Filed under: Museum Cafe
What a pretty setting at our museum cafe with the wisteria in full swing…happy spring everyone!!
Filed under: Caroline's Seaside Cafe, Culinary Confessions, Dish of the Month, Features, Museum Cafe, Sculpture Court Cafe, Staying Healthy
Greetings and Happy New Year Everyone!
Usually when I’m getting ready to type my Giornale I have notes, photos and ideas already in place way in advance. I would say for every issue I prepare myself about a month in advance.
Now, since I haven’t done a Giornale in the last few months, then you know the outcome…I have so much to tell you. I’ll try to consolidate this issue down to the very best or to the most important parts of 2011.
So …where to begin?
Let me start out by saying that I am sitting at the desk in my new home office with a cup of espresso and a crazy cold and flu. But I couldn’t let it stop me… I just wanted to let you know in advance in case I misspell something or in my delirious mode I write something bizarre. I don’t deal very well with medicine to begin with, and combined with a shot of espresso….yeah baby….mind goes crazy!!
Speaking of what the mind can do, here’s a little story about sixth sense:
A few years back while visiting during the holidays, my father and I would drive down to Scripps pier where I would surf and my father would walk on the beach admiring the beauty of La Jolla.
At the end of my surf session, we would meet in the parking lot by the Institute of Oceanography. Back then the lot was kind of a mess with a large construction zone which would later become the Scripps Seaside Forum. Just out of curiosity and as good Italians, we managed to cross the fence and start walking through the construction zone. I had absolutely no idea what that building was going to be. We just walked around admiring the architecture and the layout of the space. Then my father pointed out a spot on the upper level (the building was almost fully completed) and said, “See up there…wouldn’t it be great to dedicate that space to a restaurant and have the best view in this city. You should look into it.”
I replied, “Dad, you’re out of your mind. There is no way anyone will get this spot. It must be for some office use or something.” After all, UCSD was in charge of this development, so I was thinking it would be for research more than food. But he insisted, “Son I am telling you right now, just look into it. Do me a favor so I can feel good about this a few years from now.”
My father is for sure no kind of medium or anything like that. He’s actually a very humble man who had an amazing career but had to retire at age 40 due to an illness that almost killed him. But he always had a great sense of business, and I have to be honest that without his wise advice at so many times in my life I wouldn’t be where I am today…who know where I would be.
I am a strong believer in the saying “Things happen for a reason.” I also believe that the best reason for that moment years ago was for me to appreciate being with him, listening to his advice once again. But as most of you know, part of that UCSD construction project turned into our newest venture – Caroline’s Seaside Café – which opened August 8th, 2011 and became one of the hottest spot in town.
So, looking back it was a special kind of intuition, or sixth sense, when my Dad not only had the vision to develop a restaurant in that space, but he saw ME being the person to do so. Being able to share this story means a lot to me, and I hope that you are all lucky enough to have a father like mine. I am forever grateful to him for what is has contributed to my life.
Man the espresso is working now.
I’m typing as fast as a Ferrari would race at the Grand Prix. Hey wait a minute, speaking of racing… Check this out, back in May one of my good friends kindly invited Salem and I to go stay on his brand new yacht which was being launched in Monaco during the Formula One Grand Prix.
We got to take a private flight, stay a week on the yacht, watch my dream car racing, eat good coastal French food, dance and drink until dawn, and follow it all up with a slice of pizza at 6am. Come on! For sure you didn’t have to twist my arm. For those who’ve never been in that part of the world during that time of year, I suggest you save whatever you need to so one day you can treat yourself to the most amazing time of your life.
On the boat we were fortunate enough to have one of the top chefs in the yacht industry (an Australian dude picked against all the Europeans lined up for the job), and we had some unbelievable meals on board. Lunch, dinner, happy hours….eating all day was definitely the highlight of the trip. But I have to be honest and hopefully not harsh, the food in the restaurants we tried was way below my expectations and in some cases quite bad. I don’t know if that was because that week the town goes crazy and every food establishment is completely packed, but it was not what I expected. They were over priced and over booked. At one restaurant, we had a reservation at 10pm, but weren’t seated until 1am for a “reasonable” price of 2000 euros. NUTS, isn’t it?
To avoid disappointment I suggest, if you happen to go, you opt for fine dining restaurants when possible. And for casual eating, stop at little shops to grab a slice of pizza or a salame baguette and a beer. It’s definitely worth it.
So thank you so much to my dear friend for treating us to such an amazing trip. His boat, one of a kind. The company, best ever. During the trip I was over my head excited, and even now I can’t talk enough about the fun time we had.
Another year of Philanthrophy has gone by…
Yes, once again we were able to make a difference in the charity world. As a company, not only did we have the privilege of catering some of the most amazing charity galas and help worthy organizations raise unbelievable amounts of money, on top of it I personally had the privilege to help create one of the newer galas in town.
