Mario Batali looks like the kind of guy that enjoys a good party and, considering how passionate he is about Italian food, it is safe to assume that any party Mario is involved in is going to have good food and a whole lot of it. He may not be coming over for the holidays, but his menus can certainly become a part of tradition with Mario Batali Holiday Food. This cookbook covers two holidays for a total of four meals: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. The meals a huge and involved, so perhaps Mario really does expect them to last all day.

Mignardises are the tiny, bite-sized desserts that follow a meal at high-end restaurants. Often they include tiny cookies or truffles, as well as other edible delights. Vittles Vamp reported that when she ate at Mario Batali's Otto Pizzeria in New York, all of the diners were given a very unusual after-dinner treat: a tube of lip balm. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine/Breath Freshener, to be specific, which is a "mint-infused lip balm [that] provides a glossy high shine with a refreshing cooling sensation" and retails for $7.50. At Otto, which is a mid-range eatery, the balms were gratis with the meal. But why were they given out? Is it a form of product placement or is Batali trying to make some sort of statement in giving out an after-meal refreshment in a more unusual form than a simple mint?

It looks like Mario Batali is giving up on one of his New York eateries, Bistro du Vent, only 15 months after its opening. The Bistro is located on 9th St. in midtown Manhattan. It received reviews ranging from "not bad" to "deeply satisfying" and Frank Bruni gave it two stars, so the food isn't what is causing the sale. Its downfall was probably helped by the scandal that occurred last year, in which "four employees - including a chef - were caught on [security] videotape in a steamy after-hours sex romp" in the restaurant. Though the employees were subsequently fired, it's not the sort of thing that necessarily enhances a restaurant's reputation. Bistro du Vent has 12 years left on the lease and a $13,500 monthly rent.