march miscellanea.*

...and we're finally into March! While it's not really a standard pop-up dinner--these things occur somewhat frequently--we were fortunate enough to be able to attend another Secret Dinner in the Zürich area. The premise is this: once you sign up, they send you a theme and a meeting point, and you show up at the meeting point (preferably) dressed somewhat in accordance with the theme, and they shuttle you off to a unique destination for a good meal. Again, they did not disappoint. The theme was "Wonderland," and our destination was this:

A movie studio/event center which changes its theme every few years, and is currently Alice-themed, in the legitimate Middle of Nowhere. There certainly was no lack of drama at the entrance.

Or inside. Pretty jealous of these chandeliers.

There was an entire separate bar area that was totally empty (and whose entrance was made out gigantic books!) and was pretty steampunk-fabulous. There was a lady dressed as Alice singing sorta ambient-sounding songs in the corner; another bar fitted out with books and appropriately-themed (and tasty) drinks; and a room lined with all sorts of mirrors at wonky angles. We commented on the marvelousness all of this to our host, who said, "You haven't even seen the upstairs yet." 

We then ascended this dimly-lit staircase (which, at the top, turned out to be the interior of a massive [fake] tree trunk!) into this.

Full of fog and oh-so-fantastical.

Our seating area.

A better look at the stage.

There was even the Caterpillar over in the corner. (His pipe was hooked up to a fog machine, but of course.)

So I didn't take many photos of the meal itself--too busy eating--but the dessert was too pretty to ignore. (That's berry granita on top of a cookie crumble, topped with "forest berries," caramel, and meringue. Yum.)

The only problem this time around was that there was so much time between courses, we considered bailing out. (Yes, we're old. What.) Except that since we were in the actual middle of nowhere, getting a cab (or any other type of transport back to civilization) would have been well-nigh impossible. We stuck it out to the end and had a fun night together, anyway...but were both a little relieved when the shuttle pulled up! And despite the length of the evening, I'm sure we'll go to the next Secret Dinner, whenever it rolls around. They're so creative and so different that it's hard to resist!

Next, we squeezed in our final visit to Herzbaracke this year (wah!) for dinner and Marco Marchi and the Mojo Workers. They're this tremendous blues/jazz/ragtime/Dixieland band that we saw there last year, and will absolutely see again--they're SO good! 

They are all unbelievably talented and hugely entertaining. You can't help but smile to this music, and I may have even clapped along once or twice. (I am not a public clapper or singer-along. I just don't do it. But for these guys, yeah, ok, fine.)

Two weeks later, our dear friends Jen and Dave flew in from California, and the following day we all hit the road, along with Nanda and René, for a long weekend in Piemonte. (Again. I know. But its pull is irresistible to all of us.) 

Every first-day-in-the-Piemonte involves dinner at Gemma's, just so we can make sure we get to eat there. Here's my obligatory shot of the church just around the corner; it was just a wee bit foggy that evening.

The next day involved lunch at a place new to us: 480 Gradi, a marvelous pizza place in Bra with the most massive menu. Among other things, we shared some burratta; a "cordon bleu" made with eggplant instead of veal; and a couple of plates of salsiccia di Bra, which is generally served raw (and is magnificent). And then we all had pizza, which, stomach-capacity-wise, was a terrible mistake. But look how pretty and hard to resist! Here, my pizza with prosciutto, arugula, cherry tomatoes, and some excellent buffala mozzarella. 

After lunch, we had a wine tasting at Fratelli Ravello, where they sell really nice wines at really decent prices. (Plus, the people are always really lovely, and the view is just wonderful.)

Dinner on day 2 was at Trattoria La Coccinella, another place new to us all. The ambiance was very pleasantly rustic and local, and the food was quite good. One of the things I like best about traveling with this group--second only to their excellent and hilarious and fun personalities, of course--is that they all like to share! So I got to try out everyone's food, and it was all good: the tajarin (homemade skinny noodles) with veal ragu; the potato dumplings filled with cheese; the rooster ravioli (made from castrated roosters, which apparently become quite lazy, and therefore fatter--and so insanely rich and tasty [sorry, roosters...]); a gratin made from pumpkin puree topped with these ricotta-like cheese sticks, crispy panetta, and fried onions; Mike's brasato (veal cooked forever in red wine); the cheese plates (including donkey cheese. and this miraculous jelly made from nebbiolo grapes!); and my new favorite thing in Italian restaurants, the piccola pasticceria.

Which is a little sampler plate of desserts that, on occasion, arrives with the espresso. Yes, please.

Day three began with a tasting at Elio Altare, one of our absolute favorites, where Sylvia, the owner/winemaker, is always a warm and hilarious delight, and where Leone always comes out to greet us. (Sweetest, friendliest little goggie ever.)

