At The Pass with Josephine Oliviero Megwa, Owner/Menu Influencer of Piattini Wine Cafe, 226 Newbury Street Boston, MA

Repost in support of Piattini after the recent building fire...

Originally posted 10/23/2013

I recently attended a small Wine Dinner hosted by Piattini and enjoyed myself immensely.  I will also be attending the next wine dinner featuring "Wines of the World".
 I was so impressed with Owner Josephine Oliviero Megwa, that I wanted to immediately add her to my At The Pass Series.

Tuna tartare

We sat in the beautiful private dining area and chatted like old friends catching up.  Josephine is very down to earth and open.  We discussed family, careers, food, wine, cheese, and life in general. 

As we chat over lunch/dinner, her beautiful staff carried in plate after plate of terrific food and a bottle of Piattini's own Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.  They will soon sell their own Chianti Classico and Pinot Grigio!  The Chianti will be DOC ( Denominazione di Origine Controllata) - Italy's strict regulatory body over the origin and authenticity of regional products).  The Chianti grapes grow in a valley where the soil (or terroir) is unique to the Chianti region (Classico subregion) and gives the grapes their distinct flavor, acidity, and color. 
Piattini has been bottling their own wine since 2004!

Piattini's Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is 100% Montepulciano grapes and sourced from a small producer in the region.
 Regulations require a minimum of 85% Montepulciano with up to 15% of Sangiovese.  It is medium-bodied, deep burgundy, fruit-forward (without being sweet), with aromas of dried cherry and a hint of baking spices.

In keeping with providing personalized, quality products to their clientele, Piattini will launch their own Partana organic olive oil sourced from a Sicilian producer. 
 Expect to see Piatini EVOO next summer!

Photo credit:  Yelp

 Several wine flights are offered daily for your tasting pleasure.

Josephine is the youngest of 10 children (the only one born in the U.S.) and her childhood nickname, she was one of 10 children, was "Piattini", meaning small plates.  Her mother gave her the moniker because she would eat the Antipasto, Primo, Contorno portions of the home-cooked meals prepared by Mrs. Oliviero and skip the secondi.  It was fitting that Josephine named her wine cafe (one of the 9 other family restaurants) in honor of her nickname, as her dream was to serve small plates, wine, and coffee in a little shop.  

Well, 12 years later, Piattini has met and exceeded her expectations!

With a previous life in fashion/retail, at the forefront of what Josephine delivers is beauty and style, from the terracotta and copper tones in the space to the presentation and quality of the food!  The pasta is handmade in-house, the sauces authentic and full of flavor, the salads fresh and bright, and the wine and cheese selection lovely.

Chef at Piattini making housemade pasta

When I inquired about whether there was a particular region of Italy that guides the recipes at Piattini, Josephine informed me that the style of food has several regional and provincial influences with a heavy Central and Southern Italian influence (e.g. Umbria, Veneto, Abruzzo, Campania, etc.)   

The food is the epitome of traditional Italian - simple, high quality ingredients with beautiful results while avoiding elaborate, complicated preparation and presentation in lieu of taste.

We started with a grilled Italian flatbread sandwich I'd never had before - a Piadini.  In Italy, the griddled bread is made with lard.  Unfortunately, this isn't the case in the States, Josephine shares.  

She ordered the veggie piadini (Vegetario) made with zucchini, summer squash, red peppers, Portabello mushroom, and smoke mozzarella.  

I ordered the Manzo piadini.  The soft, chewy bread was filled with juicy, shaved steak, meaty mushrooms, sweet caramelized onion, sharp, melty bleu cheese, and peppery arugula.

The Manzo Piadini

Vegetario Piadini

The Artisinal cheese selection is extensive.  There are 10-12 cheeses rotated at any given time.  A "cheese card" is provided to guests for their selection and a slot is available for entry of the day's special.

We sampled three beautiful cheeses served with house made fig jam, olives, and Iggy's bread:

The Piave, a cow's milk cheese, named after the river Piave in Veneto, Italy.  It is a hard, yellow, with a full-bodied, intense nutty flavor.  Its flavor is known to intensify with age.

The Robiola, a soft cheese made from a unique blend of cow, sheep, and goat's milk.  It can be served fresh (as it is at Piattini) or aged.  It was smooth and creamy with a rich, milky finish.  The Robiola was beautiful when spread on a piece of Iggy's bread with fig jam!

The Sardinian Gold, the night's special is aged 9 months.  It is a hard, aged cheese with a sharp toffee notes. Very beautiful, really rich with moderate sharpness.

