April 10, 2009
Header
UPCOMING
EVENTS


EASTER BRUNCH SUNDAY 4/12 AT MEZZANOTTE AND CAPRICCIO
11 a.m - 4 p.m. 
Reservations required
 
WINE FUNDAMENTALS CLASS AT MEZZANOTTE
Tuesday 4/21 at 6:00 p.m. $20/person. Reservations Required

ENTERTAINMENT
AT MEZZANOTTE

Kareena Lee
KARENNA LEE
Friday 4/10
7 to 10 p.m.
Karenna moves easily between jazz, blues, caberet and pop. Her versatile style and extensive repertoire includes romantic ballads to latin favorites and  broadway tunes. Her very entertaining and dynamic style are a welcome treat to a relaxing dinner on a Friday night. She is a must see.
Odell
ODELL GRAY Saturday 4/11 7 to 10 p.m.
If you haven't heard Odell yet then this is your chance. Odell is a great entertainer with a wonderful repertoire of rhythm, blues, jazz and Motown. His music progresses from mellow to full blown upbeat.

ENTERTAINMENT AT CAPRICCIO

Serpas
GUILLERMO SERPAS Friday 4/10 - 7 to 10 p.m.
Evoking the influence of legendary guitarist Carlos Santana and popular folk players, Guillermo produces the electrifying rhythms of salsa, Latin jazz, and bolero, representing his Latin American roots and pumping vigorous life into his virtuoso classical-guitar performances.
 
terry
TERRY PARKER
Saturday 4/11
7 to 10 p.m.
The Port Arthur born native of Texas has been mesmerizing audiences for more than 20 years, with his silky smooth renditions of some of the world greatest legends, such as Nat King Cole, Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, Little Anthony, Smokie Robinson and The Platters. Known as Mr. Entertainer, Terry brings the candle of love to any party, by taking us back down memory lane, with Unchained Melody and Sixteen Candles
In This Issue
Upcoming Events
Wine Fundamentals Class
New Menu
How do you order coffee
Featured Wines

WINE FUNDAMENTALS CLASS COMING TO MEZZANOTTE !!
I have received several requests to run the Wine Fundamentals class at Mezzanotte so I decided to do that on Tuesday 4/21 instead of the wine tasting event.

In this program we will cover many basic aspects of wine knowledge such as soil, pests, terroir, vineyard management, etc. We will also go over the lifecycle of the vine and will go into red and white wine production. In the second part of the program we will go over how to taste wines and will taste 8 wines (4 whites and 4 reds).
 
The program will start at 7 PM - Reservations are required. 
NEW MENU AT MEZZANOTTE
We are excited about our new menu at Mezzanotte, which went live this week.  We have changed quite a few dishes and added several appetizers (including 3 new risottos). Some of the pastas are now also offered as an appetizer portion.
 
The tremendous success of our Tapa menu at Capriccio made me think that we can have a similar (but not the same) approach at Mezzanotte.  With several new appetizer selections now a complete meal can consist of a combination of small plates.
 
But we didn't stop there. We also changed some of our main courses to introduce exciting new dishes.
Please send me any feedback on this new menu.
Cheers!
 
Gerry
 HOW DO YOU ORDER COFFEE IN ITALY?

COFFEE

Will you be able to get away by mixing a few semi-Italian terms coined by Starbucks such as "Venti", "Misto" or "Frappuccino"? Not really...
 
As you may expect, there are a vast array of choices for coffee in Italy. In Trieste, where the famous Illy brand is produced, you can find more than 60 different kinds of coffee. That said, the original Italian coffee is what Italians call caffe' espresso (or simply caffe').
 
Here are some of the most common types of coffee you can order at a Bar (that's how coffee shops are called in Italy):
 
Caffe' Espresso (or simply caffe') is very concentrated as it is made with less water.
Caffe' Lungo is made with more water even though the amount of coffee is always the same. The caffe' lungo is still served in small cups.
Cappuccino is an espresso with milk served in a large cup and with foam on top. The Italian cappuccino is smaller than the American one.
Caffe' Macchiato is an espresso with a drop of milk and foam on top.
Latte Macchiato (not to be confused with caffe' macchiato) is a glass of milk with a drop (stain) of coffee.
Caffe' Latte is a foamless espresso to which some warm milk has been added.
Caffe' Americano is a very diluted espresso served in a large cup.
Caffe' Corretto is an espresso with a shot of liquor (usually Grappa or another liquor of your choice).
Caffe' Hag is a decaffeinated espresso
 
And now, a little test for you: What's the name of the three coffee in the photo above? 
FEATURED WINES
MEZZANOTTE
Toscana Maremma IGT - Tomassi Rompicollo - Bottle $30, Glass $8
This Supertuscan is 60% Sangiovese and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. It opens very nicely with extremely fruity aromas and flavors of ripe cherries, pepper, oak and licorice. The perfumed palate is youthful yet shows some complexity with good depth of ripe fruit and length. Pairs very well with Italian pasta with red meat sauce, white meats, fresh cheeses. Tremendous value!
Syrah Sicily IGT - Planeta - Bottle $69
Ruby red to deep purple tones. Intense and persistent on the nose with notes of black fruits like cherry and blackberry; chocolate, leather and spices integrated with creamy vanilla and nut coming from the wood. On the palate the wine is full bodied, velvety and warm. Ending with soft and sweet tannins and with a long sumptuous finish. Will pair very well with grilled red meats, particularly game with rich sauces, and matured cheeses.

CAPRICCIO
At Capriccio we started offering a 4 wine sampler for $18. This week's sampler includes:
  • Bierzo Cuatro Pasos Mencia
  • Malbec Reserve Telteca Anta
  • Tempranillo/Cabernet Castell del Remei
  • Toro Prima