Eat This Word: Mostarda

by JBF Editors on October 30, 2009

WHAT? Pungent preserves. No, mostarda is not the Italian word for mustard. Though the words sound similar, this sweet-and-spicy condiment is only distantly related to the hot dog's favorite sidekick. To make mostarda, fruit is preserved in sugary syrup and given a slight kick with the addition of mustard seeds or powder. According to food writer Elizabeth David, this jam-like spread is a descendant of "the honey, mustard, oil, and vinegar condiments of the Romans, who also preserved roots such as turnips in this mixture." Cherries, figs, pears, and apricots are the most common ingredients in mostarda, but different variations include candied melon, pumpkin, or oranges. The piquant fruit accompaniment is enjoyed with boiled white meats or cheeses throughout Northern Italy. The most famous and popular variation is from Cremona, a small town in Lombardy, and includes pears, quince, peaches, cherries, and mandarins.

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On the Menu: October 25 to October 31

by jbfauthor on October 23, 2009

Here’s what happening at the Beard House and around the country next week: Sunday, October 25, 11:00 A.M. Reflections of Maremma Workshop Inspired by a Surrealist sculpture garden in a tiny village in the Maremma region of Tuscany, Gabriella Ganugi and her team of chefs from Florence’s Apicius cooking school designed a dinner menu reflective of this rugged, vibrant coastal part of Italy. This workshop will highlight some of Ganugi’s favorite dishes from that menu. Monday, October 26, 7:00 P.M. New England Catch of the Day The winner of Boston magazine’s “Best Seafood Restaurant” title for four years in a row, Catch is a brilliant showcase for seafood-savvy chef and owner Chris Parsons. A fourth-generation fly fisherman,

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Eat this Word: Pouilly-Fumé

by jbfauthor on October 13, 2009

WHAT? Not what you're thinking. Many wine dilettantes confuse this grassy white wine from the central part of France's Loire Valley with the pretentiously expensive and even-more-difficult-to-pronounce Pouilly-Fuissé [fwee-SAY] of Burgundy's Maconnais region. The former is a crisp, tart 100 percent Sauvignon Blanc wine often described as having a smoky (fumè in French) or flinty flavor. The latter is a lightly oaked 100 percent Chardonnay wine that became de rigueur in expensive French restaurants in the United States during the 1950s and '60s. In the hands of the best producers, both wines can be exquisite. WHERE? Bruno Brazier's Beard House dinner WHEN? October 15, 2009 HOW?

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On the Menu: DonQ Celebrates Flavors From the Land of Rum

by jbfauthor on October 09, 2009

For our final event with the New York City Wine and Food Festival, we're bringing a couple of Top Chefs to the Beard House kitchen: season five's Jeff McInnis and Fabio Viviani. Mixologists Jacopo Falleni and Esteban Ordonez will also be on hand to shake up some cocktails featuring premium Don Q rum. Take a look at the menu below: Hors d'Oeuvre Fabio Viviani Quail Skewers with Puerto Rican Caponata and Rum Demi-Glace Chicken Liver Brioche with Celery and Orange–Rum Beurre Blanc Potato Tostones with Tuna Tartare and Aged Balsamic Vinegar Jeff McInnis Grilled Peaches and Serrano Ham with Arugula and Queso Blanco Lobster–Mascarpone Arepas with Green Onions and Cilantro Yuca Blini with Caviar, Lime Cream, and Chives Dinner For the

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