The 3rd annual PEERS gala took place last November at a phenomenal private estate in Rancho Santa Fe. The PEERS Network is a professional not-for-profit group founded by local entrepreneurs who want to give back to the San Diego community. The evening was put together to benefit Just In Time (JIT), an volunteer-driven organization that assists former foster youth with the resources needed to ensure school, job and life success.
As a PEERS member, I kind of took charge of the event’s planning and logistics, but of course we worked as a team, and Just in Time helped so much along the way. What I personally handled was creating the food portion of the evening by inviting some of my chefs/friends to donate their food and their time for this amazing cause.
The evening started a bit rocky. No joke, we planned an outdoor event for 300 people and two days beforehand, the worst rain storm ever hits San Diego. So PLAN B kicked in and we rented a huge tent, and with the help of Janelle, our PEERS event coordinator, we managed to get lighting, cover every corner, and make room for everything outdoors. With that taken care of we thought, “Yeah, we’re good to go…right?”
The rain was so hard that it started dripping right into the tent! Panic…frantic moments…despite months of planning and thousands of dollars later, we are going to fail…but NO WAY…things happen for a reason… trust me…
We get there on party site early and start running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to cover everything, getting soaked with the water leaks in the tent. Then one of our PEERS has a great idea. “Let’s go get sand bags!” Sure let’s do it…only thing is, we didn’t account for the tent having to hold 300 guest, which would require not just a few but a few hundred sand bags… wow…go figure how to get them!
Long story short, we managed to get some sand bags, we did start right on time, the rain kept pouring all night, trees were falling on the street, people were delayed, the “F” word was the main word of the moment…people start arriving, one after another…the space got pretty full. It was like a reality show, but worse because I wasn’t just watching.
Fortunately, the outcome of the evening was that our 300+ guest raised a record (at least for us) of $175k.
Did I have to share all this with you…heck yeah!!!
After all we did, I think it’s a good lesson. Everyone can help, and through any circumstance and any challenge, you can make a difference in people’s life. So for this coming year, look in to helping others. You can always ask me for the names of any charity organizations that need help since I work with a boat load of them. Roll up your sleeves, get your check book ready and let’s do it.
DISH OF THE MONTH: Anello di Zucca Con Burrata e Bieta Saltata
No Giornale has ever been done without the recipe of the month….
Come on, after all my blog is called “Culinary Confessions” so I must talk about food at some point right?
Everyone wonders what is in season and what’s not. There is a perception that winter doesn’t offer much of a selection of good produce since it’s cold. But cold weather helps in growing specific things, and cold weather makes people think of comfort food. So the recipe I’m about to share with you is the perfect reflection of that.
You can use this recipe for your small dinners at home, or when you have some people over. Think gourmet, and spend some time creating something unique. Get away from those baby greens, dried cranberries and blue cheese salads and try something new as a starter.
You know that all my recipes are pretty easy and I call it “Dummy Proof,” which means they’re super easy to execute. On a recent visit to the Little Italy Mercato (Farmer’s Market every Saturday), I was walking around the produce stands looking for something that would be perfectly in season and could be served as a starter. I saw squash. I saw chards. I smelled the farm fresh garlic. Down the street I saw a cheese stand…blink…an idea came up in my head right away.
So I bought all of the ingredients, went back to our Museum Café in La Jolla and started playing with it. Here is the outcome:
Anello di Zucca Con Burrata e Bieta Saltata
Butternut Squash Ring with Burrata & Sauteed Swiss Chards
Download recipe for Butternut Squash Ring with Burrata and Sauteed Swiss Chards
Try it out…and enjoy with a crisp glass of sauvignon blanc.
Ok, we are getting close to the end. My espresso is gone and my cold keeps bothering me, so I guess going back to bed is my only option for the day.
Just some quick updates about our company before I wrap up:
- Of course most of you already know about Caroline’s Seaside Café. If you haven’t been there, you should go on a beautiful sunny day. It’s priceless.
- Museum Café in La Jolla celebrated our 10th year, and as a gift MCASD and ourselves decided to give it a little lift as far as colors, menu items and ambience. So look out for some new things coming up in the next few weeks and then share with me your thoughts…I love feedback.
- Sculpture Court Café was still going strong last year. Finally the awning issue over the Sculpture Court was resolved, and we had our best year ever. In addition to the new awning the Café will also get a little lift in the next few months, hopefully before the summer comes.
