MARISA FINETTI | Category: Columns

February 18, 2019

Ramen: Cult and Culture

A steaming, umami-rich bowl of ramen is an international symbol of cultural prowess of Japanese cuisine. It’s a celebrated experience which brings enormous satisfaction and happiness to many who slurp it up. But the rise of ramen from the humble and historically unglamorous fuel of the working poor, to the international icon of Japanese culture took all of its 100 years to impact the world. And in its process, it’s garnered a reputation as an affordable and fashionable representation of…

February 16, 2019January 28, 2020

Darjeeling tea and why wine lovers drink it

A conversation with a friend the other day reminded me of my long-time favorite tea, Darjeeling. Why it hasn’t made a regular appearance in my cup as of late is something of a mystery, but I’ve been enamored with this tea for over 25 years. I came across Darjeeling at Rosallie, a French café in Las Vegas this week, and as I sipped it on that cold, windy morning feeling utterly content, I thought about owner Jonathan Pluvinet and how…

January 17, 2019January 20, 2019

DISH & TELL: Edible silk handkerchiefs and porchetta happiness

I’ve got one word for you. Mandilli. OK, full name – Mandilli di Seta. It means silk handkerchiefs (in the Ligurian dialect) and you know how they feel – soft, silky, supple, luxurious. Now imagine folds of pasta with the very same textures that is then generously loved with the most refined basil pesto you’ve ever had. The flavors of aromatic basil and almond gently pull through your spools of tastebuds like luscious, velvety ribbon, all to be enjoyed at The…

January 16, 2019January 16, 2019

WINE – Sip Trip: The orange wine powered by the moon from Bosnia-Herzegovina

While Bosnia-Herzegovina doesn’t produce a significant amount of wine, it does have a few thousand acres of productive vineyards situated mostly in the lower-lying areas between the Adriatic coast and Mostar. And located in the small town of Čitluk, a mere speck at the heart of the Bosnia-Herzegovina wine production, enterprising winemaking Josip Brkić and his twin sons produce wine made of native grapes Žilavka (white) and Blatina (red) that are not only as close to truly representative of the region, but…

January 13, 2019March 16, 2019

Sip Trip – What is it?

Ah, the sip trip. It’s a phrase I’ve been using since the day I realized what an incredible opportunity we have to be a able to connect the juice that is in the glass to a place in the world where it came from. It is virtual travel at its best. And why is this important? We don’t all have the privilege to travel the world and taste wine while standing on the very soils they come from. Short of…

August 11, 2018March 27, 2019

SIP TRIP: Discovering Ruchè inside Castagnole Monferrato’s original castle wall

It was raining off and on as I walked along the ramparts behind the original castle of Castagnole Monferrato until I arrived at 62, the address of La Miraja and Eugenio Gatti, a Ruchè producer. When I first had Ruchè a few years ago I was immediately captivated by its alluring characteristics. It happened to be Eugenio’s bottling and since then I’ve tasted Ruchè from other passionate producers, which have only fortified my love for this wine. Ruchè’s origins are…

August 10, 2018August 10, 2018

DISH & TELL: Gelato made with love

Can we agree that ice cream in its many forms is one of the most beloved foods on this planet? But, there’s only one other dairy-based dessert that can hold its ground against good old fashioned American ice cream. That is the Italian gelato. At Gelato di Milano (4950 S. Rainbow Blvd.) in Las Vegas, the cones are from a company in Rome that has been in the business of making cones since 1938, the pistachios are from Sicily, the hazelnuts from Piedmont.…

July 30, 2018July 31, 2018

WINE: Raise your wine IQ with rare and affordable wines worth discovering at Esther’s Kitchen

It happens all the time. We get obsessed with a favorite wine and we end up ordering it over and over again. With a little sense of adventure, we can leverage our obsession with our favorites and use it as a springboard to explore. What’s more, newly discovered wines – whether they be old world gems or a new world up-and-comers – are bound to raise both our eyebrows and our wine IQ. When a wine list clearly states that…

July 22, 2018July 22, 2018

Things of Beauty: Barolo Chinato and Valentina Abbona

Her appearance is as familiar as the girl next door. Yet, Valentina Abbona is bright, worldly, passionate and the face of the sixth generation of the Marchesi di Barolo estate. She and her family inherited a long-standing winemaking tradition of creating world-renowned wines. Overlooking the quaint village of Barolo located in Piedmont, Italy, it’s hard to miss the canary-yellow building finished with forest-green shutters marked in distinguished, large letters “Marchesi di Barolo.” The name is certainly rooted in history dating back…

July 6, 2018July 6, 2018

Collisioni 2018 shines bright with the Vino & Food Project

I saw a firefly for the first time in my life. While taking an evening stroll with colleagues after a sumptuous dinner at the Michelin Star Laconda del Pilone, as if like a miniature shooting star, the firefly appeared amongst the grape vines under June’s waning moon. Quite literally, this was the spark that marked the beginning of my experience at the 2018 Collisioni Festival Vino & Food Project. More than 70 selected wine experts, writers, and importers, sommeliers from 11 countries…