Dario De Conte of Ca’Momi Ristorante shows his flair for truffles Tthing: black Périgord truffles, aka FRIDAY-moNDAY, FEsTIVALTRUFFLEThird AnnualNAPAruffles, anyone?Not the chocolate kind, the real“black diamonds.” These rare and delectable fungi will again be the center of attention at the JANUARY 18-21, 2013 third annual Napa Truffle Festival, bringing host venue: westin Verasa in together a unique gathering of leading truffle downtown Napa. guests can book cultivation experts and scientists, mycologists, special room rates online. special guests from the food and wine world, and Programs are available à la carte. For internationally renowned Michelin star chefs information and to reserve tickets, who will discuss, examine, probe, demonstrate visit the website at and, finally, prepare the truffles to be feasted www.napatrufflefestival.com upon for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The third annual Napa Truffle Festival The festival kicks off with an exclusive welcome is hosted by the American Truffle reception on the elegant terrace at La Toque, company. Proceeds benefit the Napa where guests will sip local wines and sample Valley Food Bank / cAN-V. an array of delectable truffle appetizers while hobnobbing with truffle experts, food gurus and the guest star chefs (sans toques). multicourse truffle menu—each course Saturday programs begin with a keynote by prepared by a Michelin star chef—and Colman Andrews, co-founder of Saveur and perfectly paired with wines. In addition editorial director of The Daily Meal, followed to Chef Ken, this year’s star chef lineup Catherine Bergen by the scientific-grower seminars presented by also includes Nicola Chessa of Valentino and C Casa will offer American Truffle Company’s Managing Director, Restaurant, Santa Monica; Marco Gubbiotti a truffle demo as well Robert Chang, and Chief Scientist Dr. Paul of La Bastiglia in Spello, Italy; and Michael Thomas, a leading world authority on truffle Tusk of Quince, San Francisco. cultivation. The day’s program includes an New this year, festival-goers will rise excursion to Robert Sinskey Vineyards’ truffle and shine for an exciting Sunday morning orchard with Rico, everyone’s favorite truffle wild mushroom forage led by renowned hunting dog, on hand to sniff things out (petting mycophagist David Campbell (who enthuses, allowed). A superb truffle lunch and wine tasting “We’ll see what we find and find what we will be hosted by the incomparable Silver Oak see! With a little luck, perhaps we’ll find Nicola Chessa, offering a rare opportunity to learn Cellars and prepared by the winery’s own chef, porcini, hedgehogs, chanterelles, or candy from a top Michelin star chef. Dominic Orsini. caps”), accompanied by Dr. Paul Thomas and At the heart of the festival is the Saturday night local mycologist Stephanie Jarvis. This day’s truffle Monday concludes the weekend with a lively Truffles & Wine Dinner, hosted by Michelin lunch, hosted at the beautiful, historic Beringer Festival Marketplace at Oxbow Public Market, star Chef Ken Frank of La Toque, featuring a Winery, will begin with a cooking demo by Chef showcasing the local wine, artisanal vendors and specialty food products of the Napa Valley. No charge for admission—everyone is welcome! Come see cooking demos, shop for truffle Truffle is said to stimulate and sensitize the skin to“...the musky scent accoutrements and sample a diverse assortment oftouch.”Truffles are legendary aphrodisiacs: L o r e –gourmetsleuth.com truffled pizza, enchiladas, charcuterie, sliders, anddishes prepared by the Marketplace chefs, from Truffles incite bad behavior: “...there have been gunfights, thefts, accusations of widespread fraud, even mysterious disappearances of highly trained aioli fries to business as usual for café, tea, spices, dogs.”–foodreference.com cheese, oysters, fresh produce, olive oil, fine Truffles are the ultimate food: “...we were aware of an odour gradually coming towards chocolate, ice cream, pastries, home accessories us, something musky, fiery, savoury, mysterious—a hot drowsy smell, that lulls the senses, and and more. Wine tasting tickets are $25. Plus, a yet enflames them—the truffles were coming.” –william makepeace Thackeray chance to win a black diamond (truffle, that is)! J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 3 19
NVLife Jan-Feb 2013
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