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HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
To all the mothers - present and away.
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My mom would be considered today a "serious foodie" as she was always taking cooking classes and preparing all kinds of dishes. Her favorite cuisines were Spanish, Peruvian and Chinese (although she also cooked French and Italian quite often). She also loved to make pastries and cakes. I will always remember the beautiful cakes she used to make for my birthdays (I was her only child so a lot of her time was devoted to me - I was very lucky!)
Here is a 1970 picture of my mom with her Chinese cooking class.
I love you very much mom and always remember you!
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And, of course a very happy mother's day to my wife Adriana (who will be feverishly working at Mezzanotte). I couldn't do this without you! |
| MOTHER'S DAY AT MEZZANOTTE & CAPRICCIO
We have exciting Mother's Day brunch celebrations at both restaurants:
MEZZANOTTE
We have a beautiful 4 course menu, mimosas and/or Bloody Mary's and entertainment by Karenna Lee. Brunch is from 11 to 3 pm. Click here to see the menu. The price for the menu is $38 per person (we have children's menu also for 10 and under). Please make your reservations soon as we are getting booked fast.
CAPRICCIO
At Capriccio we are sticking with our regular Tapas menu plus we are adding some great brunch items. Brunch is from 11 to 3 pm. Please make your reservations soon as we are getting booked here also. Click here to go to Capriccio's web site. |
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MOVIE, WINE AND TAPAS NIGHT
We had our Movie, Wine and Tapas night on Tuesday and it was a lot of fun. The documentary about the Rioja region, its wines and its cuisine was very informative and beautifully made. We served flights of 3 Rioja wines (a Crianza, a Reserva and a Grand Reserva) along with Tapas. It was a great night and I plan to have more.
Here is a picture of the event:
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FEATURED WINES
Librandi Ciro Rosso - Calabria - Bottle $32; Glass $8
I have to admit that I had never tried a wine from Calabria before (the tip of the boot in Italy's map) and had not even heard of the Gaglioppo grape. So I was not very excited to try this wine but, SURPRISE: it is a wonderful wine and a fantastic value. It offers a delightful bouquet of spice, dried fruit, wild berries and plums. Excellent texture and firm, ripe tannins are hallmark attributes of this wine. Incredibly rich and easy-going, Ciro Rosso is the wine of choice for spicy meat dishes, roasted baby goat or lamb, and grilled meats with strong sauces.
Mastroberbardino Lacryma Christi Rosso - Campania - Bottle $42; Glass $11
Another beauty from souther Italy. This one is from the Campania region and, specifically, from the foothills of the Vesuvio volcano (near Naples).
Lacryma Christi is so named for the legend of Christ's ascension into heaven and his emotion upon seeing the beauty of the Bay of Naples beneath him. The grape, Piedirosso (literally 'red feet'), is a native grape of this area; ....Deep ruby red color, intense fruity nose, mainly cherry and blackberry. Soft and round with a pleasing tannic finish. CAPRICCIO
Rioja Crianza - Lopez Heredia Cubillo '02 - Rioja, Spain - Bottle $48
Cubillo is Lopez's answer to Rioja Crianza. Following the style of all their wines, this wine could be labeled a class above - as a Reserva - but they keep it a Crianza. It compares to most other Rioja wineries' Reservas since the wine is aged 3 years in oak, followed by another 2-3 years in bottle. The resulting wine is fruit-forward but with developed, older wine aromas of cherries and spices. This wine pairs very well with cheeses and jamones.
Rioja Reserva - Luis Canas '02 - Rioja, Spain - Bottle $51
Award wining wine, 4 stars in Nov'06 Decanter review. Luis Caņas has taken Rioja to a new level. This wine is packed with fruit and wrapped in silky oak laced layers of flavor. It represents the cutting edge of Riojan winemaking. Produced from low yielding, very old Tempranillo vines, this wine is surprisingly soft and approachable with ripe wild strawberry and cassis fruit coupled with vanilla and spice from oak ageing in American and French wood. Outstanding! Rioja Gran Reserva - Montecillo '01 - Rioja, Spain - Bottle $ 5491 points by Wine Enthusiast. Cherry-garnet color, deep, covered, clean and brilliant. Complex and elegant aromas of ripe fruit, dominated by scents typical of the Tempranillo grape, but with balsamic tones and touches of oak. Full-bodied, rich, spicy, intense, flavorful, concentrated, very complex, and extraordinarily lively. Warm and powerful, with notes of pepper and cloves. Thanks to its excellent structure and great tannic strength, it has a very long and persistent finish. Excellent with all kinds of meat. It also pairs exquisitely with any dish made with strong cheeses or with very aromatic sauces. |
