Roma

19 Decembre 2008
Since I arrived, about 3 weeks ago, this kitchen has undergone at least two transformations a week. Between small projects, and large alike, rearrangement of furniture and reorganizing storage spaces, tiling walls, hood fans, new ranges, ovens and soon to be floors, I’ve seen this property evolve, nearly instantaneously into ideal work space. After the work is completed, it would be an ideal setup for Lorenzo to push the realm of his cuisine into a higher paced, more complete restaurant experience, fine dining throughout. This space, effective, charming and appropriate as it is, has the potential to grow in any direction Lorenzo should choose. It’s a great time for me to be here, to be a witness to the labor that goes into the redesign, the thought process that goes into the development of his future operations as well as the anticipation of his newest venture; the culinary school. I’ll be a first hand witness, aid and hopeful recipient of his knowledge and experience

Rome. Spent the day there, and walked the majority of the city. I walked everywhere south of the Villa Borghese, which means I missed that and the Olympic Village, not much else. The pictures are posted, and they speak volumes, but I should be honest in saying that Rome is not nearly as inspiring or fascinating as I had hoped. History is everywhere, and the architecture that remains from the days of the Empire can garner my interests, yet it was tainted by the modern interventions put in place, both for means of preservation, and to prevent idiot tourists from hurting themselves. What these apparatuses do, therefore, is to eliminate the genuine article, making the most intriguing and fortunate surviving artifacts of the last, true, world encompassing Empire seem as though they’re only replicas of their true identities. Don’t take my word for it though, well, at this point there may be no other option, but to be fair, it just wasn’t up to my standard. The pictures are fantastic, but they only represent those specific spots. To have to tread through the metropolis of modern structures, tourist restaurants, pubs/bars, retail stores, busses, cars, and throngs of people significantly admonished my sense of inspiration for the city my ancestors assembled. So, amidst my journey, with which I made with an acquaintance, Erica, also an apprentice at another restaurant in Orvieto, we stopped at an “osteria” near the Pantheon. Here, I believe, I was treated as an ignorant American client, because I ordered a pasta dish called “Amatriciana” which is a tomato based sauce, traditionally made with only red onions, pancetta and olive oil, and served with Pecorino Romano, but, this is not what I was served. Instead, I was given a sauce that I am quite positive was an “Arrabiata”, which is a tomato based sauce with garlic and peperocini, which together, impart a very spicy flavor to the sauce. A flagrant difference between what I had expected, but, none the less, a tasty plate, even through my disappointment at the proprietor’s apparent disregard for authenticity. So at this point, the days’ travels have included an hour’s train ride, several piazzas, as well as the home of the prime minister, the Trevi Fountain, the Coliseum, the Basilica de San Bonaventura and the Spanish Steps. After lunch, which took a bit too long, perhaps, we ventured our way to the Vatican. Arriving promptly at 4 o’clock, I asked at an information booth where I could find the Sistine Chapel, when I was abruptly confronted with the punishment of my snail-paced eating habits. The Vatican Museum closed exactly as we had arrived, 4pm. I snapped a few photos, and in my frustration, simply chose to turn and set course back to the ancient city to find the Pantheon. So, as the sun is quickly setting, we’re navigating the streets alongside the Tiber River, and back into the main section of the city, we come to the point on our maps that indicate the location of the Pantheon. It’s a dilapidated, structure, being referred to as a Basilica of some sort, and honestly, I didn’t even go inside. I was not, at any time, sure that I was actually looking at, what I was under the impression of, one of the most important structures in the government of the Roman Empire. Unfortunately, my lack of recent research leads me to the current understanding that the Pantheon is in fact a sacred burying ground, for its prime purpose, and originally constructed as a temple to the early Roman Gods. Needless to say, I’m quite disappointed I didn’t inquire, nor explore further the internal relevance of the building, and fell victim to assuming that because the external façade was in such a state of decay, that the interior would surely was the remainder of my evening. I will have to pursue its investigation when I return to see the Vatican, when next I have the availability.

After 10 hours of walking, my knees swollen and feeling grossly abused, Erica and I purchased some beer and snacks for the train ride home, and enjoyed an extended state of repose while we rode to Orvieto. I slept like a rock (anche, mi dispiace, Professoressa), and woke energized for work the following morning. I arrive at work, thanked Carlo for his clairvoyance in meteorology, find that we will have little work to do for the next week. We’re closing Sunday-Wednesday’s lunch, opening for dinner on Christmas, then closing Thursday. During this time, I’ll be trying to make arrangements to travel to Bologna, while moving to our new house, off the hill.

The evening that followed left me with an opportunity to share one of my favorite kitchen techniques, as was handed down to me from Chef Kelly. Now, this is a French method, that I’m creatively giving its just value, to traditional Italian chefs. The method: Triple Tombage a Glace, and it’s my intention to introduce it as a method of building a storage of delicious flavor bases for stocks during these slow months in order to have them available through the busy summer. It’s a process of rapidly reducing stocks to a glace, or base form, cutting the storage space down to a fraction of what it would be for a full stock or even demi, while improving its flavor profile through the process. I think it went well, Kevin was receptive, and it’s just a matter finding a way to implement it efficiently. I have my hands full right now trying to get a compost system started, so I’m going to focus on my first mission until that is at least underway.

Ok, enough’s enough, and I think nearly 1,200 words will suffice for now. There’s more to say, but it will be incorporated in the future (i.e. Lorenzo’s television segment this morning, live no less). To you all, I bid adieu (which is French, mi dispiace).

Ciao Tutti.

Go Slow. Stay Local.
Va Piano. Rimane Locale.