d o n a t e l l a s t y l ef a l l 2 0 0 7

Puglia Undiscovered

The Perfect Tomato an ancienT TradiTion Passed down

entertaining Planning The PerfecT ParTy

ch ef michael Psil akis a fresh look aT a TradiTional greek dish

Plus : a day wiTh donaTell a reciPes and PasTa TiPs

d o n at e l l a s t y l e • fa l l 2 0 0 7 3

Dear Friends,

With the arrival of fall, I always reminisce about my childhood summers spent with my mother’s family in Puglia. The way of life, and in particular the food of the region, had a profound impact on me. Especially memorable was joining in with all of my cousins as we carried on a centuries-old tradition of preserving tomatoes. It marked the end of my vacation, and although I was always sad to return to New York, I knew that I would be able to keep the magic of those summer days with my family through food.

As a modern New York woman, I’m proud to say that I still very much have one foot in Italy--clinging to those roots that have shaped me as a restaurateur--inspired by just one bite of a fresh Italian tomato. I have also always been greatly influenced by the Italian fashion scene which has shaped my own style.

What I’ve learned about food and style over the years has inspired me to create this new magazine. Donatella Style is meant to share a little bit of my world with you, to show you what’s happening behind the scenes. In this issue, I’ll guide you through the ins and outs of throwing a dinner party, whether you’d rather have it in the comfort of your own home, or amid the revelry of a restaurant. I’ll also encourage you to visit my mother’s native Puglia for your next vacation, as I point out some of my favorite spots and talk about my own line of fresh tomato sauces. My friend and business partner at Anthos, Chef Michael Psilakis, will also share a warming fall recipe and tell you what he’s most looking forward to during this beautiful time of the year.

Autumn marks a time for not only a great meal made with rustic produce from the farmers’ markets, but great personal change as well. I wish you the best in bringing your own unique style to everything you do this season. Enjoy!

Donatella

fa l l 2 0 0 7 • d o n at e l l a s t y l e

Donatella Arpaia: A Natural Host

4

That ambitious notion led to classes at the French Culinary Institute along with a dramatic career change from lawyer to restaurateur. Her portfolio of stylish restau-rants began with Bellini and grew to include davidburke & donatella, Ama, Dona, and most recently, Anthos. But her love affair with the culinary world was always in her blood.

Donatella was well-poised for her own culinary adventure from the start.

Her father, Lello Arpaia, is a successful restaurateur who opened his first restaurant in Long Island and then Manhattan (Lello then Scarlatti, and most recently Fiorini on 56th Street). “My dad opened up his first restau-rant six months before I was born. My mom had to help him out so they actually put a crib right there in the kitchen so they could watch me. I was literally raised in the restaurant. I grew up knowing chefs and going to the market. It was part of my culture,” Donatella says.

Donatella is known for infusing each of her restaurants with her design savvy and her own fashion sense too. She graciously ushers in guests while impeccably dressed–she’s most comfortable wearing Roberto Cavalli. “I speak to the modern urban woman who has a very busy life, one who doesn’t subscribe to fast and processed food, but rather good, fresh

ingredients in dishes that don’t take forever. I don’t have time to pick up a glue gun, but I can still make a tabletop look beautiful,” she says.

Donatella credits her unique style with balancing both her old and new world sensibilities. She may have grown up in America and become an independent and successful woman, but she has also held on to her Southern Italian roots. Donatella spent every summer as a child with her mother’s family on a farm in Puglia and still savors its culinary traditions.

It was these magical summers in Italy and the bounty of fresh ingredients that inspired her to create her own line of ready-to-serve pasta sauces, now available at Whole Foods, ShopRite and donatellastyle.com. These sauces stay true to her family’s recipes and methods dating back several hundred years. Most sauces in production today come from canned tomatoes but Donatella insisted her sauces, which are packaged in Italy, be made using only the freshest tomatoes, without preservatives. She also has Extra-Virgin olive oil and almond cookies on the market and seeks to expand her line to include pasta and vinegar next. “Everything is artisanal, everything is fresh, everything is from Italy,” she points out proudly.

Despite Donatella’s packed schedule, she

always finds time to give back to the com-munity through charitable work. It was her friend Daysee Olarte de Kanavos who first turned her on to New Yorkers for Children, a mentor and scholarship program for the child welfare community. “These kids have no mentors. They’re forgotten children but we actually get to spend time with them. It’s not just about writ-ing a check,” she explains.

