The Two Meatballs - On the Road...

OUR LAST NIGHT IN VANCOUVER WAS A SPECIAL ONE. WE HAD A DINNER AND BOOK SIGNING AT CIOPPINO RESTAURANT.THE OWNER -CHEF IS PINO POSTERARO, A VERY OPINIONATE AND PASSIONATE CHEF…THE RESTAURANT MUST HAVE A WINE INVENTORY IN THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF BOTTLES OF WINE AND WHAT A LIST OF WINE FROM EVERYWHERE…ITALY , FRANCE ,AMERICA…

WE HAD TWO FANTASTIC TASTINGS OF MEATBALLS AND FISHBALLS.

THE MEATBALLS HAD A GREAT TASTE OF EGGPLANT AND THE FISHBALLS WERE MADE WITH SALT CURED COD….MY FAVORITE.

THE NEXT COURSE WAS A DELICIOUS TASTE OF SPAGHETTI WITH A LAMB RAGU THAT REMINDED ME OF THE WAY MY MOTHER USED TO PREPARED IT….I ACTUALLY GOT A SECOND SERVING.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST …PHEASANT PREPARED IN A BLACK OLIVE SAUCE, VERY TENDER AND JUICY…PINO POSTERARO IS A FANTASTIC CHEF. VANCOUVER SHOULD BE PROUD TO HAVE HIM. GRAZIE PINO…WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU IN NEW YORK TO EXCHANGE THE HOSPITALITY.

PORTLAND HERE WE COME! MARK WANTS TO TAKE ME TONIGHT TO A SPECIAL PIZZA JOINT IN THIS CITY. I WILL LET YOU KNOW.

A DOPO…Pino

Our farewell dinner in Chicago.

Pino — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 22:22:07 +0000

The last day in the windy city included another book signing, this one with wine pairings at Sam’s. Banfi is our partner on this book tour. Every demo, dinner and wine tasting, you’ll find The Two Meatballs with Banfi’s Placido Chianti Classico or Rosso di Montalcino or Pinot Grigio. We are in good company. These are delicious wines. Recipes from our cookbook are reprinted on tags that hang from the bottleneck of the Placido wines from Banfi. This pairings are well done…the recipes are well complimented by the wines and this idea is practical for the home cook. I hope people enjoy this because it is fun idea.

Sam’s is a gigantic store where the vast space might create a fear of getting lost with such an enormous selection, but this is overcome by friendly, passionate sales people. We were stationed at the main entrance, so we met many people, signed some books, and people were able to taste the meatballs with the wines. And onto the next event…dinner.

Even for a well-traveled New Yorker, used to an excellent selection of superb restaurants, I am impressed with the restaurant scene in Chicago. There is a new place opening on every corner. Friday night was crazy everywhere we went, escorted by the people from “chicagourmet” to meet Roland Licciono, the chef at the new restaurant Old Town Brasserie. Liccioni was the chef at Le Francaise restaurant in Chicago, an institution that closed a while ago. Old Town Brasserie was packed. We had enjoyed appetizers and the bar scene before heading off to dinner at Table 52.

We arrived at Table 52 at 8:45. The restaurant is owned by Art Smith, the personal chef of Oprah. The small and charming room had an open fireplace for baking bread and pizza. The room was warm and full of the Southern charm. I had a great cauliflower soup and green fried tomatoes with bacon, both appetizers and both great. Unfortunately Art wasn’t in, but we left a copy of Two Meatballs….a gesture of gratitude for our meal And who knows, maybe Art likes Italian food and you’ll see some meatballs on the winter menu.