New Orleans ~ and all that jazz

Hello Foodies,

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival swings into the Big Easy this weekend. Yes, it's time to laisser les bons temps rouler everywhere don't you think? Besides brunching on beignets, cracking open crawfish and slurping down oysters, we'd book a table at Commander's Palace and indulge ourselves in a tasting menu. Chef Tory McPhail creates 5-course menus around your wine choices. Only one of the many reasons we've chosen the Commander's Palace as one of our taste discoveries on our latest tour to New Orleans. And one of our favorite stops while there...the Edible Schoolyard...New Orleans...a great place to (re) discover.

Enjoy,

the Forks

Tea Time in Avignon

Hello Foodies,

Tour de Forks is in France this week searching out new ways to explore Provence and the Cote d'Azur. Some think that Provence is passé but the region is so rich that it would take a lifetime to discover all of its charms. We'll be staying in Avignon for our explorations of the area and right now we are having high tea at the Hotel d'Europe, a deluxe property since 1799!''

A la prochaine, mes amis!

Enjoy,

the Forks

TDF quoted in Food Arts Magazine

Hello Foodies,

Culinary tourism is one of the fastest growing segments of the travel industry today. But what is it, exactly, and why is it so popular? Who are the industry leaders, how can chefs get involved, and what's the next hot culinary destination? Julie Mautner reports and TdF is quoted. Food Arts Magazine is available at Kitchen Arts & Letters, 1435 Lexington Ave New York City.

Enjoy,

the Forks

Hop Over to your Fave Chocolate Store...

Hello Foodies,

I don't think you want to leave the important task of buying Easter chocolates to the Easter Bunny. Take matters into your own basket and hop over to...

Kee's Chocolates for some exotic chocolate choices like the chili pepper truffle covered with toasted white and black sesame seeds. This store is for the more adventurous chocolate lover.

Jacques Torres Chocolates and take the kids to the store on Hudson and King Sts. You see them making the chocolate and the store is full of giant chocolate eggs and bunnies. It's a place that would leave Willy Wonka jealous. The day we were there, Jacques Torres was throwing chocolate Easter eggs to the chocolate lovers indulging in the cafe. It is a fun place and almost made me change careers. Also, this place is good for buying Passover chocolate matzoh. Whether you're bringing your inner or outer child, hop on down to this location.

Payard is my favorite. Francois Payard does a wondrous selection of Easter chocolates and what makes his bunnies and eggs so special (in addition to the high quality chocolate) are the chocolate surprises found inside. Usually there are smaller eggs and treats inside each Easter selection. It's the treat within the treat. You can also buy chocolate Passover goodies here as well.

We thought we'd save you time and hops by giving you our fave selections. However, a really fun afternoon is to visit chocolate stores in NYC and do your own tasting. The forks were invited along on Kartik Mohan and Rom Weber's post Valentine's chocolate tasting and it was a magical day.

Enjoy!

the Forks

A Delicious Namesake!

Hello Foodies,

We just went to L'Artusi - the restaurant named after Pellegrino Artusi, author of the legendary cookbooks from the 1800s called The Science of Cooking and the Art of Eating Well. It is in his honor that you’ll be eating at L’Artusi. The restaurant features a seasonal Italian menu and traditional and artisanal wines from Italy and New York State. It's reasonably priced, with a great space (the old piano bar Eighty Eights) and pleasant, knowledgeable servers. All brought to you by the same team that brought you Dell'Anima, which we also loved.

The essential courses at least at this restaurant are: crudo, verdure, pasta, pesce, carne, and contorne. Our table shared and we loved everything. The only choice not noteworthy was the most expensive item, the tuna entre. Otherwise, the salads were swoonworthy and the pastas cooked perfectly and hand-made- the one that stood out was the pizzoccheri - sage, fontina, Brussels sprouts!

