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Kenwood Inn and Spa

2009-11-21T17:11:00-08:00

I’ll accept any press trip that has the word “Spa” associated with it. Honestly. If it means travelling by donkey I’ll attend. I love spas. Love the atmosphere. The smells. The women with Andre the Giant-sized hands… Love it.

So when this overnighter appeared in my inbox I was all over it. Not just because a gourmet dinner was included, but it was only 45 mins from my crib. I don’t know about you, but I always forget about the little gems in my neighborhood. So this was a great op to check this property out.

Kenwood Inn and Spa is located in the heart of Sonoma Valley. Now, for those of you who’re a bit confused between Sonoma Valley and Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley, also known as Valley of the Moon, is a small appellation (slice of land) that basically starts at the north end of the city of Sonoma and stretches north to the south end of Santa Rosa (and west to the east side of Santa Rosa). I know. I’ve put a link below for you to check it out further. Sonoma County incorporates all of the “Sonoma” appellations, like Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Alexander Valley, Sonoma Valley, etc. Sonoma Valley is a sub-appellation of Sonoma County.

Anyway. Sonoma Valley is incredibly beautiful. Bordered by the Mayacamas Mountains to the east, and Sonoma Mountain to the west, it’s an ideal destination for those who want to spend a day in wine country as far away from Napa traffic as possible. Honestly, between the months of April and October it’s impossible to make a left turn in Napa. Honestly. Impossible.

The Grounds
The Mediterranean-inspired Inn and Spa is situated on two and one-half acres amongst groves of oak, walnut and fruit trees. It boasts an outdoor saline swimming pool and hot tub, two Jacuzzis, fountains, a serene pond, abundant flora and ivy-covered walls (I copied that from the brochure). In addition to the Spa, there’s a wine bar (featuring hard-to-find local wines) and an Italian-inspired restaurant with indoor/outdoor dinning. As a business retreat (why you’d go there for business I have no idea), the Inn offers a 700 square foot meeting room (with full multi-media capabilities) that opens to a full courtyard view. And, of course, the grounds are ideal for weddings and special occasions (like hiking the Appalachian Trail).

Rooms
There are 29 rooms at Kenwood Inn and Spa. They’re nice. More rustic than urban, with a warm feel of old world Europe. I’m too young to remember old world Europe, but it sounded good. Amenities include a feather bed, Italian linens, fireplace, CD player, small balcony and skincare products from ARCONA (nice!).

Please note: if you’re a TV-holic like myself, definitely make sure to ask for one of the two rooms that has a TV. The rest don’t. There is Wi-Fi throughout the property, so I guess you could watch Hulu, but…

The Spa
Spa treatments center around vinotherapy – oils extracted from grape seeds. The two most notable treatments are the Kenwood Wine Wrap and the Kenwood Wine Bath (click here for more detailed info). So, naturally, I went with the deep tissue massage. Hey, I’m a free spirit.

The 50 minute treatment was more than enough. Any longer and I would’ve needed Vicodin to make it through. That’s not a dig. The treatment was administered with the precise pressure and accuracy needed. My knots disappeared and my bod felt great afterward. Face it: sometimes you walk away hurting more than when you walked in. Not the case here.

The Restaurant
The restaurant offers á la carte dinner menu: La Vera Cucina, classic Italian dishes, by Executive Chef Renzo Veronese. What impressed me most about the dishes were the subtlety in which Chef Renzo uses spices. Like a good wine, the barrel and winemaker influences should complement the grape variety, not overpower it. Chef Renzo uses spices to bring out the intrinsic flavors of the main ingredients without hitting you over the head with them. This is a refreshing alternative to the typical “Italian” cuisine often experienced in the U.S.

XX = Highly Recommended

Sonoma Valley Map

Sonoma Valley Wineries

Sonoma Valley Bike Trails

Alternative Sonoma Valley Dining

For More Sonoma Valley Info

-DR

Ceiba del Mar, Mexico

2009-09-24T18:17:00-08:00

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One Day: North Carolina Wine Country

2008-09-12T18:21:00-08:00

TASTING NOTES:

The wine reviews below are based on the following scale:

XXX = Exceptionally Cool
XX = Fo' Shizzle (Highly Recommended)
X = Gets It Done (Recommended)

No that’s not a typo. There are wineries in North Carolina. Really. More than 21 of ‘em. And thank God. I was in Durham visiting my father and needed to write the trip off.

To expedite matters I emailed a local wine writer/friend in Durham to get a better idea on who/where to visit. He gave me the “fab four” as they’re known locally. I contacted said four wineries, and three decided it was worth their time and effort to actually email me back. So here’s your itinerary for your one day in NC wine country:

Start at Childress Vineyards. Not too early. Time it so you can taste, tour and then eat lunch in their deli/restaurant that overlooks the wine cellar. If the name (Childress) sounds familiar it should. It’s owned by Richard Childress of auto racing fame. (The guy’s got his own museum forchristsakes!) Anywho, the winery could easily be transplanted to Napa Valley. Normally that’d be an insult (to the winery), but it’s a beautiful facility complete with large tasting room (read: tchotsky emporium) and comfortable deli/restaurant.

Here are the wines to look for:

X Childress
2006 Sauvignon Blanc
Barrel Select $19
Clean, crisp and floral, nice balance and nice finish.

X Childress
2005 Chardonnay
Barrel Select $15
Nice fruit, good balance and a touch of butter and oak.

X Childress
2005 Chardonnay
Reserve $20
More butter and oak than above, but still has nice, crisp acids and a nice lingering finish.

X+ Childress
2006 Riesling
Barrel Select $19
Off-dry, classic riesling aromas and flavors, and a decent lingering finish.

XX Childress
2006 Sangiovese
Ginani Vineyards $17
Nice spicy red fruit, a decent amount of oak/wood, and real character on the finish.

X Childress
2005 Cabernet Franc
Barrel Select $17
Nice red and black fruit, light earth, some floral elements, and a lot of oak which makes it sticky on the finish.

X+ Childress
2005 Cabernet Franc
Reserve $25
More concentrated than the barrel select, a bit chalky though and a little sticky on the finish. Needs time.

X Childress
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
Barrel Select $17
Straight forward cab, with clean fruit and a nice finish.

X Childress
2005 Merlot
Barrel Select $17
A bit more character than the cab – more spice – with hints of celery in the smooth finish.

X+ Childress
2004 Syrah
Barrel Select $17
Good black and blue fruit, some spice and a velvety lingering finish.

XXX Childress
2006 Late Harvest Viognier
Select Berry $25
Very icewine-like, concentrated, silky smooth and a wonderful lingering finish.

After lunch, head west/northwest to Westbend Vineyards. In contrast to Childress, this is a quaint setting with more European-style wines.

Now… Westbend wines are very European. I’m not crazy about European wines (read: earthy, not fruit forward). I’m a new world palate kinda guy. So there’s not a whole lot I can honestly say I liked here. BUT WAIT. If you like Euro-centric wines – and there are a number of you who do – please go to Westbend and try their wines. And don’t skip the Port. It’s pretty tasty.