The handmade pasta doesn't end at the fettucine!  I thouroughly enjoyed a beautifully dense ravioli dish (Vitello ravioli sage) filled with flavorful, tender ground veal topped with fresh mushrooms and sage bathed in a perfectly thick Marsala wine sauce.

Vitello ravioli sage

The homemade meatballs were filling - not your typical mushy mess - the meatballs at Piattini have bite, are full of substance and flavor.  They are served with a chunky tomato sauce and shredded Parmesan cheese.

Homemade meatballs

 

Ravioli di Zucca Gialla

Photo credit: TableCritic

The Ravioli di Zucca Gialla is a fan favorite at Piattini.  It features tender, sweet butternut squash raviolis in an apple cider, brown sugar, and sage.   
Josephine shared that when they have attempted to remove the dish from the menu for seasonal purposes, most customers were disappointed.  It is now a year round offering.

 The Pollo al Mattone ("chicken cooked under a brick") is prepared using a Statler (bone in breast + wing) chicken breast and it was stellar.  A Springer Mountain Farms free range chicken breast is cooked in its own juices (au jus) and settled over creamy mashed potatoes and sauteed spinach.

Finally, I sampled a lovely seafood entree of seared scallops over a bed of tender butternut squash and sauteed spinach.

For dessert, I was offered, the gluten-free chocolate brownie, served warm with a creamy, rich pumpkin gelato.  I tend to shy away from gluten-free desserts as they often have a strange, crumbly texture.  The gluten-free brownie at Piattini was moist, rich, chocolatey goodness and who wouldn't love a pumpkin gelato!?!

 Josephine and I spoke for hours over phenomenal food and wine/spirits.  It was only days later that I followed up with general questions that are typically part of my chef/owner/industry personnel interviews.  We had such a fabulous time together!

In addition to sharing about the ins and outs of the history and soul behind Piattini, Josephine also share a few fun facts.

The "strangest" thing in the Megwa household's kitchen is Coniglio which is rabbit meat.  I always enjoy asking food industry people this specific question because I usually adore or would love to try the product!  I will certainly try anything...twice!  I fell in love with the tender, dark, juicy meat of rabbit many years ago and along with the family's canned/jarred veggie and herb preserves, I'd dine at their table any day!

I think I may have met my match as far as another person loving NYC as much as I do!  Growing up just one half hour or so outside of Manhattan, "The City" was my absolute first love!  It is and continues to be a part of my soul.  Josephine has a love for one of the premiere local products out of NYC...bagels and other fresh baked goods.  Amongst her favorite places to eat in the United States is Del Posto and Babbo!  This lady knows where to go for good eats you can trust for consistency and agrees there are MANY good places to eat in the city!  

I am personally always interested in knowing what REAL food industry people feel about the food truck movement - those who's opinions about the proverbial "Bricks and Mortar vs. Food Truck" phenomenon which advertisement hungry organizations try to manipulate into a real "battle" truly matter.  I have been pleased over the past year to discover that people who own quality bricks and mortar properties, those who are excited about local Bostonians or people in any city where they are located in the country/world are able to learn about an authentic, novel cuisine are excited about food trucks and their accessibility.  Josephine has joined numerous significant industry masters in her enthusiasm for the masses experiencing "interesting food" and she is " thrilled about the food trucks in our city!"

I anticipated a terrific answer about her desired "last meal on earth".  Josephine's answer spoke volumes about the inspiration behind her entire family's culinary success and the passion behind the work:

" My wish for my last meal would be to have my mother make my favorite dish -stuffed zucchini blossoms with potatoes and string beans...YUM!"

Dining at Piattini is an absolute must-do for all!
Have you dined at Piattini?  Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Disclosure:  The majority of the meal in this review were provided at no cost by Piattini.  My views are my own.

Thirst Boston 2013: Japanese Whisky Seminar with Alyssa Mikiko DiPasquale, Nick Korn, and Gregory Fitch

Check out Thirst Boston 2014 events, here. Hope to see ya there!


2013
Japanese Whisky Seminar:

Our gracious hosts and lecturers were Nick Korn (Whisky Enthusiast, Founding Member of Boston Bartender Collaborative and bartender at Drink, Silvertone Bar & Grill  and many others), Alyssa Mikiko DiPasquale (Advanced Sake Professional & Manager of O Ya Boston) and Gregory Fitch of Anchor Distilling.

We tasted 4 different expressions of 12 year Single Malts.  Three by Nikka and Glenlivet
to compare the Speyside scotch.

