Alexandre Dumas, 1802-1870, a novelist and a writer, wasn't much of an educated man, but he had energy and lots of initiative. His novels (about 15), usually treated historic events and were widely appreciated by readers (published in episodes). He was good at understanding what the public wanted and had to employ about twelve writers to keep up with the demand.

Author of the Three Musketeers and the Count of Montecristo, he also liked fine food and didn't lack appetite. He published the Great Vocabulary of Cuisine. It was an idea he got later in life: "I want to conclude my literary work by publishing a volume of cuisine". His many trips made him aware of exotic menus he felt inclined to share with the audience. The book was written for common people and Dumas gave it to his publisher before his death.

There are about 3000 recipes, 500 prints, international dishes as well as traditional ones. According to Alexandre Dumas, it was the first time there was a printed version of the Pizza with tomatoes recipe (the notes that back to 1835 when he took a trip to Naples). One of many anecdotes to show the novelist's interest in gastronomy. During the cholera he forbid his son to eat fruits while he still devoured them by saying "it would be a shame to waste them".

Here is an easy carrot cake recipe^[1] you can try at home.

This story is taken from the book Tacuinum dè Eccellentissimi, ali&no publisher^[2].

References

1. ^{^} easy carrot cake recipe (www.finedininglovers.com)
2. ^{^} li&no publisher (www.alienoeditrice.net)

When Momofuku restaurant^[1] opens on the street where you live, you think to yourself “Ok, it’s time to move on” explains Allison with a smile; she is one of the Urban Oyster^[2] tour guides who, every Saturday, describes Brooklyn through the eyes of its inhabitants, its historical stores, its families and foodies. Manhattan doesn’t stand a chance^[3], this is where the real food scene of New York is to be found, along Smith St. and in the area between Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill and Carrol Gardens. But not for much longer perhaps.

Evolution of a Borough

Brooklyn used to be a working class area, inhabited by the dockhands of Red Hook and the Italian, Irish and Middle Eastern immigrants of the early twentieth century. It survived the port crisis when, those who could, fled from a district that had become so disreputable that there was a move to raise it to the ground in order to eradicate the degradation and decay.

In the seventies, its inhabitants showed the first signs of resistance by forming local committees and protest groups. They were successful in their intent and hence the survival of shops like Staubitzil^[4] the butcher (on the same premises since 1917 as well as being the oldest in New York), the Sicilian cake shops such as Court Pastry Shop^[5], and coffee roasting shops like that of D'Amico^[6], which is still in business today and run by the children of the founder’s children.

The first wave of gentrification

In the nineties, many young people left Manhattan in their search for less expensive areas to live in, and moved here. Creative professionals, journalists and writers gave a new lease of life to the district, bringing the first wave of gentrification which pulverized the previous local lifestyle and paved the way to what has been defined as the first New York food and wine scene, based on local produce, high quality, fashionable venues and the phenomenon labelled “made in Brooklyn”.

The newcomers became well integrated and created an independent economic system which made the district one of the most interesting parts of town, excessively so perhaps.

The wheel has turned a full cycle and, today, the same Democratic WASPS are threatened in their turn by another wave of new inhabitants, new stores and a consequential rise in prices. Rents have become too steep for those just selling books, baking biscuits or brewing beer, let alone people who are trying to start a family and need more living space.

The district is so trendy that there is no longer space for the shop signs that have determined its success in the last twenty years. Hence, places like Stinky Blynk^[7] the cheese shop, the Clover Club (one of the world’s top bars), the Italian Caputo Bakery^[8] store or the One Girl Cookies shop^[9] specialized in biscuits, risk closing down. Nearby, you can see the shop windows of many tradesmen who have already given up, with notices that bring a lump to your throat. "Thank you for having loved us for 70 years, we have loved you too" one of them says.