Last, but not least, head south to RayLen Vineyards. A marriage of Childress and Westbend, the facility boasts a comfortable tasting room and scenic views from its porch.

Here are the wines to try at RayLen:

X RayLen
2005 Chardonnay
No Oak $12
Fresh fruit, crisp acids and a nice lingering finish.

X RayLen
2005 Chardonnay
Barrel $14
No overly oaky (which is nice), a bit more concentrated than above, and a nice crisp finish.

RayLen
2006 Chardonnay
SMV $15
I only mention this wine because there are a lot of you that still think chardonnay should taste like oak and butter. Get over it!

X RayLen
2006 Shiraz $12
Nice black and blue fruit, some smoke, and a bit sticky on the finish.

X RayLen
2005 Merlot $13
Red fruit, plum, a little woody, with a nice round body and finish.

X RayLen
2006 Merlot $13
A bit more intense than above, but still still and chewy on the finish.

X RayLen
2006 Cabernet Franc $15
Nice fruit, a little stiff and a bit chalky on the finish. Needs time.

X+ RayLen
2006 Category 5 $18
Best wine in the group: ripe fruit, smooth body and soft lingering finish.

Vintage Note: Quality of vintages from 2004+ get better with each year (excluding 2008). So check it out for yourself. See if you agree with the winemakers.

More info on the Yadkin Valley Wine Trail

Google Map of Yadkin Valley Wineries

Restaurant Recommendations

Lexington

When in Lexington, you gots ta stop at a barbecue restaurant in town. Unfortunately, most only serve sweet tea. The exception: The Barbecue House which serves beer and wine.

Mocksville

Ketchie Creek
844 Valley Rd
Mocksville, NC 27028
(336) 751-9147

Snook’s
109 Junie Beauchamp Road
Mocksville, NC 27028
(336) 998-4305

Winston-Salem

Noble’s Grille
380 Knollwood St # 100
Winston Salem, NC 27103
(336) 777-8477

Twin City Chop House
115 S Main St
Winston Salem, NC 27101
(336) 748-8600

Sixth & Vine
209 W 6th St
Winston Salem, NC 27101
(336) 725-5577

Zevely House
901 W 4th St
Winston Salem, NC 27101
(336) 725-6666

Ryan’s Steak Chops & Seafood
719 Coliseum Dr
Winston Salem, NC 27106
(336) 724-6132

Riverbirch Lodge & Restaurants
3324 Robinhood Rd
Winston Salem, NC 27106
(336) 768-1111

Bleu Restaurant & Bar
3425 Frontis St
Winston Salem, NC 27103
(336) 760-2026

Hutch & Harris Pub
424 W. 4th St.
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
(336) 721-1336

Greensboro

Green Valley Grill
622 Green Valley Rd
Greensboro, NC 27408
(336) 854-2015

Village Tavern
1903 Westridge Rd
Greensboro, NC 27410
(336) 282-3063

Durham

Piedmont
401 Foster St # B2
Durham, NC 27701
(919) 683-1213

Four Square (expensive)
2701 Chapel Hill Rd
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 401-9877

Nana's
2514 University Dr
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 493-8545

Magnolia Grill (expensive)
1002 9th St
Durham, NC 27705
(919) 286-3609

Pop's (noisy)
810 W Peabody St
Durham, NC 27701
(919) 956-7677

George's Garage
737 9th St
Durham, NC 27705
(919) 286-4131

Snorkel Michigan

2008-04-03T14:31:00-08:00

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One Day: Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario, Canada

2008-03-12T21:04:01-08:00

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Piemonte

2007-03-03T15:26:00-08:00

Imagine a corner of Italy where rice is as commonplace as pasta. Where you can visit a university of gastronomy and a university for truffle-hunting dogs all in the same day. Windsurf a secluded lake, mountain bike old Roman trails, hot-air balloon above vineyards, or test the powder on an Olympic-quality ski run. And through it all, taste some of the flat-out finest food and wine anywhere.

Welcome to Piemonte. Meaning “foot of the mountain,” and tucked in between the Italian Riviera and the Alps of France and Switzerland, Piemonte (pyeh-MOHN-teh) has aptly been called Italy’s “green treasure chest.” Home of Barolo and Barbaresco wine, wild boar and venison, butter and cheese, and the “Holy Grail of cuisine” – the white truffle – this prosperous province offers something for everyone, every month of the year.

The Truffle Shuffle
They may look like mutant potatoes, but white truffles rank among the priciest and most sought-after foods on the planet. Finding them – in the woods, underground, in the dead of night – involves a keen-nosed mongrel dog and arcane lore (including moon phases) passed down from father to son. Every trifolau (truffle hunter, in Piemontese dialect) guards his best spots like secret fishing holes. No wonder – the prize fungi fetch stratospheric prices (a 1.2-kilo giant recently brought more than $120K at auction, and even ordinary ones can cost hundreds).

Every fall, the world celebrates Tuber magnatum pico at the Truffle Market in the historic town of Alba. You enter below a larger-than-life poster of Sophia Loren holding a monster truffle, then thread your way past booth after booth of cheeses, sausages and other local specialties. Sample the truffled wild boar salami, the testun cheese with its crust of grape pressings, the breadstick dipped in chestnut honey, the dense hazelnut cake, and follow the heady aromas to the café bar in back.

For 25 euros you can taste what the fuss is all about. While you watch, one stately gentleman shaves tissue-thin truffle slices over a pair of sunny-side-up eggs; another pours you a big glass of Barolo from magnum. (This is Breakfast of Champions Piemonte style!)

Around the bend, past fragrant heaps of porcini mushrooms, the trifolai themselves display their finds. If you buy a truffle to bring home, keep it dry and cool (some suggest packing it in dry rice) and use it as soon as you can. (Oh, and it will perfume everything in your suitcase.) Or avoid the hassles by getting bottles of truffle oil instead – it’s available year-round, it keeps for months, and a few drops go a long way. (Tartufi Morra, in Alba, is a great source for all things truffle.)

Drinks
Move over Chianti, make way for the world-class reds, whites and sparklers of Piemonte. They’re varied, versatile, and supremely food-friendly, with a history that traces back to Etruscan times (~800 B.C.). From the castle-studded Langhe and Roero regions to the Alpine foothills, here are a few of the best.

Arneis: A dry, fragrant, food-friendly white with great acidity and clean flavors from stainless-steel aging. Great with freshwater perch from the lake district or trout from the mountain streams.

(Cortese di) Gavi: Dry and crisp; an ancient varietal with DOCG (Italy’s highest) status. Try it with a fritto misto (“mixed fry”) of freshwater fish.

Chardonnay: Piemonte’s cool hillsides make for a balanced, fruit-driven chard, usually with little or no oak. A natural with buttered tajerin (fresh, thin-sliced egg noodles) and local game birds such as quail and pheasant.