We began with a cocktail made with 12 year Taketsuru with Punte mes (an Italian vermouth which I admire for its cherry fore and mid-palate notes and bitter finish), a reduction of cherry wine created by Nick Korn, Luxardo Maraschino (a cordial made from the pit of a cherry), and a salted cherry blossom for garnish.

The room suddenly became more interesting.  We opened up as much as our palates were peaked.

Taketsuru is a formidable cocktail Japanese whisky for its price point.  It’s a pure malt by Nikka

Japanese whiskys are blended.

Alyssa points out that we must give a nod to the Japanese drinks culture.  For instance, sake is mentioned in early Japanese history as early as 712 AD.  The Northern most island of Japan is important when talking Japanese whisky.

In the 9^th century, tea made its first appearance in Japan.  In the 16^th century, the first teahouse in Osaka was established.  By happenstance, Osaka became home of Yamazaki Distillery.  Whisky appeared during trade negotiations with France, England and Scotland.  After the turn of the century, Japan would try to emulate whisky and gin by adding chemicals and different additives to Sake (Japanese fermented rice beverage) and Soju (South Korean distilled beverage made from rice, wheat, or barley) to mimic the flavor profile of Scotch.

The process by which the Japanese chemists went about mimicking the taste of Scotch is not much unlike today's few awfully flavored vodkas which use chemical additives to simulate 'natural flavors'.  The Japanese used chemicals added to distilled products native to the region.  Interestingly enough, Nick mentioned that it was reminiscent of a book by Darcy S. O’Neil called "Fix the Pumps" which delves into the history  of the soda fountain in America.  The soda fountains in America were originally found in pharmacies and the flavors added where part of the chemical menagerie of compounds found in American pharmacies.  If this book were available via my iPad's Kindle app, I'm sure I'd be finished reading it by now, however, I have hesitated purchasing the paperback...yes, the lasted generations have rubbed off on me as I sit here with way too many paperbacks currently in storage.

Anyway, the methods used to produce artificially flavored sodas are similar to early processes that the Japanese used when attempting to develop whisky.

Alyssa dove a bit more into the history of the Japanese whisky companies.  One Japanese company, interested in developing whisky, sent one person to Scotland to study at University of Glasgow.  This chemist was Masataka Taketsuru.  Taketsuru is the founder of the Japanese whisky industry.  He travelled from distillery to distillery to find out which one he wanted to work with weeding them out through a series of questions.  When he decided upon Hazelburn, where he interned, his decision was based on the fact that they had a laboratory.  Others were working on tradition and intuition.  He stayed in Scotland for two years and in addition to falling in love with Scotch, he fell for a Scottish woman who soon became his wife.

Our First taste of the evening was a Glenlivet 12 year, not a foreign Scotch for many of us in attendance. Glenlivet is a single malt from Speyside northeast Scotland. It boasts caramel notes, but I also found it smoky, nice peat mid palate and fruity on nose (orchard fruits like pear and peach).  A pretty classic Speyside.

One of my favorite topics of conversation with novice whisk(e)y imbibers is 1.The difference between whiskey and whisky.  A neat trick to remember which spelling is correct: If the country of origin does not have an 'e' in its spelling, they produce whisky NOT whiskey.  Think about it... Canadian Whisky, Irish Whiskey, Japanese Whisky, American Whiskey, etc.  
Other fun facts about whisk(e)y, the most commonly used grains to produce it, whether it's bourbon whiskey, scotch whiskey, rye whisky, etc. are barley (Single malts like Laphroig and Balvenie), Corn (Bourbon like Bulleit (KY) or George Dickel (TN)), Rye (Rye whiskey). and wheat ("Wheated" bourbons like Maker's Mark or Pappy van Winkle)

What are the requirements for a Tennessee Whiskey vs. a Kentucky Bourbon?

Unlike popular belief, Bourbon can be called 'bourbon' if it is produced outside of Kentucky.  

Per Unites States regulations, overseen/enforced by The Alcohol & Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau, Bourbon (which can actually be labeled an American Single Malt, but never an American "Scotch"- because Scotch must be produced in Scotland) must meet the following minimum requirements:

1. Bourbon must be produced in the United States

2. The spirit must be produced from distillation not to exceed 160 Proof (80% ABV- alcohol by volume)

3. Bourbon must be distilled from a fermented mash of not less than 51% corn

4. It must be stored at no more than 125 Proof (62.5% ABV) in charred NEW American oak containers

Generally, there's no limit on how long it remains barreled, but Straight Bourbon Whiskey must be stored for at least 2 years.