- And last but not least, we don’t talk about so much about this part of our business, but do you know that we have a fully licensed and insured bar services department? Well, I guess alcohol in this country means $$, because that was the most profitable part of our year. We now have three exclusive beverage contracts: Museum Of Contemporary Art, San Diego Museum Of Art and Scripps Seaside Forum. Looks like there are more to come, thanks to our beverage services team who did an extraordinary job last year earning the trust of many institutions and organizations during the busy season.
click for larger view
And to finish…I promise you I am done after this…
I am so excited about this I have to let you know. You know my other passion is sports. Finally after so many years of racing triathlons I decided to become one of the team sponsors for our Triathlon team Breakaway Training.
From now on when you see those bright orange uniforms at local or national races, look above the bib (yes, right at the athlete’s butt) you can see our name as the co-main sponsor.
I am so excited and so honored that in addition to that, I decided to go back racing longer distance. Therefore my training journey will start hopefully soon (once I feel better) and I will share that with you in the next few issues.
The first race of the year is Half Ironman Oceanside. For those of you who need a life change, talk to me about it. I’m a good listener, and I know I can help you and direct you to the right sources so you can be one of us.
Triathlon is not only a sport but a lifestyle and I embrace that every day…
That’s all people….talk to you soon!
Until then,
Mangia Bene e vivi meglio
Giuseppe Ciuffa
Filed under: Culinary Confessions, Features, Museum Cafe | Tags: giuseppe ciuffa, giuseppe fine catering, rowena kelley, san diego catering, san diego union tribune, veteran caterer
Rowena Kelley from the SD U-T spent some time behind the scenes with us before a party of 500. Read her story AND get some recipes…
Filed under: Culinary Confessions, Dish of the Month, Museum Cafe | Tags: artichokes, asparagus, Lance Armstrong, Mario Batali, Museum Cafe, olive oil
Greetings and Happy Spring!
Lately I’ve been thinking about people who inspire me, especially for their ability to overcome obstacles in their lives. One of the most moving books I’ve read was about Lance Armstrong called “It’s Not About The Bike.” There aren’t many people who can do what he did, to survive advanced cancer and come back to win one of the most extreme sport challenges (Tour De France) for the 7th time.
And then there’s one of my culinary idols, Mario Batali, a guy who doesn’t look even remotely Italian, with his red hair, pony tail, shorts and Crocs while cooking. But I love to read his books telling of his experiences in the culinary industry, like memories about his training at a tiny trattoria in a remote Italian village just to learn how to make pasta dough. Despite his difficulties, he became one of the most awarded chefs in the world, and he makes me extremely proud of Italian cuisine.
When I think back to my own experiences, the ones that stand out in my memory are either the most difficult failures – I mean “lessons” – or my most fulfilling achievements. I like to think that in the future I’ll be able to tell these stories in a way that helps people get past their own challenges. It’s become my pet project to put my memories to writing, and I hope this journal of mine can go from blog to book someday. When you read my “Culinary Confessions” blog, you’re actually reading thoughts that are making their way into chapters.
And like my role models, Mario Batali and Lance Armstrong, my stories will tell of a life that hasn’t been easy, but I’ve stayed true to who I am and the best has always come out of it.
So here’s your latest glimpse at a new chapter:
Mom and I at the farmhouse
A Culinary Upbringing…
I don’t know if I ever shared this with you, but I started working in this industry at the early age of 14. Just like a lot of teenagers, I was caught up in materialistic things, like designer brands, cool shoes, watches, scooters, and American gadgets. All I wanted was to have really cool stuff to show off to the girls. Quickly I realized that I needed to earn some money, so I went to work.
Soon I was making enough money to buy whatever I wanted, so I pulled out of school right after 8th grade and never went back. Instead I visualized where I wanted to be one day and started pursuing those dreams. My goals were to have my own business, be self sufficient, create something that my family could benefit from one day, but most of all I wanted to make my parents proud. They weren’t very pleased with my decision, but once Mom realized how serious I was about working, she let it go and stopped making me feeling guilty about it.
Back then my Mom owned a produce shop, and most of the products would come in daily from our farm. Around this time of the year, the Artichoke Harvest was in full swing, and her clients would order sometimes 2-3 weeks in advance then wait right at the shop for my father to arrive. His minivan would be packed full of gorgeous Artichokes of many sizes, still wet from the morning dew and shiny as gold. The artichokes were part of my family, because my father took care of those plants as much as he would take care of me and my sister. He put so much passion and love into them. I can still remember their delicious flavor, even though it’s been 15 years.
My passion for spring ingredients comes from those memories. Spring is truly my favorite season, because everything is bright green (one of my very favorite colors), and there are so many great flavors to combine. My mom used to make this dish call “Scafata”, which had slow-cooked fava beans, artichokes, new potatoes, and the most amazing wild mint picked from the field. She would serve it on a crusty piece of bread and drizzle some olive oil over the top along with a handful of grated Parmiggiano. Man, it was good!
