I’ve just returned from Italy where I spent the new year shopping for ingredients from the markets in Rome, Florence, and Naples! I’m excited to share them with you in the “comfort food” dishes I’ll prepare for this dinner.

We’ll begin with a tasting of pecorino and parmigiano Reggiano with 50-year-old balsamic and jam. For a warm-up you’ll get a steamy bowl of winter vegetable minestrone and focaccia, followed by risotto made with saffron recently harvested in Tuscany, and tagliatelle with Chianti wine-braised beef. We’ll end with chocolate torte in a Sicilian pistachio crust.

I’ll tell a few tales of my many adventures in the Italian markets and the people who taught me how cook Italian food. I’ll also be serving some special wines from throughout Italy. This is a perfect way to brighten the mid-winter blues and I hope you’ll join me!

The Menu:

Cheese tasting with 50-year balsamic and jam
Winter Minestrone
Mushroom and Saffron Risotto
Tagliatelle with Chianti-braised Beef
Chocolate Torte in Pistachio crust

$210.00 with $45 wine pairing