Then there is City Harvest, an organization that rounds up surplus food from restau-rants and grocery stores, and redistributes it to the hungry. It is an organization Dona-tella was naturally drawn to. At davidburke & donatella, located in one of the wealthi-est enclaves in the world on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, Donatella especially feels the disparity. “Hanging out with the richest people and tasting the finest ingredients—there would really be something wrong with me if I wasn’t thinking about those who are not as fortunate.”

It became her nightly routine: Donatella Arpaia would leave her new job at a law firm in the Empire State Building and drop by her brother’s restaurant Cellini for a bite. Then she would head upstairs to her studio apartment, conveniently located above the restaurant. One rainy evening, short-staffed and busy, her brother was in a pinch and Donatella just jumped right in to help in the front of the house. That’s when it just clicked for her; she was a natural host. “I’ve always been happiest in a restaurant. From that point on I decided I wanted to open my own place,” she remembers.

d o n at e l l a s t y l e • fa l l 2 0 0 7 5

fa l l 2 0 0 7 • d o n at e l l a s t y l e6

The Perfect TomatoTheir very name conjures up the essence of Italian cuisine and yet, as hard as it is to believe, tomatoes are not even indigenous to Italy. Rather, they made their way over from the ‘New World’ in the 1500s. Adapting well to the sun-drenched soil, today they are a staple ingredient in many Italian dishes and of course the star of pasta sauces…

Donatella Arpaia chose well: bittersweet, low-acid San Marzano tomatoes, often considered an heirloom variety, make up the base of her ‘Essential Sauce.’ Legend has it that the first seeds of the San Marzano tomato were presented as a gift from the Kingdom of Peru to the Kingdom of Naples in the late 1700’s. They were planted in the

area of Campania that corresponds to the present-day community of San Marzano. This ‘king’ of plum tomatoes, with its vibrant red coloring, grew so well in its new environment--the naturally-filtering volcanic soil in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, that it was quickly touted as the ‘red-gold’ jewel of the region.

With a characteristic elongated shape, this fruit has a thin skin that peels off easily, a thicker, fleshy interior with few seeds, and a fragrant aroma that evokes the hearty fare of the country. Rich in both flavor and nutrients, it is also a delicate crop that makes harvesting both difficult and expensive. Since San Marzano vines do not top-off at a certain height but continue to grow, they enjoy a longer season than most other tomatoes, making them more suitable for warmer climates.

Understanding that most people do not

have the best raw ingredients or the time

to make fresh tomato sauce themselves,

Donatella has done it for them. ‘Essential

Sauce’ is one of the first 100% fresh tomato

sauces, made from San Marzano tomatoes.

No dried ingredients, preservatives or citric

acids, added water, sugar or concentrated

tomato products have been incorporated

into the sauce.

fa l l 2 0 0 7 • d o n at e l l a s t y l e8

“Fall brings back colder weather and heartier, more comforting food,” says Psilakis. Now that autumn’s here, there’s

a bounty of rustic produce to choose from at the Union Square Greenmarket. What excites Psilakis

most during his morning visits there is the fantastic array of quality produce. From Paffenroth Farms he

gets his “super fresh vegetables”: carrots, scallions, garlic and onions. Greens, peas, fava beans and broccoli

rabe come from Migliorelli Farm, while Yuno’s Farm supplies him with irresistible avocado and squash.

Psilakis points out: “Farmers love bringing chefs their produce because they know that we will take what they care about

the most, and turn it into something that we care about the most.”

d o n at e l l a s t y l e • fa l l 2 0 0 7 9

The haute-Greek cuisine Psilakis now creates as executive chef and co-owner of Anthos may not be so easy to replicate at home, but even the most cooking-shy will have no qualms whipping up Psilakis’ recipe for one-pot yiouvetsi, as outlined below.

A yiouvetsi is a deep clay or earthenware casserole pot commonly used in Greek cooking. Traditionally, lamb is prepared in it, cooking on a low temperature setting for a long period of time, rendering it

moist and tender. Psilakis finds this classic vessel ideal for one-pot cooking: “It works so well because of the pot’s ability to maintain a specific temperature, while the cover allows for steam to circulate and baste itself. If you don’t have a yiouvetsi, you could use any type of pot that has a cover, preferably with a heavy bottom,” he explains.

