Montalcino Menu & Border Springs Lamb Dinner

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July 25 at 6:30pm: Border Spring Lamb Dinner

In the tradition of our "Everything but the Quack" 10 courses of duck dinners, we offer up our first "Ewe will bleat your self if ewe miss this little lamb dinner, Mary" July 25 at 6:30. 9 dishes featuring Border Springs Lamb along with special guest star Craig Rogers {who will not be cooked}followed by a trio of Italian sheep's milk cheeses {you can't have lambs without Sheep's milk ya know!}! We have precious few seats left for our lamb dinner July 25 {only 8 as of Sunday night}. You definitely want to reserve ASAP! We are not pulling the wool over your eyes! Join the head. Menu & Details

Montalcino Menu

Over the years in all of our travels in Italy, nowhere fits like Montalcino. We love the local wines {Brunello & Rosso di Montalcino} and have been accepted into the culture of this small town of 1200. When we walk into Bar alle Logge, our cappuccini are waiting for us just as we like them by the time we go from the front door to the counter! In fact, Kay and I are honorary members of two of the quartiere {the neighborhood associations} of Montalcino: Travalglio and Pianello. Dino held a wine dinner a few years back to assist Pianello in restoring 1400's frescoes in a c. 1000 church being renovated. There is a plaque on the wall of the church commemorating our efforts.

The food in Montalcino is hearty and rich. The emphasis is on wild boar, duck and pork, and the famous Bistecca alla Fiorentina. Our 4 course Montalcino menu is a superb way to explore.

You start off with a choice of antipasti: Trio of Crostini {three meaty selections in the Montalcino style} or Sauteed local potatoes with Summer Black Truffle, olio & Black Pepper, a dish inspired by a dinner at Andrea Costanti's house.

Pasta brings on a new version of our boar pasta: Pappardelle ai Cinghiale Bianco that we loved at the late, and lamented restaurant, Padella in Piazza: made with lots of onions and white wine with just a touch of tomato, the boar is ground coarsely and takes on a real succulence from the long slow cooking. The dish is finished with a slight sprinkle of cocoa. Or choose all'Aglione or "The Big Garlic." This is a dish of chopped fresh heirloom tomatoes lightly sauteed with fresh garlic and whole cloves of roasted garlic. It is one of the standard dishes found on almost every restaurant menus in Montalcino.

Scottiglia is a stew of red wine and a touch of tomato. When not made solely of wild boar, it is best with at least three meats: ours is chicken, duck and beef. The dish is served with toasted bread to help sop up the light braising liquids. Another choice is Rosticciana, a dish you almost never see in restaurants, but is a classic Tuscan offering. Our's will feature a combination of spareribs: pork, lamb & wild boar, all cooked on the grill. This is not fall of the bone, long slow cooked ribs alla BBQ, but grilled and spice rubbed rib, fully interactive, very juicy and a touch chewy. You need to pick them up and chew on the bones to get the full effect! The lamb is very rich and juicy, without the greasiness associated with so many American lambs; the wild boar very assertive and gamy; while the pork lush, spicy and rich.

Desserts are a Trio of Pecorino cheese {truffled, extra aged and medium aged} or Ricotta Mousse with Berries in Balsamico. Of course, you can always end with anything you wish from our dessert menu.

The cost of the feast is $44 per person. You can also order any of the items ala carte. For an additional $35, we are offering a flight of two Montalcino Rossos and two Brunellos. What a way to explore the wonders of Montalcino wines. In addition to ordering wines, if you say happy anniversary or order the feast, you will get a cellar treasure selection. We have pulled a dozen great Brunellos, Rossos and California wines that go great with this kind of food. As with our Venice menu, the best wines will be opened first. So if you want to try a great aged Brunello, come in Wednesday or the sooner the better. We will open some older Costanti, Cerbaiona {OMG crazy good wine made in tiny quantities ~ we will open the 1999 Wednesday night} Agostina Pieri, Ciacci Piccolomini and Pertimali {1999 on Friday night!} And the tastes are FREE!!!

Here is the full menu