Add L'Artusi to your list and here's how to get there:

L'Artusi
228 W 10th St, between Bleecker and Hudson
New York, NY 10014
(212) 255-5757

Enjoy,

the Forks

Mark Hits the Mark

Hello Foodies,

Continuing with our series of foodie tips, here is another. The inspiration comes from a delicious dinner cooked by our friend and future bar owner, Mark Poons. The bar will be called "Buzzy's Place" and he already has the neon sign. It's a beautiful thing. We know that Mark can mix a mean drink (and we enjoyed a few last night) but we didn't know he could cook too. Mark made three yummy recipes from Martha Stewart - lemon grass chicken soup, glazed cod served over bok choy, and a mixed rice recipe with Asian seasoning. Healthy, delicious and easy to make! What more can you ask for!

In these times when eating in is the new eating out, visit www.marthastewart.com. There are many recipes to choose from and you won't be disappointed. Besides, Martha and one of the Forks are both from Nutley, NJ!

Thanks again for the great dinner, Mark!

Enjoy,

the Forks

Eating In is the New Eating Out!

Hello Foodies,

Given the economy, I hear of more people cooking and eating at home with guests or not! I think this is a great time to begin a recipe exchange. It's easy to get into a recipe rut so let's not. It's also easy to eat well and not spend a fortune. We will share with you our new recipe favorites and eating-well-in-tougher-times-treat tips.

Treat Tip #1: Remember caviar? Well, now you don't have to forget-about-it even in these hard times. We recommend Red Salmon Caviar! The plump and juicy orange beads delightfully pop on your palate. This robust caviar is reasonably priced ($9.99 at Fairway and up to $20.00 at Zabar's) and goes great on blinis, crackers or canapes. Add a little sour cream for a perfect blend of flavors. Pair it with your favorite reasonably priced Blanc de blanc or Prosecco or Cava.

Tune in for eating-well-in-tougher-times-treat tips.

Enjoy,

the Forks

If You're a Lobster Lover - All Points Lead to Compass

Hello Foodies,

We wanted to recommend a restaurant that we were taken to over the weekend by TDF alum Frances Cassidy and Karin Lundell.

Whether you're coming from the north, south, east or west, you'll find your way to Compass. It's lobster festival there so if you love lobster and even if you don't, there are plenty of choices to keep one happy.

We all enjoyed the "Tamarind Lobster Salad" to start. It was an artful mix of lobster, grapefruit, bibb lettuce with a spicy Thai chili vinaigrette. I had crispy skate wing that was sublime. Our TDF alum enjoyed the organic chicken, and a "Roasted Porcini Mushrooms with Poached Hen Egg" and that entree included prepared brussel sprouts, cardoons with a black trumpet truffle puree. Rich and delicious. The award-winning wine list is extraordinary with selections to meet most wallets.

They even sent us home with muffins for brekky the next day. Nice touch (although the muffins were dry).

It's a great restaurant choice in the Lincoln Center area and northern theater district as well.

Here's the address: 208 WEST 70TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10023 | 212.875.8600

We're not sure how long the lobster fest goes on for but try not to miss it. Lots of happy forks in that restaurant.

Enjoy,

the Forks

Full of Bologna and Beyond!

Hello Foodies,

When you visit Bologna, be prepared to eat - mortadella, tortellini, lasagna, ragu, culatello, and that's just the beginning! There is no such thing as a small portion either and you'll be glad. Soon enough you will realize that everyone makes their own Ragu, all family recipes, and each chef thinks they make the best. Mangia and decide.

Tour de Forks culinary adventurers began eating at Trattoria Annamaria, a trattoria serving the typical food of the region. We devoured a tasting menu of tortelini en brodo (a rich, flavorful broth that warms you from the tip of your toes on up), tortelloni burro e salvia (in butter and sage) that was to die for, and a taglietelle al Ragu. All the pasta is homemade and delicate, and you can taste what each is stuffed with. Anna Maria came out and yelled at our group because we were not eating enough. It's a great stop on your visit to Bologna - and the address is Via Belle Arti, 17/18, Telephone is 39-(051) 26-6894.

We had an espresso tasting at Caffe Terzi where we sampled 5 espressos from all over the world. They roast their own coffee. An elegant place to stop for a coffee anytime of day and also have a pastry as well. The address is Via Oberdan, 10, Telephone is 39-7918931.

