THE BUSINESS OF EATING

Our friends in the US recount a fine food & wine dining experience!

GREAT NEW ARTICLE: ITALIAN COUNT DELIGHTS THE CAPE REGION WITH EXCEPTIONAL WINES BY OUR NEW FRIEND, BOB YESBEK.

One of the perks of writing and talking about restaurants is the occasional invitation I receive to attend events that pair food with wine. Or beer. Or bourbon. Or scotch. Or tequila, rum … or even mead. You get the idea – if I attended them all, I’d be in ‘round-the-clock detox.

But some of these generous invites are hard to turn down, and last weekend’s wine dinner at Fish On was one of those. I was pleased to share a table not only with Italian winemaker, hotelier, restaurateur (and Count) Manfredo di San Bonifacio, but also Paul Karp, whose Vintage Imports company made it possible for us to enjoy Manfredo’s wines here in the United States. SoDel Concepts’ corporate sommelier Mike Zygmonski was in attendance, along with longtime Cape Region entrepreneur, restaurateur – and birthday girl – Alison Blyth. These are the sort of invitations that we lowly scribes dare not turn down.

Each of the five courses was paired with one of Count Manfredo’s wines, and Fish On Chefs Jen Bradour and Raul Rodriguez spent time tasting the varieties that inspired the creative dishes we enjoyed that night. One of my favorites in the di San Bonifacio lineup is the Prosecco. It has a bright, fruity acidity and a (welcome) lack of sweetness that paired perfectly with a charcuterie plate that featured Jen’s house-made mortadella speckled with whole pistachios. The second course included Manfredo’s clean and crisp Pinot Grigio. It stood boldly nose-to-nose with crunchy mini-turnips dusted with sea salt and surrounded with asparagus, peas and eggs. Both the prosecco and pinot grigio are produced in the Veneto wine region of Italy. Though the area sports an impressive variety of reds, it is also known for refreshing whites such as that sparkling prosecco.

One of my all-time favorites has always been the garnet-hued Monteregio sangiovese (the same grape as chianti classico, but more full-bodied). It was expertly paired by Jen and Raul with a crispy soft-shell crab perched on sweet corn polenta.

I have to admit that the surprise of the evening was the fourth-course offering of the Sustinet syrah, known as a “Super Tuscan.” The term applies to Tuscan reds that may include non-indigenous grapes like Cabernet or Merlot. The Sustinet hails from a small vineyard in Maremma on the coast of western central Italy. This 94-plus pointer (that’s as close as I will get to stepping on wine columnist John McDonald’s feet!) treats the mouth to a cascade of tastes. It’s difficult for me to finish all the wines that are poured at these dinners, but the Sustinet glass was empty when it was wrested from my trembling paws. The wine was the perfect accompaniment to smoked lamb marinating in a parmesan broth over Lupo’s fresh bucatini.

SoDel Concepts’ association with the di San Bonifacio family began serendipitously with the late Matt Haley’s choice to enjoy a dinner at a small boutique winery and hotel in Tuscany. Manfredo tells the story best in his delightfully broken English: “A server came up to me and said, ‘There’s an American chef in the dining room who wants to see you.’ My first reaction was to go into the kitchen and ask my chef what he did wrong.” Though Matt did not drink, it turned out that his companion at the time was loving the di San Bonifacio wines. Matt asked Manfredo where he could source the wines in America, and was told that they were not available.

After a few months, Matt called Manfredo and asked why the wines were still not available stateside, and Manfredo admitted that he didn’t have any contacts with an importer. Matt’s exact words were, “I’ll call you back in 10 minutes.” Manfredo was even more surprised when Matt actually did call him back in 10 minutes. Matt had contacted his friend Paul Karp from Vintage Importers. When Manfredo tells the story, he politely recounts that “Matt reached out to Paul.” Paul’s version is a little different: “Matt TOLD me to import the wines,” he smiles. As the owner and operator of multiple restaurants, Matt was not a shy person. And thanks to his and Paul’s efforts, the popularity of the di San Bonifacio wines has grown around Delaware and now extends into Pennsylvania and New Jersey. As a boutique winemaker, they only produce about 35,000 bottles of reds and another 30,000 to 35,000 bottles between the prosecco and the pinot grigio. In the world of wine, that is a very small production. Hence the word “boutique.”

One of the stars of the show last week at Fish On was the dessert course. The brainchild of Corporate Pastry Chef Dru Tevis, a strawberry olive oil cake was drizzled with a wine and berry compote, and topped with pistachios, almonds and an amazing dulce crumb redolent of creamy caramel. The Count’s Docet cabernet blended seamlessly with the rollercoaster of taste and texture that Tevis created.

