like mint (I asked a million times what it was and still can't remember!). There was tuna (toro?) with a dollop of miso. There was mackarel. There was a tomato/almond gazpacho. God, I don't do any of these descriptions justice. This wasn't on the menu, so I can't describe it in words.

-- Can someone come into my brain and give my tastebuds the words I need to tell all of you? It was all raw/ceviche, cold, melt in your mouth wonderful.

The next dishes, I'll give you off the menu. But I have to say once again, these written words

DO NOT DO THE DISHES-TASTES justice! I wasn't blown away with what I saw our menu to be in advance. It sounded good, but not great....WOW. The tastes were just amazing. They completely topped the written words... This 2nd time completely and utterly topped the first time, which we thought rocked....Now I see why so many of you have gone back a zillion times. If he gets better every time you go, then.....!

Butternut Squash soup poured on top of Poularde Confit, which was on top of an Asian Pear slice and a gorgeous quail egg. Yum. The crunch of the Asian Pear, the chicken and egg, and the soup, all worked so well in my mouth. My mouth was crying out for more!

Parsley Rice (yeah, right. Like anything Shola makes is "parsley rice". This creation of risotto, really, with big fluffy peas, I think. On top of this "reesey peesey", were three gorgeous slugs, sorry, escargot, fluffy, not tough, with marcona almonds, Finocchiona (which I found out is a sort of sausage/salami?), manchego cheese, and topped with a nutmeg/milk foam. I could have a bowl of the Parsley rice for dinner. Topped with a little of that Finocchiona and cheese. Oh, reading the description, there were black trumpet mushrooms in that as well!

Striped bass, rolled in a thick piece of Serrano Ham, over a mushroom marmalade (yes, it was a totally different mushroom marmalade than we had last time). There was a Stuffed Braised Squid and somewhere there was a morel emulsion and sherry vinegar which I think I saw the bottles of. I know I'm missing telling you something about this dish. Have to go back to the pictures and try to remember...I love fish and ham. Sort of a chicken cordon blue, but with fish! I'm not very much of a squid person, but this wasn't rubbery and was very tasty. What was with the squid that I'm missing?....

Waygu Flatiron Steak, cooked for 32 hours sous vide! This was a gorgeous, melt in your mouth piece of meat. It simply melted. With an oxtail madeira jus, over the best creamed spinach you could ever imagine eating. I could do a bowl of that too! This is not ordinary creamed spinach! There was a tender chestnut in the middle. Stunning. I was too full at this point, and knew I wouldn't have room for dessert, so Shola let me ask for a doggie bag! (That waygu the next day was wonderful cold, for late breakfast!)

We didn't, unfortunately, take a picture of the dessert:

Ginger Scented Peaches, Apricot Caramel, Almond Granola, Lemon Scented Buttermilk ice cream. I remember the granola crunch going so well.

Shola really likes to play not only with tastes (and they all work), but I love the textures as well. Food is an art, but as I am learning, it is a science as well. I used to think only baking was a science...

The wines weren't great this time. (Last time was with our wine group) We had a couple bottles of Bordeaux, Sam and I brought a bottle of '96 Mont Redon from Chateau-neuf-du-pape back from France...a Moscato D'asti...the rest were pretty basic.

I think the tastes this time were a million times better than the first time (and the first time was perfect, so I don't know what that makes this time). The adventures were greater. I believe once Shola knows that you are serious about loving food, and enjoy it immensely, he's free to do whatever he creates and knows we'll "eat it up"!

[TarteTatin]

Oh, I forgot the smell of white truffles in the soup.

[shacke]

Oh, I forgot the smell of white truffles in the soup.

←

Did Jeff like it too?

Evan

[philadining]

Well, you know not everyone is observing the "10 percent for Jeff" ordinance that City Council passed recently.....

But seriously, thanks for that excellent report TT, that sounded like a great meal. And I totally understand what you mean when you said it was so much better than last time, but last time was so good, how could it be?!?!

[TarteTatin]

Did I miss something about "Jeff"?

[KatieLoeb]

Did I miss something about "Jeff"?