Then we lunched at A.F. Tamburini Antica Salsamenteria Bolognese at Via Caprarie, 1, Telephone 39-051234726. This is the best place to have your first plate of salami misto - a plate of the most amazing cured meats you'll ever eat.

The restaurant that Tour de Forks fell in love with is Trattoria Amerigo dal 1934 on Via Marconi 14-16, Savigno - this is on the outskirts of Bologna and not easy to get to but worth the trip. Our group thought this was one of the best meals they've ever eaten. The outstanding appetizer - Tigelle flatbread with parmigiano gelato and traditional balsamic vinegar. We tried to get the recipe but they would not divulge it. It's a small scoop of parmigiano, cream and a secret ingredient that is made in an ice cream maker. It's thick, rich, and creamy and melts in your mouth. The homemade pasta brings the classics of this region to a new level. Super light and delicate. We ate everything - two types of pasta - taglietelle with bolognese sauce and parmigiano tortelli with ham, shallot and balsamic. The latter was similar to a tiny soup dumpling - a creamy onion soup exploded in your mouth. For main course, we loved the Barbera braised veal cheek wiht potato puree and crispy bolognese onion and the other choice was Bolognese stockfish prepared according to three different methods: artusi, local traditional, and whipped. Unfortunately, no one chose the rabbit. For the dolci, gelato with traditional balsamic vinegar, and simply stated, there is no bad choice at this restaurant for any part of the meal.

From Bologna, we ventured on to Parma where we went to a rare performance of Verdi's opera "Joan of Arc" part of the Verdi Opera festival. We also viewed a special Correggio exhibition. On our trips we also feed our hunger for the arts.

Once sated, we left for our next part of the adventure - a visit to a 300 year old renovated castle called Corte Pallavicina located on the banks of the Po River. This is the home of Massimo Spigaroli. Massimo's family has been making culatello (the ferrari of prosicutto) for years. His great grandfather made it for Verdi. We learned all about the sacred process of making this amazing cured ham. We even meet the special black pigs it's made from. Massimo has been advising Prince Charles about his pigs. Royal pigs were due to visit his farm several days after our visit. Massimo is determined to have the Prince producing culatello as well. We'll see. Massimo has a huge heart and love for what he does. He also shares his passion with everyone he meets and it's contagious. Massimo, also a chef, gave our group a five hour cooking class that involved the eating of our efforts. We made regional pasta and risotto specialties. When we were done, Massimo presented each of us with a diploma. Not only did we pass the course but Massimo will be in our hearts (and stomachs) forever.

Mangia bene,

Lisa

Tour de Forks in Emilia Romagna!

Hello Foodies!

Tour de Forks is about to start its first tour to Emilia Romagna so there will be lots to report. Consider us your official source for Bologna! I arrived around lunchtime and tonight is the night before our tour's official beginning. I found a fabulous place for apperitivi. A wonderful custom where you order a drink and the bar serves wonderful food. It's similar to a happy hour in the U.S. but a thousand times better.

We are staying at the Hotel Corona d'Oro and as I wandered to find a place to get a bite to eat, I saw a fabulous bar just around the corner called Bar Bistro Cocoa on 14-A Via Altabila. I ordered a vino bianco from Sicily which was perfect. They served a yummy shaved fennel salad (divine), a baby arugula salad with large white beans, then all types of bread from piadina to toast covered with fennel, bean dips, and cheese & cured meat toppings. This place had a lot of style and the staff were welcoming and fun. If you're ever in Bologna, stop and have a glass of wine and a nibble, it's just what you do there!

Enjoy,

the Forks

I HAPPI

Hello Foodies,

Why is this fork happy? This fork just ate a wonderfully delicious meal at I SODI in the West Village. The "I" here is pronounced like a long EE and the translation is The Sodi family. You feel like you have been invited to the best family dinner ever. This fork wants to be adopted by the Sodi family. You'll want to bring your friends and family too. It's also the type of neighborhood restaurant that everyone wants to have in their neighborhood.

