Wine, Gelato, and Pizza, in that order!

It's very hard for me to concentrate on this blog right now.  I've returned to Paris for a few days and it's such an enchanting city, especially this time of year.  The Christmas lights are up and everyone is in an upbeat mood.  We went to visit the Christmas market and overhearing my favorite Christmas music of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Bing Crosby made me a bit homesick.  But I will try to pull this off.

We had another gloomy day in Orvieto, however we were gifted with seeing another historic sight, St. Patrick's Well.  http://www.orvietoonline.com/pozzo_di_san_patrizio_orvieto.html Words can't really describe the fantastic sight.  If you go, be ready to walk.  I believe my iPhone counted 18 floors of steps and my legs counted 1,000 flights.  Oh it burned so good.

A Motley Crue.

After a rather dreary, yet charming stroll through the well, we hopped in the jumper and drove off t the countryside for another treat.  We visited Azienda Agricola Fausto Andrea.

When we pulled into the drive, it was another very unsuspecting location.  It looked like your typical farm in Italy, growing acres of olive trees and grape vineyards.  Yet when we peered into what looked to be a garage door, before our eyes was a cave.  It was a cave full of this strange mold that resembled mucus.  This is the mold that helps give their wine character.   Now, you may say, that sounds disgusting, but let's face facts folks, unless you've witnessed first hand how your wines, spirits, and beers are made, fermented, aged, stored, etc, just keep drinking and then go, visit a winery, a vineyard, a distillery and your eyes will be opened.  And the artisan producing the product will be more than happy to tell you the benefits and the magic that is happening because of these crazy microbes.  You'll want to hug them or maybe just shake their hands, the microbes that is or whatever forms the mold.

Anyway, I got off of the topic.  Wine!!  We walked in to said garage door and this cave, seemed a bit daunting, but the massive barrels storing delicious wine led us like we were hypnotized.  It was calling our name.  In true form, we started with a bianco, moved on to the red's and finished with an amazing sweet red.  Everyone purchased a few bottles, except myself.  I'm waiting for a special visitor to come to Orvieto in a few weeks, and return.  But the rest of them purchased, and it warmed my heart to watch them.  They were allowed to fill their own bottles, cork their bottle, and top it.  The excitement was much more fulfilling for me.  Kids their age are not typically fans of wine, and they themselves admitted that they were not wine drinkers until coming to Italy.

Some original pieces, uncovered during a dig in the cave.

Now this is how you carry wine home!

Michelle collecting her goods.

Andrea collecting the nectar of the Gods.

Cody was focusing on his treat.

Purchases were made and our departure was at hand.  I stood outside of the home while they finished their purchases and enjoyed the quiet, serene beauty of the still dreary evening.  But, it was a dreary evening in the Italian countryside, I'll take that.

After an afternoon/evening of sipping wine, in a cave we wandered off to another little village to have gelato at a shop that was home to a gentleman that taught many chefs and gelaterias in the area how to make gelato.  This little shop, Gelateria Sarchioni - http://www.sarchioni.it was an obvious gathering place for locals, to sit, have a cafe', apertivo or digestivo, play cards and catch up on the local news.  It was a welcoming little shop, and I don't feel as though they meet a stranger there.  There may be slight communication difficulties, but in the end as long as you can communicate that you would like gelato, you are in good shape.

There is a twist to this story of Gelateria Sarchioni, they have a menu that you can peruse if you want something other than a cone or a cup.  You can get an amazing adult gelato combination that includes fruit, whipped creams, sauces, and liquor.  You can even get gelato in the shape of a plate of spaghetti or a steak with what else topping it?  A fried egg.  The photos that I took do not do this gelato justice. It was smooth in texture and pure in flavor.  Chef Lorenzo gave a brief lesson on gelato, and one that made me a bit sad.  There is gelato, then there is artiginale gelato(artisanal gelato).  Obviously you want the artisanal gelato because it's pure, right?  No!  BOOO!!!!!!  Everyone now has caught on to the fact that the demand is artisanal, so now everyone simply advertises artisinal, because they make it on sight.  And that's great that they make it on sight, but then it comes down to the quality of ingredients and that's where it gets shady.  You can advertise artisanal, however you can still use powders to flavor your gelato and that sucks.  You either have to be familiar with the owner of the gelateria or know how to recognize true artiginale gelato.  And I'm going to find it before I leave!  I can tell you that this shop, it's true artisanal and refreshing.

