The Rebirth of ‘Lady Mortadella’
For decades, she sat quietly in the corner of Italian cuisine…. the wallflower of the salumi world. Prosciutto got the glamour…Speck got the smoky intrigue…Rosemary ham became cultlike…and even pancetta had its sizzling, sexy moments. Mortadella? She was the soft‑spoken cousin who showed up to family gatherings wearing sensible shoes, a country dress, and a polite but beautiful smile. But Tuscany….hungry and sun‑drenched, has somewhat recently decided that mortadella deserves her close-up. It started innocently enough. A few Florentine shop owners slipped mortadella into their Schiacciata sandwiches, tucking those rosy slices between crispy, olive‑oil‑glossed bread with arugula and pistachio cream or truffled stracciatella. Locals took a bite, paused, and whispered, “Wait… has mortadella become the hot chick now?” Soon mortadella, studded with pistachios, was popping up everywhere…draped over blistered pizzas like a silky pink cape, confidently folded into salads and starring in the now famous stuffed Schiacciata sandwiches that tourists now line up for like pilgrims seeking enlightenment. And mortadella, bless her heart, handled the attention beautifully. Created in the great city of Bologna during the time of the Romans, she has a history going back to the 14th century. Lean pork meat is pulverized into a smooth paste, spiced with salt, myrtle berries, sometimes studded with black pepper and more recently pistachio with cubes of fat folded in. The secret to it’s aroma and flavor comes from the cooking process; it’s cooked very low and slow at 180 degrees for 20 hours or more. The final product is sweet, smooth, and mildly spiced with a firm texture that creates a delicious bite even when sliced paper thin. In doing my research I discovered that back in a 2009 GQ article, a well-known reviewer named a version of a Mortadella pizza as the “#1 Pizza in America”. The pizza started with a thin but intensely flavorful layer of pistachio pesto then topped with Mozzarella and my ‘Queen of Cheeses’….funky Taleggio. It is baked and then once out of the oven it’s draped with Mortadella, Parmigiana and a sprinkling of crushed pistachios making this pizza as beautiful as it is delicious. Truth be told, Mortadella doesn’t need pizza or sandwiches. It is perfect on its own, sliced wafer thin eaten with bare fingers as I do having become my favorite between meal snack. I salute all the purists out there, but this pizza has my name all over it. I’ve been looking for a 4th signature flatbread for our menu, and I just made my version of this for the first time. Started with a Parmesan Cream and Pistachio pesto and baked until bubbling then topped with lots of super thin sliced mortadella, micro-arugula, crushed pistachios and then finished with some hot honey….OMG! Look for this coming soon at TATM. Ciao! David & Tino with his ‘Bark of Approval’
A Love Story
As I think many of you know by now, Fall is my favorite season for a number of reasons, one of which is that it signals the soon to come holiday season which is always a wonderful time of joy, sharing and thankfulness. So, even though it’s a bit premature, I thought I would share something that I have been thankful for this year. During a short, but emotionally fragile period for me early this year there was a stretch of days where I woke up already tired, where everything felt thin, colorless, and far away. I was trying to slow dance away a heartbreak and often wondered what was going to carry me through the day when something unexpected happened with the help of a very dear friend. It didn’t seem at first like a grand miracle, not a sweeping revelation. Just eight pounds of fluff and a small heartbeat… first gently wrapped around my neck at our first meeting, him giving me his first kiss, and then quickly and suddenly becoming a part of my entire world. He was a tiny, 8 pound, Goldendoodle, born on the eve of Valentine’s Day, as if the universe wanted to underline the point…Valentino…a name that sounded like a promise of something special and precious to come. I didn’t know it then, but he arrived exactly when my heart was most numb. And somehow, he didn’t fix anything….he simply made everything softer. He made the morning light less harsh… he made the nights less lonely…he made the quiet feel like companionship instead of emptiness. He brought laughter back into the rooms of my home where it had been missing. He brought joy in ridiculous, unexpected bursts….the kind only a puppy can deliver, with clumsy paws and earnest, beautiful, staring, different colored eyes…one steely blue…the other a pool of dark chocolate. He brought a kind of love that doesn’t ask for anything in return except for you to be by his side. He didn’t just enter my life…he interrupted it…in the best possible way. He cracked open a little window of light in a place that had gone dim. And through that window came joy, softness, and a kind of love I didn’t realize I’d been starving for. He reminded me that love can arrive quietly, unexpectedly, and in the form of a fluffy miracle with big