Moscato (muscat): Made dry, sweet or sparkling, the highly fragrant moscato shows ripe, honeyed fruit-and-floral aromas. Great with hard-to-pair foods, and as a lower-alcohol afternoon sipper. Moscato passito, a hyper-sweet version, is made by raisining the grapes, either on the vine or in the winery. And love it or loathe it, the muscat-based Asti Spumante is hard to beat with Piemontese hazelnut cake, or with cheese and cogna’ fruit chutney.

Alta Langa, a fairly new DOC (regional appellation), produces metodo classico (Champagne-styled) dry sparklers, primarily from chardonnay and pinot noir grapes.

Dolcetto: Medium-bodied and dry despite its name. Soft tannins, forward fruit and reasonable price make it an easy-drinking intro to Piemontese reds. A good partner for a sampler plate of local cheeses.

Barbera: Piemonte’s most popular everday red; quality has vastly improved in recent years. Bring it on a vineyard picnic or team it with Piemonte’s garlicky staple, bagna caoda (see recipe).

Nebbiolo: When produced without much barrel aging, this varietal is fresh and lively, with medium body and berry-spice flavors. It’s easy-going enough for a rustic lunch of bread, aged sheep cheese and wild boar sausage; heady enough to take on braised veal or wild hare at dinner.

Barolo and Barbaresco: Big and burly, both made from the nebbiolo grape, they’re aged for up to three years in oak and can develop in bottle for decades. Locals call them the “king and queen” of Piemontese reds and serve them with the region’s heartiest fare including venison, risotto with porcini, and anything with white truffles. Barolo Chinato, seasoned with botanicals such as quinine bark, juniper and rosemary, makes a potent after-dinner digestivo.

Piemonte Producers
Many wineries are open to the public for tours and tasting; others require an appointment. In addition, most restaurants and bottle shops feature a wide range of wines from the entire region. Here’s a sampling:
Aldo Conterno
Bruno Giacosa
Castello Banfi
Ceretto
Fontanafredda
Gaja
Gancia
Gianni Gagliardo
Michele Chiarlo
Pio Cesare
Prunotto
Renato Ratti
Sandrone
Vietti

Eats
Fonduta – Piemonte’s alpine fondue, made with fontina cheese and often stirred into risotto. For a high-ticket version, shave white truffles on top.

Agnolotti del plin – Ravioli stuffed with veal, pork, spinach and nutmeg; often topped with sage butter.

Riso (rice) – Many varieties (look for short-grain “Vialone Nano” or black “Venere”). Piemontese risotto recipes vary from the salami-studded Panissa of the northeast to the wine-country mainstay, Risotto al Barolo.

Polenta – The best is stone-ground, from heirloom varieties of corn. Served hot and creamy with butter and/or melted cheese, or poured out, cut into squares, and baked or sautéed.

Carne Cruda – Piemonte-style steak tartare; made with beef or veal and dressed with olive oil and lemon.

Bollito misto – “Mixed Boil” tastes much better than it sounds. Assorted long-simmered meats (some recipes include a pig’s foot and calf head along with the veal breast, capon and cotechino sausage) and seasonal vegetables.

Manzo Stufato – Braised beef, with varied seasonings such as bay leaf and nutmeg.

Tartufo Bianco: The white truffle, “Jewel of Piemonte,” tastes best as a last-second topping for simple hot foods such as eggs, buttered pasta and risotto. Shave it as thin as possible (a special tool is available locally) to release its musky, earthy aromas. Learn more at a 90-minute class in the sensory analysis of the truffle’s elusive aromas, or join the fourth-generation rector of the University of Truffle Dogs, and his ace sniffer “Lady,” on a simulated truffle hunt.

Cheeses
Piemonte produces a huge variety of cheeses. The intense, blue-marbled Castelmagno is often stirred into fresh pasta or gnocchi. Caprino, made from goat’s milk, is tangy and creamy when young; denser and punchier as it ages. Murazzano, a sheep cheese from the Langhe region, has its own festival in August. Bettelmat, from the lake district, gets its distinctive flavor from an aromatic local grass that the cows feed on. Melt some Fontina for a classic après-ski fonduta; slice some firm Toma, creamy Taleggio, or nutty, rich Robiola over hot polenta. Families who make their own cheeses often dry-age them to various stages of hardness and pungency, and also cure them in olive oil with wild or garden herbs.

Sweets
Bonet: Caramel-cocoa custard, usually served cold.

Giandujotti: Mini foil-wrapped chocolate-hazelnut confections, reportedly invented by Napoleon when chocolate supplies were low.

Torta di Nocciole (Hazelnut cake): Made with or without cocoa powder, cinnamon and orange peel, it stars Piemonte’s famous and flavorful tonda gentile (round and friendly) variety of hazelnut.

Frutta: Piemonte’s fruit ranks among Europe’s finest. Try fresh summer strawberries or peaches soaked in Moscato, with some crunchy brutti ma buoni (ugly but good) mini-biscotti. Ciliege al Barolo (wine-marinated cherries), on menus in season, are also available in jars. Madernassa pears (an ancient local variety, recently saved from extinction) are wonderful as is, stewed with spices, or distilled into grappa. (The agricultural cooperative at Cascina del Cornale sells these and more.)

Bicerin: Torino’s hot coffee, chocolate and cream pick-me-up; it originated in an 18th century café’ that still features it.

Caffe’ Corretto: Cuppa joe, wine-country style, served even at breakfast: splash in some red wine to “correct” the coffee’s bitter edge.

Where to Eat
Ristorante Elvezia, in the town of Stresa on Lago Maggiore. Try the lake fish “in cartoccio” (cooked in parchment)

Gianni Gagliardo in La Morra. Restaurant features truffle menus in season; adjoining winery. Vintner Gagliardo founded and hosts the annual Barolo Auction.

Piola on the town square in Alba. Cozy trattoria owned by the winemaking Ceretto family, featuring their wines. Great house-made ravioli.

Belvedere, on the hilltop in La Morra, for agnolotti, wild game and a spectacular view of the Langhe wine country.

La Contea, in Neive. Traditional Piemontese specialties, with home-cured meats, fresh-made egg pasta, game birds, and truffles in season. A “Buon Ricordo” restaurant: you get a hand-painted souvenir plate when you order the specialty of the house.

Combal.Zero for cutting-edge food and presentation, next to the ancient Rivoli castle near Torino. Innovative chef-owner Davide Scabin puts “ingredients together in an unusual way: semi-solid soups, semi-liquid pizzas, cyber-eggs.” (These last come with white helium balloons attached, which make for unique after-dinner conversation…) He numbers each version of a dish “like a new edition of software” – Albese 2.4, for example, for his Alba-style veal recipe.

Golosi di Salute in Alba. Gorgeous pastries and confections with a health-conscious twist. Just ask, and they’ll steer you toward dairy-free, yeast-free, or sugar-free options. Must-try: the butter-free croissants, enriched with extra-virgin olive oil.