Resisting or moving

Those who do resist issue a kind of word-of-mouth war bulletin on the latest victims of real estate speculators. "Look, this one has sold up for 5 million dollars" says the butcher forlornly, with a flyer from the local committee in his hand. It’s not the first and he knows only too well that it won’t be the last. Because, if you have been here for generations and have already bought the building you operate in, then you’re safe, barricaded behind your own doorway, otherwise you have no choice but to close down or move out towards Williamsburg, Gowanda or even New Jersey.

Before coming, I had intended to dine in one of the restaurants opened up here by some Manhattan chef, but I changed my mind. I took the underground and went to Coney Island to see the Freak Bar full of tattooed girls and rockabillies, Hispanic-American families pouring out of the underground, deep-fried Oreo and ceviche served in plastic beakers – before they all disappear forever – taking with them an authentic piece of New York.

References

1. ^{^} Momofuku restaurant (www.finedininglovers.com)
2. ^{^} Urban Oyster (www.urbanoyster.com)
3. ^{^} Manhattan doesn’t stand a chance (www.finedininglovers.com)
4. ^{^} Staubitzil (www.staubitz.com)
5. ^{^} Court Pastry Shop (www.facebook.com)
6. ^{^} D'Amico (www.damicocoffeeroasters.com)
7. ^{^} Stinky Blynk (www.stinkybklyn.com)
8. ^{^} Italian Caputo Bakery (Freak Bar)
9. ^{^} One Girl Cookies shop (www.onegirlcookies.com)

“We’re pleasure seekers, we don’t want to give up pleasure”

In 2011 American chef Matthew Kenney got up on the stage of TEDx to talk about food choices, haute cuisine and health: it was a speech that had an extraordinary international resonance, especially for the importance it attached to pleasure. In brief, on the subject of food, what counts most is the pleasure it affords.

Much of the American chef’s life has been spent trying to demonstrate that a plant-based diet can be just as satisfying as any meat-based one. But, unlike the latter, it has positive effects on our body and on the environment. Having spent his childhood in Maine (developing what he refers to as an “avid outdoors man” attitude) Kenney moved to New York where, following his Political Science studies, he decided to start afresh and dedicate his efforts to cooking.

A form of cuisine which, as his career advanced - punctuated with new restaurant openings, books and awards – was increasingly focused on the many multi-coloured nuances of vegan food^[1] and raw food diets. In 2009 he founded the Matthew Kenney Culinary Academy^[2], the world's first state licensed raw food educational center, which now has five branches worldwide acting as educational but also experimental centres on everything concerning raw veganism.

We met with Matthew Kenney in Milan during Identità Golose^[3], where he was invited to speak, with that mingling of diffidence and concern typical of those who expect an intox from those who intend to promote detox: reproaches, attempts to indoctrinate and radicalization. Instead, a few minutes were sufficient to realize that his approach is quite the opposite.

How did you come into cooking?
I was in New York working for Christie's and studying law. Whenever I had a little bit of extra money I spent it in restaurants. I just loved them! Even when I was young I adored the experience of dining and all the magic in restaurants - the music, the lighting, the wine. It was in the back of my mind that I wanted to own a restaurant, even though I didn't properly want to become a chef.

Every lunchtime I kept walking by this new restaurant that was about to open, a Sicilian restaurant called Malvasia. After ten days of looking at the design and the menu the manager came up to me and said: "We've seen you outside a lot, are you looking for a job?” I said “Sure!”, left my other job and took the job at the restaurant.

How was your first experience in a kitchen?
I loved everything about it, even the chefs getting mad and the stress ... it was beautiful. That made my career. I stayed there for a year, and also attended the French Culinary Institute. I kept growing my culinary skills and the same time my passion for health. 15 years later, I managed to combine the two things.

What's your normal diet?
Almost all vegan. I'm not strict about raw, but I prefer raw food. I drink a lot of liquids. Everything very seasonal. A little bit of cheese from now and then. But I eat in restaurants a lot - I'm a chef, I have to and I'm just as passionate about them as I was years ago. I don't stay at home eating sprouts and tofu everyday: I love drinking wine and enjoying beautiful food.

