Happy Halloween!

Dear Foodies,

Are you dressing up? Going to parties? Bobbing for apples? (that's one I never liked as I always got water up my nose)

Besides the candy, I find one of the most delightful treats not only of this day but of this season (Halloween to Thanksgiving) is PUMPKIN ICE CREAM!

Ciao Bella makes an excellent pumpkin gelato. I love it! What about you?

What are your favorite Halloween treats?

Have fun and it's even warm enough to eat pumpkin ice cream today. It's not a hard guess to know where I'm going now.

Happy Halloween!

the Forks

Monday, Monday...

Hello Foodies,

Okay, who ate where this weekend? Sit at any bars?

We dined at Bombay Talkie on 9th Avenue at 21st Street but not at the bar. It's a Bombay-themed restaurant that pays homage to Bollywood and Indian street food. But in Chelsea, it's high end street food and it is delicious.

We ate Bombay Bhel for starters - assorted wheat flour chips and rice puffs tossed with a salsa of lime, onions, green mangoes and mint chutney. Then we shared a Biryani - lighlty spiced chicken with mint, coriander, coconut milk with basmati rice and cashews. And Nigiri Coconut Kebabs lamb meatballs in a south indian sauce of coconut and mustard seeds. Cucumber raita and a naan plus two veggie dishes - Palaak Paneer or creamed spinach with homemade cheese and Baigan Bharta, a smoked eggplant with ginger, coriander, cumin and chilies completed the meal. We were quite full so we enjoyed a spiced hot chocolate for dessert.

Here's the link to the website: www.bombaytalkie.com

The forks went to India last February...it would be great to do a Tour de Forks to India. Any interest?

Looking forward to hearing your comments on all the above.

Cheers,

the Forks

Sitting at the Bar

Hello Foodies,

Earlier this week, an anonymous blogger shared this about a favorite meal from last weekend. Here's the comment:

Anonymous said...

Hi Forks,
I always try to have yummy weekends. This past Sunday a friend from out-of-town and I snagged seats at the bar at Babbo. I forgot how good that place can be. We splurged on a $50 duck egg with guanciale, toasted country bread--and shaved white truffles! I followed that with a ravioli-like pasta, the name of which I can't recall, stuffed with lamb's brains and simply sauced with excellent butter and sage. Not for everyone, but I thought it was great. Other stuff was good, too, but these were the highlights.

We love to sit at bars in restaurants! Do you?

One of our favorites is the bar at Annisa...a restaurant in the village. The chef is Anita Lo, also a Tour de Forks alum. We highly recommend a seat anywhere at Annisa...the bar or in the cozy restaurant. BTW, they have been awarded a Michelin star two years in a row! Here's the link: http://www.annisarestaurant.com/


Let us know your favorite bars to eat at!

Have a delicious weekend!

the Forks

Bring Family and Friends

Hello Foodies,

After reading an article in the New York Times today called "A Deluxe Vacation, Your Friends Included," reminded me of this trend among the affluent to bring friends and family along on a vacation. The link to the article is http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/26/fashion/26vacation.html.

I think this is happening because of diminishing time that people get to spend with their friends and family. And all it takes is a milestone birthday, anniversary, or other special occasion to make you want to share this time.

Tour de Forks loves to plan special tours for people. Please remember us, when it comes time for you organize a trip for your friends and family. It's easy to contact us - call 212-447-9640 or visit www.tourdeforks.com.

Have you ever traveled with friends and family?

Let us know.

All our best,

the Forks

Just How Good Can Italy Get?

Dear Foodies,

I think the answer is that just when you think Italy is as good as it can get - you turn a corner and WOW - it gets even better. No matter where you are. Today in the New York Times, an article was published with this very same title. I confess I stole it. However, I am a thief who will give you the link...http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/25/dining/25ital.html?_r=1&oref=slogin. Read this delicious article and enjoy.

Then visit www.tourdeforks.com and come with us to Sicily and soon to Puglia. Emilia-Romagna is on our hit list too so keep checking in for those tour details and dates.

Please let us know some of your "Italy doesn't get better than this" moments!