Because Psilakis’ interpretation of the classic dish is lighter, he forgoes the lamb for shellfish and orzo, making it even quicker to prepare. He even encourages

INgrEDIENtS: 1qt fish stock (chicken may be substituted)Selection of shellfish 2pc prawn 6pc mahogany clam 8pc Bouchon mussel 1 cup orzo 2 tsp fish sauce 1 tsp dill 1 tsp parsley 2 tbs lemon juice shallot rings garlic clove 2 tbs olive oil salt Espelette chili pepper

MEthoD:

1. Preheat oven & yiouvetsi to 350º F.

2. In a deep pan over medium high heat add olive oil, shallot, garlic, Espelette chili pepper.

3. Deglaze with sherry vinegar. Add 2 cups stock, orzo, salt, fish sauce.

4. Bring to boil. Transfer to yiouvetsi and cover. Bake for 10 minutes - stirring every 2 minutes.

5. Add shellfish. Mix well. Cover and cook until all mussels and clams open.

6. Add fresh herbs and lemon juice.

7. Adjust seasoning with salt & Espelette chili pepper, dress with olive oil,

EAT !!!

Growing up in a first-generation Greek family, Michael Psilakis, a longtime friend of Donatella who

opened Dona with her in 2006, was expected to pitch in regularly and help his mom prepare her

authentic specialties in their Long Island kitchen. Some would call that a chore; Psilakis regarded it as

a privilege… Not every kid is lucky enough to get good lamb-roasting lessons from such a great cook!

you to tend to other tasks while cooking; all you have to do is add the ingredients to the pot and check on it every few minutes.

“This is the perfect way to be able to create a delicious, full meal without the hassle of doing a lot of actual cooking, and cleaning up a lot of pots and pans,” he adds. “It’s great because you can achieve a tremendous amount of flavor by simply letting good ingredients do the work themselves.”

Classic Greek Cuisine

Redefined

Spicy Shellfish One-Pot Yiouvetsi

Serves 4-6

Chef Notes

fa l l 2 0 0 7 • d o n at e l l a s t y l e

Travel

1 0

Puglia a culinary heritage

Donatella’s family (on her mother’s side) still resides in a village outside of Bari, the capital of Puglia in Southeastern Italy. Although a hectic workload now prevents her from spending every summer there as she did growing up, Donatella still cherishes her rich culinary memories. She fondly remembers cracking almonds, picked fresh off the tree, and riding to the farm on the back of her great-uncle’s bicycle, anticipating the arrival of just-ripe figs.

If you’re planning a trip to Italy and want to savor rustic Puglia, with its spectacular beaches, pillowy focaccia and vineyards of grapes that produce Italy’s lush Super Tuscan wines, Donatella has the inside ‘can’t-miss’ list…

Lecce, known as the Florence of the South because of its summer dance and music festivals held in Baroque palaces and piazzas throughout the city, is also one of the province’s most beautiful cities. While here, stay at the Patria Palace hotel www.starwoodhotels.com and enjoy a refreshing granita at Caffè Alvino. (Piazza San oronzo, 30)

In Alberobello, unique architecture is at its pinnacle in the form of the whitewashed houses known as trulli with their striking cone-shaped structures. Donatella suggests visiting the old quarter, the Vecchia Bari, for its pulsating nightlife. She also likes relaxing at the famous Caffè Stoppani (Via roberto da Bari 79) and eating at Lo Sprofondo (Corso Vittorio Emanuele) for its fresh seafood.

Other musts on the Puglia itinerary should include Altamura, a town known for its famed focaccia. Donatella recommends the bakery Forno all’Antica (Via giannuizzi 71). Taranto is a pedestrian’s paradise, with the stunning Piazza Plebescito and its old-world Baroque church. Donatella advises you to stop off at Bar Adua (Via Paisiello) for sweet almond milk.

d o n at e l l a s t y l e • fa l l 2 0 0 7 1 1

fa l l 2 0 0 7 • d o n at e l l a s t y l e

Bucatini alla Matriciana

1 lb bucatini 2 tbs Extra Virgin olive oil 7 oz pancetta (or bacon) 1 tsp dried chilies 1 jar passata 2 oz freshly grated Pecorino Romano 1 medium onion

Heat oil and sauté chopped onion until softened. Add chopped pancetta and sauté until crispy. Add passata and chilies and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Cook pasta, drain and stir in grated Pecorino and sauce. Serve at once.