Pretty normal with a splash of extra deliciousness!

That's a medium rare steak with a fried egg.

Spaghetti and meat sauce of course.

As we wrapped up dessert, we were informed by Chef Lorenzo that it was time for dinner.  I mean, for me, that seems to be the proper order, right?  So, off to a new style of pizza.  This is also the time I show my bad blogger sense.

We arrived in Castiglione in Teverina. We had a sugar buzz, it was foggy, misty, cool, and quiet.  We approached another very non descript, little door that led down a few steps.  Walking inside was like a nice warm hug.  Our host at Ristorante Pizzeria Borgovejo - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ristorante-Pizzeria-Borgovejo/139717259481623 welcomed Chef Lorenzo and our group, showed us the kitchen and we were able to watch the owner make a few pizzas.  This type of pizza is this villages own.  It was a thin, cracker crust with a bit of char on it, for flavor.  The toppings light, just enough to flavor the vessel(dough).   After watching the magic happen in the kitchen, we were seated, the wine was poured and in no time, the barrage of pizza began.

Me being a bad blogger, can't remember this gentleman's name , but his ristorante is called Ristorante Pizzeria Borgovejo.

13 years of making pizza with this particular rolling pin.  Looks well used.

The first pizza on the menu - Porcini Mushrooms and potato.  Nice way to start.

Next, Speck.  http://www.popsugar.com/food/What-Speck-5164981

Next up, Arugula and Pecorino!!

Pepperoni -

Sausage -

Margherita -

And for dessert, Black Truffle! -

If you can imagine your favorite pizza, thinner, crunchier, less than half of the ingredients, but all of the flavor, then you have just experienced Castiglione in Teverina style pizza.

This is just another unique experience that we've been blessed to experience, thanks to Chef Lorenzo.    I'm going to finished off here, because there is more to write, but hey, it's my last night in Amsterdam, and I need some fresh, freezing cold air and maybe a Delirium Tremens.

Next up - The best black truffle experience I've ever had!

Olive Oil, that magical elixir that enhances everything.

Ok, so I'm on a roll today.  Two blogs in one day?  Why not, especially with a particularly crazy week ahead..

On our next adventure, we took a visit to a very small operation, Olive oil press.  This will be a brief blog though.  It was a self guided tour and a very small operation but with an interesting museum.  Al Vecchio Frantoio was founded around the end of the nineteenth century to consolidate the relationship that has always existed between the Bartolomei family and the production of oil.  That is quoted directly from their website.  Now, the really cool thing that we learned about this small operation is that families from around the area, that grow olive trees for their own personal use, can harvest their olives, bring them in to the Bartolomei family, they will process the olives, press and fill vessels with a first press oil, and then charge the family only by liter for their oil.  I mean, you grow your olives, then you reap the rewards of having your own olive oil!

Obviously there is some technology involved, but it's great technology.  The vessel that is processing your olives has an overhead digital reader with your families name on it, and a timer.  This way, there is no mistaking what oil is being processed and pressed.  While we were there, there was a young couple and their child having their olives pressed.  They stayed for the entire process, which now, thanks to technology, does not take long at all.  But it reminded me of a family taking their child to the apple farm, and watching their freshly picked apples being pressed into cider.  It was really cool.

The end result, is a foggy, but pure single press, new oil.  It is not the crystal clear green oil you see in the glass bottles at home.  The flavor, it's intense, pure, and liquid gold.  What really made the visit even more special was witnessing this family have their olives pressed.  Call me sentimental, but it is what it is.

