The Divine Combo

Being both human and a female, you’d be hard pressed to get me to admit that there is something in this world more divine than the mouth-watering combination of milk, sugar and cocoa commonly known as chocolate. Whether it’s a Hershey’s bar or a gourmet confection, I show no prejudice, no favoritism, and absolutely no compunction in eating the world’s most beloved decadence…in its entirety.

But then I turned 21.

Ladies and gentlemen, enter: Wine.

Yes, that’s right. Chocolate can get better.

But not just any chocolate. And not just any wine. A certain weekend last September comes to mind, when my friend Jen brought back a one-pound Reese’s Cup from a day jaunt to Hershey Park. We settled in on the blue standard-issue dorm couch in her apartment to devour the chocolate/peanut buttery goodness, watch a movie and drink some wine (red for her, white for me…), the labels of which I can no longer remember. 8 oz of chocolate each (to put this in perspective, 8 oz is the equivalent of an entire bag of chocolate chips) and a little more than a glass of wine later…well, gluttony is its own punishment.

Yes, that evening was an example of several wine-chocolate do-nots. Do not over-eat the chocolate. Do not drink just any wine. And, for goodness’ sake, do not blame either the wine or the chocolate if you do (I still cannot eat even a mini-Reese’s).

Which chocolate and which wine is really all about personal preference, but there are some general guidelines to follow: the lighter the chocolate, the lighter-bodied the wine, deep reds go best with the velvety, dark chocolates (Kim Rigby at Parfections—more about that later—makes, for example, a dark chocolate and Port wine truffle that is absolutely to die for), etc. Basically, you try to match flavor-weight with flavor-weight. You wouldn’t want your chocolate to over-power the wine, or vice-versa.  

But as Cap’n Barbossa says…they’re more like guidelines anyway.

There is no cut and dry, this wine goes with this chocolate. Because, as we discussed previously in the post about terroir, no two Merlots or Sauvignon Blancs or Rieslings or (I could go on ad infinitum) taste the same. And as with wine, so with chocolate. There is also the added pitfall of personal taste: some wine and chocolate lovers pair sweet with sweet while others claim that a sweet wine makes the chocolate bitter. There’s really no way to find out but to taste for yourself (and what a deliciously trying ordeal that would be, no?).

My best suggestion is to find a wine you like and try different chocolates, or find a chocolate and try it with several different wines, then make a party of it! Buy several bottles of wine (or ask everyone to bring a favorite, making sure not to overlap grapes too much) and pair them with white, milk and dark chocolates (preferably from the same chocolatier) to see which combinations stand out.

But if you’re looking for a gift, or just don’t have time to taste all the hundreds of chocolate and wine combinations, stop by the winery April 30 and May 1 for Swing into Spring and the release of this year’s Vidal and Riesling. Kim from Parfections will be here with chocolates to pair with our wines and the answers to any of your lingering questions about which wine or which chocolate. Having spent one of my workdays here at the winery tasting Kim’s delectable chocolates (…don’t you just want to wrest my job out of my hands and into yours?), I do not hesitate in issuing the following imperative: you simply must come discover the magical combination of wine and chocolate for yourself. 

Parfections Handmade Gourmet Chocolates

10768 York Road

Cockeysville, MD  21030

Shop ph: 410-TRUFFLE

www.parfections.com

info@parfections.com

Lynne and Bert in Italy: Verona and Venice

I promised an update to our travels, so here we go! After our friends Joan & Charles arrived last Friday, we had a pretty quiet weekend. Yes, we went to the mercato again on Saturday; no, I didn’t buy any more scarves.  (I’m waiting until we go to Venice for that!) We did take Charles and Joan to Il Foro, and we had another wonderful meal there. Thank goodness I called ahead, though…they were packed! We had Spaghetti alla Vongole (again, I know…but it’s so good!) On Sunday, we cooked lunch for Bert’s cousin, Roberto, visiting from Rome. Bert made Risotto alle Gamberoni (shrimp) for our first course. After that we had roasted potatoes (have I told you yet, how good the potatoes are in Italy? ...we can’t figure out why…they just are), grilled sausages, and artichokes prepared by Charles with his special sauce. For dessert, we bought a delicious Torta della Nonna from the bakery in Porto Santa Stefano.  It was a wonderful lunch and visit, and afterwards we took our passagiata into town and back—we needed to walk off that lunch!

