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Lucy Lean

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in Chef· Must read· People Who Inspire Me· Worth a Special Journey

Mozza’s Feast of the Pig with Joe Bastianich

Mozza Scuola di Pizza Wine Tasting and Pig Feast with Joe Bastianich

It’s always a treat to have dinner at Mozza in any of its various incarnations on the corner of Highland and Melrose – be it the Pizzeria for lunch with the kids, a girls’ night out dinner at the Amaro Bar at the Osteria, or a pizza class at Scuola di Pizza – or treat above all treats Mozza 2 Go in front of the fire at home whilst watching a really great movie. However, the treat that beats all of these is having dinner there hosted by Joe Bastianich and Nancy Silverton, the two of them up close and personal and in the house!

Joe Bastianich talks Friuli wine and cuisine

I am lucky to be able to count Joe as a friend, we have shared some really fun times together, usually in the form of some sort of road trip: A ‘pub crawl’ in his grease fueled truck to his many establishments in New York, with bubbles rather than the usual pint of beer at each stop. Or the time I drove him down to his audition for Masterchef (he texted to ask what pizza I’d like for the ride – nice!), in a torrential rain storm when we laughed about living an episode from Entourage and since I was the driver that qualified me as Turtle. Once he insisted on collecting me from JFK in the freezing cold and then whisked me into the city for Champagne at Babbo. Along the way we have shared food, vino and laughs – and have a surprisingly high score of some appalling lunches and dinners together but that’s another story and for the sake of kindness probably best never discussed. Back to the pig…

What I love about dining in the Scuola di Pizza is being right next to where the food is being cooked. You literally eat in the kitchen as Nancy, Chad, Daliah and their trusted crew cook and plate the next course at the stoves behind the black marble counter. If you haven’t yet booked a class or family dinner – be it pizza, butchery, pork or desserts you really should.

Nancy Silverton Cooks Pig Feast at Mozza Scuola di Pizza

The Feast of the Pig is a tradition from Italy, in particular the area known as Friuli north of Venice, where Joe’s family are from. Joe explained that the pig is killed in the morning and the day is spent making dishes from each part – nothing is wasted – a tale of snout to tail that stretches back over centuries. I didn’t want to think about piggies eyelids going into the sausages – this is how we always referred to sausages growing up. Sometimes it’s best not to dwell too much on what you are eating and just enjoy the flavors. I was sitting next to Krissy Lefebvre (Ludo was sick and couldn’t make it) and she was adamant that her sausage looked better than mine! Do guys have these conversations?

Chad Colby Sausage pork pie

Joe paired wines that he makes in the Friuli region with the multi-course dinner that Chef Chad Colby had prepared from a single pig. Not surprisingly there was a lot of pork – salumi, sausage, soup, ham, roast loin, a giant pork pie – each dish more delicious than the previous course. At the end of the evening Chad proudly showed me the salami curing made from Gloucester Old Spots [we raised two on the farm in Devon when I was a child – named Princess Mary and Princess Elizabeth – or some such royal name that can now be found starring in The King’s Speech!] I’m still campaigning with hubby to let me keep Mangalitsa’s up here in the Hollywood Hills for bacon and pork chops and Remy’s already decided they are going to be called Pinky and Perky.

Even chefs like to snap a pic of their handy work in the moments between the stove and the plate.

I really wish I could have eaten more food because when dessert came I was full to bursting – the golden pancakes pushed me over the edge and I knew I’d reached my limit! That’s until I noticed the blood orange sorbetto – but then as an exboyfriend always insisted on saying, there’s ALWAYS room for ice-cream.

Part of our evening’s entertainment was having Joe tell us about his mother’s soup and how Chad had managed to recreate something as good as anything Lidia had ever made – a Proustian moment Chad should be proud of because Joe came back to the soup story later in the evening. He also mentioned in passing the award winning wines he and his mother are making in this region of Italy. Joe explained how the Friulano is an indigenous grape variety to the region of Friuli. If I’m not drinking bubbles – the Flor has been a go to prosecco during the holiday period – mainly because I like the bottle, then I’m a big fan of the Vespa Bianco – all I know is that it paired really well with the pork and most importantly didn’t give me a headache.

Bastianich new book with wine from Friuli and Flor

Our going home present was a signed copy of Joe’s new book Grandi Vini: An opinionated tour of Italy’s 89 finest wines. I’m looking forward to exploring this ancient bevarage – vino – in more detail through Joe’s dry wit with it’s lingering clean finish and because it gives me reason to open a few more bottles – tasting anyone?

Filed Under: Chef, Must read, People Who Inspire Me, Worth a Special Journey Tagged With: Amaro Bar, Chad Colby, Dahlia Narvaez, Feast of the Pig, Flor, Friulano, Friuli, Grandi Vini, Italy, Joe Bastianich, Lidia Bastianich, Mozza, Nancy Silverton, Pizzeria Mozza, Scuola di Pizza, Vespa Bianco

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Comments

  1. Maria says

    January 17, 2011 at 10:14 am

    I am so bummed we didn’t make it to Mozza when we were in CA. Next time! Great post!

