SPECIAL FOR THE MUSEUM FUND RAISER.....plus fun stuff!!

                GIUSEPPE and CHEF LORENZO!!  
                              Are coming back!

                   We are excited to announce...

   GIUSEPPE SALA AND CHEF LORENZO'S "TASTE OF TUSCANY

will be an auction item at the

HISTORICAL SOCIETY FUND RAISER 

And....the experience is PRICELESS!!

PLAN ON ATTENDING!!

and

ANOTHER EVENT IN THE PLANNING

THE USEPPA CROQUET SPRING

TOURNAMENT!!

Masterful Mike Albert (look at that Jump Shot!) is working to give us another great Croquet experience.  If you haven't signed up, HURRY up.  You've just enough time!! 

Mike brought visitors from Atlanta, last weekend,  to ensure  highly competitive play.

He was not disappointed. 

time and again...

....proving Mike a great teacher...and his guests,                               great students!!

Given we have some really good players on Useppa, the tournament should be very exciting!  Don't Miss It!!

AND, THEN THERE WAS SAILING.

It was a very busy weekend.

Our one-design Marshall Cat Boat fleet races every Saturday, during the Season.

Saturday was perfect!!

Starts were tight...

Rounding the Mark was a challenge with tide and wind at odds

Finishes were exciting!

The Race Committee Chase Boat was on top of things...

And, the Swigerts won so easily, they developed a real "laid back" attitude about it all. 

It truly was a great day!!  And, we have to do it, all over again, this coming Saturday.

We won't even talk about the cookout on the beach....hamburgers, hot dogs and beer!!

COME PLAY WITH US!

CONTINUED..... "A TASTE OF TUSCANY" WITHOUT LEAVING PARADISE ISLAND!!

OK!!  We all know.... People make the Party!!
         Not to minimize the FOOD and WINE...

But, this crowd rocked!!

We were young and old, power boaters and sailors, Village People and "the North End folks."

We were big time Democrats

and passionate Republicans....

Outspoken and not.

There were loud laughs and quiet giggles...

Guys and gals, fit and nimble...and, not so much.  Low carb eaters and low calorie devotees, red wine lovers....

 
and white wine groupies...and a few that loved gin and rum, even more!

But, it was all simply great!! The food/wine chemistry could not have been better but that was also said about dinner partners. 

The discussions were lively and loud...and laughter prevailed.

When lunching at Cabbage Key the following day, we were told  "We heard you last night!" from across the ICW."

  

HERE'S LOOKING AT YOU, CABBAGE         KEY!!!

Wine Maker, Giuseppe Sala, owner of I Selvatichi Winery, Tuscany, Italy, educated us on wine and how location and weather made the difference, year to year.

And Chef Lorenzo Baldacci educated us on ingredients and processes required for really great food.

 

 

 

They both worked us out in the kitchen!!

 

WE LOVED OUR ITALIANS!!!

                                                        Especially Aimee!

WHAT A GREAT NIGHT!!

 

Next Installment...."Busy in the Kitchen" till

"The Party's Over!"

STAY IN TOUCH 'CAUSE

THEY WILL BE BACK NEXT YEAR!!

 

CIAO, BABY!!

 

 

 

TASTE OF TUSCANY WINE DINNER ON USEPPA

Well….it has been a while since we last “spoke”.  Here’s to getting over working-holiday “hangovers” faster and back to "normal" life, sooner!!  Next year!

Now, to what happened, last week!

Rather than doing another “Boating for Food” piece, we hosted an event at our home, centered on Italian wine and food…the latter of which is Brian’s favorite topic. 

We invited everyone to “A Taste of Tuscany”… an afternoon of learning about food preparation from Chef Lorenzo Baldacci of Osteria di Fonterutoli and about wine from Giuseppe Sala, Wine Maker and owner of I Selvatici Winery, in Tuscany, Italy. 

It culminated in a fun evening of great Tuscan food and wonderful wines shared with friends and neighbors!!  Fantastico!!  The interest was so high, we did two nights!  Poor us….(Ha!) 

You need to first meet Chef Lorenzo Baldacci, a Chef that travels with his own knives....

          THE MENU FOR THE FIRST NIGHT

Appetizer              Terrine of Chicken on a Crisp Salad

                               Paired with I Selvatici 2011 Malvasia

First Course     Fresh Handmade Gnocchi with choice of

                           Sauce – Butter and Sage or Gorgonzola
                           Paired with I Selvatici 2009 Chianti Reserva

Entrée             Porchettato Toscano Pork Tenderloin           

                                      Rolled with Bacon with Apples

                          Paired with I Selvatici 2008 Cardisco  

Dessert          Chef Lorenzo’s Tuscan Carrot Cake
                       Paired with I Selvatici 2000 Vinsanto

                                                    MAGNIFICO!!!

                      And, the second night was….

Appetizer      Crepe of Ricotta Cheese and Dry Tomatoes with Fresh Spinach Sauce

                       Paired with I Selvatici 2011 Malvasia

First Course  Fresh Handmade Tagliatelle Bolognese

                       Paired with I Selvatici 2009 Chianti Reserva

Entrée            Beef Tagliata marinated with Honey and Soy Sauce  

                       Paired with I Selvatici 2008 Cardisco (Super)

Dessert          Florentine Panna Cotta with Strawberries or Blueberries                             

                       Paired with I Selvatici 2000 Vinsanto

       PERFECTO!!!

COOKING LESSONS

The cooking lesson, both days, was fun, insightful, educational and attended by both guys and gals. 

We learned to make Gnocchi (Nyahkki) from baked potatoes, riced directly onto the granite, adding flour and eggs, kneading it till we were weak, then rolling into long, thin logs, and cutting into 1/2" sized pieces, all the time sprinkling flour to prevent the “little pillows” from sticking together. 

 The Tagliatelle was mixed in a bowl (Vive la differenza), then kneaded, forever…and rolled paper-thin (you could see the design of granite through it), then curled up into a tube (from both ends) to the center of the sheet of dough…and sliced, Tagliatelle width!

The sauces were soooo easy and soooo good!!  The presentation, simple and elegant.

 

The meats were incredible, as well…very simply but elegantly done and garnished with pureed veges and/or light sauces.  Gorgeous!!  Delicious!!

And, the DESSERTS!!  Now, they were both incredible!  The carrot cake…nothing like we are accustomed to, was as light as a soufflé, topped with paper-thin carrot shavings that had been soaked in sugar, lemon and wine, all day.  Clever!  Beautiful!  YUMMY!!

And, the Panna Cotta was like no other Panna Cotta I'd ever tasted...and all agreed.   Molto Bella!!

Check out the next blog for more details on the lessons....and the wine.....and the people....and the fun.  And, how you can participate, next time.


Ciao!! Fino a Domain