That was it for us. No-one wanted to eat anything else for the rest of the evening. We had to rest up and get ready for our trip to Verona the next day, anyway! (By the way, Charles & Joan brought beautiful weather with them, so hopefully no more rain until we leave!)

Verona

My friend Jim reminded me of a quote from Shakespeare, “There is no life beyond Verona’s walls…where Juliet lives.” And he asked me, since I was going Verona, if I could verify that statement, made so eloquently by Romeo. I can only say that life was better for the time I was there, even though that time was too short.

What a charming, enigmatic city Verona is…completely capable of making one reluctant to leave, if nothing else. I have to say that Verona is one of the most delightful cities that I have been to in Italy. Once you navigate in from the autostrada, (using the excellent directions that you printed out from your hotel), you can park the car and continue on foot from then until you leave. In the city center, everything is very close and easy to find.

  

We followed an excellent walking tour from Rick Steves and, as usual, he didn’t let us down. From the main Piazza Bra, to Juliet’s house and balcony, we never got lost, and we enjoyed our tour very much. Verona was once known as the “painted city,” for the paintings decorating the houses, and while much of that has faded, some remains. 

After we finished our tour, we got to rest for about an hour before dinner. We couldn’t decide where to go for dinner, so we consulted with Riccardo, the delightful and knowledgeable young man at the front desk at our hotel (great hotel, by the way…Hotel Torcolo).

  

He suggested we flip a coin to decide between the two restaurants in the running, so we did.  We went with the winner of the coin toss, Trattoria al Pompiere, and it was quite simply amazing. It may have been the best meal of our trip so far. It was a very friendly restaurant, with mostly Italians, which is always a good sign. At the back of the room 

where we were, there was a chef who did nothing but slice meats, organize them beautifully on a platter, and bring them personally to various  diners. There must have been at least 25 different salume to choose from, so we asked for a mixed platter for the table, making sure that one of the meats would be Proscuitto di Parma. I wish I would have taken a picture of that platter…it was beautiful. Charles picked a delicious Soave to have with the meats, and it complemented them perfectly. After that, Joan & I had Tagliatelle with Ragu (delicious), Bert had Fegato con cipolle (liver with onions…again, delicious), and Charles had a steak with roasted potatoes. We had a wonderful Valpolicella with our second course. And the best part was, we didn’t have to drive home! We did have a nice passagiata after dinner, though, and returned to our hotel, happy and full. As far as life beyond Verona’s walls…alas, there has to be, because tomorrow we must leave. Time to head to Venice!

Venice

After an early morning walk around Piazza Bra, we left Verona and headed for Venice. We decided to make two stops along the way: Vincenza, to see some structures built by Palladio and Padova, where we had decided to have lunch. Unfortunately, we had some difficulty parking in Vincenza, after having already had trouble finding the center of the city and, in frustration, we decided to skip Vincenza and just go straight to Padova for lunch. We will definitely try to get back to Vincenza, but maybe we’ll try to arrive by train next time…that might be a little easier.

We had a very nice lunch in Padova, then left for Venice. 

We arrived in Venice and, after much discussion, decided to park in Tronchetto, which is the slightly cheaper parking lot, and also one which allowed us to pick up the water taxi. In Venice, everything is done by boat, whether it’s delivering people or picking up trash (not that I’m comparing the two!). It’s really fascinating, seeing all of the services and goods delivered by all types of boats. The water taxi that we took was like a tour in itself, covering a large part of the Grand Canal before dropping us at St. Mark’s Square, which was the stop nearest to our hotel, the Hotel Diana. What a beautiful city Venice is…a true “feast for the eyes”!

  

No matter how many times I visit, Venice never fails to make me smile. We arrived about 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, checked in, then went in search of a favorite glassmaker of Charles & Joan’s.  After successfully locating Vittorio and admiring his exquisite pieces, we decided to locate one of the many wine & cichetti bars of Venice to sample the local wines and a few appetizers. I chose a glass of Prosecco (no surprise there…I always choose Prosecco, if I have a chance). We also sampled a few interesting appetizers (potato cake, mushroom flan, artichokes, deep fried olives, deep fried meatballs, etc.). We were intending to make the chichetti our meal for the evening, but Bert wanted to sit down for his meal. 