Recipes and Tricks

Fast & Flavorful PastaThese easy recipes can be prepared in only a few minutes.

“Any of these pasta dishes can be paired with a fresh salad and crisp bread.”Each should be prepared with only the best staples, like the highest quality olive oil you can find. Donatella’s Fruttato Extra Virgin olive oil is bright and subtle, perfect for salad dressings, sautéing vegetables or fish, or for enjoying on its own with a warm crusty piece of bread.

Baked PastaPasta al Forno 1 lb fusilli 1 lb sweet Italian sausage (casing removed) 1 medium onion (coarsely chopped) 1/2 lb shiitake mushrooms (rinsed, dried and sliced) 1/4 lb fresh spinach (washed and coarsely chopped) 2 tbs butter 1/4 c flour 1 c whole milk 2 eggs salt and pepper to taste pinch of nutmeg 1 c freshly grated Pecorino Romano 1/2 c seasoned breadcrumbs 2 tbs Extra Virgin olive oil

Bring salted pot of water to a roaring boil.

In a large skillet pan place 1 tbsp olive oil on medium heat and brown sausage until cooked. Place sausage on the side. Add onions to same pan. When they become translucent, add shiitake mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes. Remove mushrooms and reserve on the side. Place pasta in water (cook two minutes less than package instructions).

For the sauce:

Put milk in pan and warm it (not to a boil). In another pan, melt butter then add flour and cook for about three minutes over low medium heat with a whisk. Then add warm milk and continuously whisk until all milk is incorporated. Keep stirring until sauce thickens and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Place sauce into large mixing bowl. Then add pasta, sausage, raw spinach, mushrooms, cheese (except for 2 tbsp) and toss all together. Add pasta to buttered casserole dish. Mix the breadcrumbs with parmesan and oil, and sprinkle over pasta. Bake in preheated oven at 350 until bubbly. Let sit five minutes and serve.

d o n at e l l a s t y l e • fa l l 2 0 0 7 1 3

Cream and butter-based sauces: flat shaped noodles like tagliatelle and fettucine.

Seafood sauces: these pair best with long, thin pastas such as linguini or vermicelli.

Chunky country-style sauces: pasta shapes with holes and ridges like rigatoni and bucatini. Whole-wheat pasta’s rough texture also works well.

Myths & Tips: Donatella sets the record straight on cooking pasta1. Adding oil to boiling water prevents sticking? Not true. It doesn’t prevent sticking but actually makes the sauce slide off the pasta instead of adhering to it. (The only way to prevent sticking is stirring often and using enough water to allow the pasta room to boil).

2. Don’t rinse pasta!!! It’s a misconception to refresh pasta. Trust me, it’s already clean; it’s just been boiled! This common mistake washes away the starch (that sticky feeling) that extrudes from the pasta as it cooks. Starch is essential to enable the pasta to adhere to the sauce.

Pairing pasta shapes with their saucePairing is very important as each shape serves a purpose, acting as a carrier for a delicious sauce.

Broth-based and light olive oil based sauces: angel hair or thin spaghetti.

Baked pasta and casserole dishes: tubular pastas are best due to their thickness. They hold up well and capture all the sauce. Use shapes such as elbow macaroni, ziti, ditalini or cavatappi.

tagliatelle thin spaghetti

linguini cavatappi

rigatoni farfalle

fettucine ziti

vermicelli fusilli

bucatini orecchiette

ragu and long-cooked sauces: molded pasta shapes like shells, fusilli, farfalle and orecchiette work beautifully as they capture the sauce.

3. Never break pasta to fit in a pan. Apply gentle pressure as the pasta softens and bend the strand, waiting a few minutes before giving it a stir.

4. Don’t over-salt your sauce. Remember, the pasta is already salted with the cooking water.

5. the longer a tomato-based sauce cooks, the less acidic it becomes? Not true. It becomes more concentrated and therefore more acidic. Many cooks add sugar which they believe reduces acidity; also not true. Sugar sweetens and is acidic by nature. It cannot neutralize an acidic dish but it can help mask the fact.