I also remember walking around the olive farm looking for things like Wild Mushrooms, Wild Arugula and another great vegetable called “Asparagina,” which translates to Little Asparagus. They’re tiny little pencil asparagus, almost as thin as a toothpick, but so full of flavor. We would make a Frittata with them and the eggs would come from our 1500 crazy chickens that were always running around everywhere. I don’t think I would ever find Asparagina in this country, so I make up for it by using asparagus in creative ways. One of my all time favorite Asparagus dishes is “Asparagi Milanese”, an asparagus dish with my own twist…
DISH OF THE MONTH:
Asparagi Milanese con Uovo e Prosciutto
Milan Style Asparagus with Fried Egg and Prosciutto
Just like any other dish in the culinary world, chefs have their own method of preparation, and even when recipes should be set in stone, we still add our own spin to it just for fun.
The Asparagi Milanese recipe is actually quite simple. It’s just steamed asparagus, grated Parmiggiano, olive oil, lemon juice and seasonings. But I added a couple of ingredients to make the dish a little more flavorful and more interesting.
If you host a dinner this would be the perfect “starter” to serve instead of the everyday salad or soup. With so many foodies around these days, you want to give your guests something out of the ordinary. This is also a great meal to fix after a long day. To use for dinner, just increase the quantities proportionally and you will have a great entrée.
The following recipe will prepare a starter for 4 to be plated individually:
20 Jumbo asparagus
4 Organic brown eggs
4 Slices of San Daniele Prosciutto
1 Lemon
1/2 Cup grated Parmiggiano Reggiano
1 Tsp Pink peppercorn
1 Tsp Olive oil
Kosher salt
Fill up a large pot with water, add one handful of Kosher Salt and bring to a Boil. Place asparagus in boiling water and cook covered for about 10 minutes until semi soft. Drain asparagus and let it rest. Julienne or slice the prosciutto in very thin strips.
In a large skillet, heat up 1 Tbsp of olive oil, place the prosciutto and let it get crispy, when done let it rest on a paper towel.
In a no stick skillet heat up 1 Tbsp of olive oil, crack the eggs and cook them over easy.
Per each serving place 5 asparagus on the plate, add some grated Parmiggiano, add the crispy prosciutto, drizzle some olive oil, squeeze a little lemon juice, add some pink peppercorn, salt to taste and at the very end place the fried egg on top and enjoy with a good slice of crusty bread.
My wine suggestion for this specific dish is Sauvignon Blanc or even better a semi dry Rose.
Museum Cafe at MCASD
I’m not sure why, but I recently realized that I haven’t talked much about our Museum Café at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. Last week, instead of eating my lunch at my desk and checking email, I sat outside at the end of the lunch rush. It was a great sunny day, so I opted for a nice table under the veranda with its blooming wisterias. It was so pleasant and relaxing, I felt like I was back in Europe. I decided to take a photo and post it here and on our Facebook page to let everyone know how lucky I felt to have such a gracious space to operate my business.
Wisteria in bloom at Museum Cafe
The wisteria is truly an attraction for people. We can barely do a seating without a full round of people waiting at the doors for those tables. So in honor of Spring and the Summer fast approaching, we are going to switch gears and adapt the Museum Cafe menu to the season’s best ingredients. Be on the lookout for some new items coming on board.
How do these sound… Grilled Artichoke Bottoms and Egg White Scramble complete with Garden Pesto and Sundried Tomatoes. Or how about Asparagus Grilled Cheese on Bread & Cie Sourdough with Black Truffle Butter, Vermont Cheddar and Mozzarella?
Oh and by the way, for all the ladies who’ve been after me for not having a chopped salad, this one’s for you…Local Baby Lettuce, Hass Avocado, Sweet 100’s cherry tomatoes, corn, feta, all tossed together with a light Red Wine Vinaigrette. Come on, now we’re getting serious! Though I would love to tell you all about the new seasonal menu, it’s always good to keep a few secrets…
One more thing, before Cousin Rosa kicks my a&$, the new batch of Olive Oil has been shipped. This is the 2009 Harvest (we call the new batch OLIO NUOVO), and it’s top of the top of the top of the line blow-your-mind type stuff. But please remember, I can only order so many bottles at the time. I have 60 bottles coming for this one, so I would highly suggest ordering ahead. I’ll try to have some available if you walk in, but bottles will be reserved first for advance orders.
Man, it’s almost noon, and no wonder my stomach has started rumbling. I’ve been writing about all this great food and I just realized that I haven’t eat yet. But as I go, wish me luck for my big day tomorrow. The GMAN (this has become my Triathlon nick name) has returned to racing! I’ll keep you posted on the results. For now, I’m going to prepare myself a nice carb-loaded dish and start mentally preparing for a good physical challenge. As always…….Mangia Bene e Vivi Meglio!
Truly Yours,
Giuseppe