Baratti e Milano in Torino. Café’ and confectionery shop, dating from 1875, with ultra-luxe inlaid marble floors, carved mahogany and silk-upholstered furnishings.

Caffe’ Florio, an elegant Torino landmark, since 1780. It’s said that Garibaldi planned the future of Italy here. Renowned for gelato, especially the hazelnut-chocolate gianduiotto.

Where to Stay
Lake district: Hotel San Rocco in Orta San Giulio – A former convent, with ancient stonework, beamed ceilings, updated rooms. Lakefront indoor-outdoor dining (chef Paolo Viviani won top prize in the ’06 “Rice Olympics” chef competition), great lake and mountain views. Hit the nearby shops for picnic supplies or foodie souvenirs: varietal rice, dried porcini mushrooms, multicolored pasta ribbons.

Torino: Hotel Santo Stefano – Sleek and contemporary. Its modern brick façade, with recessed color-changing LEDs, makes a neat old-meets-new contrast with the nearby Roman arches.

Wine Country: Foresteria Conti Roero in Monticello d’Alba – Up a steep, winding mountain road, this remote, country-elegant retreat started life as a hunting lodge for Piemontese nobility. Great wine list geared to regional specialties at its restaurant, Conte Roero.

Albergo dell’Agenzia in Pollenzo, a four-star hotel on a Savoy country estate. Each guest room is named for a local wine, and the fitness center features a Turkish bath. The Agenzia also houses the University of Gastronomic Sciences (the first of its kind in the world) and the Wine Bank (a “bottle library” from producers throughout Italy). You can take the Wine Bank guided tour and taste several bottlings from the cellar. Or book the two-day crash course in Piemontese food and wine, which includes wine-themed dinners and tastings at nearby wineries.

Torino – Museums, Shopping and More

Torino, Italy’s capital of contemporary art, offers over 40 museums and outdoor exhibits. Its Egyptian Museum is ranked second in the world, after Cairo, and the Automobile Museum houses a large collection of rare and vintage cars. (If you’re staying for 48 or 72 hours, consider the Torino Card for free public transport, and free or deep-discount tickets to concerts, museums and more. Some hotels even include the Card with a two-night booking.)

For movie buffs, the five-story Cinema Museum, in the Mole Antonelliana (“Italy’s Eiffel Tower”), traces Italian film history from its beginnings in Torino. Charlie Chaplin’s bowler hat is here, along with a shark head from Jaws and an archive of some 200,000 films. An interactive tour leads you through the stages of filmmaking, and spotlights typical movie themes in ten different “chapels.” (In the “love” chapel, reportedly, you lie on red, heart-shaped cushions to watch flicks; in the “humor” chapel, you sit on a toilet.)

Just outside town, the Castello di Rivoli, built for the Savoy royal dynasty, now houses a knockout modern collection in the Museo di Arte Contemporaneo. Along with an extensive permanent collection of Italian and international modern masters, the museum hosts special exhibits (the current show features Claes Oldenburg) of both established and up-and-coming artists.

Throughout Torino’s city center, covered walkways and glassed-in arcades make it easy to shop, snack and people-watch in any weather. The sprawling Porta Palazzo, with over 700 stalls, claims the title of Europe’s largest open-air market, and the former Fiat factory in Lingotto has morphed into a multi-story shopping galleria. (Don’t miss the test track on the roof, overlooking the ’06 Olympic Village.)

For nightlife, head to the wine bars, clubs and dusk-to-dawn discos of the Murazzi del Po, Quadrilatero Romano (Roman Quarter), or Docks Dora in the old warehouse district. Craving a martini? Salute – vermouth was invented here!

Recipe adapted from Seafood Pasta and Noodles, The New Classics by Rosina Tinari Wilson (Ten Speed Press)

Bagna Caoda

Piemontese for “hot bath,” it’s a fondue-style regional specialty featuring assorted raw and cooked vegetables and a rich garlic-anchovy dipping sauce. Add some baguette slices to round out the meal, and to mop up any extra sauce.

Bagna Caoda Sauce

1 cup small whole garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup olive oil
1 cup butter
1 can (2 oz.) anchovies, drained and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, coarsely chopped

Vegetables
Arrange your choice of seasonal vegetables on a serving platter – raw, cooked or some of each. Examples: carrot and zucchini sticks, string beans, cherry tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower florets, green onions, cabbage wedges, radishes, tiny potatoes.

How To
Simmer garlic in olive oil and butter over very low heat (an electric fondue pot is ideal) until garlic becomes very soft and golden, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Stir in anchovies and parsley and keep warm while everyone “bathes” their veggies.

For more info
http://www.regione.piemonte.it/turismo
http://www.torinoturismo.org
http://www.turismodoc.it
http://www.langheroero.it
http://www.agenziadipollenzo.com
http://www.bancadelvino.it
http://www.tartufimorra.com
http://www.gildedfork.com

The Montalcino Syndrome

2007-02-01T20:21:01-08:00

We're speeding up the narrow two-lane road to Montalcino in Yoshi's somewhat dilapidated Datsun. After a great weekend in Siena, where I experienced a mild art glut, I was anticipating a few days in a quieter setting. Luckily I had met Yoshi four years ago during language school in Italy. After I went home, he kept hanging out and never went back to Japan. Being a confessed Italophile and vinophile, he studied Italian wine and ended up as the head wine guy at Banfi Castle in Montalcino. Now Yoshi lives and "works" in an Italian castle drinking some of Italy's most celebrated wine. Tough.

Luckily I don't suffer from nausea, so the semi-suicidal 2,000-foot climb to Montalcino rewards me with stunning views of Tuscany's grandeur. "That's where I live," Yoshi mentions casually with just a hint of pride. I follow his gaze up the mountain to the rustic hamlet now barely visible behind its wall. A few church towers rise above the crowded maze of tenant buildings. A woman opens the red shutters of her rustic apartment. March in Montalcino is a long, lingering month. With that in mind, I feel the urge to kill Yoshi and steal his job and life when I'm suddenly quelled by some amalgamate image from childhood: the Italian equivalent of Julie Andrews running down a green, mountain pasture, arms aflight, Ave Maria wafting in the background. I relax and enjoy the scenery with only mild pangs of jealousy.

We're in southern Tuscany -- the place Adam and Eve had to leave after Eve bit into that ripe sangiovese grape. Here, there's no shortage of excruciatingly quaint hilltop towns; no problem making you feel like writing home to say, "Sell everything. Never returning." Southern Tuscany is wine country, is Italy, is civilization at its very best. And if southern Tuscany is all that, Montalcino (Moan-tall-chino) is the capital in my eyes -- what most Americans must envision when they think of Italy. Picture the medieval burg clinging to its pinnacle, the serpentine cobblestone streets and squat grandmothers who negotiate them. Churchbells can be heard from anywhere in the city. Good wine is a given. Here, the pace is slower, the olive oil greener, and the entire town seems to reek of the perfection of daily life.