Mine was a recent meal that our Tour de Forks Sicily group enjoyed last May. It was a meal prepared by Chef Ciccio Sultano, at his Michelin star restaurant Ristorante Duomo in Ragusa Ibla. Check out their website...http://www.ristoranteduomo.it/

We can't wait to hear from you.

As always,

the Forks

Tour de Forks Hunts For Truffles

Hi Foodies,


As mentioned in our last blog, Tour de Forks will be running a spectacular tour through Puglia in the Fall of 2007. One of the big events will be hunting for white truffles in the town of Corigliano in Puglia. We will hunt for truffles with Giuseppe Lolli and his dogs. Afterwards, we will eat the truffles as they will be prepared at Giuseppe’s restaurant in Corigliano d’Otranto. Giuseppe has 25 years experience with truffles, and recently has been involved in the protection of truffle areas and has contributed to the legislation that controls the harvesting, conservation, and sales of truffles in Puglia.

Keep checking www.tourdeforks.com for more details.

Until tomorrow,

the Forks

Hamptons Food Festival

Hi Foodies,

Hope you all had yummy weekends.

This weekend was supposedly the Hamptons Film Festival but for us - it was the Hamptons Food Festival! We stayed with dear friends in East Hampton with their two dear dogs.

Our kickoff dinner was a slow-cooked duck served with an amazing berry chutney. The duck was bought from Iacona Farm on Long Lane in East Hampton. They have been selling delicious chicken, ducks, and geese since 1948. There is no wrong choice at Iacona Farm, including their amazing eggs, just watch out for the hanging wooden cut out of a chicken and you know you've found the right place.

And to think that most people on my train were busy talking about the celebrity parties they would be attending that night. I was happy thinking about the fabulous dinner that was ahead of me.

On Saturday evening, we dined on a divine porcini mushroom risotto matched by a Puglian red wine called Carminio from Lecce, 100% negro amaro barriqued in French Oak for six months. The website is http://www.cantinacarrozzo.com/home.htm. If you do not speak Italian, you'll have to find a friendly translator. We are going to try to find out where this wine is sold around here. If we do, you'll be the first to know.

Melissa Joachim, one of the forks, was given this bottle on her recent reconnaissance trip to Puglia. Yes, keep checking our website because we are planning a Tour de Forks Puglia in September 2007.

The link to the ingredients for our risotto dish is http://www.gustiamo.com/cgi-bin/front_end/prodotto?id=42227. On the website, it is listed as Risotto ai fungi - the comfort food for the connoisseur. Mangia bene! I wish I had a plate of it right now.

Please, let us know what your favorite meal was from this weekend?

We look forward to hearing from you.

All our best,

the forks!

The World Is A Kitchen...

Dear Foodies,

Welcome back! A few months ago, we received exciting news that Tour de Forks would be listed in the Resources section under Food Tours in a fabulous new book called:

The World Is A Kitchen: Cooking Your Way Through Culture - Stories, Recipes & Resources

The book is edited by Michele Anna Jordan and Susan Brady and published by Traveler's Tales.

Tour de Forks is also listed on the website. Both website and book, are great resources of information. Have a visit and here's the link:

http://worldisakitchen.typepad.com/the_world_is_a_kitchen/culinary_tours/index.html

As you can see, the link takes you to the Australia tours. If you scroll down on this website through the companies offering tours in Europe. Our Sicily tours are listed there. You can check out the complete itinerary of Sicily tours on our website - www.tourdeforks.com.

You can also buy the book on Amazon. Enjoy!

So two of the forks will be out in East Hampton this weekend and our other fork will be eating and drinking here in New York City this weekend. We'll see if there will be any foodie news and of course, report it to you come Monday.

Mangia Benne this weekend!

the Forks

Welcome!

Tour de Forks Welcomes You to our new blog!

What will you find here?

Local and International news on what Tour de Forks is up to - whether that's great restaurant recommendations, stories from our tours, news on Tour de Forks alum,
upcoming news on Tour de Forks events, and recommendations on great food
products to try and where to order them. We always give you the inside scoop!

More to follow....come back and visit soon.

Grazie Mille,

the Forks