Porcini mushrooms, cèpes to the French, are among the most satisfyingly succulent and flavorful of fungi, umami-laden and densely textured. They’re fairly easy to obtain dried and to reconstitute, but fresh ones are sometimes sold by high-end purveyors. Now Gustiamo, a source in the Bronx for excellent products from Italy, has started importing jarred funghi porcini from Borgolab, a porcini specialist in Val di Taro in Emilia-Romagna. The fresh mushrooms are sliced, blanched in white wine vinegar, seasoned with bay, cloves, cinnamon and pepper, then preserved in olive oil. Add them to an antipasto platter; to salads, crostini or pastas; or cook them, crisped in a pan or skewered with chicken livers or meatballs for grilling.
Borgolab Porcini Sott’Olio, $22 for 6.7 ounces, gustiamo.com.
Class Is in Session at De Gustibus
De Gustibus, the cooking school that features chefs, has started its session for spring with a worthy lineup. In-person demonstrations with a tasting and wine pairings — most are $135 — are held at Macy’s with the option to attend on Zoom ($30). Austin Johnson of One White Street will be on hand on Feb. 27 in person ($150) and virtually; Stefano Secchi of Rezdôra on Mar. 2 is only available virtually; Zach Bondy from the new Cornelius on Mar. 6 can be booked both virtually and in person; as can Brian Yurko of Queensyard with Lisa Simon of Haute Caviar on March 8; and Ned Baldwin of Houseman on Mar. 9.
De Gustibus Cooking School by Miele at Macy’s, degustibusnyc.com.
For a Deluxe Valentine’s Day
Foie gras is an indulgence, to be sure, and for now it is still legal in New York City. For luxury-minded diners who aren’t vegan or vegetarian, the simple, silky foie gras terrine from Tastings NYC, the Harlem-based caterer and event venue, suits an intimate Valentine’s Day dinner at home. The chef Philippe Bertineau — formerly of Payard Pâtisserie and Bistro, Benoit and Polo Bar — now consults for Tastings NYC and has prepared this terrine for two in a red crock It comes with Sauternes gelée, Himalayan sea salt and crushed pink peppercorns for garnish in a gift box filled with fresh rose petals, and can be delivered in Manhattan or picked up.
Foie gas terrine, $140, Tastings NYC, 251 East 110th Street, 212-744-4422, tastingsnyc.com.
Explore the World of Mushrooms
Rich in umami and known for their health properties, fungi are a kingdom of life all of their own.
Nosh While You Walk
The term nosh is embedded in the lingua franca of the Lower East Side. It now inspires a walking tour conducted by the Museum at Eldridge Street. Participants will learn about Jewish immigrant life more than 100 years ago, and how the neighborhood has evolved, while noshing on pickles, knishes and dumplings. The tour will be led by Richard Soden, a docent of the museum who lives in the neighborhood. Food is included in the ticket price.
“Eldridge Eats: A History of the Lower East Side Food Tour, Sunday, 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., $33.46 to $38.77. Museum at Eldridge Street, 12 Eldridge Street (Division Street), 212-219-0888, eldridgestreet.org.
A Mini-Cookie Box for Someone Special
Linzer cookies with a heart-shaped cutout have been a perennial staple from the Vienna Cookie Company, Heidi Riegler’s bakery in Baldwin, N.Y. They’re among the Valentine’s Day assortments this year, but they have competition from something new: a gift box of irresistible mini-cookies, including little thumbprints in chocolate and vanilla, chocolate rum truffle bites, vanilla balls and linzers; two dozen for $45. Other Valentines assortments are $30 to $50. Nationwide shipping is available.
A Vermouth Inspired by Turin
The jury is still out, but the Northern Italian city of Turin is often credited with having created vermouth — if not the originally medicinal quaff itself, at least the culture of sipping it as an aperitif. Elisabetta Balzola, a native of Turin, is an enthusiastic flag-waver. An artist, she came to the United States with her family in 2014 and settled in Troy, Mich., near Detroit, and opened a catering company and restaurant, Cucina Lab. “Vermouth belongs to Torino,” she said, as she poured glasses of her new Rosso Bitta’s Vermouth at a meeting with this reporter in Detroit last fall. It’s made to her specifications in Turin, following what she says is the original recipe from 1786, with white cortese grapes, herbs and spices. This sweet vermouth is herbaceous, also suggesting blood orange, licorice, chocolate and sweet ginger. Now, after a limited release in the Detroit area, it is more widely available.
Cucina Lab Torino Rosso Bitta’s Vermouth, $39 for 500 milliliters (16.9 ounces), $39, Cellary, cellary.com.
