"chianti" news and stories

• If you want to do a pig roast right, you want to go old school.
• Artisanal farmers might be feeling kind of popular with chefs these days.
• Have you been to the post-Marcus Samuelsson Aquavit yet?
• Chianti, I don't even know who you are anymore.
• Stout is the newest power ingredient to activate.

The name Frescobaldi may immediately evoke both history (the Tuscan family has made wine since the 1300s and once traded wine for Michelangelo's paintings) and quality (they are responsible for some of the top Brunellos in the region).

In these lean economic times, Frescobaldi is trying on an new image -- value. According to industry research, people are still drinking vino, but they're trading down. A $30-per-bottle kind of guy may now be springing for $20 bottles. Folks who snagged $15 bottles in the fat days of 2008 may be hunting for $10 wines in the lean days of 2009.

But no one wants wines as thin as their portfolios. Can we get the same quality at a lower price?

The Times Tasting Panel tries French Roast coffees, everything from big guns like Starbucks down to local micro-roasts, and in the end, decide they all taste burnt.

Humble apples and pears get sophisticated with the addition of savory ingredients: Savory Pear Clafoutis, Calvados-braised Chicken with Apples, and Apple Pan Bagnat.

Jewish new year holiday Rosh Hashana begins this week and instead of sticking with northern and eastern European dishes which seem too heavy for LA's lingering summer weather, discover the Mediterranean: Roasted whole whitefish with charmoula and French green lentils, Apple and honey sorbet with pomegranate sauce, and Carrot and pomegranate soup.

Out on the dining scene, SIV goes to the heart of Chianti and dines family-style at Solociccio. She also gives West, the restaurant atop the new Angeleno Hotel in Bel Air, half a star (½ ) for good antipasto, a fabulous view of the westside, but falling short on pasta and steaks. Linda Burum visits LA's only Potuguese bakery, Natas Pastries to try the tiny custard tarts of the same name: natas.

Ah, Florence -- that beautiful Northern Italian city split snugly along the banks of the winding Arno River. After Rome and Venice, Florence is one of the biggest draws for international tourism in Italy. And it's with good reason that millions flock there every year -- between the art and the local cuisine, Florence offers endless options to the foreign traveler (myself included).

When I lived in Milan, I would occassionally take gastro-tourism trips to Florence to enjoy the rich Tuscan cuisine. I was lucky enough to have a couple of Italian friends who were willing to help me pick through extensive menus and wine lists to find the most authentic, or as the Italians say, the "tipica" foods of the region.