You'll meet Rita Sodi, the owner who is from Florence, Italy, and she has a simple recipe for her menu - it's comprised of her mother's best recipes (there's 100) and the menu changes often - featuring different dishes and seasonal produce. Several customer favorites now remain on the menu all the time like the lasagne al sugo di carne. To die for!

The forks were joined by TDF alum, Joan Scoby and Jackie Chasey, and our group gobbled down appetizers of fried heirloom tomotoes and fried artichokes - both sliced thin and crispy. The bread was out of this world too. Then we shared the lasagna mentioned above and the pollo fritto, the garganelle alla pomarola, tagliata con rucola (sliced steak and rugula) and a side of piselli (green peas). The steak melted in your mouth. Portions are good sharing sizes too or good for one hungry person. Everything is so good that you wish you weren't sharing.

The staff were friendly and well-versed on the food and wine-list.

We were totally full but that didn't stop us from having dessert - a fig tart and several types of affogato with homemade gelato.

Here's the vitals:

105 Christopher St.
West Village
212-414-5774

Enjoy,

the forks

Oh, Shishito!

Hello Foodies!

These days, it's hard to get past the tomatoes and white sweet corn at the Union Square Green Market but recently, the Forks made two wonderful discoveries - shishito peppers and fairy fairy tale eggplants!

Let's start with Japanese shishito peppers. These long little peppers are big in flavor. The name means "Chinese Lion" and they were originally brought to Japan by the Portuguese. They began being a hot little pepper but over the years, they've become milder and sweeter. Keep your eyes out on Fridays for YUNO'S FARM stand that carries them. Simply divine when sauteed in olive oil and coarse sea salt or Kosher salt.



These are the fairy fairy tale eggplants. They are the mini version of the small fairy tale eggplants. Maybe they're picked early? What matters is how sweet and delicious they are. Here's a simple recipe. Cut off the tops (careful, not too much or you'll lose it), then slice in half and coat with olive oil. BBQ or sautee in a frying pan and your soul will be captured. They're divine! Eat the bounty of the season before it's over! The Union Square Green Market runs on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday - vendors change on the different days.

Enjoy,

the Forks

the phenomena called dell'anima!

Hello Foodies,

We heard the raves and now, we can rave ourselves. We went to dell'anima with TDF alums, Frances Cassidy and Karin Lundell for a belated birthday celebration. It was amazingly delicious and exciting because the menu has such new offerings.

dell'anima means "of the soul" in Italian. With a menu that changes daily, this restaurant will surely steal yours. As you can see by this photo, we were not the only diners in this restaurant enjoying ourselves. I can't wait to go back and here's why. The bruschette. You have a choice from one to five. We recommend trying all five - this too changes so write in and tell us the ones that you picked. My fave was the egg and bottarga. The bread is divine too - crispy and toasted with oil. The salads were so fresh. The two that we tried were the chicories salad served with robiolina cheese and campari-honey dressing - and the endive salad with an anchovy citronette and pecorino.

The open kitchen in this restaurant adds to the excitement of the food - you can watch the chefs cooking it and the aromas can drive you wild while you wait for your dish to find its way to your table.

The pastas are divine. They too change daily. We never made it past the pasta to get to the secondi choices on the menu. The only part of the meal that didn't hold up were the desserts - not as memorable as the rest of the meal.

Here's the vitals so you can delight your soul...

dell'anima
38 8th Ave
New York, NY 10014
(212) 366-6633
www.dellanima.com

Enjoy,

the Forks

ka-CHANG!

Hello Foodies,

We now know what all the fuss has been about - David Chang's food is amazingly delicious. It's no wonder he has an empire and a goldmine. He deserves it! I feel like we were the last to go but better late than never. And now I want to go every night!

So we started with the Steamed Pork Buns that melted in your mouth. The pork was cooked to perfection. We ate the Sliced Fluke served raw in a perfectly tangy marinade with pearled onion and charred jalapeno. Smooth as silk. Then we enjoyed the Momofuku Ramen that luckily for us, had more pork in it - two kinds in fact, plus an egg, mushrooms, and oodles of noodles. Then came the Deep Fried Poulet Rouge topped with sliced scallions, hot peppers, etc. - to die for. Even the softserve frozen yogurt and strawberry ice cream swirl that came with a salty-nutty topping was sublime. You can even have it in an ice cream cone. David Chang we love you!