"There's not much to do in Montalcino," Yoshi says. But he says it in such a way that leaves me thinking "nothing to do" in Montalcino is most definitely a good thing. Here, hours are stretched free of charge. Wineglasses swell with content, and like the mythic Hydra, dishes of savory pasta seem to regenerate threefold every bite you take. There are no teenybopper discotheques, no cheesy trinket venders peddling their weary wares on the streets. Not even the Let's Go and Rick Steves backpacker hordes find their way up the mountain (often), as it's a bit difficult to reach. No train braves the perilous climb up to Montalcino's summit. Without a car, you're better off taking the one-hour bus ride from Siena.

Once at Montalcino, you're greeted by a perfectly preserved medieval hamlet. Start with a walk to the far end of the city where the fortress, or Rocca, lies. Familiarize yourself with the one main street. This requires little effort and will also let you kick off your stay in Montalcino at its Rocca. Walk the grounds, take a stroll along the catwalks, or cruise inside the turrets. And though the views from just about anywhere in Montalcino are truly inspiring, those from atop the Rocca feel somehow even more regal. Plan secret attacks on neighboring villages, wax philosophic, or just suck in the mountain air.

Although constructed in the 14th century, the Rocca has been "modernized" inside with the addition of its own wine bar, or enoteca -- arguably the first Italian term you should memorize. These blessed creatures, these enoteche, curiously absent (or at least endangered in America) thrive in Montalcino. And enoteche make me very happy. This particular one allows you to sample not only some of Italy's finest wines ($1.50 to $5 a glass) but also local meats and cheeses, like the indigenous wild boar sausage and the smooth Pecorino cheese.

Someone dead and famous once said, "To truly appreciate someplace, go there poor." That sums up my travel philosophy as much in principle as out of necessity. And while northern Italy is no budget traveler's dream, we will endure. Believe me, you'll feel better spending money on a truly memorable Tuscan experience -- like a few glasses of wine in the Rocca -- than you will getting your caricature taken outside the Duomo in Florence for triple the price.

If you're looking for something a little less, well, fortress-like and expensive, check out Enoteca Franci, one of Yoshi's hangouts. You'll find it in the main piazza to the side of the clock tower on Via Mazzini. Enoteca Franci is the Cheers of the city, attracting every living inhabitant in Montalcino, young and old, hip and otherwise. During sunny days, get a bottle of great Montalcino wine, sip a cappuccino or snack on some rustic salami and Parmigiano cheese. At night, the atmosphere is right out of a Hemingway novel: red vinyl benches; mirrors; chandeliers; and a dark, cavernous back room full of wines to choose from or to ogle, or both. Sound expensive and chic? Nah. Plus you get the whole "ex-patriot, grainy black-and-white" feeling to boot.

And there's plenty of great wine to go around. First and foremost, the top wine, the black rooster of the town: Brunello di Montalcino. Actually, its reputation doesn't just apply to Montalcino, Tuscany or even Italy. In the world of wine, Brunello is a big boy. A strain of the more familiar sangiovese grape of Chianti, Brunello (so named because of its brownish hue) is responsible for Italy's finest red wine alongside Barolo. With a minimum aging of four years -- six months of which must be in bottle -- Brunello is a dark, dry, potent wine that goes with anything it wants. For that reason, it's, well, a bit expensive. A bottle will start around $20 and run as far as your credit card can. And further. And faster. Keep in mind, though, that the same wine in America -- provided you can even find it -- costs much more. From the little investigating I've done, you're looking at around a $10 to $15 price hike in America on Brunello. In addition, you have the usually insane "dock fees" or whatever American restaurants call their premiums. Translation: if you feel like doing it up in Montalcino, Brunello is the one.

But I have good news for those who don't want to mortgage their mothers for wine: Rosso di Montalcino. This wine is made from the same sangiovese strain. In many respects, it's the same wine, the only difference is the aging time and price tag. And sure, I could probably tell the difference between Brunello and Rosso. But I can also tell the difference between a Mercedes and a Honda. And which is better for the money? Rosso starts at $5 and runs to about $10 for the top producers. Don't sweat these big names, though. Every bottle I had was a lesson in how to enjoy life. And if you're not a total wine geek, Rosso, in most cases, is a much better choice than the far pricier Brunello.

The more established wineries in Montalcino excel in most all the varietals, though. Apart from the slew of red wines, you can peruse anything in white from sauvignon blanc to the syrupy sweet moscato. In short, Montalcino is a wine town. You merely need to visit Enoteca Franci or any one of the some thirty million bars or enoteche (or so it seems, as potential wine pit stops appear with blissful regularity). And when drinking wine in Montalcino remember: being snobbish with wine doesn't come naturally to Italians. Wine is their mass consumption, normal beverage which, for most Italians, still comes in a water glass. As such, wine drinking seems a touch more genuine, more enjoyable. No pedantic rigamarole, just good wine and, of greater importance, kind, witty people.

If you're itching to taste the proverbial "fruit of the vine" and want to experience what really put Montalcino on the map, go to the tourist office and get a bus schedule for the wineries themselves. They're located outside the city, it takes a vehicle, a Japanese friend with a vehicle, a bus, a taxi or a long thumb to get there. For a taste of the original Brunello, head toward Biondi Santi. Clemente Santi was responsible for isolating the Brunello strain of the sangiovese grape in the last century. Since then, Biondi Santi has claimed awards around the world for its Brunello. Good for them. Also good for us -- if we want to spend around $40 a bottle. Prices and standards are high. However, if you're a Brunello freak, or plan on becoming one, this wine is a "must taste;" and the winery, a connoisseur's "must see."

I also highly recommend Banfi: one of the most established yet progressive wineries in Montalcino. You can enjoy the views from the tasting room, the Banfi Villa, the Banfi Castle and, most importantly, slurp some vino with Yoshi. (Tell him I sent you. Heck, it might be good for some perks.) You can even eat at the winery, if you want to drop some major cash and really impress your significant other. However, any type of winery experience is possible. Montalcino has everything from space age, stainless steel producers, to old school brothers with unpronounceable names.

Just about any type of winery experience is possible, though. Montalcino has everything from space age, stainless steel producers to old-school brothers with unpronounceable names. The smaller estate of Campogiovanni, for example, doesn't have the esteemed reputation and, therefore, must make quality wine at the lowest cost possible. Although owned by the larger San Felice, Campogiovanni is fighting to make a name for itself in the highly traditional ground of Montalcino And in this category, there's a plethora of great wineries ready to sell you on wine before non-existent, or at best, respectively small, reputations. Apart from Campogiovanni, definitely try Marchesato degli Aleramici, Col d'Orcia, Castelgiocondo, Mastroianni and la Poderina. Brunello from these producers usually runs in the $18 to $30 range; Rosso from $6 to $10. Though their wines are easy to acquire, information on most of these wineries is scarce. Check with the tourist office, or call directly upon arriving.

