When it comes to the seven deadly sins, it"s always gluttony that trips me up … but only with certain foods. My will stands up to chocolate, or any dessert, and I can pass a mound of fries without so much as a twitch.
I have no chance against creamy, saucy, cheesy foods, such as the gnocchi from Bistro Moulin in Monterey. It"s my Kryptonite. A plate of those luscious, ethereal morsels bathed and baked in a decadent Parmesan cream sauce destroys all my defenses.
That gnocchi is the chink in my armor. The reason I fall hard from the wagon. It haunts me. I see them in the outline of clouds. I wake up at night from a dream with a mouthful of pillow. I can be found wandering the streets mumbling the word "NYO-kee." Some folks toss me loose change. Most call the authorities.
My addiction started eight years ago when I wrote a column about the decline and fall of the Roman gnocchi empire. For years I had eaten Italian gnocchi (a word derived from nocchio, meaning "a knot in wood," often an apt description for the dense little potato-laden pasta nuggets). I was always underwhelmed.
The Italians boast at inventing gnocchi. The braggadocio French love to say they perfected it. And they did.
Bistro Moulin"s French-born chef/owner Didier Dutertre and his countrymen do not use potatoes, but rather they make gnocchi from the classic pastry dough called pâte à choux (pronounced: PAHT ah shoo). What begins with flour, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg turns into an airy yet somehow substantial treat that tastes far more complicated than its method requires. Listed on the Bistro Moulin menu as "gnocchi aux epinards" (gnocchi with spinach), the dish is served au gratin for $12.75 as an appetizer and $18.75 as an entrée.
Last year, the bistro"s Parisienne-style gnocchi easily made my list of "50 Things to Eat on the Peninsula Before You Die." And it would certainly be on the plate as part of my last meal. But I need to keep my distance or I will quickly resemble the Pillsbury Dough Boy.
Now Dutertre and his partner in life and food, Colleen Manni, have hatched a sinister plan to package the gnocchi in heat-and-serve packages for your home.
Dutertre offers a better plan: "Put them in another dish and tell your guests you made your own fresh gnocchi," he said.
Bistro Moulin has priced the take-home bundles of joy (an entrée size) at an introductory price of $9.75. Call 333-1200 to order. Pick-up times are 4:30-9p.m., and Manni said orders can be ready in 10 minutes (she will even deliver to customers curbside).
The number is in my speed-dial. I will be forced to eat them at home … alone in the dark, behind a curtain of shame. The only issue remains hiding the to-go packages deep inside the recycling bin.
Most of us try dry-aged beef with a side of skepticism. The process doesn"t compute. Imagine putting a raw, unwrapped steak in your refrigerator for a month before slapping it on the grill. It seems more science experiment than meal.
In the right hands, however, dry-aging creates a greater concentration of beef flavor and taste. Additionally, the beef"s natural enzymes join with certain fungal (mold) species to help break down connective tissue in the muscle to create a tender cut.
It"s not widely practiced because it"s expensive (you lose 20percent to 25percent of the product during aging), complicated (precise temperature and humidity must be achieved in the aging room) and misunderstood.
John Pisto built a dry-aging room at his Whaling Station on Cannery Row, and it"s become quite the rage (he ages New York, ribeye and porterhouse). He showcased some at last week"s Ultimate Steak Lovers" dinner, a six-course extravaganza that brought the house down. Paired with epic wines from Joseph Phelps (described by famed Master Sommelier Fred Dame, who cut his teeth at the Sardine Factory in the 1970s), the beef thrilled a room of curious carnivores.
My take? The flavor of dry-aged beef is deeply concentrated, almost nutty, and has a dense but tender texture.
If you missed the dinner, stay tuned here for news about the next one. Seating is always limited, so it"s best to call early.
The Big Sur Foragers Festival has chosen its dates for its 2014 culinary exploration into the world of wild foods. Mark Jan. 17-19 on your calendars for a weekend of food, wine, entertainment and expert-led foraging hikes. All proceeds benefit the Big Sur Health Center. Information: www.bigsurforagersfestival.org … Little Napoli in Carmel has a new pet-friendly courtyard to go with its revamped summer menu … Twisted Roots is holding its first winemaker"s dinner "Pizza on the Patio", on Saturday, June 8. Held on the patio of its Carmel Valley tasting room, the event (5-8p.m.) features brick-fired pizza from Contemporary Catering and Twisted Roots wine. Cost is $55 … The former Indian Summer is now Hookah Bar and Grill, ditching naan and spicy curries for a variety of burgers and pasta dishes. The big attraction is the smoking lounge where folks gather around the hookah, a water pipe used for smoking a mixture of tobacco, molasses and fruit flavoring. Interesting side note: Two years ago, San Francisco shut down 17 hookah lounges it said had violated anti-smoking ordinances there. Let"s hope our city government is more culturally tolerant … Great Father"s Day idea: Montrio Bistro has added to its Artisan Series, and Saturday"s class centers around the grill and craft beers. Share the time-honored tradition with your favorite father. Call 648-8881 for reservations.
Contact Mike at grubhunter@comcast.net or listen to his weekly radio show "Food Fodder" at noon Wednesdays on KRML (102.1 FM).