An Italian Groove

If Vietnamese was all the rage with the under 30 Bywater set in 2010, then Italian is going to be the It cuisine in 2011. Well, that is if the last month of where I've been eating is any indication. It all started when Peter and I dined at Mario Batali's Otto restaurant in Las Vegas. Verdict: that guy and his cooks know what they are doing. Carbonara pizza was stunning. I find myself continuously reaching for Marcella Hazan cookbooks and dreaming of prosciutto and prosecco laced afternoons.

Last Friday, lunch at Herbsaint. Began with a few samples of menu items chef de cuisine Ryan Prewitt has been developing. First was a mortadella puree with mustard seeds and pickled red onions. Simply dynamite. Then a large cornmeal blini topped with smoked mackerel tossed in a hazelnut dressing and thin slices of kumquat. While I am not the hugest fan of smoked fish, this was a delight: soft and fragrant with the kumquats and hazelnut dressing taking the dish in a Venetian/Orient trading direction.

Then, the dark rust colored chicken and sausage gumbo and a Tuscan bean soup. The chicken and sausage gumbo at Herbsaint is the best in the city. Smoky, rich, and thick without being gloppy, this version achieves a level of perfection few gumbos ever reach. Next a salad of fresh lettuces with city ham, Ryal's cheddar, and a buttermilk dressing. The city ham got lost in the shuffle and were chewy, but the slivers of Ryal's cheddar were creamy and delicious. Now granted, there was nothing Italian about the salad or the gumbo. However, the simple presentation and selection of good local ingredients is Italian in spirit. Finished it off with the always amazing and over the top spaghetti with fried egg and guanciale. Again, not sure if this Italian, but like Sinatra it should be.

Next Tuesday, Herbsaint is hosting a Barolo dinner with Hopper's Wine and Spirits. The menu is solid, the wines rare, and the company will be great as I have heard Robert Peyton will not be in attendance.

Dinner two weeks ago at a Mano. We dined as we are becoming accustomed to - order a selection of appetizers or starters to dance around the menu. The usually reliable and excellent tripe fell just short of its mark, the tripe slightly overcooked and turning to mush. The bruschetta di 'nduja was marvelous though with its deep porky flavor and perk of spiciness. Braesola with arugula is a dish best enjoyed on a summer night, but it is not bad on a cold Thursday either. The ricotta fritters were dense and boring; they need to bring back the Supli al Telefono.

Spaghetti carbonara and buccattini alla'amatriciana rounded out the meal. The former suffered from a bit too much salt but was still a glorious example of why pork and eggs are totes BFF. The latter could have been spicier for more taste, but the impeccable pasta did nothing to distract me from the Italian Groove.

Ryals Goat Dairy, Voodough Bakery, and Citrus

The last few weeks the Crescent City Farmer's Market, the Thursday Afternoon market at the American Can Company, and others have exploded with the bounty of the Gulf Coast's farmers, fisherman, food artisans, and cattlemen. I have a huge love for all foods that come with a face and a name, rather than a cryovaced container. And it really only comes down to one thing: things taste better when they come straight from the producer. Now whether this is a scientific fact or psychological reaction, I am not certain and I dont care.

But perhaps no new vendor has brought as much amplitude as Ryals Goat Dairy. Their fresh made chevre and feta makes supermarket cheeses jealous. They have two varieties of feta. One is plain and the other is marinated in olive oil, herbs, and spices. The latter feta added to some diced Creole's (which are quickly exiting the scene) and placed on top of some charred bread made for a perfect light dinner.

The chevre comes in a myriad of tasty combinations. The Cajun spiced chevre is best enjoyed slathered on a baguette from Voodough Bakery with a drizzle of good olive oil. The plain chevre, mixed with ricotta and parsley, added a delightful tang to a lasagna. There is also an herbed chevre, a pecan chevre, etc...

The first week Ryals was at the market they ran out of most things rather quickly. Last Saturday they brought more supply, but demand was still high. If you like cheese, you will love their products.

The Voodough Bakery offers a selection of homemade breads. So far our favorite is the Olive Salad Foccacia. Rich, thick bread topped with a great olive salad results in an almost buttery treat. One of these weekends, we will slice the loaf in half, pile it high with Italian meats and cheeses and call it a de-constructed, reconstituted muff. Or something equally trendy. The problem is the bread barely survivies the car ride home. Also, the Apricot Coffee Cake goes perfectly with coffee and WWOZ.

Also, bought this last weekend were some season heralding satsumas and some plump Meyer Lemons. Both citruses will have their skins peeled and the pith removed. They will then relax for about 2 months in a soothing botanical treatment of high octane booze (maybe that moonshine, likely vodka) for some homemade Lemoncello to be dolled out to fans of the blog come Christmastime. If you have been nice, time to start being naughty.*

I'd have photos but I don't. Soon enough this blog will have the type of photography reserved for truly important journalistic endeavors. We will get on that as soon as we learn how to write good.



* Well that kind of sounds like the tagline for a holiday porno starring Brandi C. from Rock of Love. Sorry, wont happen again.