Why are raw vegan dishes always so aesthetically pleasing?
The presentation is very important, because this is a new style of cuisine and it has to capture people's attention. One advantage is that we're not cooking, so the colors stay the same and everything is so vibrant and bright instead of brown. We have to take advantage of that and show people how alive this food is. We even teach how to present it in a beautiful way in classes.

Who was your teacher?
I taught myself. And I listen a lot, I learned from my students from all over the world and I keep on learning from them.

Is raw veganism in conflict with culinary traditions from all over the world, based on animal proteins and long cooking?
No. For example, we took a lot of inspiration from Italy. One of our most popular dishes is cacio and pepe (literally: cheese and pepper) made with kelp or zucchini noodles, and served with a creamy and peppery sauce. We embrace the history of every country and respect it.

Should we all eat vegan?
People should incorporate it into their lifestyle and decide if they want to do it full time or not. When I started I was more idealistic, but now I think everybody as their own path, as well as we all have different blood types. It took me 40 years to figure out what was better for me, so I don't criticize anyone if they’re not able to do it.

What's your opinion about philosophers, scientists and experts, from Lévi-Strauss to Pollan, saying that cooking helped developing humankind?
Pollan, he's a very talented writer but he’s trying to be politically correct. I know it’s a bold statement, but I think that he knows that this diet feels better. I'm not a scientist or a doctor but I’m 52 and I know how to listen to my body. Anyway, there’s nothing bad in cooking, I needed to learn to cook before learning how to work with raw food. Some food is better when cooked.

What are the next steps in veganism now that it has become sort of a trend?
It's going to become part of a chef's repertoire. You can have amazing meals from all over the world: I ate mostly vegan at Redzepi's Noma^[4] and totally vegan at Alain Passard's L'Arpège in Paris^[5]. I can see all these very talented chefs incorporating vegan into their cuisine and embracing new visions: we’ll be able to find vegan food.

References

1. ^{^} vegan food (www.finedininglovers.com)
2. ^{^} Matthew Kenney Culinary Academy (matthewkenneycuisine.com)
3. ^{^} We met with Matthew Kenney in Milan during Identità Golose (www.finedininglovers.com)
4. ^{^} Redzepi's Noma (www.finedininglovers.com)
5. ^{^} Alain Passard's L'Arpège in Paris (www.finedininglovers.com)

Let’s admit it right now, fried food is anything but glam. However, we all, at least almost all, agree on one point - it’s downright delicious!  We're constantly told fried foods are supposed to be unhealthy, high in calories and totally wicked, but new research suggests, that done correctly and with the right oil, it's actually the opposite. 

Fried Food Findings 

Recent research^[1] carried out by the nutritional department of Granada’s Faculty of Pharmacy under the direction of Cristina Samaniego Sanchez is radically changing the negative reputation of fried foods, and the secret apparently lies in the magic of extra-virgin olive oil.

The results of this Spanish study are quite surprising, showing that in the case of many foods, including vegetables like potato, aubergine, tomato and pumpkin, certain nutritional properties are kept intact when they are fried much better than if they're boiled in water. 

The findings, published in the Food Chemistry journal, show that frying the vegetables listed above in olive oil helps to increase the amount of phenolic compounds found inside the finished food, whereas boiling them in water, usually thought to be the healthiest preparation method, actually decreases them. This is down to the fact that phenolic compounds, which are proven to prevent diabetes and vision loss, are actually lost in the water when food is boiled. The researchers say that olive oil - which contains its own exclusive compounds - actually imparts these compunds into certain foods. 

The whole idea goes against the usual philosohy that boiling vegetables is a healthier way of cooking than frying, as Sanchez says, "frying is the method that produces the greatest associated increases in the phenolic fraction." 

The Stars Love The Sizzle

It was the chef Ernst Knam who said that, "frying, when done properly, is sheer fun and transforms raw ingredients and their coating into delicately crisp and deliciously golden morsels” and these findings now add weight to the idea that frying certain foods can actually be healthier. So, the next time you take a fancy for Heston Blumenthal’s triple cooked chips^[2], feel free to indulge without remorse.