"But we must eat," you say. "We can't live on wine alone." Sadly, this is true. Have no fear, though. If the Montalcinese know anything beside wine, they know food. And the question is not where or what to eat, but how to sample everything without breaking your budget or your new Italian leather belt. Yoshi and I checked out his favorite place, Osteria di Porta al Cassero. From the street it may not seem like much. The actual surroundings are quite simple and unpretentious -- my favorite style. But the smell alone is enough to merit a try. I almost floated in on a wave of heavenly aromas a la Tom and Jerry. Definitely try anything with wild boar, usually prepared as a stew or ragù. And if tripe is your game, it's also the specialty. Yoshi partook. I did not. If you're like me, check out Pici -- thick, worm-like spaghetti -- or Pappardelle -- big ribbons. Both are traditionally served with one of many rustic treats from meat lover's heaven and come almost attached to a bottle of Montalcino vino.

For espresso, cappuccino and every derivative thereof, stop by Bar Mariuccia, sort of across from Enoteca Franci. I never asked, but the elderly couple who slings the java must be the Mariuccias. A real mom-and-pop operation complete with sweets from another Mariuccia who runs a pastry shop and rents rooms down the road. Stunning views of the countryside await in the backroom of the bar. There is no charge to sit down or be waited on as there is in the bars of some of the more touristy hilltop towns.

Now you're beat. You pounded out the last drop of your Brunello and went for the after-dinner grappa. Feeling oh so Italian, you even stopped for the late-night espresso. Where to stay? Hotels are scarce and expensive, but fortunately rooms abound. While taking your non-goal-oriented strolls, you probably saw signs here and there saying: "camere/zimmer/rooms." These could be anything from private rooms inside family houses to quasi-condos.

The best I found was a place called Il Moro. Also located on Via Mazzini but away from the main piazza, Il Moro is attached to the trattoria of the same name. There are four double rooms, beautifully refinished with wooden interiors, superb views and a combined kitchen/dining room/sitting room downstairs. I was there in March, and my girlfriend and I had the whole swanky place to ourselves. A room will run you about $40 a night, but it increases to $60 from Easter to the festival month of June. Well worth it, even if you have to bend, twist or otherwise alter your budget. If Il Moro doesn't turn your crank, check with the Mariuccia family or the tourist office by the main piazza for listings. Otherwise, take another leisurely stroll around the city inquiring about prices when you see the sign "camere/zimmer/rooms." Nothing could give you a better feel for Montalcino and its inhabitants.

More rustic getaways are also possible. If you're bent on getting away from everything, try an agriturismo: usually a rural hotelesque setting on the road less traveled. Being that Montalcino is already a tad "out there," agriturismo offers you the possibility of stretching your days even further. For a really different take, try Abbadia Ardenga. This ex-abbey now rents entire apartments at reasonable prices (starts at about $20 per person per day). This is particularly worthwhile for larger groups. A minimum stay of three days is required.

If Il Moro and the rustic hideaways don't turn your crank, there are, of course, the star clustered hotels. Montalcino's best -- Hotel Bellaria and Albergo Ristorante Il Giglio -- boast three stars and have all the amenities. Get the full treatment and opt for "full pension" -- two square meals along with the room, all at the same place for around $85 per person.

If you go for a posh pad, save money on eats by grabbing some sausage, cheese, good Tuscan bread and wine from the COOP supermarket. Have a picnic on the church lawn at the opposite end of the town from the Rocca. And don't worry if you find yourself becoming more Montalcinese than you thought possible: hanging out in bars when you're not thirsty, chatting with locals when you don't speak Italian. I was even eyeing Yoshi's overtly Italian shoes and coat thinking, "those are pretty sharp." Just enjoy these metabolic changes -- what I group collectively as "The Montalcino Syndrome" -- while they last.

Wine Queens

2007-01-01T21:52:00-08:00

After years of struggling to prove itself to the rest of the world, it seems the California wine industry has finally arrived. There's no disputing the quality of California wines, and never before have they enjoyed a finer reputation. But at what price?

Somewhere in the uphill struggle to world-class status, the California wine industry lost a very important tradition. The French still have it. Bovine festivals still have it. Even garlic, cherry and apple growers still have it. But when autumn rolls around in California wine country, the folks are left empty-handed. Without representation. Without hope. Without...a queen!

Things weren't always this dark. In the 1950s and '60s, wine queens reigned over the California vineyards like welcome spring showers. Each October, at the California State fair in Sacramento, vintners chose a local lovely to represent them as their queen during National Wine Week. Some queens were blonde, some brunette. Some even studied dramatic arts. All, of course, were beautiful.

For seven glorious days, the newly crowned Vintage Queen would take her position as wine's goodwill ambassador, making appearances at vintage festivals, attending dinners and proclaiming the excellence of California wines. But perhaps the most important duty of the Vintage Queen was posing for stunning publicity photos, personifying the glamour, grace and charm of California wines. Even some 40 years later, the message comes through loud and clear.

It's time for these photographs to charm the world all over again! Let's raise a toast to these lovely ambassadors of the grape and honor their contribution to the success of the California wine industry as it stands today. In fact, why stop there? Let's be the first to shove all the nineties politically correct crap aside and elect new wine queens to lead us proudly into the 21st century!

Long Live The Queens!

Everything grows large in California, they say! The beautiful 1950 Vintage Queen has the proof, as she playfully prepares to drink a giant glass filled with California Champagne.

The charming 1950 Vintage Queen pauses from her grape picking duties to flash the lucky cameraman a smile.

Sultry! 1951 Vintage Queen Jeri Miller pauses during the wine grape harvest to adorn her hair with grape clusters. No wonder the grape was America's third ranking tree fruit that year!

Beautiful Jeri Miller, 1951 Vintage Queen, toasts National Wine Week and wonders where she left her house key.

Diane Bagshaw, 1953 Vintage Queen, wears the traditional grape picking outfit favored by field workers of the day.

Dee Hardy, 1957-58 Vintage Queen, has a sunny disposition in spite of the grape vine growing out of her head.

The lovely Dee Hardy, a 23-year-old San Francisco dramatic arts student, is pictured here trying to figure out where she left her glass of Chardonnay.

Dreamy Dee Hardy, 1947-58 Vintage Queen, prepares to sip California Champagne while bubbles dance around her head in admiration.

Wine Queen June Adler reigned over National Wine Week, October 10-17, 1959. She is truly the picture of glamour!

1959 Wine Queen June Adler raises a toast to California wines after a day of hosing down tanks in the cellar.

Making wine is hard work, but Marilyn Lockway, 1963 National Wine Queen, makes it look easy!

Deal Me In

2006-12-11T20:17:01-08:00

Never play cards with any man named 'Doc.' Never eat at any place called 'Mom's.' And never, ever, no matter what else you do in your life, sleep with anyone whose troubles are worse than your own. -- Nelson Algren

Without man's innate urge to take risks, we'd all still be sitting around drawing on cave walls, grunting and belching. Fortunately, our daring ancestors ventured forth into the dangerous world and created civilization. Which means today we can take our risks in small doses, like sitting around a dining table playing poker... and grunting and belching.

