Tag Archive: History

A Celebration of Giuseppe Verdi’s Birthday

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Although one doesn’t normally make a big deal out of 191st birthday, it was Giuseppe Verdi, so why not? We even accompanied the dinner with his music. He was something of a gourmand, and a trio of his favorite recipes turned out to be easy to find.

Sunday, 10 October 2004

The Second Sunday Supper Circle presents:

A Celebration of Giuseppe Verdi’s Birthday

With a selection of his own music from Rigoletto, Otello, I Vespri Siciliani & La Traviata

La Squisita Minestra di Giuseppi Verdi
(Vegetable and pasta soup)
1982 Pol Roger Brut Chardonnay

Risotto alla Salernitana
(One of my favorite risottos, finished with prosciutto di parma, parmigiano and mozzarella)
1995 Leone Conti Contiriserva

Supremes de Volailles Verdi & Fagiolini Verdi alla Pesto Balsamico
(Chicken breasts with a fresh cheese, walnut, and bell pepper cream sauce; green beans with a balsamic pesto)
1978 Pio Cesare Barolo Riserva

I can’t imagine that we had a dinner without either a cheese course and/or a dessert, but I suppose it’s possible….

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President’s Month Dinner

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An obvious theme here, February, and a quartet of president’s birthdays, albeit only two of which we celebrate in the U.S. as official holidays. I know I have a copy of The First Ladies Cookbook: Favorite Recipes of all the Presidents of the United States in my library, and it’s probably something I picked up at random on a sale table at somewhere like The Strand, and so for three of the presidents was the inspiration behind the choices of dishes (when the book was published, Reagan hadn’t yet been president).

Second Sunday Supper Circle
President’s Month Dinner
The First Ladies Cook Their Husbands’ Favorite Dishes
February 8, 2004

Ronald Reagan (February 6, 1911)

   Onion Wine Soup
   N.V. Mumm Napa Blanc de Noirs

Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809)

   Scalloped Oysters
   2002 J Pinot Gris

William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773)

   Pan-Roasted Duck Breasts with Applejack Sauce
   Fresh Corn Cakes
   1978 Green & Red Zinfandel “Chiles Canyon”

George Washington (February 22, 1732)

   Trifle
   1997 Macari “Essencia”

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Happy 500th Birthday Nostradamus!

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A relatively short menu for our group. Most of our dinners extended, as you have perhaps seen in these pages, to 5, 6, or even 7 courses. A four course dinner, one of which was a salad with cheese, seems so unlike me. A few errors are present on the menu – corrected in the text below (spelling and a date), and I’ve added English descriptions of the dishes for those who, like me, don’t really speak French. Strangely, also, for me, I didn’t list the vintage date for the Calvados at the end of the meal, one of my favorite producers, and one which I usually had a couple of different vintages on hand from.

December 14, 2003
Second Sunday Supper Circle
Happy 500th Birthday Nostradamus!

nostradamusMichel de Nostradame, more commonly known as Nostradamus, was born on December 14, 1503, in St. Remy de Provence. He is best known for his book of prophecies ‘Centuries Astrologiques’ published in 1555. In the same year, he also published ‘Excellent er Moult Utile Opuscule a tous necessaire qui desirent avoir connaissance de plusieurs exquises recettes’ (An excellent andmost useful little work essential to all who wish to become acquainted with some exquisite recipes). These aren’t his recipes.

Soupe au Pistou pour l’Hiver
(Winter Vegetable Soup with Pesto)
Pol Roger “Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill” 1988

Faisan Braisage au Confiture du Cannelle
(Braised Pheasant with Cinnamon Jam)
Ch. De la Gardine Chateauneuf du Pape, 1994

Salade du Poires, Cidre et Camembert
(Camembert & Pear Salad with Cider Vinaigrette)
Cidre Poire

Genoise Seigle du Chataigne
(Rye Torte with Chestnuts)
Coeur du Lion Calvados

“For five hundred years more they will take notice of him, who was the ornament of his time, then suddenly, a great revelation will he give, making the people of this same century well pleased.”

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The John Hancock Dinner

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Second Sunday Supper Circle
January 12, 2003

In honor of the birthday of arguably the most famous Signatory in history, we present our take on Signature Dishes of arguably the most famous restaurants in American history.

