Last Friday Night - 8 Hands Dinner, Ristorante Il Principe, Pompei (na)

What are you guys up to?  I asked Chef Gian Marco Carli – a message that I sent to Chef Carli after I noticed a post on ig stories.  Carli, along with Francesco Sodano, Lorenzo Montoro, and Crescenzo Scotti shared a picture of themselves having lunch and planning an 8 hands dinner less than 2 weeks away…

You guys are crazy- I thought.  But I was very very very curious...

As the days went by, my curiosity gt the better of me – I mean –come on, Carli – who  I havd visited in the past, decided to host 3 ‘brand spanking new’ Michelin stared chefs in his kitchen. Chefs that I have grown to admire over the years – I had to attend!

Karma had other plans – however.  The date planned was for Friday the 13t, it was a full moon, and there was even a weather advisory that had affected the areas surrounding I Principe in Pompeii. 

My car had even decided to ‘throw away’ a windshield wiper on my way to the dinner.

That is probably one of the reasons why I appreciated this incontro between the chefs, friends, amici. 

After my arrival, I took a quick tour in the kitchen, caught up on the latest news, and then sat down at my table next to the bar.

 Time to eat!  Wines provided by Omna Romania

Aperitif – of course.  Each chef contributed…..

Chef Gian Marco Carli's Cesar salad

Chef Crescenzo Scotti's Fried montanara pizza with a rabbit sausage and friarielli greens...

Chef Francesco Sodano's cornmeal pasta disc, sheep cheese ricotta, herring eggs and anchovies.

Chef Lorenzo Montoro's steamed baba', goat milk ricotta cheese and herring.

Then the appetizers…

Montoro's vegetable soup which traveled through the gardens and Campanian seas.

Sodano's  roasted marango tartare, fermented certriolo, egg yolk and toasted onion.

First course…

Resident chef Carli's  capelletti pasta filled with codfish tripe and provola, roasted tomato sauce crispy codfish skin, olive oil and parsely.

Second course….

Chef Scotti's slow cooked  suckling pig with figs and escarole.

Dessert…

Montoro' s annurca apple sorbet cinnamon crumble and mandarin orange compote alongside Scotti's Roccoco' in a glass. 

Carli's Almond and carrot cake, custard with curry, paprika and creme fraiche.

 Sodano's Ammazzacaffe'

With a special surprise by Chef Gaetano Torrente…from his beloved hometown of Cetara (Sa). Spaghetti with anchovy sauce...

E allora???

Last Friday night?  An evening fantasticaaa!  

Stelle in Strada, 5 January, 2018, Ischia (Na)

Save the date - 5 January, Corso Vittorio Colonna in Ischia, around 6:30 pm ish.   That's the place to be for the 2nd edition of Stelle in Strade. Like last year's successful edition, this Friday Ischia's top chefs, pizza makers and pastry chefs will set up on the corso and give tourists and islanders alike an opportunity to taste some of their top recipes but most importantly, raise money for the victims of the earthquake that hit the island on the 21st of August, 2017.

Names include - 
Nino Di Costanzo
Danì Maison, Ischia

Pasquale Palamaro
Indaco,  Albergo della Regina Isabella, Lacco Ameno

Giovanni De Vivo
II Mosaico, Hotel Terme Manzi, Casamicciola Terme

Crescenzo Scotti
Il Flauto di Pan, Villa Cimbrone, Ravello

With them, other thirteen high-profile chefs (including Agostino D'Ambra from "Il Focolare", Ciro Calise from "La Lampara" and Michelangelo Iacono from "Il Monastero"), five master pizza makers (among them, Ivano Veccia and Pasquale Parziale) and six pastry chefs.

A block of tickets cost 16 Euro which ies you the opportunity to try 11 dishes and 1 drink.  You can buy in advance from Bottiglieri Gioielli or one of the three stands located throughout the corso on the evening of  the 5th.

See you there!

Ischia Safari - My Three Day Ischiaddicted Diary, 17-19 September, 2017

The dates had been penciled in on my calendar since last spring - and finally...finally the big event arrived.  Ischia Safari - a fun filled gastronomic fest on the big green island.  I had the pleasure to attend, though it was definitely a challenge balancing the island nightlife and work the next morning on the mainland.

I thought it would be fun to put together an Ischia Safari diary jam packed with ischiaddicted moments.  Here's a look - Enjoy!

Sunday, 17 September 2017.

2:15 pm - Ristorante Pizzeria Da Ciccio ,Forio

Though the press dinner was scheduled for 8 pm, I decided to arrive around lunchtime for a pizza and beer at Ristorante Pizzeria Da Ciccio located in Forio.  There I tried Ivano Veccia's Da Ciccio - the house pizza.  The pizza is topped with creamy Ischia white onions (that had been cooked under ashes) along with  rosemary, basil, and oregano, fior di latte and mozarella cheese and then baked in the oven. After it comes out, Veccia adds his tuna capaccio - prepared by Veccia by placing the tuna fillets in salt, sugar, and spices for five days. 

Ivano Veccia's Da Ciccio 

2:51 pm - Ristorante Pizzeria Da Ciccio ,Forio

A quick caffe' before tackling the rest of the day.

3:37 pm - Negombo, Lacco Ameno

Veccia offered to give me a ride to my hotel in Ischia Porto, but first he hand an errand to run.  Veccia - pizzaiolo in charge for Ischia Safari - needed to light the ovens so that they'd be the right temperature for the following evening.

Ivano Veccia

3:51 pm - Negombo, Lacco Ameno

Michelin starred chef, fresh from a packed lunch service at nearby Ristorante Indaco, arrived to check thins out.  Palamaro, alongside Chef Nino Di Costanzo is one of the organizers of this event, now in its third year.