  2. Molly Chester says

    January 17, 2011 at 10:50 am

    Wow! This looks like it was incredible! And, I wanted to thank you for your comments about the London post! I appreciated the “devon” help! I changed it on the blog. I unfortunately don’t think we will make it to Paris this time, but I enjoyed dreaming about it from your email. 🙂 The Ottelenghi that we are going to is in Notting Hill, I believe. I think it’s just a take-away type of place, but I don’t mind, I just want to try a cup of coffee and something lovely.

    Thanks again, and talk soon! Molly

  3. marla says

    January 18, 2011 at 6:39 pm

    Again, this is another event I remember hearing about & it looks like I missed out (or one like it??) So glad that I have at least tried Mozza. Amazing & I look forward to going back. As far as all those piggy parts are concerned….Best that I just enjoy & not know more 😉

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Always chasing rainbows 🌈 woke up to this odd l Always chasing rainbows 🌈 woke up to this odd light and thought if the sun just came up and it’s raining there must be a rainbow 🌈 and sure enough there it is! New administration and a new day for America and the world #GoJoe #GoKamala #MadameVicePresident
I lingered round them, under that benign sky; watc I lingered round them, under that benign sky; watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells; listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass; and wondered how anyone could ever imagine unquiet slumbers, for the sleepers in that quiet earth.  #WutheringHeights #EmilyBronte the in between - How it started How it ended - bedroom monochromatic light at 7am this morning to 7pm tonight and cocktail time with Tink gin and @david_austin_roses post parents evening and then in the middle I went on a walk with @chloescotland - actually it was an adventure to find the prettiest 13th century church with a moat and a graveyard filled with snowdrops and the tiniest grave - a child? And headstones that were leaning over - I thought tipsy Chloe thought giving up and I was reminded of the Brontë passage about #unquietslumbers #ghostsinmygarden swop harebells for snowdrops - the peace and quiet of a tiny graveyard with a moat and lopsided headstones and peace and quiet - a moment of calm and hope as the #inauguration looms large and as we keep to the rules of lockdown #stayhome #staysafe
Anxiety levels have been high these last few weeks Anxiety levels have been high these last few weeks and just when you think it can’t get any worse it does - Covid levels rising and hospitals dealing with record numbers of very unwell patients, a third lockdown and schools going online and exams cancelled, then there was the runoff in Georgia 💙 overshadowed by the insurrection in D.C. which led to the swift impeachment (again), there’s the excitement of Joe Biden’s inauguration that is being sucked away by the pandemic, the rise of white supremacy with troops guarding the Capitol and ever present fear.  But through it all we have to have hope - for the vaccine, for the teachers helping our kids learn online, for the nurses and doctors working against the odds, for M&S and Ocado deliveries,for a new administration, for arrests of violent rioters, for congress doing its job and for decency to be about to be sworn in.  It’s a lot and we all struggle daily to keep our heads above water.  On a personal level I find painting helps, as do walks in nature and family suppers, I’m wearing pretty dresses, silk underwear and wrapping myself in soft cashmere and yes I’m consuming more champagne than I usually do - if not now then when?  #Lockdown #Stayhome #staysafe #EnglishCountryHouse #EnglishCountryside
#snowdrops went for a walk to search for snowdrops #snowdrops went for a walk to search for snowdrops today - last year the lawn was carpeted in white, this year nothing.  Maybe they are late? Painted a small bunch #oilpaint #flowerpainting #snowdroppainting a sign of #spring I chickened out of painting the tiny glass jug that was a Christmas present - not sure I know how to paint that aqua colour - help!  #EnglishCountryhouse #EnglishCountryGarden #englishcountryside #Lockdown #Staysafe #stayhome
Frosted primroses #oilpainting sketch #sundaysketc Frosted primroses #oilpainting sketch #sundaysketch - we haven’t had snow but this magical frozen landscape is a beautiful alternative - painting again because that’s what got me through the last lockdown #painting #Englishcountryhouse #Englishcountryside #frost #ice #lockdown #staysafe #stayhome
#Lockdown weekend post a crazy time in the world o #Lockdown weekend post a crazy time in the world of #covid #brexit #onlineschool  #Georgia and then the #insurrection in D.C. I took it easy today - I tidied and cleaned #declutter #springcleaning I even cleaned out the #snack cupboard and found the plates I bought and had put in a safe place @jimbobart and made a couple of loaves of @richardbertinet #sourdough ready to wake up and bake tomorrow xxx #stayhome #staysafe #EnglishCountryHouse #Englishinteriors #Georgian #architecture
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