We can't wait to eat our way through the Momofuku restaurants. Here's the vitals on our first one...

Momofuku Noodle Bar
171 First Ave., New York, NY 10003
nearr 11th St.
212-777-7773

Enjoy,

the Forks

Not your Childhood Marshmallow!

Hello Foodies,

We had to share this new discovery with you - Caramel Marshmallows from Vosges! If you need a special chocolate treat, this is it...taste this as you read it...Marshmallows infused with Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla beans, Sweet Caramel that awakens with French Guerande grey salt, Walnuts and Pecans. It's an indulgence to remember and repeat often!

To find out the Vosges store location near you - visit www.vosgeschocolate.com!

Enjoy,

the Forks!

Eggtinis, Anyone!

Hello Foodies,

Today we were joined with TDF alum, Jackie Chasey, to have breakfast at Cafe Sabarsky! We were all dreaming about Sabarsky's soft-boiled eggs served in martini glasses - eggs at their most elegant, truly! However, breakfast is not served past 11am, even on weekends, so we went onto dessert and lunch...in that order. Coffees too are sublime and don't forget the schlag.

I said we started with dessert. The half devoured one pictured below is the Quark Strudel with cream. Divine. It almost didn't make the photo like the Poppyseed cake, however I'm happy to report it made it into my stomach. FYI - Quark is a type of fresh cheese of Central European origin that is soft, white, un-aged and similar to Fromage frais.



Then we ate some sandwiches. We recommend the Cooked Ham with Horseradish and the Salami Spread with Cornichons.



Sometimes it's good to get derailed from what you think you're going to order at a restaurant, because we made new and delicious discoveries today. We wish you the same!

Here's the vitals:

Cafe Sabarsky
1048 5th Ave - At 86th St
New York, NY 10028
212 288-0665

Enjoy,

the Forks

1 Reason to go to BUCEO 95...

Hello Foodies!

It's really yummy! You'll be delighted by the selection of sophisticated and delicious tapas matched with a pleasing and affordable wine list. We never made it past the cava!

Courtney and Jim - the owners of Buceo 95 are delightful and enthusiastic about their chef, their food, and their new venture on the Upper Westside.

We recommend everything we ate ...

• Patatas Bravas are crispy, spicy, and not soggy from drowning in the aioli (I hate it when that happens).

• Beets Y Valdeon is a grand combination of beets and blue cheese with the greens thankfully, not forgotten!

• Fried Mussels are crispy and plentiful otherwise there will be fighting at the table.

• Albondigas Con Pimienton Sofrito - besides being my favorite word in Spanish to say - these albondigas are my new fave dish! We found out that this is the dish the chef, Brian Parks, was hired for - there's no turning back now. The chef comes from Casa Mono.

• Churrasco Con Salsa Verde is a skirt steak with green sauce that melts in your mouth

We celebrated a special occasion here but if the food is always this good, it's always a special occasion at Buceo 95. We had minor nits - the bread could have been better and our waiter did not know how to sell the food as expertly as the owner did. Another friend had the same complaint (re: waiter) but that's not keeping us away. Truthfully, there's probably no bad choice on this menu. You Upper Westsiders are lucky to have this restaurant in the neighborhood!

The address is:

201 W 95th St, New York 10025
At Amsterdam Ave
Phone: 212-662-7010

Enjoy,

the Forks

Bar Q Raises the Bar and the Q!

Hello Foodies!

We are here to tell you that Tour de Forks alum,
Chef Anita Lo has done it again with her new restaurant - bar Q! It has it all - a raw bar, cocktail bar and an amazingly delicious menu of Asian BBQ - plus the design of the restaurant makes you feel special just to be there!

Along with Tour de Forks alum, Jackie Chasey, we set out to eat our way through the menu...but we failed and have to go back often. In the photo above is an exhilarated Chef Anita Lo with fellow fork, Lisa Goldman.

