A Night at Nostrana with Dario Cecchini

The Panther was on the prowl again and came across a can't miss event.  She learned that Italy's most revered butcher, Dario Cecchini, known as the Butcher of Panzano, was coming to Portland to perform a live butchering demonstration and to prepare a signature meal at Nostrana Restaurant.  The Panther immediately procured tickets for the dinner.

At 7:00 pm last night we arrived at Nostrana in SE Portland.  Guests were just beginning to arrive.  The Butcher of Panzano himself was there greeting guests and posing for photos with foodie fans.  Nostrana's Chef Cathy Whims was greeting guests as well as food writer, Faith Willinger, and Fontodi Winery's Giovanni Manetti.

guests begin to arrive and gather around the bar

Trays of Prosecco were abundant.  A cocktail of sparkling wine and bitters with a zest of orange was passed as well.  Both were delicious and refreshing.  The smells emanating from the open kitchen were spectacularly enticing.  The kitchen staff was bustling around giant copper pots and the wood fire oven doing last-minute preparations.

Nostrana's kitchen staff was moving!

In the meantime, more and more guests arrived and mingled until the restaurant was at capacity.  At last the pig was brought out to much applause.  It was beautiful in presentation and ignited every one's appetite even more.

Faith Willinger, Giovanni Manetti, Dario Cecchini, and Chef Cathy Whims toasting the pig

At last it was time to be seated at long tables full of beautiful charcuterie plates and other antipasti.  Chef Cathy Whims introduced Faith Willinger, Giovanni Manetti, and the guest of honor, Dario Cecchini.  Manetti's wine, Fontodi Chianti Classico was poured and the feast began!

The wine was excellent.  The flavor was perfect with everything.  Nostrana's attentive staff would not allow one's glass to run empty.  The Antipasti was amazing.  Salamis, cheeses, pates, olives, and breads, were passed back and forth across the long tables.  As soon as a plate was emptied another full plate would replace it.  My favorite was the prosciutto-wrapped breadsticks.  They were both lovely and delicious.  Just when we sampled all of the different foods, pizza's were brought out.  Chef Cathy Whim's famous pizzas are amazing!  The crust is perfectly flakey and the unique combination of toppings are delectable.  As I was finishing up this first course I knew I was in trouble.  I was full with four more courses to come.

Yummy Prosciutto-wrapped breadsticks

The next course was Zuppa Arcidossana, a soup of beans, pork sausage, and spring greens in a pork brodo.  This creation was so flavorful and rich.  The pork fat thickened the broth into a delicious, almost gelatinous concoction.  The wine continued to pour and helped break up the heaviness of the soup.

Following the soup was Dario's Risotto al Burro del Chianti.  The risotto was cooked perfectly al dente and was seasoned with fennel pollen and mixed with fresh chopped asparagus and fava greens.  This too was delicious.  The fennel pollen gave a subtle fennel flavor which was perfect with the vegetables.  I could have made a meal just out of this.  And the wine flowed on...

The main course was next.  Dario's signature dish, porchetta.  It was perfectly tender and seasoned with a rosemary salt on a bed of polenta.  The porchetta was divine, but the polenta was the best I had ever had!  It was cooked with kale and Amish butter.  It melted in your mouth and warmed you from within.  Delicious!  Along with the porchetta and polenta, there was Ayers Creek purgatorio beans all' uccelletto, Chard and potatoes, and delicious collard greens caramelized with pancetta and wild honey.  So much food.  So delicious.  So much wine!

After this lovely course it was time for dolce, dessert.  Dolce was a caramelized rhubarb crisp topped with wild fennel gelato.  I was so full at this point but I could not stop myself from devouring this dessert.  The rhubarb crisp was hot, sweet and gooey with a bit of the tart bite of the rhubarb.  The wild fennel gelato was sweet and light and so beautifully paired with the crisp.  It was the perfect combination of flavors to leave your palette.

As dessert was being finished, Dario hopped upon one of the tables to give his thanks and his love to all who attended.  He then broke into a ten plus minute epic poem which he recited with much expression and drama in Italian.  His arms waved wildly around and his voice boomed and receded as he recited his piece.  Although I did not understand a word of this epic poem, I thoroughly enjoyed his dramatic presentation and passion.

Dario on the table reciting his poem

It was the perfect end to an incredible evening full of new friends, amazing food, wonderful wine, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The Gilded Panther Girls, Lynn and Kim with Dario Cecchini, the Butcher of Panzano

See more photos from the event on the Gilded Panther Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.415944838416977.103409.201068653237931&type=1

-The Panther

Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!

Cheers!
-The Panther

Have a Gilded New Year's Eve

The panther is always ready to throw the perfect party and New Year's Eve is one of the best party occasions of the year.  This year the panther is ringing in 2012 with all things gilded!

Appetizers will look lovely when presented on an ornate gold tray.

Metallic gold pillar candles on silver glass candlestands are elegant

This centerpiece is festive with it's gold blooms

Gold leaf chargers with clock-themed plates is the perfect table setting

for a New Year's Eve soiree!

Gold mylar star-shaped balloons adorning the ceiling are festive

and create a lovely warm glow

Toast the new year with gorgeous gold-stemmed flutes

The panther wishes that 2011 was a great year for all of you, and that 2012 will be even better!

Cheers!