Apple-Celeriac Soup with “Waldorf Salad”Garnish
Waldorf Salad – Oscar Tschirky (Waldorf Hotel)
Ferrari Signature Riserva “Giulio Ferrari”, 1992

Pizza Bianca – Caramelized Vidalia Onion, Pancetta, Reblochon
Tarte Flambé – Andre Soltner (Lutece)
Sergio Zenato Lugana Signature Reserve, 1997

Oyster & Spinach Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, Pernod-Scallion Sauce
Oysters Rockefeller – Jules Alciatore (Antoine’s)
Mario Trinchero Signature Merlot, 1999

Florida Spiny Lobsters, White cheddar, Truffled Mustard, Manzanilla Sauce
Lobster Newburg – Charles Ranhofer (Delmonico’s)
Eileen Hardy Signature Shiraz, 1994

Seared Baby Lamb Chops, Strozzapretti with Pistachio Sauce
Lamb Saté with Potatoes – Vic Bergeron (Trader Vic’s)
Ca’ del Bosco Signature Maurizio Zanella, 1990

Licorice Meringue Stack with Key Lime Curd & Fresh Key Limes
Key Lime Pie – Aunt Sally (Curry Mansion Inn)
Henri Ramonteu’s “Quintessence du Petit Manseng” Jurançon, 1991

I do know that the dessert dish was influenced by my trip the previous year to participate in and cover, for Passport magazine, the Gay Games held there (I won two bronze medals in martial arts). I’d eaten at Luke Mangan’s restaurant Salt, and for dessert been served a licorice parfait with a lime syrup, and was amazed at how well the two flavors melded. A combo I’ve used many a time since.

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Food for Thought

Q San Francisco
September 1999
Pages 52-53

Food for Thought

Inventor Nikola Tesla subsisted a good portion of his adult life on milk and Ritz crackers, served in multiples of the number three. He basically invented “AC” electrical current. He tried to invent a way to transmit it through the air so we wouldn’t have to plug things in. He was terrified of pearl earrings.

Noted inventor Oliver Heaviside, who essentially created the technology for long distance telephone circuits, lived primarily on milk and potatoes. Occasionally he helped himself to a cauliflower as a treat. He was a teetotaler who believed that he could get alcohol poisoning by eating grapes. His mathematics were so advanced that many of his formulae are still considered advanced today. He painted his nails cherry pink on a daily basis and used large granite blocks as furniture.

Among his many literary accomplishments, Samuel Johnson could include the Dictionary of the English Language. Written in the late eighteenth century, it is still considered one of the finest reference works on the subject, replete with quotes and examples instead of simple definitions. Rancid rabbit meat and meat pies with rancid butter sent him into a feeding frenzy. Among his quirks, he wouldn’t walk through a doorway, instead he jumped through from several feet away.

Though not well known outside the scientific community, chemist and mineralogist Richard Kirwan was a pioneer in multiple fields. He published numerous important books on chemistry, mineralogy, geology, and meteorology, some of which remain standards to this day. His entire diet consisted of eating ham and milk. Terrified, however, of being seen swallowing, he would leave the dinner table to do so, and then return to his guests. An obsessive hatred of flies led him to actually pay neighbors to bring him dead ones.

geniusExcessively shy, Henry Cavendish, physicist and chemist, wouldn’t let people look at him while talking. He was a famed experimenter, and his accomplishment which most affects our daily lives was the perfection of the mercury thermometer. He lived on lamb and nothing but. His clothes consisted of a rumpled old purple suit and triangular hat and he was so mortified to be in sight of women that he had a second staircase built in his house just to avoid his housekeeper.

Geoffrey Pyke, a sort of renaissance man-inventor, is, let’s face it, not a name that we are all familiar with. He controlled one-third of the world’s tin supply, was a brilliant military strategist, a major charity fund-raiser, and created the first school with a “jungle gym”. Much of his adult diet was limited to herring and crackers. He hated socks.

Before anyone panics and thinks I’m going to try to concoct a recipe from these oddities, relax. I was asked to delve into the idea of “brain food”, i.e., do diet and deep thought correlate. If the above members of the genius circle are any indication, we’re in deep trouble. There are a lot of modern-day nutrition experts out there who are going to have to rethink the value of nutrition on the brain.

In general I am of the view that a good dinner should promote conversation, stimulate activity and create an atmosphere of fun. Now and again, however, it is worth sitting down to a plate and glass that cause one to pause and consider life, the universe, and everything that matters (and has matter). For me, that requires a steak, medium rare, perfectly seared, perhaps crusted with some spices…

Pan-Seared Deep Thought Steak

2 8-12 oz. steaks (I’m fond of porterhouse)
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon whole allspice berries
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon flour
1/4 cup Armagnac or other brandy
1/4 cup heavy cream

Basically, this is my take on a steak au poivre. You’re going to need some sort of spice grinder, coffee bean grinder, blender, whatever. Or you’ll have to use ground spices, but it just isn’t the same. Crush the pepper, allspice and salt together – they should remain somewhat coarse. Rub the steaks on both sides with the mixture and let them sit for twenty minutes.

Heat a large cast iron pan till very hot and then toss in the steaks. Let them brown on the first side, then flip them and brown the other side. Cook until done to your preference. Remove the steaks and set on a plate to rest for a few moments.

Sprinkle the flour into the pan, still over the heat, and stir rapidly, scraping the meat drippings together with the flour until the flour is lightly browned. Take the pan away from the heat if you have an open flame. Pour in the cognac, return to the heat and let it warm in the pan.

You can either light it by slightly tilting the pan to catch a little bit of the flame from the stove, or use a match.