Bartolomei also has their own olive trees and sell their own oil, and other products.  And as I mentioned, they also have a nice museum that describes how things used to be done, compared to how things are done now, but purity and quality is never compromised.  http://www.oleificiobartolomei.it/en/azienda.php

When you walk up to the press, the aroma of olive oil is in the air.  It's not overpowering, but hypnotizing and surprisingly pleasant.  I wanted to buy up the store, but I'm trying to keep my spending in check, I mean, I'll be here for three months.

Next stop on the blog tour of Orvieto, Truffle hunting, a new style of pizza, wine, wine, wine, and a visit to Paris.  Stay tuned!!!

Buona Sera!

A foggy day in Orvieto town.

I know, I know, the song is a Foggy day in London town, but as I start my morning ritual of cappuccino by the dining room/kitchen window, staring out over the valley that is blanketed in a thick, heavy fog, the song comes to mind.  And when I say ritual, I mean almost every morning it's been foggy.  I'm not complaining though.  Things could be much worse.

Ok, now where did I leave off?  Ah, Goat cheese, now on to Chocolate and Perugina, in Perugia.  Briefly, Perugina was founded in 1907 by Giovanni Buitoni and Luisa Spagnoli.  The product was introduced to the US during the 1939 World's Fair in New York.  The company produces a quite a few food and chocolate products.  During Easter they are known for their large chocolate eggs, wrapped in colorful aluminum paper.  But, what they are known world wide for is the Baci.  They are chocolate kisses filled with hazelnut, wrapped in a multilingual love note.  They are written in either Italian, English, French German, Greek, Spanish, or Portuguese.  Now, of course Nestle saw this and boom, Perugina is a branch of Nestle.  Fortunately no recipes were harmed and no products were sacrificed after this acquisition.  So what you taste today from Perugina is still a good quality chocolate, made on a larger scale, which I honestly thought was impossible.  And after touring the production floor, you can still see that the folks working here love their job and still are passionate about the product they turn out daily.

Walking in to Perugina, you can smell the chocolate, and the atmosphere is almost a Willy Wonka type of feel.  I wanted to lick the wall and taste the schnozzberries!  Wait, no, I wanted to taste the chocolate.  But honestly, the smell of chocolate was so in your face, it was almost like walking in a sea of chocolate.  By our first tasting, I was already full from the aroma's of the Milk and Fondante lingering in the air, but of course I didn't let that stop me.

Our first stop was a brief, I mean, really brief video of the history of Perugina.  We walked in as the video ended, so we decided that we would research on our own and get the tour started.  Perugina has a fantastic tour, if you get a chance, go.  Francesca was our tour guide and walked us through the years of Perugina.  The commercials, the ads, the various products, and various displays.  She showed us the shell of the largest baci, which was made for a chocolate festival in Perugia, and then we walked the cat walk to view the production area.

The next stop for us was the Scuola del Cioccolato with Il Maestro Massimiliano Guidubaldi.  This school hosts guests for working with chocolate on a daily basis.  It can range from anywhere from one hour to an all day affair.  Anyone can take this course, people off of the street to culinary students, and it's a worthy experience.  We did almost everything.  We melted the chocolate, making sure not to get one drop of water in it, because the melted chocolate would seize to a messy ball of mud.  We tempered the chocolate on the granite countertop and filled the professional mold with the tempered chocolate and off to the chiller to let it set.  After that, a quick cafe', to wait.  This is certainly not a clean job, so prepare to have your hands and possibly up to your shoulders covered in delicious chocolate.  We also worked on our own ganache.  I went with the pistachio cream, espresso liquer, and cream.  I mean, I don't believe a ganache tastes right without some sort of liquer.  To me it's like making Bourbon balls, without the Bourbon, and who does that?  So the ganache was a disturbing bland color, but I would not give up on this one.  We let it cool, but not too much and we filled our truffles.  Then off to cool for a short bit while we prepped the bottom layer to the truffle so it was a complete truffle.  After the cooling, the bottom layer was applied and off to cool again.  While it cooled, we prepped our station as best could be done to then wrap our goods to take away.  There was also a young lady, and I can't remember her name.  Her job is solely to clean the room and everything that is used during these classes.  I'm pretty sure she doesn't make enough money annually to deal with the disaster that awaited her this time.