We stumbled on a little ristorante and were reading the menu when the owner appeared and strongly suggested we come in. So we did. And we were very glad that we did! We weren’t really starving, and only wanted a little pasta, so three of us got the Spaghetti alla fruitta di mare. It was really delicious, served with lots of mussels, clams, and langoustines. Yummmm! Charles got the Fritto Misto, and that was delicious also. (Well, I think it was…he didn’t offer us any!) So that’s how it goes. Usually, you can eat well, even in a major tourist city like Venice, if you go off the beaten path a little and trust your instincts.

  

The next day we got up early and went to see some churches, especially La Salute, which is reached either by boat from St. Mark’s Square or by walking over the Accademia Bridge, which is what we did. That way, we got to wander while we were en-route to the church, never a bad thing to do in Venice. After reaching the church and admiring the inside (and taking fabulous pictures of St. Mark’s Square across the water), we found a café on the canal, where we could rest a bit and have something to drink. We decided on a bottle of Prosecco and, of course, it was delicious…or maybe the surroundings had something to with it.

  

Well, by this time, it was almost time for lunch, so we found a nice little trattoria, and enjoyed a simple, but delicious meal. I’ve heard that it’s difficult to eat well in Venice, and expensive, but I don’t agree. We were very happy with all of our meals in Venice, including the last one, which I’ll tell you about later.

After lunch, we split up, and Charles & Joan went off to do some shopping while Bert and I got lost trying to find St. Mark’s Square. We were a little frustrated and felt we were going around in circles, but eventually we found it! We took the taxi over to the see the church of San Giorgio Maggiore, designed by Palladio. There are also great views of Venice from there, and it's far from the maddening crowds around St. Mark’s Square. After taking the taxi back to St. Mark’s Square, we did a little shopping and rested up before dinner. 

So the question was, as always, “where to eat?” We thought we had a restaurant picked out, but the desk clerk at our hotel didn’t think it was O.K., plus it would have been about a 40 minute walk, which may have been difficult. So, she recommended Osteria alle Botta, near the Rialto Bridge.

  

It was really wonderful, not fancy, and just what we wanted. Bert & I both got a pasta dish (made in-house), and they were fantastic. Then Charles, Joan and Bert got a grilled fish (superb, fresh and perfectly cooked). We had a Soave to go with our meal, and that was perfect, too. I think we have new favorite restaurant in Venice!  As we strolled home from the restaurant, stopping by St. Mark’s Square once more to admire the moon over the city, we could almost imagine what it like here hundreds of years ago. One thing hasn’t changed: the magic that surrounds this city. That will be here, hopefully, for another hundred years, at least. Ciao!!

--Lynne

Lynne and Bert in Italy: Montalcino, The Wine of Brunello, and Visiting David

MONTALCINO & PIENZA

On Monday we headed to two of our favorite hill towns, Montalcino and Pienza.  

Montalcino, of course, is famous for being the home of Brunello wines, arguably some of the best in Italy. We always visit Livio Sassetti at Pertimali Winery to get some of his delicious wine to drink while we’re here. We bought a few bottles of 2006 Brunello di Montalcino &  Rosso di Montalcino and a case of 2007 Montecucco, made with 100% Sangiovese. Wow…I have to say…that is one good “house wine,” and not a bad deal @ 9 Euros per bottle!

After our visit to the winery, we had lunch at the same restaurant in Montalcino where we always eat, Osteria di Porta Cassera. It’s a very simple restaurant, but the food is always good and dependable. We always get the house wine here, and since it’s in the middle of Brunello country, it’s delicious.

After lunch, we headed to Pienza, a beautiful hill town and very well preserved Renaissance city. (They actually filmed Zefferelli’s “Romeo & Juliet” there many years ago, not in Verona). It also just happens to be the best place to buy Pecorino cheese, a delicious cheese made from sheep’s milk. And that’s exactly what we did. Our usual shop has samples out to try, so you can decide which cheese you want to buy, and they will even vacuum pack it, so you can take it home to the U.S.A. with you…(yes, it’s legal!).