Chef Palamaro (right) and sous chef Tommaso Luongo

9:12 pm, Casa Colonica 1930, Negombo, Lacco Ameno

Press dinner featuring some amazing local dishes, sparkling wine, music, friends and fun!

Buffalo mil mozzarella cheese

Fried 'montanara' pizza

Fresh tomato salad

Friarielli greens and black olives

Bruschetta, butter, anchovies, and lemon/orange zest

Pane/Pomodoro - Bread and tomatoes

9:35 pm, Casa Colonica 1930, Negombo, Lacco Ameno
 During the meal, we sang along to Neapolitan classic hits courtesy of Girolamo Mattera.

Marinated sardines, mint, and fresh oregano

Fried cod and sweet onions

10:25 pm, Casa Colonica 1930, Negombo, Lacco Ameno
In the kitchen as pasta maker Giovanni Assante of Gerardo di Nola prepares his pasta and beans. Yum!

Jack Monti and Giovanni Assante

Pasta and beans/ pasta e fagioli

Spaghetti, pine nuts, raisins and very very hot chili peppers

Dessert! Sfogliatelle and donuts

September 18, 2017

00:15 am  Ischia Porto

Lights out for me! I have a ferry to catch at 0620 am!Yikes!

8:02 pm Negombo, Lacco Ameno

A full day of school, a rush to the ferry, and a quick taxi ride - my 2nd night at the Safari!

Around 2,500 people attended this fundraising event.  For forty five euro, guests had the chance to try five dishes choosing from over 100 chefs, pizzamakers, and pastry chefs. 

First stop: Chef Zone

Chef Crescenzo Scotti's stuffed pepper

Chef Lino Scarallo

Scarallo's beef and marinated eggplant sandwich and horseradish sauce

Chef Domenico Iavarone

Golden fried calf's head, white beans, and marinated onions

8:22 pm Negombo, Lacco Ameno
Pizza and Panini Zone

Gianfranco Iervolino's pizza with anchovies, garlic and black olives.

Gianfranco Iervolino

Ivano Veccia

Giuseppe Pignalosa's rucola, yellow tomatoes and tuna

Giuseppe Pignalosa

Bifulco's tuna and yellow tomato sandwich

8:57 pm Negombo, Lacco Ameno

Back to the Chef Zone

Chef Palamaro's dish starring pecorino cheese, pepper, sea snails, mantis shrimp, and frairielli greens

9:05 pm Negombo, Lacco Ameno
A little rock music with guitarist Matteo Di Meglio and company.

 9:09 pm Negombo, Lacco Ameno
Chef Zone
A quick conversation with Chef Crescenzo Scotti - (who later served as my uber driver!)

Chef Scotti and Emanuela Mazzella

Chef Umberto De Martino

Chef Giorgio Bartolucci's bastoa', foie gras, and apricot chutney

Chef Giulio Coppola's mussel soup

Chef Ciro Mattera's tanuta fish with burrata cheese,lettuce and red saurkraut

 9:56 pm Negombo, Lacco Ameno

Pastry Zone:

Here I found a couple of familiar faces and tried some tasty pastries.

Pastry chef Nello Iervolino's dish reminds one of candy often given to kids by their 'nonna'/grandma

Pastry Chef Angelo Tramontano's fried San Giuseppe zeppole

Random pics from social media...

September 19, 2017

05:25 am Ischia Porto
My taxi picks me up at my hotel.  Another ferry to catch! Grooooaaaan!

8:20 pm Ristorante Indaco, Lacco Ameno

Perfect location for aperitifs prepared by Michelin starred chefs for the last evening of Ischia Safari.  About a hundred or so guests.  I even wore a dress.

Chef Andrea Migliaccio

Migliaccio's pasta al genovese, beans, and friarelli greens

Migliaccio's marinated amberjack in tomato water with avocado, annurca apple, and sea asparagus

Butcher Mario Carrabs bbq platter

Chef Francesco Sposito's soft taco with celery, turnip, tuna, and a pistachio vinagrette

Sposito's crunchy part of fried macaroni

Chef Vittorio Fusari's perch fish cerviche and amberjack spritz

Chef Giuseppe Ianotti's 'tonnato sbagliato'

Franco Pepe's fried Ciro pizza

9:56 pm Ristorante Indaco Lacco Ameno
After aperitifs poolside, I'm led to my seat inside Indaco for the start of the main portion of our meal.  Each dish served with a glass of champagne.

Chef GaetanoTrovato's oyster and burrata cheese appetier

Chef Bobo Cerea's risotto with tarragon cream, pumpkin bisque, and sea scallops

Chef Gaetano Trovato's agnolotti pasta with red shrimp, zucchini, mint and caviar

10:57 pm Ristorante Indaco
A quick peek in the kitchen!

11:05 pm Ristorante Indaco Lacco Ameno
Back at the table...

Chef Pino Cuttaia's beef fillet, artichoke oil, and potato

11:22 pm. Ristorante Indaco Lacco Ameno
Pic with the brigade of the night.

Time to head outside behind the restaurant, on practically hugging the sea for dessert! I tried 2 dishes- that's all I had space for!

Pastry Chef Carmine Di Donna's passion fruit

Pastry Chef Antonino Maresca's 'Mexico and Clouds'

 20 September, 2017
02:00 am Ischia Porto
A last get together with friends while waiting for the ferry - at 2:30 in the morning!

So, that's my diary!
A grande grazie to Chef Nino Di Costanzo, Chef Pasquale Palamaro and my partner in crime, Ivano Veccia.

Ciao Ischia
Ciao Ischia Safari-

A presto