←

Jeff aka Philadining has been Shola's de facto roommate and Constant Dining Guest of late, so we're just all busting on him because we're pea green with envy.

[philadining]

OK, you want to know the secret? Just say yes. That’s it.

Entry 345 in the journal of being in the right place at the right time:

StudioKitchen November 2, 2005

Amuse: Chilled Yellow Brandywine Tomato Soup, Tuna Tartare, Pickled Mackerel with Apple, Hot Chinese Celery Broth.

Shola described this as “cold, fish-fish, hot” which doesn’t quite do it justice… We started with a shotglass of pure tomato essence: sweet, round and smooth. Next were cubes of raw tuna, just barely tweaked with some sweet miso and salty shreds of seaweed. Following was a fine dice of sour mackerel, countered with sweet crunchy apples. And to end this sequence a shot of clear broth, that was both complex and cleansing, recalling the spicing of an elegant pho. I could go for a big bowl of that broth with some noodles.

Terrine of Foie Gras and Tea Soaked Prunes, Lemon Miso Glaze, Curly Endive, Asian Pears, Rye Bread Crisps

Each element of this plate was distinctly delicious, but as one worked around and tasted them all together, the effect was only amplified. The foie was a classic cold terrine, rich, but tempered by the prune and other accompaniments. The stripe of lemon miso glaze was sweet and sour and salty, the endive bitter like a delicate frisée salad lifted by a lemony dressing, the Rye crisp adding some crunch, the asian pear cubes offering fresh sweet juciness.

Butternut Squash Soup, Esplette Oil, Maple Glazed Braeburn Apples, Nutmeg Milk, Vapors of Lemon.

We were pretty curious about the vapors too, and you know, it wasn’t some silly conceptual thing, this whole course was infused and altered by the essence of lemon wafting up from an outer bowl, surrounding a smaller bowl that held the soup. Who’d have imagined that some lemon zest hit with some steaming hot water could have such an impact? But this soup, already vibrant with squash cooked in carrot juice, topped with a nutmeg foam, hiding chunks of sweet apple, was transformed by the citrus edge that felt like a flavor, even if it was only hitting our noses.

Scallops wrapped with Dover Sole, Chestnut Purée, Braised Oxtail and its juices, Lentil-Cumin Emulsion.

Why wrap the scallop in Sole? Why not? These huge, sweet diver scallops gained an interesting textural edge from the belt of fish, and a hearty flavor twist from the beefy sauce. This is not a combination that I’ve encountered before, but it worked really nicely.

Torchon of Rabbit Saddle, Mushroom Farci, Rabbit Confit and Onion Croustade, Rack of Rabbit, Caramelized Salsify, Truffle Glaze

I’m sorry, did you say “rack of rabbit”?!?! That certainly counts as a novel presentation, and one that highlights Shola’s attention to detail, and slightly obsessive nature! It sounds like a cruel trick one plays on the new line cook, suggesting he go French-out the bones on rabbit ribs… But it was worth the trouble, the meat was tender and tasty, the bones serving as handles for eating the tiny chops. The torcheon was hearty and earthy, its mushroom stuffing providing a textural contrast. But in what is turning into a pattern, the crispy, crunchy, pastry stole the show, the combination of bun and a shredded meat filling evoking the feel of a Chinese Bao.

And just in case you thought we were eating off of really HUGE plates, here’s that rack of rabbit, with a wine cork for scale…

Lychee Soup, Sweet Stracchino Cloud, Crystallized Almond and Ginger, Sencha Powder

The airy could floated above a denser ice cream, each rich with creamy stracchino cheese. A subtle bitter note from the powdered green tea pulled the sweetness back from the brink. Clean, sweet fruit soup and crunchy almond flakes completed the picture, for a signature Shola dessert, traversing a wide range of textures, temperatures, densities and flavors.

So, how to sum-up without resorting to familiar platitudes? Uhhmmmm.. impossible. Once again, a surprising, delightful, and delicious meal, with some new twists I haven’t seen before at SK. You'd think I'd be getting jaded, or bored, by now, but the opposite is actually true. I always look forward to a dinner here, and have yet to be disappointed.