There are always at least 3 or 4 different cheeses to try, all the same, just a different age. The youngest is aged 3 months, then the next is 6 months, and the next is one year. As they get older, of course, they are more complex and harder. You just have to find the one that you like the best. I actually like all of them!

We usually eat at Latte di Luna in Pienza but, unfortunately, they were closed. So, we’ll have to go back later in our trip. I can’t miss eating there at least once while we’re in Italy. They have the most amazing Roast Suckling Pig, Fettucini with Truffles, and Gnocci with Ragu. This restaurant is definitely worth a special trip. Luckily, we have a reason to go back…we haven’t bought our cheese yet to take home to the U.S.A.!!

                                  

The next day, we were going to go to Pitigiano, the city where three of Bert’s grandparents were born, but one of our guests had a slight medical emergency, so we had to stay close to home to take care of that. We did go that night to another of our favorite restaurants La Lampara, in Porto Ercole, for pizza. 

SIENA

We headed back to the villa to rest up and get ready for a big day on Wednesday: our visit to Florence. We left early for Florence, and decided to stop in Siena on the way. It’s absolutely a city that one has to see and, in medieval times, it was the rival of Florence. Unfortunately, the Black Death in the 13^th century depleted the city by one-third and they never really recovered, eventually falling under the rule of the Florentines.

But there is an amazing main square called Il Campo where twice a year they hold horse races around the perimeter. 10 out of the 17 “neighborhoods” compete in the races (chosen by rotation and lot), and the winners get bragging rights for the next year, so it’s very important to the citizens of Siena. There is also an amazing Duomo in Siena which can’t be missed, and in fact, it wasn’t missed by us. There are so many beautiful churches in Italy, but I have to say that Siena’s Duomo is one of my very favorites. It is nicknamed the “Zebra” church, because of the stripes in the interior.  After having lunch and another gelato, we headed to Florence, with another important stop along the way. Bert’s uncle was killed in Italy in WWII and is buried at the American Cemetery in Florence, so we always stop there on our way to Florence to pay our respects. It’s quite a sight to see. We are always moved, seeing all of those white crosses.                      

FLORENCE

O.K., so we arrived in Florence about 2:30 pm (or 15:30, as the time is displayed in Italy), and headed first for the Piazzale Michelangelo, which is where we always take our guests as we enter the city. It’s a huge piazza overlooking the city, where the view is spectacular, and of course, it’s a perfect place for our first photos of Florence.

After enjoying the view, we drove to our hotel, Hotel Cosimo di Medici, another new find for us, and checked in. It was great, and we would definitely recommend it.  We walked to the Duomo and went inside to admire the amazing dome. Bert & Linda decided to walk to the top of the Duomo (463 steps!!!) while Jack & I held down the fort in the Piazza below. Yes, they did it! (And they have the pictures from the top to prove it!)

We then walked back to the hotel to rest before dinner at Quattro Leone, where they have traditional Tuscan food and are very friendly. One of their specialties is Finochietti, which are little “purses” of pasta filled with Taleggio cheese and pear, served with a cream and asparagus sauce. Linda & I had that, Bert had a delicious steak, and Jack had lasagna made with artichokes. Yummm!

Tomorrow, we have a date with David!

                      

We got up and had breakfast at our hotel and headed for the Accademia to see David by Michelangelo, and on the way we walked through the San Lorenzo markets, which go on forever. O.K. not really forever, but it seems like that. They have amazing deals on everything from scarves to leather jackets. We were on our way to see David, though, so our shopping would have to wait until later. Again, I’ve seen David many times, but wanted to go with our guests, and he still blows me away. It’s hard to explain what it’s like standing next to that incredible sculpture. So, I won’t.

After we left the Accademia, we walked to Le Mossace for lunch, and then walked around after lunch, until we ran out of steam, and went to rest up for our big dinner that night. I know…it seems like we’re always eating…but the food is amazing, what can I say? That night we ate dinner at Il Latini, which is quite famous, and we always try to eat there when we’re in Florence. I’ve never seen a menu there. The waiter asks if you would like the appetizers, and then if you would like a primi (first course, such as pasta or soup), and then if you want a meat. The best thing here is the “bistecca alla fiorentina,” which is a massive steak served rare (just like Bert likes it!). I usually pass on that and go for the pasta. After dinner, our waiter, Nino, brought us a selection of desserts to share, biscotti and Vin Santo, and then the evening was topped off with Moscato, a delicious sparkling wine.  Before leaving, we were presented with a bottle of their own wine to take home. Suffice to say, it’s an experience to eat there.  