Il Maestro

Throughout the clean up, she never stopped smiling.

Possibly up to the elbows in Chocolate.

We gathered our chocolates and returned to our station to remove from the mold and wrap our goods.  Now, typically this is a 25 step process, if you want your truffles to have an amazing sheen to them.  However due to time constraints, this was not going to be possible.  So we topped them with a nice drizzle of white chocolate, let it set and wrapped them as if we were to present them to the CEO of Perugina.  We then received our certificates and sadly left this chocolate wonderland.

Rocking the Honey Butter Fried Chicken shirt with Il Maestro

Everyday I wake up, I still can't believe that this is happening, and I can't thank people enough for the support, Mom, Tammy, Rocky, Mindy, Anna, Andi, Rob, Cheri, Troy, John, David, Mandi, Mandy, Brett, Retired Chief Chris, Chief Mark.  I could go on and on and would need a page just for that.  

Time to stop and get cleaned up.  A Thanksgiving dinner tonight in the countryside and then off for a get away this week.

Thank you for taking time out of your day to read this and continue to read and follow my adventure.  My hopes in doing this are not to brag, but to help those that can't travel, to feel the experience or those that want to travel, get some ideas on places to go and things to do.  And if you would like to see more photos, send me a message and we can connect on Facebook.

Ciao!

The time has come. I'm here and it's so surreal.

Well folks, I was going to write about my second stage with the Sunday dinner club and their pizza dinner.  But I ran out of time, sadly.  The fortunate thing, is that the Sunday Dinner Club is thriving, but I think they want each and every one of you to pay them a visit and eat their delicious food!!!  So please, check out their website, shoot them an email, and go, eat, and enjoy!! http://sundaydinnerclub.com

Now, close your eyes and use your imagination.  Wait, if you close your eyes you won't be able to read.  Maybe read and then close your eyes and go over what you read a few times in your mind.  That's how I hope to help you be here with me.

To make a long story short.  I began my externship in Chicago, however due to schedule conflicts and an on the job injury, I had to put it on hold.  Which, turns out to be a blessing, because the opportunity to due my externship in Orvieto, Italy came to be.  And this is where I find myself, typing out this current blog, at sunset, with an amazing view of the countryside.  So, follow along, as I hope to be descriptive enough so you can taste the flavors and smell the smells and visualize the sights that I've had to lucky opportunity to experience and continue to experience for the next three months.

I came to Italy a few days early, so my body could adjust to the jet lag.  Turns out, I didn't really suffer jet lag, thanks to a tylenol PM and glass of wine on the plane.  I have to say, Swiss airlines, even in their coach class is very nice, with as many movies as you can watch on your own screen, as you can squeeze in on your flight.  The food?  Well, we won't discuss that, lol.

Flew in to Rome and stayed at a great little B&B.  Unfortunately the neighborhood, Esquilina was a bit shady, so I didn't roam about too much after dark.  There was not much to see in the area, which was fine.  All I needed was my morning cappuccino and some gelato, and I'm set.  So, not much to tell about Rome.  Well, except for the Brioche Con Gelato, and I don't think words can express that one, I mean a sweet brioche bun filled with gelato-pistachio and Fior De Late, like an adult ice cream sandwich.

So, I'm going to make things brief, but try to be descriptive because I've fallen behind on this blog since arriving.  We've just been so busy running and working, but I'm not complaining by any means. And I have been thinking about how to format this blog, and I think I'll give a synopsis of my experience so far, and then tell you about the people around me, and their story, because their story is part of my story.

