Naturally we ate and drank very well the entire day. A magnum each of 2010 Clos Sainte Magdeleine Cassis Rosé and 2010 Domaine Terrebrune Bandol Rosé were the perfect quaffs to beat the 90º heat. Simply delicious, they were enjoyed by even the red wine drinkers in the group. I wrote about these two gorgeous wines in my last two posts, so if you would like more information, please refer to them. They are usually available at 56º Wine in Bearnardsville, NJ and Chambers Street Wines, NYC.
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| Diane's Taralli |
Alas, the food
was the real star of the day however.
Prior do dinner we enjoyed freshly baked Taralli that my sister Diane
made. Taralli, an Italian snack food, common all over the southern half of the
Italian Peninsula, they are similar in texture to a semi hard biscuit or a breadstick. They are usually oval in shape and can
be made with various condiments. My family family is partial to those made with
ground black pepper fennel seeds. They are the perfect accompaniment to
wine, either dunked in it or eaten alone.
Using my mom’s recipe, Diane has mastered this “betcha can’t eat just
one” biscuit.
Shrimp cocktail and Maui Coconut Fried Shrimp from Runners Seafood Restaurant in Lavalette were served alongside the Taralli.
The main course was pasta of course. No Sunday or birthday is complete without it. My absolute
favorite pasta is the homemade cheese Ravioli my grandmother Michelina DeRosa, rest her soul, used to make. Large in size, yet
light as a feather they simply had no peer in the ravioli world. They key to this heavenly dumpling was
the creaminess of the filling, which was made with fresh ricotta cheese, grated
Pecorino Romano cheese, fresh parsley, eggs, salt and pepper. Try as I might, my attempts to
duplicate them have been less than successful. Fortunately a couple of years ago I discovered the homemade
cheese ravioli from Joe Leone’s in Point Pleasant, NJ. They are as close to grandma’s in every
respect. They went perfect with the pot of gravy, meatballs, and gravy meat that I made.
Shrimp cocktail and Maui Coconut Fried Shrimp from Runners Seafood Restaurant in Lavalette were served alongside the Taralli.
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| Joe Leone Ravioli, my gravy |
With the
ravioli the ladies continued to drink the Rosé, while the guys enjoyed a 1997
Giuseppe Mascarello Barolo Riserva Monprivato Ca’ d’Morisso. From one of Italy's top traditionalists this is the estate's top wine and is only made in top vintages and from a
special parcel within the heart of the Monprivato vineyard. I wrote about the difficulty of the
1997 vintage in Barolo in my last post as well as this particular wine. It was the best of the wines from the
vintage I opened last month, and was once again today. A classic Nebbiolo with a great sense of place, a focused
balance and elegant finish.
A salad made
with fresh Jersey tomatoes from my friend Gregorio’s garden, basil and
cucumbers from my garden and red onions was the classic way to end this classic
meal.
We finished with two homemade desserts. My lovely wife Carol made one of my favorites, Banana Cream Pie. It was fabulous. My sister made a marble cake that was made with ricotta that was simply amazing. It was moist, light and delicious.
We finished with two homemade desserts. My lovely wife Carol made one of my favorites, Banana Cream Pie. It was fabulous. My sister made a marble cake that was made with ricotta that was simply amazing. It was moist, light and delicious.
It was a great
birthday. I am very fortunate to
have such a great family to enjoy this special day with, for it is they who
make it so special. My thanks and
love to each of them.
Saluté
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