The view from Elio Altare ain't too shabby, either. (Sigh. Want to stay forever.)

Next, we took a jaunt into Alba, where we roamed around for a bit, and then had lunch at Osteria dell'Arco. There, I decided to sample another local delicacy I hadn't tried yet: the snails--which, to be honest, I'd selected primarily because they came on a bed of veggies. (Hard to find straight-up veg in the Piemonte. But also, who doesn't love escargot? People who haven't tried it, that's who. But they're the only ones.) As it turns out, the ones cooked with obscene amounts of butter and garlic are definitely more my style, but it was fun to try out the (rather simple) Piemonte version anyway.

Next, everyone was kind enough to indulge me in a little tour of Serralunga, a mid-14th-century castle we've been driving past since 2006, but never actually visited.**

In the main hall on the first floor was the tiny chapel and its 15th-century frescoes.

In the back corner of the same room, a round tower containing at its base the "well of torture," the walls of which were lined with blades so that anyone thrown into it (prisoners or those destined to be executed, say) would be sliced up. (It's that tiny roundish grated hole at the very bottom of the stairs here. And also, man, were the Middle Ages a nasty time.)

Graffiti and scribblings from the 19th and early 20th centuries, when this castle was used by the surrounding village as a storehouse.

View from the uppermost room, which is enclosed now (thankfully--stupid rain!), but was originally where the guards would patrol the ramparts.

"1616",  the only bit of graffiti from when the Spanish (briefly) controlled this castle! 

Post-castle, we headed to Paolo Manzone for another tasting. Even if they didn't always bring out little platters of the tastiest local cheese and salami, I'd still love this place: good wine, great people. (Sigh. Again.) 

Dinner on our final night in Piemonte was at the surprisingly upscale Trattoria del Bivio, yet another new place, and my greatest regret of the trip: we'd all eaten so much in the preceding days that we didn't really get to fully enjoy the food at this place. 

Here, our impressive little tray of amuse bouche.

Couldn't tell you what anyone else ate, but my asparagus with a poached egg and robiola cheese sauce, and amazing whole-grain pasta with still more asparagus ('tis the season!) and tomatoes, were absolutely outstanding. (And, as I was the only one who hadn't vastly overeaten at lunch, I tried out their "hazelnut - cold, crunchy, and soft" dessert, which consisted of hazelnut cookies with hazelnut gelato and a little hot fudge. Tremendous.) That is a place to which we will most definitely return, and next time genuinely hungry. 

Finally, in late April (yes, yes, I know, I promised you March madness, but I'm skipping a wee bit forward in time, for brevity's sake! you'll thank me later, probably!***), we squeezed in a quick trip to München to celebrate the wedding of our lovely friends Thomas and Andrea. Munich was shockingly cold at the end of April, but we were happy to be there nonetheless. 

We flew in on a Friday evening and wandered around the Altstadt...

...which is pretty great...

...and definitely more full of dirndl-n-lederhosen shops than I remember. (That having been said, most of the ones in the shop windows were much fancier than my own, and that gorgeous blue number in the middle made me desperately want another dirndl.)

We had dinner at Zum Dürnbrau, a cozy (and ancient--founded in 1487!) little beer hall just around the corner from all the big and noisy ones. Our soups--asparagus cream with salmon, and potato with speck and fried onions--were tremendous (I would eat that potato soup again anytime); Mike's order of pork knuckle was nicely crispy and came with some fantastic sauerkraut; and my plate of white asparagus with butter came with a nice little "side" of really excellent wienerschnitzel. 

Saturday morning, we drove out into the countryside a bit, where the wedding ceremony itself took place in this stunning little church...

...after which we headed to this beautiful greenhouse for the reception. So, so pretty.

Mike was especially pleased because they used an actual wooden hammer and spigot to tap this keg, but we figure that's just how it's done when one gets married near Munich.

People, I've been to a lot of weddings in my life--comes with being a preacher's kid--and I can say with utter certainty that this was the best food I've ever had at one. Hands down. (I'd pay good money to eat that food again at a restaurant.) And it certainly didn't hurt that the venue was that magical gardeny space...so charming! What a lovely time, and a lovely couple. (Thanks for the invite, guys. It was an honor.)

Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty.

Next up: another place I've been waiting on for a long, long time. Sicily...

*Ok, ok, and a quick jaunt into April, as well.

**As it turned out, the interior was rather spartan, and the tour in Italian, and so I really thank everyone for going along so patiently and so genially! THANKS, GUYS! You're the best!!

***But more likely, probably not. Ha, ha, brevity. That's hilarious, coming from me.