Tennessee Whiskey

Meets the standards of bourbon listed above, but is traditionally filtered through maple charcoal before going into barrels.  

The process is known at the Lincoln County Process.

  This is the process used by popular Tennessee whiskeys Jack Daniels and George Dickel.

Tennessee whiskey, unlike Bourbon, does have a geographic requirement in that it must be produced in Tennessee, hence, you can produce a Bourbon in TN, but cannot produce a TN whiskey in KY or any other location.

The Lincoln County Process is officially recognized by the federal government. 

  However, The Lincoln County Process is not required to label a whiskey at "Tennessee Whiskey".  A prime example of this is Prichard's Tennessee whiskey which does not use the charcoal filter.  They are exempt, though they are located in Lincoln County.

Confused yet?  

Trust me, this is great party conversation!

 Let's quickly review Categories of Scotch Whisky

Single malt: A scotch produced from one particular batch from one particular distillery, from one place. One single grain-barley malted

Blended Scotch: can come from a variety of locations and even distilleries.  Other grain whisky can be used as well such as bourbon or a grain neutral spirit .

Aging: A bottle will list the youngest scotch in the product.  It is rare to find a single barrel whisky like you might a bourbon.

Batted malt, now called blended malt, has been called a pure malt as well…everything in the product is a single malt with no other grain whisky, but they are all from a different place. 

  Not one product in the blend is anything but a malt whisky. 

  This can lead to Scotches with very interesting flavor profiles. 

The distillation process, as with any spirit, can involve two very different styles:

1.  Copper pot still

2.   Column still

The way that distillation works: 

Alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water, so if you take a pot with the mixture, the first vapor to come off is alcohol, which you capture and separate.  That’s distilling.

Copper pots are super inefficient because you have to use higher heat and distill multiple times to rid of impurities, unlike a column that distills multiple times per session with less heat. It’s thought to be more artisanal which is why the Scottish love this process.

Photo Credit Column Still on left, Pot Still on Right/In Middle

 

A purer product is produced with a column because it gets rid of most of the impurities. 

Back to Japan...

Nikka has two different locations, the first

Taketsuru left Kotobukiya where he established the whisky distillery to make whisky near and dear to his heart.

He moved to the northern Japanese island of Hokkaidō, where he found the best location as far as temperature and it being near the sea which was close to mimicking Hazelburn in Scotland as much as possible.   

Years later, he opened up his second location in Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Northern Honshū  (main island in Japan).

He wanted to have two separate products flavor wise.

90 % of the process is similar to Scotch with one key difference being how the wort (fermented grain, basically beer until it is distilled into Scotch or Whisky) 

There are 3 different styles of wort, though in Scotland they will tell you it’s only 2.

  1. Cloudy wort - grain cooking in water which is then  distilled.

2. Clear wort - particulate matter is strained leaving only the liquid component.

3. Crystal wort - in Japan, they filter the clear wort again. It’s transparent and this is what goes into the still.  It imparts no more grain flavor once in the still.  The flavor is from the filtered wort, not the distillation.

So when tasting Japanese whisky, you will not note heavy grainy flavors, but more floral on top, no grainy middle and barrel bottom.

This is how all Japanese whisky is made. 
Distillation is important, but so is blending.  
Nothing is from a single batch or year, but it is from one single place. 

The head distiller has hundreds of barrels to choose from at any given time and they are meticulously cataloged and tasted constantly.   

They use a different heat source than the peat that is used in Scotland.
 

Even styles of warehouses have an impression on flavor.  

 Barrels, of course affect flavors, for example, used bourbon barrel, sherry barrel, rejuvenated, re-toasted, or even Mizunara (Japanese oak) wine barrels, which is a different species of oak that is hard to work with, expensive,and imparts almost no flavor impart new characteristics to whiskys.  

The Mizunara barrels force a 40-50 year aging time for Japanese whisky to consider its contents aged and drinkable.  Nikka has these because they have been distilling for 80 years.

Both of the distilleries have their own cooperages on site.

I was introduced to Japanese Whisky by a colleague at Harvard Medical School a few years ago, but maybe only tried it again once or twice since that moment.  
Overall, I find Japanese whisky, and especially their history as fascinating as I found Indian whiskey one Spring afternoon in Vancouver, British Columbia.  Anything that takes you outside of your comfort zone is a plus for me.

Have you tried Japanese Whisky?  What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below.

