Spring cuisine

As a little blast from the past and, of course, to balance Paolo's unhealthy ways of eating a bit, here are some of the dishes I cooked this spring, when we had more green asparagus and ruccola in the garden the we could possibly eat. Enjoy.

Firenze — Paolo sighting!

As a more flamboyant dresser (most of the time) than yours truly, Don Paolo keeps attracting the eyes (and lenses) of fashion bloggers all over the world. Here is great example from tetinotete's tumblr (which happens to float around a couple of other blogs including my very own one, too) showing him in exquisite summer getup and signature greasy hair, donning one of the most photographed accessories Pitti Uomo ever saw: the red briefcase.

Stupid grin, new haircut and a bow tie

I am away from the South-German Suitorial Headquarters also known as Munich for some days, recreating and concentrating on a paper I have to hand in shortly. The picture above was taken after a three hour drive through the bavarian countryside (hence the picturesque backdrop) and may very well be the last photo of yours truly sporting any form of proper neckwear for about the next fourteen days (neckerchiefs might show up from time to time, though). I am glad I chose a new number made by Drake's of London for the occasion. Other elements include a stupid grin and a new haircut. You may or may not ignore these.

Decisions, decisions...

Choosing a shirt collar is not exactly as was as you might imagine — at least it isn't once a shirtmaker tells you he (or, in this case, she) can basically make any collar shape for you and doesn't have predefined patterns to choose from. Of course, for those of you who can appreciate a fully bespoke process, this is the only way to choose a shirt collar at all! In the picture: Some sample shirt collars made by my Munich-based shirtmaker. For the record: I have never limited myself to any of these but designed several shapes on my own since I have been using the firm. Two of the collars in the picture were made upon my suggestion for clients I introduced to the small, family-owned business the picture was taken at.

Trial and error. And trial.

I was at my shoemaker the other day for a re-fitting of an already finished pair which proved to be too short overall. My last will be tweaked accordingly, with a longer toe box. Additionally, I expressed my desire for an even narrower bevelled waist and rounder toe shape. All changes have been marked directly onto the shoe and in about four weeks I will be able to see whether or not the changes were worthwhile. Another four weeks from the trial shoe to the finished product and I am ready to go (again).
By the way, I also brought a friend with me for a fitting of his first bespoke shoe (trial stage). Pictures of his shoes may or may not come up here in the following days.

Manly dinner, take two

Normally, Paolo is the one and only guy in the gang to post photos of a manly meal. Well, I hope he doesn't mind my trying to imitate him. Anyways, here is what I ate the other day: Prosciutto Crudo and Salami from my trusted butcher, tuna-filled olives, near-perfect ciabatta and — what a wine! I still can't decide whether or not I liked it. This Pinot noir's vintage is 2005 and yet it still could use a few years before being entirely consumable. Overall, I liked what I had on my plate. Forgive me, Paolo!

Easy cuisine

Despite the decidedly non-summery temperatures these days in Munich, I can't bring myself to cook anything that is not as easy, light and summery as possible. So, here goes a little culinary porn for all the friends of mediterranean dishes out there.

I made spaghetti frutti di mare the other day, accompanied by what I consider one of the best, if not necessarily priciest, Riesling wines out there. It goes without saying that I am not going to tell you which Riesling I am talking about; after all, I do not want the producer to triple his prices and empty his cellars before I have had the chance to secure a sufficient quantity of bottles for my own use...

Odd glasses en masse

During one of many visits to Antonio Mannina in Florence this summer, Paolo and I realised that our choice of eyewar was very much driven by different aesthetical views. So while we sat there sipping coffee we all figured it would be fun documenting how we would look wearing each others glasses. And even if all this does not sound nearly as funny as it was in reality, the photo nevertheless speaks volumes. The differences between Paolo's and my own (sun)glasses are marginal but look how much our appearance is influenced by the right proportions. Even a few millimetres in glass size or width can have a huge impact.

In the Photo, I am wearing Paolo's bespoke glasses while Paolo is wearing my vintage Metzler shades. Antonio is wearing his own folding sunglasses in tortoise, made by Persol.

'tis the Riesling

I'll openly admit that I am a seasonal wine drinker most of the time. Seasonal for me means full-bodied wines with full-bodied meals in the winter, light and refreshing wines with light and refreshing meals in the warmer months. So, during what appear to become the hottest days of this year in Germany, out comes the young and shiny Riesling.

Today was the time for an especially splendid number from an estate named Altenkirch in the Rheingau district (for the non-drinkers reading this post: this is one of the many prestigous wine districts in Germany). Their Riesling "Grauschiefer" (meaning grey slate, the soil the wine is raised on) vintage 2009 is everything a good Riesling should be: Fresh, shiny, with a clear hint of fruit and noticeable body without any creaminess. Don't let the modest nose fault you — this is truly a great wine which is not afraid to hide the terroir it is grown on and its specific character. Get your bottles now before they are all gone. Personally, I am ordering my stock for the next years as I am typing this post.

ivy, baby!