Count Manfredo’s family has been in Italy for 1,100 years. In fact, records of the very first di San Bonifacio date back to the year 852. Wines were produced and consumed locally, until Manfredo’s generation began to bottle and label them for sale. Thanks to Matt’s last-minute decision to enjoy dinner at a tiny restaurant surrounded by vineyards in Tuscany, all of the SoDel Concepts restaurants carry various di San Bonifacio wines; the entire line can be enjoyed at Lupo Italian Kitchen in downtown Rehoboth Beach.

Dreaming of Tuscany

8 Reasons to come back after Lockdown

As we all speculate madly the reopening of our borders and our personal freedoms it is impossible not to daydream about where we’ll go when all of this is over.

Here in Italy it looks as if international travel could be seriously limited for most of us in 2020 and holidays in our beloved country will be the order of the day. While we’ll be ready to jet off to faraway places when we can travel overseas again, our time in isolation has given us a new appreciation of the beauty spots found right on our doorstep. One place we’re dreaming of retreating to is Tuscany and to help you along we’ve come up with 8 reasons why Tuscany might fit the bill for your first adventure outside of the four walls of your city apartment.

Click on the playlist I’ve put together below to really feel the vibe…

Open Spaces After time spent in close quarters with our families we are all begging for space-both inside and out. Our souls need restorative calm and comfort at the same time. We also know that maintaining safe distances will be critical now to prevent a second peak. Choosing more remote locations in the middle of small farming areas away from big cities will keep us safe and allow us to retreat without worry. Open skies, landscapes and deserted roads are on our shortlist of must-haves.

2. Immersing ourselves in Nature The unspoilt reserves and bountiful nature, combined with the warm hospitality, offers the perfect post-lockdown remedy to ‘re-wild’ and get back to nature. Gentle hikes, bike rides, yoga on your terrace or a lazy walk on an unspoilt beach are what we need to offset weeks of shifting sands and uncertainty. We want to unplug and tap into the simplicity of local life.

3. We can drive there…and bring your dog How much do we love throwing our bags, kids and the dog in the car and heading off? As much as a trip overseas takes us out of ourselves, the flight can often zero us when it comes to travel stress. The simplicity of travel with the family and a car loaded up with everything we need is actually a godsend. And our children and our dogs need the countryside as much as we do.

4. Clean living, eating and drinking Getting back to our core values will be a priority for many of us. We’re all feeling” less than” after lockdown so making sure that whatever break we choose gives us the chance to nurture ourselves with organic food and drink and a farm to plate ethos Spending a few days being taken care of with wines, olive oils and regional foods which are all sourced locally is good for the body and for the heart. Plus, at its centre the best travel experiences are full of tastes, smells and connections of the senses. Its self care at its best and supports our local Tuscan artisans who have been hit the hardest during the crisis.

5. Making our money go a little further All of us have felt the hardship of the lockdown and how it has affected the Italian economy and our own pockets. Many of our own Italian businesses won’t survive and this is particularly true for those in Tourism. However, some are offering incentives to encourage us to support them while they help us at the same time. In addition, most Hotels are offering 100% flexibility for any bookings made right now. #booknowstaylater is the advice from many travel experts and by doing so we’re helping small boutique businesses get through a tough time.

6. The Air is Clean in Tuscany Every day I check Il Meteo and I see the lightest azzure colour indicating the almost perfect air quality. Knowing that clean air is central to staying well during Covid makes me really think about where I want to spend time in the future when I have a chance to escape. Tuscany’s air quality and untouched landscapes resonate with our need for deep down healthy living-this is one of the new luxuries we will all be demanding. No doubt we will want to eat beneath the trees, gaze at a sunset and sip a glass of something exquisite al fresco. Its the lifeblood of our country.

7. The Wine….oh the Wine Vineyards stretching out beyond our gaze, a glass of rounded, red gorgeousness at our lips is something which echoes from our ancestors and draws us with a hypnotic pull to Tuscany time and time again. There’s nothing quite like your Tuscan aperitivo as the swallows fly overhead and the day comes to a balmy close. Wine experiences and tastings take you deeper and closer to the earth which produces some of our best vintages and olive oils. Don’t forget that this Summer we’ll have it all to ourselves without the tourists. Heaven!

8. Staying consciously It’s not enough anymore to check-in, chill and check out. We’re looking for a curated stay and a transformative experience. This holds true even with a short break close to home, but we don’t want to sacrifice quality. Service for many of us simply means someone listening to our needs and meeting them with personal attention, care and kindness. After such a huge shift in our lives where we have lost so many of our routines and in-person connections, we are feeling a deep deficit of self-care and grounding. Making sure we choose destinations with an ethical philosophy around the personal wellbeing of guests is a high priority for anyone coming to terms with the last few months. Where better than Tuscany to slow down, stay mindfully and heal in a safe sanctuary you can trust.

To reserve your private hideaway at Conti di San Bonifacio Wine and Wellness where you can recharge and rebalance in one of our seven suites #booknowstaylater.

Category: restaurant