Sipping Vintage Tunina and Cutting Your Carrots with Great Heat

Last weekend Dr. Alex packed his bags and departed for an important medical conference that was being held in Mayberry. (Maybe, he was there visiting Sheriff Andy and Aunt Bee since he is not really a doctor, but that is another issue). Now with some alone time, White Fang and I curled up for a nice summer’s afternoon read. After perusing through my bookcase I decided upon, Heat by Bill Buford.

Well here we are several days later and I have finally finished what turned out be a very rewarding reading adventure. This is a wonderfully written, passionately told story by and about Bill Buford and his gastronomic journey into learning the craft of chefdom.

Bill Buford willingly checks his ego at the door, endures difficult working conditions - both physical and emotional - emerging, truly understanding what it takes to really be a great cook. To be sure, I enjoyed reading about the food (since I am a bit of a foodie), restaurants, and famous chefs. Mostly, however, I appreciated Bill Buford’s story and the sometimes forgotten element of learning a craft from the bottom up. Buford mentions an aspiring chef who leaves the comforts of New York to work in a small, rustic restaurant in Italy. While the young hot shot chef is in Italy, his mentor puts him in the kitchen, instructing him to cut carrots. For one whole year the ambitious young chef cuts carrots, nothing more just carrots.

That passage truly hit home for me, since we all know that the young chef was probably frustrated and miserable, spending one whole year of his life performing a menial task that he felt was beneath him. What he did not understand at the time was that this was probably the most important education of his young life.

As the young chef was cutting the carrots he was making great strides in mastering his chosen craft. The young chef had the benefit of watching and learning from the head chef as well as all the other workers in the kitchen. We are never told, but I am positive that when the young chef returned to New York his personal and professional skills have greatly increased.

In our current world we educate our children at the best schools, but we deny them the opportunities that result from real, on-the-job experience. Our freshly educated young men and women expect to go from school to stardom in one fell swoop, lacking the necessities to prepare them to master their desirable occupation. Being mentored and learning the basics becomes a nuisance instead of an important path to conquering what they really need to know to perfect their craft.

Quite honestly, it doesn’t matter if you want to be a great barista at Starbucks, the manager of a high end restaurant, a top notch attorney or a world class wine maker; you need to be patient, check your ego at the door, endure the sacrifices, and cut the carrots over and over again to master the craft of your chosen profession.

Bill Buford more than cut his carrots in living and writing this book that I highly enjoyed and recommend with 5 aprons.

Regarding winemaking, when Dr. Alex returned from Mayberry we met our friends, Robert and Emily Hartley (you remember them from the Bob Newhart Show) at a new delizioso, Trattoria close to our home. I was given the white wine assignment and selected the 2006 Vintage Tunina, from the experienced wine producer, Silvio Jermann. This wine is a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Ribolla, Gialla and Malvasia. Beautifully intense, elegant, honey scents on the nose, dry, well balanced, with apple, apricot and some cream on the palate.

The Jermann 2006 Vintage Tunina is from Silvio Jermann a man who has devoted his time and energy cutting the carrots to master the craft of winemaking. This approx. $65.00 wine deservedly is appropriated 5 nicely starched aprons.

I would really enjoy hearing what wines you are enjoying this summer. Please share your experiences, there is lots of room at my table.

Wishing you well cut carrot tops and orange stains on your apron.

XXOO

Mrs. Reed