For our anniversary we decided to have a celebration in Tuscany with thirty close friends and family. In discussing this event, we decided that we needed to do something to ensure our guests would be comfortable with a large group of people they did not know since the group invited came from all over the country. In discussions we came up with a three-part strategy. First we researched the towns and villages near the villa we contracted with for the event. We looked at places within an hour’s drive and wrote up profiles and a brief history on each area. We started sending these out every two weeks starting a year before the event. Next we asked each couple or solo participant to send us a write up of who they are along with a couple pictures. We sent these off to a professional for formatting and editing. These we started sending out nine months before the event. Finally, we decided to host a get together for as many as could make it at our house six months before the event.
In thinking this through and realizing that twenty of the thirty would be attending the get together, we contacted Jane and Francesco Secchi, owners and chef of Ferrari’s Italian Villa and Chop House, 1200 William D. Tate Avenue, Grapevine, Texas 76051 (www.Ferrarirestaurant.com), to cater the dinner. Francesco is Sardinian and learned to cook from his mother and grandmother so the food is authentic. This may have been the best thing we could have done to create an authentic experience for our guests. It also whetted their appetites in more than one way, as to what to expect.
We greeted our guests as they arrived, gave each a name badge and introduced them to each other as the stream of arriving guests permitted. The Ferrari’s staff greeted each arrival with appetizers of Risotto Balls, Crab Stuffed Mushrooms and Italian Sausage wrapped in red peppers. They also served typical Tuscan wines from our refrigerator, which included: Chianti Classico, Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Super Tuscans and a sampling of wines from surrounding areas.
Francesco set up in our kitchen with the prepped dishes he brought from the restaurant, and finished them as our guests watched. After much wine, appetizers and discussion about who is who and what do they do, everyone went to their assigned seats, which were intended to break up couples and ensure everyone had an opportunity to meet several of those they did not know. The first course was the salad, a caprese burrata with tomatoes and 25-year-old balsamic vinegar and breadsticks. We ensured a slow pace of service to be more representative of what to expect in Italy, which is often not the case in restaurants we are familiar with.
The pasta dish was a Dopio Ravioli and fresh tomatoes. The Dopio pasta has two chambers, one filled with ricotta and the other a braised pork that was very flavorful. These are hand made at the restaurant. The individual who made them was part of the serving team and she received many compliments for this dish.
The entrée was Chicken Piccata with white wine and lemon caper sauce, served with fresh green vegetables.
When it was time for dessert, Francesco asked everyone to come watch him prepare the first of the two dishes, a Marinated Orange flambé in Grand Marnier brandy and sugar, served with vanilla ice cream. The eyes of our guests got very wide as Francesco lit the skillet, and tummies that thought they were through after such an excellent meal, suddenly found room for one more dish, or so they thought. The second dessert was Cioccolata alla Stefano, a rich mousse made with Belgian chocolate and hazelnut butter, finished with whipped cream, chocolate shavings and toasted hazelnuts. This dessert is a signature dish of both Ferrari’s and the three-star Rezdora Osteria Emiliana, 27 E. 20th Street in New York’s Flatiron neighborhood (www.Rezdora.NYC). The restaurant’s chef and co-owner who created Cioccolata alla Stefano is Jane and Francesco’s son Stefano, who learned to be a chef in Italy, first from his grandmother and eventually from several major restaurants in Emilia Romana.
It was clear to Karen and I that this evening had whetted appetites, not only for the excellent food and wine they could look forward to on this trip, but also forging closer friendships with those who would be sharing the villa and events of our celebration.
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