What Can The Italians Teach Us About Food, Wine, and Life?

There aren't many cultures on the planet that can claim to live life as passionately as do the people of Italy. I have taken more than a half dozen trips to the beautiful country over the years. Although I enjoy the unique elegance of French wines and food as much as anyone; the rustic food and robust wines of Italy are special to me.

Several years ago, I had the pleasure of touring the major wine regions of Italy with a group of restaurant, wine, and food experts. We started in the north with Veneto and Trentino. From there we travelled to Piedmont and ultimately south to Tuscany. Several prominent wineries of the regions were our hosts and guides including Bertani, Cavit, and Rocha Della Marcie to name a few.

Along the way we dined in Verona, Milano, Trento and Firenze. Apart from the wonderful food and wine, what impressed me most about the Italian culture was the way food, wine, and life were so harmoniously interwoven. It was as if the Italians had deliberately spent hundreds of years practicing how to enjoy life and somehow "Figured it out".

The comfort with which the Italian engaged wine was particularly inspiring. Although we were with wine experts, with decades of wine making experience, there wasn't an ounce of arrogance or pomposity. There weren't endless discussion about wines or perfect food and wine pairings. We simply drank excellent wines that had been made locally for centuries with traditional dishes of the regions. It was the most enjoyable time imaginable.

This Italian experience reaffirmed my humble approach to wine and three principles that should help keep wine lover's grounded:

1. Wine is essentially fermented grape juice: No matter how lofty the price tag or how rare the bottle, all wine is simply grape juices that has been fermented. Remembering this fact can help the most knowledgeable "Wine Geek" or "Wine Novice" keep things in perspective. There is never a need for snobbishness or intimidation when comes to enjoying wine.
2. Drink the wines you like with the food you like: Admittedly the study of wine is broad and complex. It involves viticulture, history, geography, and enology. However, one need not know anything about these disciplines to know what wine to drink. Simply drink the wines you like with foods you like and remain open to trying new ones. This approach ensures that you will derive great pleasure from drinking wines as your interest in wine and wine palate naturally evolves. Wine ratings and reviews are also good for unearthing terrific wines, but let your taste be the intimate wine judge.
3. If you're not studying for the Master Sommelier exam, chill out: Since its introduction in 1960 less than 200 people world-wide have managed to earn the prestigious designation of Master Sommelier. For some planning to earn such an honor, wine is understandably a serious matter. For the rest of us, wine should primarily be a source of enjoyment to be shared with others.

Regardless where you are in your appreciation of wine, beginner or experts, these three principles gleaned from experience in Italy's wine regions comprise a healthy philosophy for blending food, wine, and life more harmoniously. So eat, drink, and live well!

For more insight and advice visit http://www.EateryCoach.com

Italian Wines Worth Trying

Name	Type	Region	Description
1. Barolo	Red	Piedmont	Big, Bold, Robust
2. Dolcetto	Red	Piedmont	Rich, Fruity, Lighter
3. Gavi	White	Piedmont	Simple, Crisp, Clean
4. Amarone	Red	Veneto	Full, Rich, Fruity
5. Vin Santo	Red/White	Tuscany	Sweet, Nutty, Carmel

Fun In the Kitchen: Panko Crusted Oyster with Shiitake Mushrooms and Savory "Sweet Corn" Foam

It is always a grea

t day when I can find time to have fun in the kitchen. The local market had fresh oysters and the summer corn looked incredible at the farmer's market. I could not resist bring the two together with Shiitake Mushrooms and fresh herbs to round the flavors and textures.

Ingredients

Remove corn from cob and steep in heavy cream to start base for the corn foam.

Finely chop fresh Rosemary, Chives, and Thyme for use in breading and sauteed Shiitakes.

Add freshly chopped Chives to Panko Breading and coat Oysters using flour and egg wash.

Fry Oysters to a golden brown using deep fryer, wok, or deep skillet.

Sautee Shiitake Mushrooms with finely chopped Rosemary, Thyme, and Chives.

Plate: Starting the airy Corn Foam pillow, followed by a bed of herb sauteed Shiitake Mushrooms, and crowned with a succulent Crispy Oyster.

(Pairs perfectly with: Flowers Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, 2007)

For more insight and advice visit http://www.EateryCoach.com

Ending the Restaurant Failure Myth

For many years restaurants have gotten a bad rap when it comes to perceived risk. Business experts and people in general are prone to citing "The High Failure Rate" of restaurants as a reason not to invest in or start restaurants. Most of us are so use to hearing such talk we simply accept it as truth. If we were to ask those who claim that restaurants have a higher failure rate than other small businesses to provide a references for their claim, they couldn't. There aren't any credible research studies to support this myth.