Chef Lorenzo and his significant other, Kim met me at Rome Fiumicino for pick up to Orvieto.  We had other passengers as well, Cody, from a new culinary program in Michigan and an older couple from Mass., that had the winning bid on a cooking class and tour with Chef Lorenzo.

We arrived to scenic Orvieto and to Cody and my new home for the next three months.  The architecture here and all over Italy is amazing.  Very deceptive from what you see on the outside to what exists inside.  And in typical European fashion, when you have a B&B or rent your apt out, you rehab with what Ikea has.  It's inexpensive and easy to obtain, and it looks modern and it's comfortable.  Walking in to the apt, I met Jose, Yodaris, Michelle, and Andrea, all students from Puerto Rico.  We hit it off right away, which made the trip even more comfortable.  We sat around, got to know each other a bit, then wandered off for a bit of exploring and a beer.

I did get a chance to finally see the restaurant, which was formerly a cave, however when Chef Lorenzo relocated his restaurant there, it had already been converted to a restaurant.  There were still some minor construction issues that needed to be taken care of, especially since he had the intentions of having cooking classes/demos for the public, and the popularity of his hosting interns/externs has risen.

I will post photos of what I have from the inside.  This is his website for everything that he offers.  http://www.ristorantezeppelin.it/index_eng.html

Now, I will begin with our adventures with this first blog, this way it doesn't seem like I'm rambling and you don't get bored.

Our fist adventure was to Fattoria Il Secondo Altopiano, to observe the process of making Goat Cheese.  Starting from the feeding and milking process to the curdling and aging process.  This cozy little farm operates throughout the year and is very non descript.  If you saw this farm, you would not know that they produce some of the best artisanal goat cheese around the area.  The entire process brings smiles to the family that runs the business.  http://www.ilsecondoaltopiano.com  They are very passionate about their craft and very informative.  When making the cheese and prepping the service of the cheese the room almost glows from the glistening in their eyes.

Obviously, it's a goat farm, so you have typical smells.  Or do you?  Not really.  It smells of hay and a barn, something you wouldn't expect.  It's very clean and the goats are living in a very well kept environment.  They are happy goats and happy goats make a happy milk, which in turn makes a happy cheese, a creamier cheese, a sweeter cheese.  And the farm is in a very scenic location, that I could totally get used to.

The cheese.  Although we didn't get description of the young and aged cheeses, I can give you a bit of a run down.

Young goat cheese with pink and red peppercorns and newly pressed olive oil.

Young goat cheese, with pignoli, sesame seeds, and poppy seed.

A platter of various stages of aged goat cheese.

Whipped goat cheese with I believe is fresh ricotta, peppercorns, black pepper and newly pressed olive oil.

After being fed the freshest goat cheese I've ever had and drinking their house wine, I was completely happy and my appetite was satiated.  I suggest, if you have never had goat cheese, give it a go.  You can find it almost everywhere.  Some, mass produced, some from smaller farms.  Go for the smaller producer and keep these artisans in business because they are the people that put their love into their product.  This visit will not be one that I will soon forget.  My only regret is not buying and being able to bring this product home.

I think, I will stop for now and write another this afternoon.  Chocolate is my next experience, yes, chocolate making, in Perugia, at Perugina.  Mmmmm, chocolate.  In fact, I'm feeling inspired, I'm going to write a few this afternoon, after La passeggiata and maybe a gelato.  http://www.fodors.com/news/story_4117.html

Part 2 - Stagiaire, and Bourbon Pear - My time with the Sunday Dinner Club

Let me begin by saying that if you haven't read the previous post, then stop now, and go read to previous.  This way you get the whole picture and understand why this is such an amazing experience.

Now, let's get down to business.  I loved my meal at the Sunday Dinner Club so much that I just had to try to stage there.  There was so much passion and love, I wanted to work side by side with the folks that turned out such a great meal.  So I asked if I could stage.  Becca gave me her contact info, and we set it up.  Oh, and for those that do not know, a "stage" or "stagiaire", basically means an intern.  I observe, assist, and whatever else they ask me to do, all for no pay, but a massive amount of experience and the opportunity to be with people that have passion in their craft.  That to me is priceless.