6. Eating spaghetti with the aid of a spoon is not proper etiquette like some people believe. As an Italian, I squirm in my chair when I see people doing this. If you take your time and just add a few strands to your fork and swirl, you will create the perfect mouthful.

fa l l 2 0 0 7 • d o n at e l l a s t y l e1 4

1. Divide your party space into different areas of focus. For example, transform the coffee table into a station just for appetiz-ers.

2. Make it a thematic affair. Donatella uses white plates of different shapes and then throws it all together with pieces like a colorful table runner.

3. Stick with one cocktail of your choice for the night, and offer it to guests as soon as they arrive to expedite mingling. Even if guests show up at different times, whip-ping up a glass to order is simple.

4. “I think the guests you invite should include a good mix of personalities with a few bon vivants to keep the party going,” says Donatella.

at HomeIf your inner hostess is calling, and you’re ready to throw a fête of your own at home, Donatella has some advice for making it a memorable night:

5. Don’t go it alone. Getting some hired help is as easy as reaching out to your local restaurant where bartenders and waitstaff might be eager to make some extra cash. If there’s no room for extra hands in the bud-get, round up a friend who will come early and help you. As Donatella points out, no matter how good a host you are, there are always last-minute details to attend to.

6. remember to tidy up your bathroom before guests trickle in. Hide those prescrip-tions not meant for public viewing from the medicine cabinet. To create a sultry mood, shun the lights and go with flickering candles instead.

7. “If you’re not a gourmet, it’s not the time to become one,” warns Donatella. “Don’t use a recipe you’ve never made before.” Don’t focus on just creating a pretty plate; ingredients are important, too. If you’re having an Italian meal, assemble a beautiful antipasti platter with fresh buffalo mozzarella and basil.

8. Your turn to attend a party? You’ll want to bring a gift. Forgo buying the typi-cal ‘bottle of wine’; Donatella says it’s actu-ally the wrong idea for a gift since your host might feel the pressure to open your bottle right then and there. Instead, consider a meaningful item like a book, “something thoughtful that they can open the next day,” adds Donatella.

“Choose a place you’re familiar with,” Dona-tella says. “Or, if you haven’t eaten there, then dine as a customer first. Make sure you like the food, the people and the atmosphere.”

Next, decide on the type of party you want to throw. A birthday celebration for teenagers? An intimate anniversary? Too often, Donatella finds people choose the wrong setting for their party. They pick a place for themselves without paying consideration to the type of event they’re hosting.

When it comes to the menu, remember you’re dealing with a variety of different tastes. “There should always be a meat, fish and vegetarian option. If it’s going to be red meat, I’d stay away from lamb since it’s not the most popu-lar choice,” explains Donatella. To maximize

in a RestaurantPlanning your next event at a restaurant? Insider information on details often overlooked:

your menu offerings, she also suggests talk-ing to the chef directly instead of using the maître d’ as a middleman. If wine is going to play a significant role, then seek out the sommelier and hand over a budget. Don’t hesitate to ask for a tasting of wines within your range, well ahead of time.

With a grand party, of course, comes the often-confusing dilemma of tipping. Donatella explains that a maître d’ who has paid attention to all the details should get a generous tip at the beginning of the evening. Twenty percent is not unusual. Likewise for the sommelier if they did an especially great job. Don’t forget about the chef either. If you’re looking for a cre-ative way to say thanks, ask the sommelier for the chef’s favorite wine and buy them a bottle.