I recently published an article outlining how anyone can dramatically improve their odds of success at starting a restaurant business. The same day that the article was published a reader left a great comment, which not surprisingly mentioned the high failure rate of restaurants. For the benefit of aspiring restaurateurs, restaurant investors, and the restaurant industry, it's time to set the record straight.

There is no meaningful difference in the failure rate of restaurant start-ups and small business start-ups in general. According to the Small Business Administration about 44 percent of small businesses are still operating after four years. Similarly, according to a 2007 study conducted at Ohio State University, 41 percent of restaurants were still operating three years after launch.

As someone who has owned and operated a restaurant in a major city, the enjoyment and social aspects of being a restaurant owner fall just below rock star, local celebrity, and city mayor. A popular restaurant allows the owner to be at the center of community events. More importantly, if restaurant owners avoids the trap of trying to "Do-it-All" themselves, they can also enjoy a well balanced lifestyle.

The classic nightmare restaurant ownership scenario of long frantic days is the same for any entrepreneur, who does not graduates from working in his business to working on his business. Moreover, if restaurants were failing at the staggering 90% rate that some quote, it is unlikely that the restaurant industry would have been growing at double digit rates prior to the current recession. So, the next time someone tells you how risky the restaurant business is, politely ask them for their reference source. If they cite any new or interesting facts please email me the link too.

For more insight and advice visit http://www.EateryCoach.com

Fun In The Kitchen: Lobster Cocktail

• When ever possible, like every else, I like to play in the kitchen. Today, I ran out to the market, grabbed some things that reflected my mode, and put together a light "Summery" Lobster Cocktail with Creme Fraiche, Vine Ripened Tomatoes, and Avocados. Here are some photos:

Lobster Cocktail

Ingredients

Step One: Cook and Dice Lobster

Next: Combine Lobster, Creme Fraiche, Herbs, Garlic, and Mirin in stainless steel bowl.

Next: Remove tomato peels and seeds. Dice Tomatoes and combine with Minced Garlic, Basil, Salt and Cracked White Pepper. (Drain)

Next: Dice Avocados and season with Sea Salt and Fresh Cracked White Pepper.

Finally: Layer chilled ingredients into cold cocktail glass and serve with your favorite Crisp Sauvignon Blanc. (Alternate Presentation - Lobster Tower - Below)

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For more insight and advice visit http://www.EateryCoach.com

Farm-to-Table Restaurants: The Next Big Thing or Culinary Fantasy?

The concept of farm-to-table dining is not a new one, especially for those of us in the culinary profession. Chefs and restaurateurs have always enjoyed offering guests dishes prepared with the finest, freshest, and most wholesome ingredients. And after all, who wouldn't want to help preserve the environment. Which leave only one major question, has consumer demand for Organic, Sustainable, and Slow Food reached the tipping point of becoming the "Next Big Thing" in dining.

Back when I was studying culinary arts, I had a rare opportunity to spend a day in the kitchen with legendary chef Edna Lewis. Although I loved the culinary wisdom that Mrs. Lewis generously shared; I loved her stories even more. She told me about how she learned to cook as a little girl growing up in Freetown Virginia. She explained how her family would prepare meals with vegetables fresh from the field and livestock that was freshly butchered. As a young chef her stories left an enduring impression.

Flash forward more than a decade to 2005 and I find myself living minutes south of San Francisco; overseeing restaurant operations for a foodservice company with units through the Silicon Valley. In the Bay Area, at this time,Farm-to-table, Organic, Slow Food, and Sustainable Food are all the rage. In fact, the Whole Foods store near my home is constantly so crowded one can expect to wait just for parking. In addition, mainstream supermarkets like Safeway have their own "Organic" line of products. From this vantage point, America's relationship with food seems to have traveled full-circle.

Now, just four years later the farm-to-table moment continues to grow. The White House has its own symbolic kitchen garden, farm-to-table restaurants in Boston are reporting healthy sales in the midst of a bad recession, and chefs all over the country are extolling the virtues of the farm-to-table movement. So, it would seem that now is the time to jump in with both feet. This may be the case, but before you do, consider and prepare for the following:

• Locally and organically grown products are generally more expensive, which means your target market must be willing to pay a premium.
• Depending on your location seasonal availability of some products can prove to be a challenge.
• If you choice to fully embrace localism 100%, you may put some of the World finest signature products off limits. (Main Lobster, Greek Olives, New Zealand Lamb, etc.)
• As a chef you must be prepared to change your menu frequently, as small local supplier encounter unexpected shortages.
• Depending on the size of your operation(s) and the long-term growth of local demand producers in some parts of the country may have difficulty scaling upward.

These are just a few of the things to take in to account if you intend to become part of the farm-to-table dining movement, which is possible the next big thing.

For more insight and advice visit http://www.EateryCoach.com