January 24, 2013: Quinto Quarto

Last night, Campagnolo Roma hosted another one of its famed Quinto Quarto dinners, an offal-themed culinary extravaganza inspired by the Roman "fifth quarter" feasts of yore.  I was flying sort of solo as Akemi had bowed out on account of the far-too-late-for-her 8:30 p.m. seating. That and the emphasis on liver. Like I said, I…

October 27, 2012: Travel Day! The Top 11 Things I’ve Been Eating in Vancouver!

Planning a visit to Vancouver and looking forward to sampling some of the city's finest - but not looking forward to playing hit and miss?  Well, relax and allow me to guide you through some of the city's tastiest treats. Here are the Top 11 Things I've Been Eating in Vancouver: PEACEFUL BEEF ROLL AT…

September 27, 2012: Quinto Quarto dinner! Days of Stargate Atlantis Past! Kindred I!

"In the cuisine of modern Rome quinto quarto (literally the "fifth quarter") is the offal of butchered animals. The name makes sense on more than one level: because offal amounts to about a fourth of the weight of the carcass; because the importance of offal in Roman cooking is at least as great as any of the outer quarters, fore…

August 25, 2012: The Perfect Meal! Cos & Effect Kicks Off!

Last night, I had THE perfect meal.  And, by "perfect", I mean perfect for me.  And no wonder given that my dinner was planned and prepared by Chef Rob Belcham.  No one knows my culinary likes and dislikes, leanings and particulars better than Rob and the gang from Campagnolo/Campagnolo Roma/Fat Dragon. Fellow owner Tom Doughty…

December 5, 2011: Trufflepalooza!

White truffles, a.k.a. white diamonds, are one of the most highly prized and expensive of foods.  Rare, only available a few months of the year, and limited to parts of Italy and Croatia, the Alba Madonna are notoriously difficult to locate.  Experienced truffle hunters use dogs to sniff out these rare gems hidden underground, near…