Planning the Perfect Dinner Party

d o n at e l l a s t y l e • fa l l 2 0 0 7

DONATELLA : A DAY IN THE LIFE…

WAKE UP BETWEEN LUxURIOUS FRETTE BED LINENS AND HEAD TO THE KITCHEN FOR A CUP OF

THE BEST COFFEE EVER FROM NAPLES: AROMA DE NAPOLI! SLICE OPEN A GRAPEFRUIT WITH A GREAT CHEF

KNIFE LIKE WüSTHOF . SLIP INTO THE SHOWER AND USE THESE FABULOUS SMELLING HAIR PRODUCTS FROM

MY GOOD FRIEND, ITALIAN STYLIST DAVIDE TORCHIO. APPLY TRISH McEVOY BODY BRONzING POWDER AND A

SPLASH OF HER SIGNATURE PERFUME BEFORE ASSEMBLING AN OUTFIT. IN MY CLOSET, FINGERS ALIGHT ON A

METALLIC jACKET FROM ADAM + EVE 525—PERFECT TO ADD A LITTLE SHINE TO ANY FALL DAY! WRAPPED IN SExY

WOLFORD STOCKINGS, I’M READY TO PUT MY BEST FASHION-FOOT FOREWARD IN A LITTLE RED-HOT BOOTIE

NUMBER BY CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN. UNWILLING TO TEMPT FATE, I FOLD A PYTHON TRENCH FROM MY FAVORITE DESIGNER,

ROBERTO CAVALLI, OVER ONE ARM ONLY TO DISCOVER A CHIPPED NAIL, qUICKLY REMEDIED WITH THE HELP

OF MY YSL NAIL TOUCH LACqUER BRUSH. qUICK SPRITz OF A SABON ‘DREAM’ ROOM FRESHENER BEFORE I

MAKE A DASH FOR THE DOOR, GRABBING MY KEYS OFF MY CALLIGARIS COFFEE-TABLE ALONG WITH MY PERFECT

CATCH-ALL, SILVER FENDI SELLERIA BAG. HAIL A TAxI AND DREAM WISTFULLY OF HAzELNUT GELATO

FROM GROM ON BROADWAY BETWEEN 77TH AND 78TH AS I PASS BY THERE ON MY WAY TO WORK…

fa l l 2 0 0 7 • d o n at e l l a s t y l e1 6

News and Notes209 East 56th Street New York, NY 10022tel 212.308.0830

judging DonatellaThe tension in the air can be diced with a samurai sword as things heat up on the show that has become a cultural phenomenon: Food Network’s Iron Chef. Like culinary gladiators, eight executive-chef level contestants go head-to-head for the title of The Next Iron Chef America in the infamous Kitchen Stadium. The Chairman Mark Dacascos will put these real-deal chefs through a series of battles devised to measure their culinary skills under pressure. The six-part series will premiere October 7, with the first battle for the newly-crowned Iron Chef airing November 18th. As one of the judges, Donatella Arpaia joins Andrew Knowlton and Michael Rulhman to carefully dissect each dish in order to crown The Next Iron Chef America!

ANDREW KNOWLTONAndrew Knowlton is the Restaurant Editor at Bon Appétit, where he writes the monthly Restaurant Reporter column. He also writes for the magazine on wine, spirits, and cocktails.

MICHAEL RUHLMANMichael Ruhlman is a freelance journalist and writer, the author of seven books and co-author of four cookbooks. His most recent publication is The Elements of Cooking which comes out in November.

As a judge, what surprised you the most about living the Iron Chef experience:

Donatella Arpaia: “Watching the action in person and just feeling the time pressure that the chefs are under along with the demand for instantaneous creativity was inspiring.”

Michael Ruhlman: “The camaraderie of the chefs and the balance of the different views of the judges.”

Andrew Knowlton: “Obviously I’ve seen chefs cook behind the scenes but it gave me a new found perspective of how they conceive and cook when they’re taken out of their context.”

ALL IN THE FAMILYFor everyone who loved Bellini there is great news! My dad Lello Arpaia, who helped me open Bellini, is bringing back traditional Italian cusine at his new restaurant Fiorini. Located just four blocks from the old Bellini, the interior was created by my designer Matt Sudock.

FRESH FROM THE SOURCEMy line of all-natural Italian artisanal products imported from Italy (olive oils, sauces and cookies) is expanding. I am currently working on new products such as coffee, pasta, vinegar and more!

DONA WILL BE BACKSince losing my lease at Dona, I have been fervently searching for a new location. The wait is over and I will soon be announcing plans for a new Dona, with a twist!

FLIPPING PAGES AND CHANNELSLook out for my feature in InStyle Magazine. Check out the Food Network for my appearance on Iron Chef. And stay tuned for details on my own TV show!