Now, before I begin, check them out here - http://sundaydinnerclub.com and the business downstairs, Honey Butter Fried Chicken - http://www.honeybutter.com

I walked into the amazingly small kitchen, remember this was an apartment renovated into a dining experience.  Not much was done to change the kitchen.  A workspace in the center of the kitchen, a speed rack next to the non industrial stove/oven, another small workspace behind the center workspace, and another bit of work space in what I would consider a pantry space.  But this team makes magic with this space!  And that stove, look at that stove.  That thing is a workhorse!

Tonights meal was a wine dinner.  Sunday Dinner Club paired with Vinejoy - http://vinejoy.net/jkkajatt2lrummc6259h08hillmwop, to bring a night of great food paired with great wines.  How do I know they were great?  Well, because the other perk to staging with the Sunday Dinner Club is the tasting!  And the crew behind the meal tonight, Josh Kulp, Christina Cicowski, Becca, Alison, Julia, and Irma.

The menu is another brilliant creation by KITEMATH.  Check out the pictures and see if you can decipher it.  The first person wins something that you will never want to part with.

Now let's go through the menu.

First course was a Hamachi Crudo, dressed with grilled nectarines, red chillies, and mint.  The photos were taken prior to being dressed with the mint and nectarines.  This was my first photo while staging, so I wasn't sure what was going to be happening for service.  None the less, it shows a beautiful Hamachi, delicately dressed with a slightly sweet Thai chili.

Hamachi is a beautiful fish and Chef Kulp, while preparing the fish, treated it like he was treating a new born baby.  It's a delicate fish, with a very mellow, clean flavor.  Using it for crude was perfect and the dressing, not over done.  You could taste each individual flavor, starting with the fish, finishing with the mint.  And I think the mint, touching the back of your tongue is a great way to finish this.  The plating of each dish is careful and precise with being pretentious.

Now, I'm not very knowledgeable about wine or pairing it with food, however I will tell you that this first course was paired with a Thompson Vineyard Grenache Blanc.

Next on the menu-Elderflower Orange Chicken Wings, with Szechuan peppercorns, turnips, and pickled onions.  Now, before you turn your nose up with the turnips, hear me out.  They are not that bad.  They are more than the overcooked, smelly, scary root vegetable that nightmares were made of as a child.  When treated right, they are a delicious root vegetable and very versatile.

To begin with, the wings were baked for a bit, but not cooked through, then cooled.  When it came time to serve, the deep fryers were prepped, and we were ready to make wing magic. I coated the wings in rice flour(you get  a crispier crisp with rice flour), and placed in the deep fryer.  Then they were removed cooled, and given a second fry where they crisped like I had never seen before.  They developed a beautiful brown color and the skin was crisp without a thick layer of breading.  They were then dressed with fresh cracked Szechuan peppercorns, followed by a glaze of Elderflower Orange glaze.

Now, if you are unfamiliar with Elderflower liquer, check out St. Germain.  For me, St. Germain is ok, in very small doses.  I thought it came off as a very bitter, herbaceous flavor.  I was never a fan, however reducing the St. Germain with the addition of citrus, changed the flavor dramatically.  It was slightly sweet and delightfully syrupy.  This glaze hugged the wings and covered every inch perfectly.

The taste-Slightly sweet, even balanced with a nice burn from the peppercorns.  The chicken was juicy, the skin was crispy, even with the glaze, and suddenly something starts happening to your mouth.  Your mouth starts to feel a little numb.  A really cool feeling once you understand that is a natural reaction to fresh ground szechuan peppercorns.  And these were definitely the best wings I've ever had.

After glazed, the wings were dressed with a perfectly picked onion and the julienned turnips.

The wine paired for this course - Bien Nacido Vineyard Viognier.