Our recommendations: the raw bar has many choices and changes daily - the night we were there it was Kumamoto oysters, Taylor Bay Scallops, Littleneck clams, Yellofin Tuna, Salmon, Kanpachi, West Coast Uni and Japanese Wagyu beef.

With the starters, go for our new favorite food ever - Grilled Tuna Ribs - charred slivers of meat on the bone, seasoned with salt, green chili and yuzu! Don't miss the Baby Back Ribs with Anita's Mother's BBQ sauce, the spit roasted pork belly with a wonderfully delicate kimchee, takuan and steamed buns, and the Tea Smoked Salmon and its Roe with a Quail Tea Egg - divine!

Moving on to the mains, we can't get past the Stuffed Spareribs with lemongrass BBQ, peanut and thai basil. All the servings are generous and flavorful!

Our neighbors ate the Seafood Stew with kimchee and crispy silken tofu and the Grilled Loin of Australian Lamb with Garlic Fried Milk - and loved both dishes.

We also loved the Spicy Pork Wings, - yes, pigs can fly and thank goodness, they're delicious. We're going back for the Grilled Shortrib with Korean flavors and the Tea Smoked Chicken with sweet rice and Chinese sausage. There is also a Grilled Head on Shrimp with tamarind, roasted yellow pepper and chili that comes in appetizer size as well.

The wine list selected by Anita Lo is expansive and complements the food. We can't wait to go back and we recommend you go immediately. The address is:
bar Q, 308 Bleecker St, New York, NY 10014. Call for reservations at (212) 206-7817.

BRAVA, Anita!!!

Go and enjoy,

the Forks

Tour de Forks Meets Prime Minister of Australia!

Hello Foodies,

Tour de Forks had an amazing evening this past Saturday! The American Australian Association hosted a dinner at the Rainbow Room honoring - Kevin Rudd, MP - Prime Minister of Australia. Here he is pictured with Melissa Joachim, founder and president of Tour de Forks.

For a change the motivation for this evening - wasn't about the food (which was exceptional btw - catering by Cipriani) - it was about an amazing and exciting new world leader. Kevin Rudd's speech left the Americans in the room - wanting him to be their leader and the Australians - thrilled he was their leader. I asked if he would be our leader too - he just assured me we had good candidates coming...let's hope he's right. It's good to know things are right in world someplace and that place, is Australia. For those attending the event, it was a magical, inspirational evening.

Cheers,

the Forks

Emilia-Romagna Lives in Soho!

Hello Foodies,

It happened again - another successful event given by Tour de Forks with Centovini - one of our favorite restaurants. This event welcomed special guest, Alicia Lini, a fourth-generation winemaker whose family has been making Lambrusco since 1910. Alicia talked about her wines and the food of Emilia Romagna over a dinner created especially for the occasion by Chef Patti Jackson. Fork, Giuseppe Ricotta announced TDF's new tour to Emilia- Romagna - please visit www.tourdeforks.com for details. Then the eating began. Guest & Alicia Lini (right).

The first course was smoked trout with horseradish cream, shaved fennel, pickled beets matched with a Lambrusco Bianco 'Labrusca' Lini 2006.


The second course was Tortellini in Brodo matched with Lambrusco Rosso 'Labrusca' Lini 2006.













To add to our eating pleasure, was a plate of culatello - the Ferrari of prosicutto.





The main course was Bollito Misto, beef short rib, tongue, capon and cotecchino with homemade Moastardas and pickles. This course was matched with a Lambrusco Rose 'Corrigia Cerasa' Lini 2006.








These are the Mostardas and pickles.







Meet Nicola Marzovilla, co-owner of Centovini, entertaining and sitting next to Lauren Ricotta, wife of Fork Giuseppe.

The meal's finale was a Parmigiano-Reggiano Vacca Roassa Aged 24 months with Aceto Balsamico (Oro Extra Becchio Lini Emilia Romagna) matched with 'Corrigia Brut' Metodo Classico Lini 2003. If you don't want to miss out on our next event, please send us your email address at info@tourdeforks.com. Come and mangia bene with us!

Cheers,

the Forks