The Appellation Of An Oyster

There’s even use of a new word: “merroir” (of the sea), derivative from the French term “terroir” (of the earth) which denotes the geographical location of a vine. Each oyster’s unique flavor profile is a combination of genetics (species and size) and location. Even more, the same species of oyster can vary dramatically in flavor from bay to bay, much like wine that comes from the same grape in two different vineyards. They all look slightly different with respect to fluting, shape, shell and color, and each picks up specific essences from the estuaries it was grown in. Variables include temperature and salinity of the water, and the abundance and type of flora and minerals they ingest.

So if there is a Château Petrus of the shellfish industry, some would say it is Taylor Shellfish Farms, based in Washington. Harvesting heritage counts and that puts Taylor Shellfish Farms a good century ahead of most, with over 100 years’ worth of experience cultivating and collecting oysters. At the turn of the 20th century, founder j. Y. Waldrip traded searching for gold in the Great Northwest for farming jewels of the sea: shellfish. In the 1920s, over-harvesting and pollution forced Northwest farmers to start raising their own oysters.

The Taylors experimented with species from other parts of the country, the world even, cultivating them until they started to propagate. Replenishing the once-depleted oyster beds, Taylor Shellfish Farms was not only a precursor to sustainable farming but expandable farming too.

Today, Taylor Shellfish Farms grows more species of oysters commercially from hatchery-produced seed than any other company in the country. They own close to 10,000 acres of tidelands dotted up and down the Washington state coastline, concentrated heavily in Puget Sound—where they cultivate half the production for that area.

Like any great cellar master, a shellfish farmer leaves little to chance. That’s the case with Taylor Shellfish Farms’ president, jeff Pearson, who has it down to a science, from “seed” (oyster larvae) to full-fledged triploid (sexless oyster). In their hi-tech hatcheries, they simulate the optimal growing environment for the larvae, graduating them to floating nurseries where they feast on organic micro-algae until they are 1/2 inch to an inch in size. Then they are seeded high

These days, the methods for growing and harvesting oysters come close to that of making a

great wine, so to speak. The recipe for producing great shellfish has become part art, part

science, with a good salt-water splash of Mother Nature. The comparisons to wine only

begin with cultivation. To the pleasure and delight of our palates, oysters have become a

more refined and defined commodity.

A narrow band of wine styles and characteristics work well with oysters: a

vibrant combination of sweetness (glycogen), minerals and the sea. Taylor

Shellfish Farms holds an annual wine competition to find the best wines to

consume with oysters. Here is a list of 2007 winners and characteristic tips.

in tidelands where they can fatten up without fear of predators. One summer later, when the shells have hardened, the muscles are strong, and the oysters have some size, they are finally transferred to the beds that they will grow out on. The result is an oyster that has weathered 2-3 growing seasons in peak conditions–and you can really taste sublime nuances of its watery residence. “Having our own hatcheries and tidelands give us better control of the product we choose to grow as well as the quality and volume we can maintain.”

What’s most important to jeff Pearson is that the consumer gets a consistent, fresh and delectable product. So the next time you feast on oysters, take a moment to digest the unique watery path that brought it to you.

For more information please contact: Nellie@wtseafoodusa.com

or visit www.taylorshellfish.com

OYSTER WINES:

Brassfield Estate Winery `05 Sauvignon Blanc - CA

Dry Creek Vineyard `05 Sonoma County Fume Blanc - CA

Dry Creek Vineyard `06 Dry Chenin Blanc - CA

geyser Peak Winery `06 Sauvignon Blanc - CA

hall `06 Sauvignon Blanc - CA

Kenwood Vineyards `06 Sauvignon Blanc - CA

King Estate Winery `05 Signature Pinot Gris - OR

Martin & Weyrich Winery `06 Unwooded Chardonnay - CA

Sweet Cheeks Winery `06 Pinot Gris - OR

Willamette Valley Vineyards `06 Pinot Gris - OR

Do LooK For A WINE thAt IS: crisp and clean and steely with a good backbone of acid and a citric

or mineral undercurrent. Drink it cold or at the same temperature as the oyster. It should have a dry, clean

slicing finish that makes you want to eat more oysters.

DoN’t ChoSE A WINE thAt: gets in the way of the next oyster; nothing too fancy or complicated. Avoid big, buttery, oaky Chardonnays or vanilla and butter notes. And stay away from wine with residual sugar.