eyes and an even bigger heart….and you know what? He made me realize how badly I missed being able to give love and bring joy to another. Lucky doesn’t even begin to cover it…destiny does. And in the midst of him becoming my treasured life companion and Sous Chef, I realized something…sometimes God doesn’t send you what you ask for. He sends you what you need. And for me, he sent an eight‑pound Valentine present. There have been times in my life when I wasn’t truly appreciative of gifts that came my way but I sure as hell am not making that mistake this time. I was going to write a post about my favorite duck and pumpkin dishes but he was neutered yesterday and when he returned home with a protective cone, the sweet, vulnerable image of him inspired me to write this post instead. Attached are pics of his ride to his new home and how regal he now looks at 40 pounds. This coming season, please give thanks for the gifts that you have been given…large or small…they all bring out the goodness in the thing we call life. Blessings… David & my ‘Valentine’ Tino
Remembering 9-11
On this day, twenty-five years ago, our country changed forever. Here in San Juan Capistrano where the bells have marked time for centuries and the valley still holds a deep sense of community…we pause to honor the lives lost on September 11th and the courage and bravery shown in the hours and days that followed that rose from the smoke and heartbreak. The San Juan Capistrano Valley has always been a place where neighbors look after one another…a place where history, faith and community run deep. Taverns have always been gathering places and today we gather in spirit with the families who still carry the weight of that morning, with the first responders who ran toward danger, and with every American who remembers exactly where they stood when the world shifted. Even from a quiet valley far from New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania, we felt the shock and we felt the unity that followed. The way Americans reached for each other, helped strangers, and found strength in simple acts of kindness. Today all of as at our Tavern…we remember. We reflect and we stand with every person who still feels the ache of that day. From our little corner of early California, we send gratitude, remembrance, and love. Your TATM Crew https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dc6XM-8Mhjm/?stkn=NjZiM2M3MzIxNA==
A Florentine Celebration Figs
Hello Friends, Late summer in Florence has a particular sweetness…not loud, not showy, but one that hangs in the warm air like a secret. It’s the season when the city’s sandwich shops begin their quiet ritual. Split crispy Schiacciata, draped, silky Prosciutto, and a cloud-soft scoop of Stracciatella all crowned with sliced, luscious figs, and lastly drizzled with locally produced honey. The Florentines wait for this moment. For a few weeks each year, Florence becomes a city obsessed. Locals line up at their favorite Schiacciata shops and tourists discover the magic by accident. Vendors stack them in wooden creates, bakeries adjust their menus, and suddenly the city is full of these salty-sweet, creamy and bright sandwiches that feel like eating the last golden days of summer….a kind of edible nostalgia. It’s yet another reminder that seasons turn, that fruit ripens, that pleasure can be fleeting and therefore more precious. So, to celebrate this ritual I am offering this sandwich all month calling it the ‘Cortona’ after one of my favorite places in Tuscany. I’ve been doing tastings of many of my favorite Tuscan sandwiches and every time I do, this fig version ends up being the hands down favorite so I think you’re in for a unique taste treat. The only variation is that I’m drizzling ‘Hot Honey’ on my version which, btw is currently becoming all the rage being drizzled on sandwiches, flatbreads and pizzas. It just adds a certain zip to this beauty. I hope you can join us this month and enjoy this special treat. Ciao… David & Tino
Dolce far niente
Hello Friends… I thought that with the approach of Labor Day it might be a good day to share my thoughts about the Italian philosophy of ‘Dolce far niente’….‘the Sweetness of doing nothing’. Their feeling is that life is way too short to rush through every sunrise and sunset and to not enjoy the simple pleasures of life.…the delicious act of doing absolutely nothing. Pour a glass of wine, sit in the sun, let the world spin without you for a while. Dolce far niente is a lifestyle…not a luxury. The sweetest parts of lifehappen when we slow down long enough to notice them. There are seasons and with each comes its own time and purpose…be a good steward of your time…use it wisely…be productive…it’s the one thing you can’t make more of The first video explains this. The second link is a beautiful song that speaks to the same. I hope you take the time to enjoy. As a type A, workaholic, it has taken me some time to appreciate this philosophy and it all started with my very first trip to Italy. Since then, and I have been fortunate enough to have spent many wonderful hours and days at Casa Sant’Angelo practicing ‘the sweetness of doing nothing.’ It is a beautifully renovated, 400 year old farmhouse in Cortona that is available to rent should you want to dip your toe in the water of calming bliss. You’re Welcome… David & Tino The first video below explains it….the second is just a beautiful song saying it in yet another way…we hope you enjoy them… https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbYKOQwtRMP/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KoM6k1k5q4
