Quince Mike Tusk and Benedetta Vitali get together in San Francisco with Italy at Your Tableby Filippo BartolottaThe events in San Francisco started off in one of the most important restaurants of the West Coast: Quince by chef Mike Tusk. Mike is a reserved yet very welcoming and open to working with anyone with passion for their work. Benedetta Vitali has a very high opinion of him and his groups of chefs.As you might know Mike has hired David Lynch to run the wine show and this is making Quince an even more important destination.The restaurant is located near the Financial district in a very beautiful brick building. The inside is very spacious and elegant and the kitchen is all state of the art technology.It was funny tosee Claudio from Boccadama Florence.We looked at each other and smiled about catching up with an old home town acquaintance from10 years ago. We get straight to business and prepare all the wines whileBenedetta and Mike talk about the last details.In a blink of an eye it is time to greet the guests for Benedetta's cooking course.Everyone blends in and Benedetta kicks off with her usual calm, relaxed and professional style!I give the guests a glass of the refreshing and citrus driven Cesani Vernaccia di Sangimignano 2008 and our cooks move along to next dish.Bene while teaching how to make Seppie Inzimino -traditional Tuscan red sauce and spinach squid- is actually putting together bits and pieces for the real dinner, of course with Mike and his crew!
Time for tasting the menu and a coffee break: come on Benedetta...you can do it!
While Benedetta was conducting her class David Lynch, Claudio and I were making sure the wines were all set together with the Prosciutto di Parma nibbles and Malpighi balsamic Vinegar.
Our Zibibbo/Quince brand newly-trained cooks are now ready for the Italy at Your Table wine journey.All of our labels are displayed on the bar, the whole restaurant is booked exclusively for this event. It's show time for the wines.This time we begin withTrento BrutPerl Lunelli-Ferrari. Classically a lot of people ask if it's Champagne. I start my evening therefore introducing possibly Italy's most famous traditional method Sparkling Wine to our 40 guests.This wine is served with the Broccoli and cauliflower sformato and the Chicken liver pat. I love this wine for its serious body and intensity but also very pleasant drinkability and fine mouse.Among the wines which we hadn't showcase till now is the very dense and black driven fruit Nobile di Montepulciano 2006 fromBindella; the powerful smooth and extractive Castello di Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio alle Mura 2004, the very mineral and elegant Barbaresco Punset Campoquadro 2001 and the very austere tar and roses Barolo Pernice 2005 of Elvio Cogno everyone finished off with our usual Aleatico form Melettic Cavallari.The MenuThe other Wines served for dinnerPASTA E CECICalamarettiLessona, Propriet Sperino 2005 (Piemonte) CHITARRAbroccoli di ciccio and prosciuttoeuroCepparello,euro Isole e Olena 2006 (Toscana) REGINELLEcardoon and taleggioBarolo euroVigna Elena,euro Elvio Cogno 2004 (Piemonte) ROAST DUCKblood orange and pearSan Leonardo 2004 (Trentino) / Brunello di Montalcino, Terralsole 2004 (Toscana) INZIMINOslow braised squideuroMontevetrano,euro Imparato 2006 (Campania) PANNA COTTACaramel