References

1. ^{^} Recent research (www.telegraph.co.uk)
2. ^{^} triple cooked chips (www.finedininglovers.com)

The world is filled with interesting wine regions from Japan to Patagonia. Everybody knows Bordeaux, Champagne and Napa Valley but outside these classic regions it’s a sea of unpronounceable grape varieties, quirky winemaking techniques and vineyards that have not yet reached their full potential.

Things have changed since the wine maps were first drawn. Some regions were forgotten, others lost in the turmoil of history. These smaller wine regions might not be significant when it comes to quantity but they bring much desired personality into the world of wine and without them connoisseurs worldwide would die of boredom.

Here are 5 lesser-known wine regions that not only make good wine but are great places to visit if you are thirsty for an adventure.

ISTRIA, Croatia

This beautiful peninsula nestled in the Adriatic Sea, a short drive from Venice, is one of the most interesting up-and-coming wine regions at the moment. Croatian wine has been widely ignored in the past but Istria has decided to put an end to it. This small but diverse wine region produces everything from quirky wines made in amphoras and wines aged in acacia barrels to sparkling wines and classic Bordeaux-blends.

Local wines made from varieties such as Malvazija and Teran are everything but boring. If the wines and picture-perfect blue ocean are not enough, Istria also produces outstanding olive oil and apparently truffles grow there like potatoes. Not a bad place to spend a week or two.

ELQUI VALLEY, Chile

If you really want to go off the beaten track go to Elqui Valley, the antechamber of the Atacama Desert. This relatively new wine region is located approximately 500 kilometres north of the capital Santiago de Chile. Lodged between the Pacific Ocean and the Andes, this dry wine region produces some of the best Syrah wines in the Southern Hemisphere.

Elqui is known for its clear skies and there is a handful of observatories in the region. This attracts all kinds of stargazers to the valley and some say there has even been UFO sightings.

The area is also famous for the grape-based spirit pisco which might explain the extraterrestrial visitors. So, grab a bottle of some local vino or a pisco sour and enjoy the mystical vibe of Elqui.

SÜDSTEIERMARK, Austria

Südsteiermark or Southern Styria is often called the Tuscany of Austria and it’s not hard to imagine why. The rolling green hills close to the Slovenian border and their annoyingly idyllic villages actually look more like the Shire from Lord of the Rings than Tuscany.

Südsteiermark is considered as one of the best regions for Sauvignon Blanc but you can find a wide range of fresh varietal wines like Morillon (Chardonnay) and Muskateller.

The steep vineyards are nice to look at but working them is another story. Let’s just say tractor accidents are not uncommon. It’s perhaps because of the backbreaking terrain and the extra attention to viticultural practices that makes the wines of Südsteiermark stand out.

MORNINGTON PENINSULA, Australia

Australia is well-known for big and powerful red wines but the country is ridiculously big with plenty of diversity to go around. This narrow peninsula just south of Melbourne is making waves in the world of wine.

Mornington Peninsula’s vineyards are pretty much surrounded by the ocean, creating a cooler maritime climate which is why the region is big on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These varieties, especially Pinot Noir, are really picky when it comes to ideal vineyard sites. It looks like they have found a home in Mornington Peninsula and luckily so because some of these wines are phenomenal.

The beautiful landscape and close proximity to one of Australia’s greatest cities makes it an ideal place to visit.

COLARES, Portugal

In the mid-19th century when the nasty little bug called phylloxera was busy destroying most of the vineyards in Europe a few areas here and there survived. Colares was one of them. The vineyards were and still are cultivated close to the beach on sandy soil. For some reason phylloxera couldn’t handle all the sand and the wines of Colares were spared. For a moment it looked like the region was on a path to greatness.

Now, many decades later, the wines of Colares are almost extinct. There are still a handful of producers in the region keeping the tradition alive and producing incredible wines from ungrafted vines. The thing about the wines of Colares is longevity.

If you visit the region you can still find some bottles from the early 1900’s that are in stellar condition. Colares is definitely one of the best kept secrets in the world of wine.