Beautiful Zucchini Madness
Hey Friends, How does one wax poetic over a squash one might ask? Up until 6 months ago I never would have been able to but one, Stanley Tucci, taught me to respect this humble child of the garden so here it goes my friends. For those home gardeners among you this is the time of the year that when you turn your back for a day, suddenly your zucchini plants behave like overenthusiastic houseguests…showing up with armfuls of gifts you didn’t ask for and can’t possibly use fast enough. And tucked among the leaves are the treasures, the blossoms: fragile, delicate, golden, perfumed, like they were made by the sunrise, and here just for a fleeting heartbeat. They’re the reminder that the plant isn’t just productive, it’s alive. They open early, glowing like little lanterns, and collapse by afternoon…kind of a wonderful garden chaos that you get to try and make some beautiful sense of…..you got this. You need to just meet them on their terms and learn to cook them in two tempos at once. The zucchini survive well in the fridge until they’re ready to be sliced, kissed by a fiery grill making them all sweet & smoky, then drizzled with your best EVO and shaved Parmigiano or made into what is now the world famous ‘Pasta alla Nerano’ (available, BTW every Wednesday night at TATM😁) The blossoms demand a bit of immediacy, however. If you’re a bit ambitious, they can be stuffed with a blend of Ricotta and Boursin, lightly dusted with some of those ‘Italian Style’ breadcrumbs that you bought two months ago and then wondered what the hell you would ever do with them, and then pan fried in olive oil until crispy on the outside with the creamy, luscious insides begging you to devour. For those a little less ambitious, mix equal parts 00 flour and sparkling water then fold the chopped blossoms into it along with some basil leaves, Parmesan, garlic and a little seasoning, shape into little patties, and give them the same hot tub bath in the olive oil as their stuffed, more sophisticated cousins. No time or skill sets? Just add them to soup, pasta or French scrambled eggs and enjoy the flowery magic they create. The trick to this season is saying yes to both. It’s the garden teaching you abundance and impermanence in the same breath. You’re Welcome… David & Tino (aka ‘The Prancer’)
Another Tuscan Celebration!
Hello Again Friends, Yes, again it’s already time for another historical Tuscan event and celebration…they do love to party. And, as promised, whenever I provide a little Italian history lesson, I also will include one of my favorite recipes so your indulgence is not all in vain…so see it at the end of my blog post. This event takes place in yet another one of their beautiful and quaint hill cities…Montepulciano and is called “Bravio delle Botti” and takes place on the last Sunday in August. Similar to the Palio de Siena, this event also pits the 8 different neighborhoods (Contradas) against each other in serious competition. Originally it took place with horses but eventually was replaced in 1974 with giant wine barrels that were both safer and significantly funnier. It takes place every year on the last Sunday of August when the medieval streets of the city transform into a kind of Tuscan Olympics…that is if the Olympics were sponsored exclusively by winemakers and questionable life choices. The race is preceded by a fascinating historical parade, characterized by the presence of hundreds of locals all dressed up in costumes who parade along the same route throwing flags, playing medieval drums and evoking striking images of ancient times. Each Contrade sends forth their bravest two-person teams tasked with rolling 175-pound wine barrels UPHILL for approximately 1 mile to the Piazza Grande. The spectators all scream, pounds drums, wave flags and yell advice to their teams that absolutely no one can hear as two exhausted athletes desperately try to keep a runaway barrel from flattening a tourist. It’s part Renaissance pageant, part neighborhood rivalry and part cardio workout from hell. It’s loud, sweaty, chaotic, and absolutely delightful. A finish line is perched dramatically on the cathedral steps, because nothing says ‘victory’ like arriving at church drenched in sweat and barrel dust. The barrels wobble, zigzag, and occasionally do attempt to escape. The team push with heroic determination, fueled by adrenaline, civic pride, and probably the promise of Vino Nobile afterward. The winning Contrada claims the Panno, a painted banner created each year by a local artist. It is paraded home triumphantly, where it will be admired, toasted, and bragged about until next August. Bravio delle Botti is the only sporting even where: -The athletes push the equipment instead of using it. -the equipment weighs more than the athlete -the crowd cheers like it’s the World Cup -and everyone ends the day drinking the very thing the barrels WOULD have held. It’s Montepulciano at its most joyful, most theatrical, and most wonderfully ridiculous. It’s year another reason why I love the Italians… David & Tino