After a leisurely passeggiata back to the hotel, we turned in and got some much needed rest after a busy day. We left Florence and navigated out of the city without a hitch and headed for Pisa, which just happened to be on our way home, to see the most iconic structure in Italy.

PISA

                                   

We got there in time to have lunch (pizza), and admired the “Field of Miracles” where the leaning Tower of Pisa is located. We were understandably impressed and glad we had stopped to see it. Seeing it in photographs just doesn’t do it justice. The Duomo was also worth seeing, and I was glad that we paid the 2 Euros to go inside. I know, right? Another beautiful church! Just when you think you’re becoming jaded, you see another one! We spent some time there taking scads of photos (yes, we even took one of Linda “holding” up the tower).

Villa Colombina

We drove back to Porto Santo Stefano and arrived home in time to rest up for dinner.  Saturday morning was windy and cold, but that didn’t deter Linda & me from going to the weekly mercato in Orbetello. I will say we didn’t spend too much time there because the weather  was pretty miserable, so we left and spent the rest of the afternoon at home, cooking our own lunch and dinner.

The only thing we bought at the market were some tomatoes and some pane (bread)for lunch. Oh, I did buy a beautiful scarf…evidently, I didn’t buy enough scarves in Florence…I never do! Oh, who to give it to…or maybe that will be the one I keep for myself!  We were hoping again to go to Pitigliano, but the weather was so bad on Sunday (it was a cold, windy, rainy day), that we didn’t go out at all, until dinner.  Bert & I were disappointed, because we really wanted Linda & Jack to see Pitigliano, but I guess that will have to wait until the next visit. (Remember the coin in the fountain in Rome?)  Their last dinner was in Porto Santo Stefano at Il Foro, with all of their new Italian friends. We had grilled shrimp, fried mixed seafood, pizza, and spaghetti alla vongole, and I think they really enjoyed their last dinner in Italy. Today (Monday), we took them to the airport, and have spent a quiet day at home, anticipating our next guests, friends who will be arriving on Friday. Next week we will be traveling to Verona & Venice, and will write more about that later. 

Ciao for now!  

--Lynne

  

Lynne and Bert in Italy: Rome, Porto Santo Stefano, and Villa Colombina

Well, we’re 2 weeks into our trip and have had a wonderful, albeit wet, time so far. It seems like it has rained more than not, but that hasn’t deterred us. Here’s what we have been up to...

ROME

We arrived in Rome last Friday, March 4^th and stayed one night after picking up my brother and his wife at the airport. We stayed at a very nice hotel near Termini (the main train station in Rome) called Hotel Serena. It was the first time we had stayed at this particular hotel, and we would definitely stay there again. After having lunch at a small trattoria near the hotel, we walked to the Forum and Colosseum,  and then afterwards headed for the Trevi  Fountain. 

You can’t visit Rome without visiting the Trevi Fountain.

My brother and his wife threw the ubiquitous coins in so they could assure their return someday. Then, that accomplished, we headed back to the hotel, after getting lost a few times, to rest before dinner. We had a very nice dinner, then walked a little bit afterwards while enjoying the first gelato of our trip. (The first of many, trust me!). Bert got his usual: half coconut, half chocolate. He’s definitely in a rut (but it’s a good one!), while I hardly ever get the same flavor twice. Jack & Linda also had their first gelato ever…yes, they’re hooked, too!  Linda vowed that the next gelato would be in a cone, not a cup. It’s the same price for either, and you can always combine two flavors. With so many flavors to try, that’s the smart thing to do.

The next morning, we were up early and grabbed a taxi to go to St Peter’s Basilica. We were there early enough to beat the crowd and were rewarded with shorter lines than usual. No matter how many times we see that church (and we’ve seen it many times), it never fails to impress us. Jack & Linda were blown away by the magnitude of the church and the beautiful mosaics inside. Of course, the crown jewel, the Pieta by Michaelangelo, was breathtaking, as always. 

