Italy at Your Table

by Connie Miller (CCKC “House Mistress”)
a weekly peek into one of CCKC’s special events

The Culinary Center of Kansas City was the first stop on Filippo Bartolotta’s “ Italy at Your Table” tour. He came to Overland Park via 2 CCKC patrons that met him while on a wine tour of Tuscany. When they discovered he planned to tour the states introducing Americans to the joy of Italian wine they were one of the first to book “Italy at Your Table”.

In his beautiful Italian shoes and very hip jacket Filippo stood in front of the teaching island in the intimate Santa Fe kitchen. He kept the 36 guests and 3 waitstaff entranced w/ his stories and descriptions of the wines. Starting w/ Panizzi Vernaccia di Sangimignano Riserva 2006 and ending 5 wines later w/ the Cepparello 2006. Along the way he compared and contrasted 2 wines from 2001; the Grattamacco and Camp Quadro Barbaresco Punset.

During the appetizer reception Chef Matt and his talented staff presented cumin cured salmon crostini w/ tahini yogurt and bruschette w/ balsamic figs and goat cheese. The kitchen crew really got to shine during the plated tapas. Wild mushroom risotto w/ truffle oil, lamb kebob w/ pomegranate glaze and seared pork tenderloin w/ grape tomato chutney made the food as memorable as the wine, I thought, until, at the end of the evening, one guest pulled me aside and said the wine she would forget, but she would never forget the food. Hmmmmmmm……