And once again, it was a lovely evening even above and beyond the food, with great dining partners, some interesting wine (notes to follow from our trusty wine scribe - you get to guess who…) Thanks to all for the lovely company!

And to those at home, feeling jealous, just remember, be open, be receptive, and just say yes.

Edited November 3, 2005 by philadining (log)

[wkl]

amazing pictures jeff!

[I_call_the_duck]

OK, you want to know the secret? Just say yes. That’s it.

←

Not quite as easy as that. I had the feeling that Jeff wouldn't turn down a dinner here since he's obviously trying to rack up frequent flyer miles. But thanks everyone for coming through at the last minute. We had some people back out a couple of days before. And thanks, Herb, for helping me find people. I figured people will recognize your name more than mine.

Jeff, thanks also for taking pictures. Halfway to Shola’s I realized that I forgot my camera. And I had a new memory card and freshly charged batteries too.

The next dishes, I'll give you off the menu. But I have to say once again, these written words DO NOT DO THE DISHES-TASTES justice! I wasn't blown away with what I saw our menu to be in advance. It sounded good, but not great....WOW. The tastes were just amazing. They completely topped the written words...

←

I’ll have to admit, I felt the same way too. They sounded good, not great on paper, but when I actually saw my meal plated, and tasted it, OMG. I think my dining partners will attest for my happy dance when I first tasted the food. This was my first time at SK, and everything was absolutely incredible. I don’t have much to add to Jeff’s descriptions other than it was the best meal I’ve ever had. Yes, I’m spoiled now for life. I’m going to have to sell my nieces and nephews in order to afford this new highly addictive habit.

Shola is a genius. His attention to detail and knowledge of food is amazing. (And he loved talking about his new surgical tools to French that rack of rabbit.)

We managed to polish off nine bottles of wine between the eight of us—and on a school night no less!! Boy, am I paying for it now. I do hope the wine scribe, whose name I won’t divulge, posts those wines soon, because there were some good pairings. Looks like I’ll finally have to make my way across the river to Moore Bros.

So all in all, it was a wonderful evening. Great dining partners, great food. If anyone needs to fill two seats, count me in. We eat and love everything.

Edited for clarification and because I just can't stop yammering.

Edited November 4, 2005 by I_call_the_duck (log)

[KatieLoeb]

Sooooooooo...

Where is Wine Scribe?? Dying to know what you all drank with this lovely meal...

[percyn]

Sooooooooo...

Where is Wine Scribe?? Dying to know what you all drank with this lovely meal...

←

Wine scribe was trying to stay awake at work

So once again, I will append a few pics to Philadining's and mention the wines we paired with the dishes.

OK, you want to know the secret? Just say yes. That’s it.

Entry 345 in the journal of being in the right place at the right time:

StudioKitchen November 2, 2005

Amuse: Chilled Yellow Brandywine Tomato Soup, Tuna Tartare, Pickled Mackerel with Apple, Hot Chinese Celery Broth.

Cristalino Brut Rose - Nice....fruity and crisp. A great value.

Shola described this as “cold, fish-fish, hot” which doesn’t quite do it justice… We started with a shotglass of pure tomato essence: sweet, round and smooth. Next were cubes of raw tuna, just barely tweaked with some sweet miso and salty shreds of seaweed. Following was a fine dice of sour mackerel, countered with sweet crunchy apples. And to end this sequence a shot of clear broth, that was both complex and cleansing, recalling the spicing of an elegant pho.  I could go for a big bowl of that broth with some noodles. 

Terrine of Foie Gras and Tea Soaked Prunes, Lemon Miso Glaze, Curly Endive, Asian Pears, Rye Bread Crisps

2002 Domaine Barmes-Buecher Sept Grains

Each element of this plate was distinctly delicious, but as one worked around and tasted them all together, the effect was only amplified. The foie was a classic cold terrine, rich, but tempered by the prune and other accompaniments. The stripe of lemon miso glaze was sweet and sour and salty, the endive bitter like a delicate frisée salad lifted by a lemony dressing, the Rye crisp adding some crunch, the asian pear cubes offering fresh sweet juciness. 