Prosciutto & Melon Redux
Good Morning Friends, In addition to my love for summer heirloom tomatoes there is another dish that is also one of my go to favs….the classic Italian Prosciutto & melon. I like to mix up what is normally just prosciutto draped over melon slices and turn it into a free form salad. I start with a base of radicchio leaves then shower them with small slices of melon, I prefer cantaloupe, then sprinkle ribbons of prosciutto and shaved Parmigiano on top. To finish just a drizzle of EVO, cracked pepper and some lime wedges. I love the way the bitterness of the radicchio plays off the sweetness of the melon and the creaminess of the Prosciutto. I urge you to give this a try as a great warm weather summer starter. BTW…Sorry for the blurry picture as I was anxious to dig in before I checked the quality of the photo! You’re welcome… David & Tino
Fromage Fort
Hello Friends, I’ve been doing a lot of cheese sampling for the new Florence inspired sandwiches that I’m offering at my Tavern at the Mission and yesterday I looked at the cheese drawer in my fridge and realized it was overflowing with orphaned bits and pieces of leftover great cheeses. There was a proud heel of Parmigiano, hardened like an old soldier, a smidge of Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue sitting all by itself in the corner, some silky, sexy Stracciatella, a chunk of aged and, lo and behold, my queen of all cheeses….Taleggio. They were all just sitting there like mismatched guests after a dinner party, wondering if there is anything that becomes of them when they are past their prime, but not past their purpose. I then remembered a little trick that I used at Chat Noir when we had lots of leftover cheese from the charcuterie and fromage plates we used to serve. It’s a clever way of extending the life of cheeses invented by the frugal French when they are blended all together with a little white wine, brandy or even and eau de vie, which is a is a clear, colorless fruit brandy that is produced by fermentation and double distillation. So, there I was, a benevolent rescuer armed with my bad ass Breville food processor, also given to me as a gift by someone very special, along with a little leftover Reisling and a thimble of Brandy…and so the ‘After Party’ began. No pecking order necessary…they were all willingly just tumbled together in the bowl. When wine and brandy were splashed on them, I could swear they perked up and brightened now knowing their ultimate destiny was about to be realized. Then a couple herbs joined the party…chives and thyme leaves along with a whisper of garlic…and suddenly, the whole mixture becoming a lush, velvety spread with the swagger of a French Grand-mere who knows exactly what to do with leftovers. This is FROMAGE FORT…the triumphant second life of forgotten cheeses, reborn in their after life as a bold, boozy, utterly irresistible spread. I also was long on some of the herbed Schiacciatta bread used in my sandwiches that I had wrapped and tucked in the fridge not knowing what their future was until now. A few minutes in the air fryer and I was enjoying one glorious culinary marriage. A humble redemption story….starring my fridge. You’re Welcome David & Tino
Heirloom Tomatoes are Showing Off!
Hey Foodie Friends, These guys have decided to ‘peacock’ this month and they are outrageously beautiful and luscious, so I encourage you not to miss them. They are glorious right now with all their wild, wavy shapes, sunset colors and that sun-warmed perfume that hits you before you even slice into them. But when you so, their beauty inside looks like marbled sunset glass. This is the time we wait for all year…a few short weeks when they stop behaving like produce and start acting like celebrities. If you’re a tomato lover, a summer romantic like me, or just someone who knows a thing of beauty when it’s sitting on a cutting board, this is your cue. I’m enjoying them right now sliced, drizzled with EVO and a touch of great red wine vinegar, and Maldon Sea salt. Nothing compliments them better than some grilled bread and cheese, so I made some whipped Gorgonzola piped onto toasted croustades topped with some micro arugula and they are epic. Just take 2 parts of your favorite blue cheese with 1 part of cream cheese, both allowed to come to room temperature, along with a touch of cream put into a food processor or mixer and you’ve got some simple but delicious magic that goes wonderfully with your heirlooms. Summer doesn’t last forever so let these beauties steal the show on your plate while they’re still at their peak. You’re Welcome… David & Tino