Haute Notes

fa l l 2 0 0 7 • d o n at e l l a s t y l e

Publisher MICHAEL GOLDMAN

Editor-in-Chief PAMELA jOUAN

Design Director jANA POTASHNIK BAIRDesign, Inc.

Managing Editor STEPHANE HENRION

Assistant Editor CHRISTIAN KAPPNER

Senior Copy Editor jENNIFER MURPHY

Copy Editors MIRIAM FRIED ROBERT DAVIS

Contributing Writers ALIA AKKAM PAMELA jOUAN Photo Director CHARLES HARRIS

Advertising advertising@hautelifepress.com

Marketing Director KATHRYN PAYNE

Haute Life Press a division of C-BON MEDIA, LLC. 321 Dean Street Suite 1 Brooklyn, NY 11217

www.hautelifepress.com info@hautelifepress.com

Subscription Inquiries (718) 858.1187

subscriptions@hautelifepress.com or visit www.hautelifepress.com

Printed and bound in the U.S.A

HauteLifePress makes every effort to insure that the information it publishes is correct but cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions.

© 2007 All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

Haute Notes From the publisher, Haute Notes is about the discovery of all things innovative and exciting in food and wine, art and design, style and travel.

SMEg

It’s not hard to fall for these sleekly designed, 50s-style ‘retro’ refrigerators with dreamy curved corners and a palate of colors that add just the right splash to any kitchen (pastel blue or lime green, anyone!) Finally this Italian company (name formed from the initials of their metal enameling factory in Reggio Emilia, Italy) is state-side. We’ve been waiting on these after spotting them in European magazines over the past few years… www.smegusa.com

YouAreontheList.com

Youareonthelist.com provides insider access to a modern fashionable lifestyle: exciting events in music, film, beauty, fashion, food, literature and more. Recently at NY Fashion Week, Youareonthelist created the Lifestyle Lounge at Style 360 in conjunction with Hachette Publications. Members were invited to sip champagne, mingle with the fashion elite and view the Spring 2008 Collections. Also this fall, “Invitation Only” members will be invited to Henri Bendel’s birthday celebration at The Highline Ballroom. Founded by Robin Ross, marketing and style expert for brands like Polo jeans/Ralph Lauren and W Hotels, Youareonthelist has become the go-to connection for consumers and concierge professionals (including Playboy Passport) to stay in-the-know for New York’s best events. www.youareonthelist.com

10 Cane rum Spiced Apple Martini

INGREDIENTS: 2 1/2 oz. 10 Cane Rum 2 oz. apple juice splash of Amaretto 2 pinches ground cinnamon cinnamon/sugar mixture garnish: cinnamon stick

DIRECTIONS: In a mixing glass, add 10 Cane, apple juice, Amaretto, ground cinnamon and ice cubes.

Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled cocktail glass rimmed with superfine sugar and ground cinnamon.

Garnish with cinnamon stick.

Restaurant Locations

N E W G R E E K C U I S I N E

133 East 61st Street New York, NY 10021tel 212.813.2121www.dbdrestaurant.com

36 West 52nd Street New York, NY 10019tel 212.582.6900www.anthosnyc.com

Ad No.: AQU-06-1 SAP No.: PEGPEL.06004.K.011Ad Title: Acqua Panna

This advertisement prepared by: Ogilvy & MatherTo appear in: ConvivioSize: page Color: 4/c

Bleed: 8.5 in x 11.375 in Trim: 8.25 in x 10.875 in Safety: 7.625 in x 10 in Scale: 1:1 Actual Trim: Same as trim Gutter: None

Creative Director: N/A Art Director: N/A Copywriter: N/AAccount Exec: N/A Print Producer: J. Gregorio Traffi c: B. Ratzer

Engraver: Hudson YardsREDWORKSNEWYORK Filename: PEG_PEL_06004K_1A1 .indd

20106_0

THE PRIDE OF TUSCANY SINCE 1927, LUSH AND LUMINOUS ACQUA PANNA FROM S.PELLEGRINO IS THE PERFECT COMPLEMENT TO FINE FOOD AND WINE.

A WATER THAT BELONGS ON THE WINE LIST.

© 2

006

Nes

tlé W

ater

s N

orth

Am

eric

a, In

c.

Advanced cosmetic dermatology • Results-oriented skincare • Full service beauty

Please call 212.758.7790 to learn more about our servicesand to reserve your appointment.