Pre-Grand Opening Dinner at Tuscan Kitchen, Burlington, MA

It was an honor to be invited to a private grand tasting dinner one week prior to the opening of Tuscan Kitchen's new location in Burlington, MA.  Over the past couple of years, the location in Salem, New Hampshire has more than thrived!  The Burlington location opened at 24 New England Executive Park on October 29th.

Owner and Chief Food Taster Joe Faro is not only an extraordinary businessman and dedicated artisan Italian foods enthusiast, he is truly a great human being.  After the amazing dinner was over, I had the pleasure of chatting with one of Joe's employees, a young server who not only has learned how to make bread, gelato, and pasta by hand, but lit up with excitement when discussing the philanthropic nature of his boss.  He spoke of how they are both from Lawrence, attended the same private school (years apart) and that Joe now sponsors the tuition of two children attending his alma mater as long as they keep a "B" average. He also takes the students to lunch every month without fail. Faro shows the same commitment to his team.

You are truly in for quite the experience when visiting Tuscan Kitchen and Tuscan Market in Burlington.  Service was impeccable.  The space, which seats over 530 inside and over 100 outside, was gorgeous with dark wood and dim lighting in the dining areas, an open kitchen where you can watch the magic behind handmade pasta, breads, Italian cheeses and pastries.  The cafe/market area in the front of the restaurant boasts many artisan products including whole dried herbs, balsamic vinegars, olive oils, cured meats, cheeses, and so much more from regions like Tuscany, Bologna, and Napoli.

 

On this particular evening, my pro camera was actually dead so for pics of the antipasti, primi, and secondi, freelance journalist and our table guest, Rachel Lebeaux (@RachJournalist), a freelance writer/contributor for Boston Globe, Serious Eats, and TableCritic and an all around fun gal, gave me permission to use her photos.  All other pics are my own.

Upon arrival, we were greeted with a glass of prosecco and delicious hors d'oeuvres.

Serving Parmigiano Reggiano with balsamic vinegar

Octopus crostini

Butternut squash, Parmesan, and Balsamic vinegar drizzled crostini

Before entering the formal dining room.  We were seated in the bar area where we enjoyed affettati misti while admiring the grand wine cellar behind glass and the nitrogen wine preservation system allowing Tuscan Kitchen to serve high end wine by the glass.

Wine cellar (above) and nitrogen wine preservation system (below)

Affettati Misti

Housemade porchetta, Fig jam, 24 month Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano Reggiano, local truffle honey, Housemade burrata, and Artisan stone hearth breads.

Antipasti

Crostini di Granchio

Wild caught Jonah crab, Grilled ciabatta, Semi roasted tomatoes, Pickled mustard seed

Tonno Crudo

Navel orange, Calabrese peppers, Crispy prosciutto, Extra virgin drizzle

Photo Credit: Rachel Lebeaux

I have become a fan of Jonah crab over the last few years and see it on menus around New England regularly.  The Jonah crab (native to the Atlantic waters off of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Maine) delivers a sweet, delicate, almost flaky claw meat that plays well with many ingredients. I really enjoyed TK's preparation with the mustard seed adding a brilliant acidity.

Primi

Canneloni di Vitello

Thin sheets of Rosemary pasta stuffed with slow braised veal breast, Wilted spinach, and Tuscan bean mista

Truffled Mascarpone Gnocchi

Wood roasted mushroom, Fava beans, Shaved Pecorino tartufo

Photo Credit: Rachel Lebeaux

It's always a pleasure when gnocchi is made lightly, does not stick to your hard palate or in your molars.  TK serves a slight gnocchi that does not loose the heartiness you expect from the potato pasta, but also does not leave you too full and keeling over.  The rosemary canneloni was also light and filled with shreds of juicy veal.

Secondi

Pan roasted cod steak

Rock shrimp, Sweet pea saffron risotto, Herb leek butter crust

Photo Credit: Rachel Lebeaux

I must say that cod is one of my least favorite fish. It is difficult to avoid living here in New England, but Tuscan Kitchen serves a great cod dish elevated by herbs and wonderful flavors.

Filetto di Manzo

10 ounce wood grilled filet, Caramelized garlic "Riduzione", Truffled Parmigiano fingerlings, Brussel Sprout & Pancetta slaw

Dolci

An assortment of luscious Italian pastries and house made gelato ended the night on a perfect note.  

The gelato alone was impressive with each flavor creatively decorated!

Head over to Tuscan Kitchen and Tuscan Market Burlington for a slice of Italy and perfect hospitality!