-The Panther

Friday Favorites: Fall Cupcakes

We know that our readers are big cupcake fans, so today we thought we'd inspire you with some inspiration for decorating fall cupcakes.
Enjoy these fun, and delicious-looking designs.

Fun symbols of fall

How simple and adorable is this turkey cupcake!

Made with a donut hole head and candy corn beak and feathers.

Pumpkins and sunflowers

Aren't these delicately gorgeous!

sugar-coated pumpkin cupcakes

These cupcakes decorated like pies are soooo cute!

Pilgrim hat cupcakes are a perfect Thanksgiving treat.

Share photos of your fall cupcakes with the Panther.



Autumn Centerpieces

November is here and the season for entertaining has arrived as well.  Here are some fabulous fall centerpiece ideas, for not just Thanksgiving, but the entire season.

Autumn leaves:  You don't have to look too hard to find beautiful colorful leaves this time of year.  Collect some lovely leaves of different varieties and colors.  Fill a tall, clear glass cylinder vase with the leaves and scatter some more on the table surrounding the vase.  This centerpiece is simple, cheap, and gorgeous.

Acorns:  Similar to our autumn leaf centerpiece, collect acorns and fill clear glass candle holders and hurricanes of various sizes and shapes with the acorns.  Nestle ivory pillar candles into the acorns.  Another simple, inexpensive, and beautiful idea.

Cornucopia:  Cornucopias are often the symbol of the harvest season, but they make beautiful centerpieces.  Fill a horn or basket with fruits and vegetables from the season. Choose a variety of colors and textures and be sure to let the produce spill out.

Wheat:  Wonderful wheat bundles can be purchased at flower markets or home decor stores, but why not make your own.  Simply gather several wheat stems and place in a small glass. Surround the wheat bouquets with votives.

Flowers:  Flowers are always lovely but think of new and different ways to display bouquets instead of just in a vase.  We found this arrangement on marthastewart.com.  Martha took a white pumpkin and filled it with a stunning bouquet of flowers in all shades of orange.  Smaller pumpkins and amber glass votives surround the large arrangement.

When putting together a centepiece for the fall season consider color:  oranges, muted greens, golds, ambers, rusts, browns, and reds all look beautiful together and reflect the colors of the season.

Use pieces of nature that are relative to the season:  nuts, cranberries, gourds, branches, pinecones, corn stalks, etc.

-The Panther

Soy Curls

The panther is so excited about a fairly new food product on the market... Soy Curls!  What is a soy curl?  Well, it is a food product made from dehydrated strips of soy protein.  No fats or flour are added, the product is pure soy bean.  It is 100% vegan, gluten-free, organic, and packed with protein!  This miracle product is produced right here in Oregon!

Now I'm sure many of you are hesitant about a soy product.  Soy curls are not like tempeh or tofu.  You must try these and your mind will be changed about vegan cuisine.  The panther first tried soy curls at one of her favorite restaurants, The Sweet Herafter.  They make an amazing Buffalo Sub sandwich using soy curls swimming in buffalo sauce instead of chicken.  It is absolutely amazing.  At any given time at the Sweet Hereafter you will see dozens of people consuming this amazing sandwich, and you know there aren't THAT many vegan's out there.  It is simply a delicious food that appeals to everyone.

The Sweet Herafter's delious soy curl Buffalo sub

Soy curls are come in a plastic package, or can be bought in bulk.  I prefer to buy them in bulk.  They are available at Whole Foods and New Seasons markets as well as a number of other local grocery stores.  Check the Butler Foods website to see where else they are sold in your city and state.
http://www.butlerfoods.com/

To prepare soy curls, simply soak them in warm water for 10-15 minutes to hydrate them.  You can use broth, or season the water to whatever flavor you wish the soy curls to absorb.  Drain the soy curls well then cook in a pan until they are lightly browned.  Use these in anything you might use chicken in:  stir fry, fajitas, tacos, buffalo subs, asian salads, etc.

A delicious-looking soy curl stir fry

Give soy curls a try.  Not only are they amazingly delicious, they are extremely nutritious.

-The Panther



Friday Favorites: Aspen Cider Spices

The Panther would like to share with you one of her favorite products that she is especially excited about for this time of year.  Aspen Cider Spices are a must for the fall season. 

Created back in 1970, a home recipe for spiced apple cider was served to customers at a gift shop in Aspen, Colorado.  Word spread about the delicious cider given out at this little store and people started visiting just for the cider.  The owners decided to package and market their fabulous recipe.

Today, Aspen Cider Spices are packaged in darling little 5.65 oz cartons.  One carton of this amazing spice blend can be added to one gallon of either cider, wine, tea, or brandy for a delicious fall and winter drink.  It is designed to dissolve completely so it can be used in either hot or cold beverages.  I love to add it to a gallon of apple cider and let it warm slowly in the crock pot.  It fragrances the entire house with it's warm, invited aroma.  When guests arrive at the house their mouth's are already watering for a hot cup of the delicious cider. 

Think beyond just cider, wine, tea, or brandy.  Use your imagination and add this spice blend to any number of beverages.  You can even add it to your baking!

This product makes a lovely hostess gift as well.  Tie up a carton in celophane and a ribbon and it is a gift ready to give.  Also great as a stocking stuffer.

Aspen Cider Spices

http://www.aspenspices.com/

Visit their website to order some in, or to find out where it is sold in your area.

Enjoy!

-The Panther