If you haven't smugly riffled a newly won stack of poker chips in a smoke-filled room surrounded by smelly guys swilling beer and cursing, then you haven't lived. You can leave the martinis, Baccarat and double-breasted dinner jackets to James Bond and his crumbled-British-Empire ilk. If you're an American man, playing poker's part of your heritage.

Our nation was founded on the idea of taking chances. This country was built by a bunch of rowdy guys who liked drinking and taking risks, and didn't like being told what to do. This is precisely why poker -- that most American of card games -- couldn't have been invented anywhere else. The father of our country, George Washington, who also happened to brew his own beer, was known to host card games in his tent during the Revolutionary War -- a war in which, it's important to remember, our opponent held the far better cards. Against all odds, those stalwart colonial souls managed to back up their bluff and rake in the rich pot that included freedom, democracy, self-determination and the deed to several hundred thousand acres of prime real estate. Some years later (in the mid-1800s), poker as we know it today was invented in the American West. So, if our founding fathers hadn't played and won, we'd be as lacking in cultural identity as our floundering Canadian cohorts up north, eh? (Note to Canadians: Please address your letters to the editor, RE: Canadian Cultural Identity Crisis.)

It's estimated some 60 million Americans play poker regularly. Some play for their love of gambling, some for their love of money, some to escape the humdrum routine of their lives, and some just for their fondness for camaraderie. Whether you win or lose, whether you know when to hold 'em or know when to fold 'em, gathering around a table with a group of pals, a deck of cards, stacks of colored chips, and some eats and drinks is one of the hallowed traditions of the American male.

The human instinct to gamble with fate is probably as old as...well, human instinct. The Ancient Greeks believed the lofty Gods of Mount Olympus threw dice to divide up the world. (Crude dice have been found in most ancient civilizations.) Roman soldiers cast lots for Jesus' robes. Julius Caesar conquered Gaul to pay off gambling debts. It's a fair bet that amoebas floundering in the early primordial soup wagered on who'd be the first to make it out of the bog.

Poker differs greatly from the games of pure chance in casinos. Gamblers, whether they bet on the roll of the dice or the spin of a roulette wheel, are generally betting against the odds. Smart gamblers know this, but it hasn't stopped gaming from becoming one of the most successful business enterprises. Skillful poker players use their knowledge to wager only on favorable odds. Gamblers are romantics looking forward to what might happen.

Accomplished poker players are realists betting on what should happen. Of course in poker, as in most endeavors, what should happen isn't always what does happen.

Fortunately in poker, as in life, you don't have to be good at it to like it. (Though I'm sure those who are absolutely no good are welcome and regular guests at many a poker table.) You just have to enjoy yourself.

>> There are no Miranda Rights in poker; anything you say and do can and will be used against you.

A man's character is stripped bare at the poker table. Friends will notice things about you that you've never even noticed yourself. These things are called "tells" -- signs you give off indicating what type of hand you have. If you hold chips in your left hand before betting, or always pull on your ear when you're bluffing, rest assured some savvy soul at the table is aware of it. There are no Miranda Rights in poker; anything you say and do can and will be used against you.

Being a good poker player requires something few people do in today's short-attention-span society: paying close attention to everything. Because poker's as much about people as it is about cards, and how we live influences how we play. There are those who play and live cold and conservative, striving to avoid risk, and those who play and live brash and full of bluster. There are players in the games of life and poker who'll never bet unless the odds are actually in their favor. If you can't spot the sheep waiting to be sheared at the table by the time you've quaffed your first beer, there's a good chance it's you. But in a friendly game always remember that you can shear a sheep many times, but you can only skin him once.

You don't have to have the best cards to win, either. You just have to play the best. And every hand is different, depending on what you choose to do with it.

If you enjoy bluffing your way through life -- and getting away with it -- then you probably get a major adrenaline rush by stealing a healthy pot knowing your opponents have you beat. The bluffing element of poker sets it apart from almost all other games and pursuits. You can't pretend to have the best hand and win in bridge or blackjack. You can't pretend you're a great mountain climber and conquer Kilimanjaro any more than you can bluff your way through the Iron Man Triathlon. So many human endeavors are cut and dried; if you say you're the best, there's only one way to prove it. This is the very beauty of poker. After all, isn't this what we all want?

In every deck of 52 cards there are 2,598,960 possible five-card poker hands. The bad news is that you're only going to be dealt one of them. The better news is that there's always the chance, the possibility, that you can transform whatever cards you hold into the winning hand.

That's why poker's never dull. The game has thousands of variants, and all it requires is your group of buddies, a deck of cards and some chips. It's always better if you switch the venue and the responsibility for providing the eats and drinks. And you can bring as much, or as little, flair to your poker night as you like.

If you're like me, you started with Budweiser, smelly Swisher Sweets and nickel-dime-quarter games. Over the years my friends and I have graduated to imports in both our beer and cigar preferences, and the same red, white and blue chips have grown to represent much larger sums. It's not fun without the risk of losing a bit more than you should, and you can't win if you don't play.

If you're really a gambler (this most superstitious of species) you'll of course have a good-luck token of some type, whether it's the old Dunes $5 chip you didn't cash in before the implosion, your tattered boxers emblazoned with the Queen of Hearts, the filthy Cubs cap you bought at Wrigley the year they were going to go all the way (but didn't -- again) or maybe even a silk smoking jacket. Poker is more psychology than sophistication. Studies have shown there's a real psychological boost from believing in a good-luck piece and that gamblers actually get an adrenaline surge as if they were in a fight-or-flight situation. Jonny Chan, former World Series of Poker champion, was always known to place an orange beside him when he played, though he never ate it. Stories abound about how many people have offered him absurd amounts of money for his orange, which he never sells. Having others believe in your good-luck charm never hurts.

Whether you carry an edible good-luck piece or not, poker night requires sustenance. You need fuel to keep you going during the hours you're spending trying to outwit your opponents. The history of eating and playing cards goes back even further than the Earl of Sandwich, who actually invented the snack that bears his name as a way to eat without getting his hands greasy and without missing a moment at the card table.

While it's not as exciting if there's no money involved, your game should never be too serious. You can play to win money or to have fun, but doing both is the best. Dealer's choice allows the deal to rotate around the table, with each person given a chance to deal whatever game he chooses. In the old days they used to place a silver dollar, one buck, in front of the person whose turn it was to deal. This ultimately became a cliche when President Truman, an avid poker player, declared: "The Buck Stops Here."

When we play poker, the games run the gamut from the classic 5-Card Draw of the Old West to 7-Card Stud, 7-Card No-Peeky, Baseball, Black Mariah, Chicago, 2-22, Guts, Lo-Ball, Omaha, Acey-Deucy, 3-Card Monte and several of our own twisted variants. It's good to have a healthy and eclectic mix of games, some where skill plays out along with some of the whimsical games of pure dumb luck that the poor players and drunks always enjoy and often win.