Ahh, ok, time for a beer and a bit of bourbon to knock out the rest of the meal.

Alright, third course - Housemade Cavatelli Pasta, dressed with bacon, honey roasted cauliflower, black olive tapenade, and parsley gremolata.

Cavatelli, has an origin of Naples.  It's shape resembles a hot dog bun, but rolled on the sides.  It's made to be served with a heavy sauce, because those ridges can grab the sauce and hold more.

I've never been a fan of olives and black olives to me, should never come into play in any kitchen, so when I heard that tapenade was being served with the cavatelli, I was extremely skeptical.  But my mind may have been changed this night.  I think the combination of the bacon with the tapenade, I think took the bitterness that I find with black olives.  And when you roast cauliflower, it adds a level of flavor by sweetening up that cauliflower.  The parsley gremolata brightened up the dish.  The colors of the cavatelli reminded me of the Italian flag.

The pasta was paired with a Santa Barbara County Syrah.

This next course put me over my limit.  But the misery that I felt was well worth it!  I have to admit that I took half home, reluctantly.  The Patty Melt, yes, patty melt.  That infamous sandwich that you see on every diner menu, every family restaurant menu, and I can even remember seeing them on the menu of drugstores when drugstores had counter service.  For some reason, I was always the one to shy away from this sandwich.  As a youngster, I didn't realize that it was essentially a cheeseburger on bread, however tonight, tonight it was more than that.

Tonight's patty melt was a griddled patty of a mix of ground pork and beef.  It was topped with a Goat's milk brie from Prairie Fruit Farms(Champaign, IL), caramelized onion agrodolce(a traditional sweet and sour sauce in Italian cuisine), roasted red pepper rouille(a french sauce that consists of olive oil with breadcrumbs, garlic, saffron, and chili peppers), on toasted rye, served with charred kale.

I haven't been able to look at a cheeseburger the same after having this patty melt.  The pork complimented the beef, the agrodolce and rouille held hands as the flavors danced on the tastebuds, and the creamy brie bound everything together leaving a sweet, mellow flavor on the back of your tongue.

The charred kale were a nice addition as opposed to french fries.  When you touch heat to kale, it takes away some of that bitterness as well as makes it easier to chew and digest.  Touched with a little salt, you have the perfect accompaniment.

The Patty Melt was paired with Thompson Vineyard Petite Sirah.

Fortunately for my stomach, but unfortunately for this experience we come to the final course, dessert.  Now for some people, particularly for my Sister, the pear is her nemesis.  And I know she is not alone.  I hear people say that they don't care for the pear's gritty texture.  I won't get all Alton Brown on you, just know that all pears are not gritty, I promise.

The dessert for tonight was Bourbon Pear Upside Down Cake.  I know, pear upside down cake?  Yes, you can do something besides pineapple upside down cake and you are not violating any culinary rules by doing this.  The cake rested in a smooth layer of Anglaise(a light pouring custard, used a dessert cream or sauce).  It was topped with a bit of pecan crumble.  Even the person that dislikes bourbon would appreciate this dessert, but let's be realistic here, who doesn't like bourbon?  Well, ok, I can think of a few people, but I can overlook that.  And this was a terrific way to finish off the meal.

Dessert was paired with Bien Nacido Late Harvest Viognier.

This was by far the best experience I've had with a stage.  This was truly like cooking with friends, for friends.  The folks that came in to eat were all very friendly, not only to us, but between one another as well.  It really was like a big party, and everyone had the same interest in being there, to eat great food, and to celebrate the chance to be at the Sunday Dinner Club.  And many thanks to Josh, Christina, Becca, Alison, Julia, and Irma for giving me this opportunity and to make me feel like I was part of this family.

I highly suggest you email them, get on the list, and if you get the opportunity, eat there, it will change your idea on what dining out is.

By the way, I was able to return for a second stage, and just when you thought it couldn't get any better, the second experience rocked!  That blog will be coming soon!!

Thanks for reading everyone!!