When the flame has died down, stir quickly to incorporate all ingredients. Add the cream and stir until thickened. Pour over the steaks and serve. You can pretty much directly scale this recipe up for more people if you wish, you just might need more than one pan.

Cabernet franc is the under-appreciated ancient parent of the more well-known Cabernet sauvignon. Personally, I prefer it. It has more “wild” or “sauvage” notes, darker fruit, and spicier tones. In my view, some of the world’s greatest reds come from this grape.

Starting in California, because, well, why not, check out the Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc “1er Etage”. This is Fritz Maytag’s winery – the man’s into everything these days – washing machines, blue cheese, gin, rye, and…Cabernet franc. Staying domestic, but crossing the continent, the eastern seaboard offers Millbrook Cabernet Franc Reserve and the Macari Vineyards Cabernet Franc. Joe Macari, at the latter, organically farms too!

On the opposite side of the Atlantic the offerings are almost too many to choose from. The hotbeds of cab franc growing are the Loire Valley, parts of Bordeaux, and northern Italy. From the first, my current pick is the Château de Fesles Anjou “Vieilles Vignes”. In Bordeaux, if it’s in your budget, a bottle of Château Cheval-Blanc St. Emilion, if your credit card would melt like mine, a more than acceptable alternative is Château Figeac St. Emilion. Northern Italy offers my absolutely favorite cab franc, Quintarelli Alzero – it costs nearly as much as just flying to northern Italy, but it’s worth it.


Q San Francisco magazine premiered in late 1995 as a ultra-slick, ultra-hip gay lifestyle magazine targeted primarily for the San Francisco community. It was launched by my friends Don Tuthill and Robert Adams, respectively the publisher and editor-in-chief, who had owned and run Genre magazine for several years prior. They asked me to come along as the food and wine geek, umm, editor, for this venture as well. In order to devote their time to Passport magazine, their newest venture, they ceased publication of QSF in early 2003.

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’97 Dinner

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Okay, this one’s a doozy. I was on a momentary history kick. So I’d gone back and done some searching on things that happened in various fields in February of ’97s – starting with 1397 and moving forward. In blog format the table layout isn’t going to work, so the table was laid out with columns for Year, Art (each with a thumbnail of a painting), Literature (each with a quote from something published at that time relating to food), Politics (an event), Food & Wine (my menu). I think this is also the first dinner at which I took some photos….

The Second Sunday Supper Circle’s ’97 Dinner
February 9, 1997

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Pisanello (Antonio Pisano), most well known painting “Portrait of a Princess of the House of Este”

“And namely, fro the white wyn of Lepe, … This wyn of Spaigne crepeth subtilly.” Geoffrey Chaucer, The Pardoner’s Tale

Union of Kalmar between Sweden, Denmark and Norway

Asian broth with a medley of smoked shellfishes and fishes served with Hidalgo Manzanilla Fina


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Hans Holbein the Younger, most famous for his paintings of Henry Viii and family

“Her is good rink, and here is good pie.” John Heywood, A Mery Play

Cornwall Rebellion, Vasco da Gama rounds the Cape of Good Hope

Cornish root vegetable pasties and green peppercorn cream served with a 1995 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay


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El Greco paints “St. Martin and the Beggar”

“Will you strive for wine?”
“Give us a fresh cup; I will have ye friends.” John Lyly, the Woman in the Moone

Japan campaigns against Korea

Kanso amazake marinated lamb with mint sauce served with a 1988 Cavalleri Tajardino


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Canaletto (Antonio Canale), famous for paintings of piazzas and courtyards in Venice

“Read, read, sirrah! and refine your appetite … feast your mind … read and take your nourishment in at your eyes; shut up your mouth, and chew the cud of understanding;” William Congreve, Love for Love

China conquers western Mongolia

Duck confit and fresh ham with crispy wontons and plum/brandy sauce served with a 1971 Chateau Haut-Brion


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Ando Hiroshige, known for his series of paintings of the 53 Stations along the Mt. Fuji pilgrimage trail

“For he on honey-dew hath fed, And drunk the milk of Paradise.” Samuel Taylor-Coleridge, Kubla Khan

Napoleon conquers Austria

A selection of cheeses (Bleu Castello, San Marcellin and San Luca) served with a 1992 Hiedler Weissburgunder halbtrocken


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Henri Matisse, known for his use of color, especially in paintings of simple, daily life

“Who will have some lemonade? You know our rules: total abstinence.”
“No use, dear. They’ve all had champagne.” Bernard Shaw, Candida

Turkey declares war on Greece

Lemon curd served with a 1988 Pol Roger Brut champagne

80045_02The table, set for dinner.

80045_03My boyfriend Mark, and someone who I can’t recognize from the photo.

80045_04Raymond, the maitre d’ from Felidia where I was working; Frank, my friend who has illustrated my books; and friend Bob

80045_06The lamb.

80045_07The duck confit, ham and crispy wontons.

80045_08The lemon curd.

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