Each pack of cards holds within it the possibility of millions of different outcomes every single time we deal. In life and poker we can't all be winners, but we certainly can't win if we're not in the big game. And not knowing what'll happen, well, that's the real beauty of this poker game called life anyway, isn't it? That's exactly why life is such a big deal, after all. Anything might happen.

>> If you can't spot the sheep waiting to be sheared at the table by the time you've quaffed your first beer, then there's a good chance it's you.

>> HISTORY OF THE CARDS

Wild Bill Hickok and the Dead Man's Hand: Legend has it that Hickok always sat in the back corner of the saloon so he could see who was arriving, but eager to get in a high-stakes poker game that had only one seat open, he took a seat with his back to the door. He was shot in the back while holding two pair, black aces and eights, ever after known as the Dead Man's Hand.

ACES OF SPADES: Believed by many the world over to be an omen of evil, and known in the Far East as the "Card of Death." In 1966, the U.S. Playing Card Company produced several million decks composed solely of aces of spades for use as a secret weapon in Vietnam. They were dropped on the Front and said to have struck terror into the Viet Cong.

HIGH FLYING CARDS: Apollo 14 astronauts took specially made flameproof decks of cards for use in the 100% oxygen atmosphere of Skylab.

INVENTION OF PLAYING CARDS: Because they invented paper, and because it's almost unfathomable to imagine a culture having paper and not making cards, the Chinese are generally credited with the invention of playing cards.

HISTORY IN THE CARDS: Before the invention of printing, the Italians are known to have produced hand-painted playing cards of four suits (though cards were first mass-produced by the Germans very shortly after Gutenberg's invention of the printing press and were one of the first things to roll off after the Bible). In the Middle Ages the suits were set up to reflect contemporary society with hearts (cups or chalices) representing the Church; spades (or swords), the military; diamonds, the wealth of the merchant class; and Clubs the peasantry.

FACES OF HISTORY: Originally the four kings represented the four civilizations that begat Western culture: the Greeks, the Romans, the Hebrews and the Holy Roman Empire. Today's images are much the same as the symbolic ones chosen centuries ago. The king of spades is the Biblical King David carrying the sword of Goliath; the king of hearts is Charlemagne; the king of diamonds wielding a battle-ax is Julius Caesar, who appears in profile because the only surviving images of him were profiles on Roman coinage; and the king of clubs is Alexander the Great, who holds an orb representing the world he conquered. Most of these original symbols hold true on today's cards, though cards as we know them truly became popular when English soldiers of the Tudor era returned home with the concepts after serving in France, adorning the royal face cards in Elizabethan Age garb. The colored roses held by the queens represent the ending of the War of the Roses.

POKER RULES: The first book to codify the rules of poker was compiled in 1871 by the U.S. ambassador to England, at the request of Queen Victoria, whom he had introduced to the game. The current authority on poker and all card game rules is the famous "Book of Hoyle," hence, the phrase "according to Hoyle" for something done by the rules.

Recent and Decent Cookbooks (Vol. 6.1)

2006-11-14T21:13:00-08:00

Marcella Says: Italian Cooking Wisdom from the Legendary Teacher’s Master Classes, with 120 of Her Irresistible New Recipes
by Marcella Hazan
(HarperCollins, $30)

When the maven of Italian cooking writes another cookbook, you best pay attention. This isn’t a spaghetti and meatballs book - this is Italian cooking from Italy, with Italian ingredients and a whole lotta straightforward Italian advice from Ms. Hazan. (You did see the word “Master” in the title, didn’t you?) Be sure to try Baked Mozzarella, Tomato, Capers and Parmesan Crostini; Fennel and Goat Cheese Salad; Veal Shanks with Lemon; and Spaghetti “Rotolo” with Zucchini and Bacon. It’s almost like graduate school for foodies. C’mon, you know you wanna bust Iron Chef Italian on home culinary turf. So don’t cut class.

Inspired by Ingredients
by Bill Telepan
(Simon & Schuster, $35)

New York City chef Bill Telepan loves fresh ingredients - so much so that he dedicated an entire book to cooking (and eating) seasonally. Telepan comes across as an enthusiastic guy who must have been a farmer in a past life. (Maybe even a Master Farmer.) Recipes range from easy to complicated, but there’s something for everyone - from Pan-Fried Summer Jersey Vegetables and a delectable Pea Soup, to Chilled Shrimp with an Autumn Slaw, to Grilled Dry-Aged Rib-Eye Steak with a Red Onion Cipollata and Herbed White Beans. Head to your local farmer’s market, grab some of-the-moment veggies and get Berkeley on everyone’s ass.

Off the Shelf: Cooking from the Pantry
by Donna Hay
(Morrow, $25)

Reasons why we love Donna Hay: the recipes are easy, the food’s tasty, and the books are paperback (read: lightweight) yet full of pretty pictures. This Aussie chef has come out with another must-have cookbook, and the only shopping involved serves to stock the pantry. For those nights when unexpected (read: uninvited) guests drop by, rest easy that you can now step into the kitchen and whip up dishes like Stir-Fried Prawns and Noodles; Baked Chicken, Lemon and Pea Risotto; and Pasta with Buttered Broccoli. She even throws in recipes for quick sweets like a Peach and Raspberry Tart; Honey Cakes; and Raspberry Sorbet. Off the Shelf will rescue even the most novice cook from take-out menus.

Barefoot in Paris: Easy French Food You Can Really Make at Home
by Ina Garten
(Clarkson Potter, $35)

I love Paris… and I especially love it a la the Barefoot Contessa, otherwise known as Ina Garten. Ms. Garten manages to transform fussy French recipes into easy, do-it-at-home-in-under-one-week dishes. Her simple recipes include classics like Boeuf Bourguignon; Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic; Zucchini Vichyssoise; Loin of Pork with Green Peppercorns; and Blue Cheese Souffle. (And the Creme Brulee - ready to bake in 10 minutes, I swear - is a godsend.) Her conversational tone will ease any kitchen anxiety, and before you know it you’ve made an entire meal. Buy this book, kick off your Jimmy Choos, pour yourself a Kir Royale and browse through the glossy photos. It’s like Paris without the long flight and snooty customs officials.

Feast: Food to Celebrate Life
by Nigella Lawson
(Hyperion, $35)

Nigella, the British icon known for her sensual finger-licking television show and cleavage as much as for her culinary skills, is back with a book dedicated to holiday feasts. Impress your beloved with a dozen Love Buns or a Chocolate Raspberry Heart on Valentine’s Day, or liven up Halloween with Blood and Guts Potatoes and Ghoul-Graveyard Cake. For lesser-known holidays (like my-in-laws-are-coming-for-brunch-so-help-me-God), whip up Ms. Lawson’s tasty Banana Buttermilk Pancakes or a batch of Andy’s Fairfield Granola. New Year’s, Midnight Feast, Wedding Fest, Festival of Lights, Rosh Hashanah - they’re all here and they’re all fabulous. (There’s even a “Meatless Feast” section for you veg-heads.) Start celebrating. Burning Man is just around the corner.