May 18th, 2011 by Bob Klein
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The predominant explanation for toasted pasta from Puglia, is that after the wheat fields are harvested and burned to remove the chaff and weeds, gleaners would come and pick through the ashes for the remaining charred kernels of wheat, which they would then mill and make into pasta. Chef Jonah found…
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May 12th, 2011 by Catherine Meng
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Six months ago, we received an 180 pound wether (castrated male sheep) from Mac Magruder. Eighteen months at the time of slaughter this was a rather large animal, and yet the meat was some of the best we’ve ever tasted. So when Mac told us recently that he had two more …
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April 6th, 2011 by Catherine Meng
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We just got a hold of 23 different types of extraordinarily beautiful dried beans. This is not the kind of thing you’d think of at the beginning of spring, but these are real beauties. We’ll be serving Pasta e fagioli on the menu for the next…
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April 4th, 2011 by Catherine Meng
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One of Chef Jonah’s many new projects has been pulling mozzarella in-house. The curds come from Roberto Ferrante who is known throughout the area for his exceptional mozzarella curd. The pulling process requires…
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February 28th, 2011 by Catherine Meng
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Making a brief & delicious appearance on the menu for the next few nights: Charcoal-grilled California spot prawns with Puglian Fava bean purée, Kishu mandarins, and Gaeta olives…
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February 9th, 2011 by Catherine Meng
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This week, pastry chef Jenny Raven put up a batch of Preserved Meyer Lemons. Unique in the fermentation world, this type of preparation produces volatile esters that deepen the aroma of the peel making for delicious tapenades and relishes, as well as adding a bright accompaniment to a number of other recipes…
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December 15th, 2010 by Bob Klein
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Maggie and I have been looking for several months for an exceptional cook—a vital, talented, and dedicated chef who could continue our tradition of learning and teaching, producing delicious food, collaborating, and, in a particular way, motivated by flavor, innovating. There are many talented chefs available, and we decided…
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October 27th, 2010 by Catherine Meng
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In preparation for next week’s Calabrian Dinner (menu just posted!), Rosetta and her mother, Maria, are here showing the kitchen staff how to make fusilli using their family’s traditional method. It looks a bit tricky, but they’ve got time to practice….
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June 4th, 2010 by Catherine Meng
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The kitchen has been busy this week, testing dishes & laying the ground work for next week’s Oceanic Dinners. Chef Canales took some time to show us what he’s doing with a top loin from a large swordfish just in from Monterey Fish Company…
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July 3rd, 2009 by Catherine Meng
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Chef Marco Forneris of Osteria Lalibera in Alba visited us last week, and in conjunction with Chef Paul Canales, devised a unique menu for our Dinners for Produttori del Barbaresco, June 25th – June 26th, 2009. Ben Schwartz and his video camera spent some time with the two of them in the kitchen that first night…
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