PORTO SANTO STEFANO & VILLA COLOMBINA

So, back to the hotel to pick up our bags, we grabbed a sandwich to eat on the train to the airport, jumped on the train, picked up our car, and headed home. We arrived at Villa Colombina about 3:00 pm, unpacked, and settled in. Of course, Jack & Linda were anxious to see the house and grounds, so we gave them the grand tour before heading out to dinner with our Italian friends at our favorite restaurant, Il Foro, in Porto Santo Stefano.

We had ordered a specialty of the house ahead of time, Zuppa di Pesce, and it was amazing. First, they brought a large bowl filled with a delicious broth, and bowls of crusty bread. Those of us having the Zuppa were given a bowl and a knife and fork. So, there I am, waiting for my spoon, and when it didn’t materialize, I asked the waitress for it. Well, everyone looked at me and Luciana said, “Oh, no, you don’t use a spoon! You just pour the broth over the bread, and it soaks up the broth, and you eat it with a fork.” (Of course, she said this in Italian, and I didn’t understand it completely. Thank goodness for hand gestures and that Italians can’t talk without them!)

Then the waitress arrived with the piece de resistance, a huge platter filled with the seafood that had been used to make the broth. I wish I had taken a picture of that platter, but, alas, I didn’t. It was delicious!! Jack had Spaghetti alla Vongole (spaghetti with clams) and was suitably impressed. Bert always gets that when he can.  It’s made with these amazing tiny little clams and is absolutely delicious.  Jack & Linda couldn’t understand much of the conversation, as it was all in Italian, but they have made a lot of new friends nonetheless.

--Lynne

Is Direct-to-Consumer Shipping in Maryland's Future?

Imagine my surprise (having been born and raised in Maryland) when I walked into the Whole Foods around the corner from my sister’s place in Alexandria, Virginia one hazy summer afternoon three years ago to find that there were two entire aisles devoted to beer and wine. In the grocery store?! I was, to say the least, floored and slightly scandalized. It had never once in my then eighteen years occurred to me that where, when and how consumers can purchase alcohol is not a federal mandate, but up to state legislators.

Having said this, I feel compelled to admit that it never particularly bothered me when I was growing up that we would have to stop at a special store, and I certainly never imagined having alcohol shipped directly to our door. Perhaps this is because I was not yet 21, but it’s entirely more likely that I simply couldn’t miss what I’d never experienced.

Either way, I never thought much about the where and the when and the how of purchasing alcohol until I began working at Basignani in January.

Which brings me to the real subject of this post: HB 234 and SB 248.

Currently on the legislative table, these bills propose (on the recommendation of the Comptroller’s report) that Maryland legalize direct-to-consumer shipping for both in- and out-of-state manufacturers of alcoholic beverages.

Only 13 states in the union do not allow direct shipment of wine to consumers. Some of the reasons “why not” include accessibility to minors and potential tax evasion. The bill addresses many potential issues, including placing stringent regulations on both the manufacturer and the controlled carrier (i.e. UPS, FedEx, etc.) that require verification of the consumer’s age both at the time of purchase and upon receipt of the package.  

To understand the other concerns connected with the bill, it is first necessary to understand how alcohol distribution currently works in Maryland.

We have a three-tier system:

In words, manufacturers sell to wholesalers who distribute to the retailers where you and I can purchase our preferred labels. The new bill would allow manufacturers and consumers to bypass wholesalers and retailers for direct-to-consumer purchases. This would, according to the Comptroller’s report, benefit consumers motivated more by brand than by price. Which makes sense, if you stop to think about it. Look at it this way:

The average consumer is not going to go online, purchase wine or beer, pay shipping, and then wait the three to five days for the package to arrive. It’s simply much more expedient (and cost-effective!) to run to the corner store. But for those consumers who enjoy a particular winery or wish to purchase a collector’s bottle in an auction, well—this is their chance.

According to the Comptroller’s report, “the three-tier regulatory framework was implemented [following the end of Prohibition] to achieve the goals of temperance, orderly sale of alcoholic beverages, and respect and obedience to law” (40).

Whether or not this new bill is in violation of this intent, well that is up for our elected officials to decide.

The bill will be heard by legislative committees in both the House and the Senate on Friday, so contact your local legislator and have your say!

For more information, see the Comptroller’s Report or the Maryland Wineries’ Association website.