Butternut Squash Soup, Esplette Oil, Maple Glazed Braeburn Apples, Nutmeg Milk, Vapors of Lemon.

We initially poured a Lustau Solera Reserva Dry Amontillado Sherry, "Los Arcos", which was too overpowering for the delicate soup. Don't get me wrong, it was a great sherry, but not the best match for this soup.

2003 Hermann Wiemer Gewürztraminer - A shockingly good GW and one of my favorite pairings for the evening.

We were pretty curious about the vapors too, and you know, it wasn’t some silly conceptual thing, this whole course was infused and altered by the essence of lemon wafting up from an outer bowl, surrounding a smaller bowl that held the soup. Who’d have imagined that some lemon zest hit with some steaming hot water could have such an impact? But this soup, already vibrant with squash cooked in carrot juice, topped with a nutmeg foam, hiding chunks of sweet apple, was transformed by the citrus edge that felt like a flavor, even if it was only hitting our noses.

Scallops wrapped with Dover Sole, Chestnut Purée, Braised Oxtail and its juices, Lentil-Cumin Emulsion.

2004 Ignaz Niedrist Merlot Rose - I am not a huge rose fan, but this was a pleasant match

Why wrap the scallop in Sole? Why not? These huge, sweet diver scallops gained an interesting textural edge from the belt of fish, and a hearty flavor twist from the beefy sauce. This is not a combination that I’ve encountered before, but it worked really nicely.

Torchon of Rabbit Saddle, Mushroom Farci, Rabbit Confit and Onion Croustade, Rack of Rabbit, Caramelized Salsify, Truffle Glaze

1999 Saint-Damien Gigondas - The earthiness of this wine definitely complimented this dish. My other favorite pairing of the evening.

And a couple of more images...why?....because this dish deserves it.....

I’m sorry, did you say “rack of rabbit”?!?!  That certainly counts as a novel presentation, and one that highlights Shola’s attention to detail, and slightly obsessive nature! It sounds like a cruel trick one plays on the new line cook, suggesting he go French-out the bones on rabbit ribs…  But it was worth the trouble, the meat was tender and tasty, the bones serving as handles for eating the tiny chops.  The torcheon was hearty and earthy, its  mushroom stuffing providing a textural contrast. But in what is turning into a pattern, the crispy, crunchy, pastry stole the show, the combination of bun and a shredded meat filling evoking the feel of a Chinese Bao.

And just in case you thought we were eating off of really HUGE plates, here’s that rack of rabbit, with a wine cork for scale…

Lychee Soup, Sweet Stracchino Cloud, Crystallized Almond and Ginger, Sencha Powder

2004 Weingut Keller PIUS Beerenauslese

Muscato d'Asti - I must have been tired, as I forgot to capture the producer of this sparkling beauty.

The airy could floated above a denser ice cream, each rich with creamy stracchino cheese. A subtle bitter note from the powdered green tea pulled the sweetness back from the brink. Clean, sweet fruit soup and crunchy almond flakes completed the picture, for a signature Shola dessert, traversing a wide range of textures, temperatures, densities and flavors.

So, how to sum-up without resorting to familiar platitudes? Uhhmmmm.. impossible. Once again, a surprising, delightful, and delicious meal, with some new twists I haven’t seen before at SK. You'd think I'd be getting jaded, or bored, by now, but the opposite is actually true. I always look forward to a dinner here, and have yet to be disappointed.

And once again, it was a lovely evening even above and beyond the food, with great dining partners, some interesting wine (notes to follow from our trusty wine scribe - you get to guess who…)  Thanks to all for the lovely company! 

And to those at home, feeling jealous, just remember, be open, be receptive, and just say yes.

←

Our gracious hosts also shared a bottle of Fontalrosso Chianti Colli Senesi, which was made by their relative in Tuscany. Nice, bold, full bodied wine that needed some time to breath.

Thanks to Mr + Mrs I_call_the_duck, Herb and all the wonderful dining companions. Shola, this meal was certainly kicked-up a notch....I can still taste that tomato soup....hmmmm !!!

Cheers

Percy

Edited November 4, 2005 by percyn (log)