EXTRA VIRGIN POP-UP DINNER

Two Saturdays ago, David and I crossed the tunnel into Brooklyn to sit in on one of Gabrielle Corco's and Debi Mazar's pop-up dinners. As long-time fans of their Cooking Channel show, Extra Virgin, and enthusiastic explorers of their (fairly) new cooking book, Extra Virgin: Recipes & Love from Our Tuscan Kitchen, we were what you could call a tad bit excited when the supper series were first announced. All said dinners were to be held just a thirty minute drive from our doorstep in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn, featuring a lovely seven course dinner menu from the book with wine pairings, intimately crafted to serve a maximum of 20 guests per event. We purposely chose the last Saturday in September as our night to attend as a way of welcoming ourselves back home to good eats and company here on our east coast turf, just a few days post our Oregon trip.

The eatery chosen to host the event was hidden in a darling tree-lined, brownstone family neighborhood. Walking up the street hand in hand with David, we noted autumn was definitely upon us. Fall's electric chill beginning to nip at our faces, porch lights on, pumpkins and mums to boot on every other stoop -- simply autumn. At any rate, twilight behind us, we made our way into the vibrant cafe where we were instantly greeted at the door by Gabrielle Corcos himself and aperol spritzers, freshly poured and handed over by one of his lovely teammates, smiles included. Here I must add that Gabrielle is without a shadow of a doubt, true-to-form as he presents himself on his cooking show: a real deal Tuscan sweetheart and host. His glam doll of a wife, Debi (which we met a little later on and even got to take a selfie with LOL), was no exception to the Tuscan charm. We were made to feel at home in no time. The prized selfie is on my instagram account, blackeyesandpie. 

Once seated, delicious plates for our enjoyment were brought out. (As a side note, I'd like to pay tribute to the attention to chivalry in the service for the night, for all women were served first, gentlemen second. Just a standard that's not typically upheld or seen these days, especially considering the hustle-and-bustle city living we are part of, where all is moving fast and few take the time to slow down and make kind gestures). We started out with delicious pecorino with local honey and hot pepper, a Tuscan white bean bruschetta (which I loved), and steak tartare, served on a cured lemon wheel. Next up was a simply delicious lentil soup made with pecorino cheese rinds and accompanied by crusty, rustic bread. The latter was scrumptious at its best. Spoons were entirely optional.

All dishes were accompanied by wine pairings. First the multipuciano. Then the sangiovese, followed by the chianti, which stood up well to all of the pasta and heartier dishes. Now I'm not a girl who knows her wine enough to chat about it, but I can recognize good, delicious wine, and whether I can enjoy it or not. I enjoyed all of it.

If I can remember correctly, 2 pasta dishes were brought out: cavatappi in a hearty "fake" meat sauce (pasta al Sugo Finto made with mirepoix and chianti), and what I crowned as the star of the show, Pasta alla Gricia. Maybe it's my love for sage, or maybe it was the perfectly done guanciale. Either way, the delicate combination of guanciale, garlic, sage, and pecorino cheese was what dreams are made of. Mine, anyway.

My other favorite dish of the night was the porchetta, which Gabrielle explained was slow cooked in an IPA beer with aromatics like garlic, sage, fennel seeds, and rosemary. Truth is, I'm married to a Puerto Rican and Cuban man, and pork (pernil) is taken pretty seriously. We hold the bar pretty high for succulent, spicy slow-cooked pork. Gabrielle's porchetta rendition was a perfectly crusted and tender piece of heaven. It did not disappoint.

I should add that with each dish coming out hot from the open style kitchen, a presentation (or intimate chat, rather) on inspirations, ingredients, traditions, and recommendations for pairings, was offered by Gabrielle. Debi tuned in to talk with us about her experiences and love for Tuscan cooking. Their girls stopped by to peep in, more wine was offered, and the chatting shifted from savory to sweet. They were darling. 

Dessert was amaretti cookies + mascarpone creme cups, espresso, and limoncello shots for those feeling like a burning cleanse. I'm a fan of light, creamy desserts that aren't too sweet. This one packed in deep flavors and texture integrity I really enjoyed. I haven't taken a look at the recipe just yet but I suspect it's a no-frills, simply delicious treat to whip up for the holiday season. 

Before the night wrapped up, time was made for chatting and book signing. All in all, the event was cozy and well curated, allowing for a good night out in good company. Our consensus? Reserve your seat while the getting is still good. Although prices have gone up from the first round, our take-home from the whole ordeal simply put was deliciously done, farm-to-table, sustainable, good food and wine. I don't believe there are many events like these in New York City, especially not as specially planned and crafted, and definitely not with as much involvement and heart as that put forward by the wonderful Gabrielle and Debi. 

For a complete line-up of the dishes served + more information on the pop-up dinners, visit the Under The Tuscan Gun website.