The antipasto platter

Food, cooking, cookbooks, and recipes, post #179,293
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 Dave Smith
 2008-07-19 18:43:35
 The antipasto platter
I took my wife out for dinner last night for her birthday. We tried the
restaurant in one of the local golf courses. It was a nice place and the
dining room faced a small lake and also overlooked the 9th and 18th
holes. The menu had an interesting variety of dishes and was very
reasonably priced. We had a hard time deciding what to get for an
appetizer and opted for the antipasto platter. We were amazed at what
arrived at our table. The waitress brought a plank measuring about 16"
by 20" that had even more on than was indicated on the menu, and way
more than I had expected for a platter for two. There was a pile of
calamari with a terrific roasted red pepper aeoli, 6 slices of smoked
duck breast, a pile of proscuitto, 8 slices of cured duck meat, a pile
or roasted red peppers, a pile of roasted yellow peppers, about a dozen
cubes of Assiago on a bed of greens 8 balls of Bocconcini and a pile of
small olives along with some Calamata olives.

By the time we finished the platter I was tempted to cancel my dinner
order. The antipasto platter alone would have been a meal, and at $16 I
don't think I could have prepared one at home for the price.
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 Leonard Blaisdell
 2008-07-19 18:41:16
 Re: The antipasto platter
In article <48826887$0$7386$9a6e19ea@news.newshosting.com>,
Dave Smith <[email protected]> wrote:

> By the time we finished the platter I was tempted to cancel my dinner
> order. The antipasto platter alone would have been a meal, and at $16 I
> don't think I could have prepared one at home for the price.

I bet you go back. Aren't pleasant surprises wonderful? Especially on a
birthday.

leo
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 Giusi
 2008-07-20 10:35:50
 Re: The antipasto platter
"Dave Smith" <[email protected]> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:48826887$0$7386$9a6e19ea@news.newshosting.com...
>I took my wife out for dinner last night for her birthday. We tried the
>restaurant in one of the local golf courses. It was a nice place and the
>dining room faced a small lake and also overlooked the 9th and 18th holes.
>The menu had an interesting variety of dishes and was very reasonably
>priced. We had a hard time deciding what to get for an appetizer and opted
>for the antipasto platter. We were amazed at what arrived at our table. The
>waitress brought a plank measuring about 16" by 20" that had even more on
>than was indicated on the menu, and way more than I had expected for a
>platter for two. There was a pile of calamari with a terrific roasted red
>pepper aeoli, 6 slices of smoked duck breast, a pile of proscuitto, 8
>slices of cured duck meat, a pile or roasted red peppers, a pile of roasted
>yellow peppers, about a dozen cubes of Assiago on a bed of greens 8 balls
>of Bocconcini and a pile of small olives along with some Calamata olives.
>
> By the time we finished the platter I was tempted to cancel my dinner
> order. The antipasto platter alone would have been a meal, and at $16 I
> don't think I could have prepared one at home for the price.

In both Rome and Puglia where antipasto buffets are beautiful and generous,
I never eat more than that. To me it is just so American to nibble at many
small different things. I happily indulge.
At home I usually serve only one or two things, because I can't handle all
those dishes coming off just before the first course! If only I could
convince Italians to eat with their hands from a common platter.
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 blake murphy
 2008-07-20 11:52:17
 Re: The antipasto platter
On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:35:50 +0200, "Giusi" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
>"Dave Smith" <[email protected]> ha scritto nel messaggio
>news:48826887$0$7386$9a6e19ea@news.newshosting.com...
<snip>
>> By the time we finished the platter I was tempted to cancel my dinner
>> order. The antipasto platter alone would have been a meal, and at $16 I
>> don't think I could have prepared one at home for the price.
>
>In both Rome and Puglia where antipasto buffets are beautiful and generous,
>I never eat more than that. To me it is just so American to nibble at many
>small different things. I happily indulge.
>At home I usually serve only one or two things, because I can't handle all
>those dishes coming off just before the first course! If only I could
>convince Italians to eat with their hands from a common platter.
>

i didn't know they were reluctant to do so - it doesn't seem to fit
any preconceptions of a 'national character'. any idea why?

your pal,
blake
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 Giusi
 2008-07-20 21:07:39
 Re: The antipasto platter
"blake murphy" <[email protected]> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:ejn684l8362ibosfcdq3slgpvckgdo8ak2@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 10:35:50 +0200, "Giusi" <[email protected]>
> wrote:

If only I could
>>convince Italians to eat with their hands from a common platter.
>>
>
> i didn't know they were reluctant to do so - it doesn't seem to fit
> any preconceptions of a 'national character'. any idea why?
>
> your pal,
> blake

They are reluctant to touch their food. Even a little bar sandwich snack is
wrapped in two napkins to eat. The first time I served cheeseburgers they
were disassembled into parts and eaten with fork and knife. I think it is
considered childish and a far la brutta figura to use the hands.
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 MayQueen
 2008-07-20 11:56:37
 Re: The antipasto platter
Dave Smith wrote:
> I took my wife out for dinner last night for her birthday. We tried the
> restaurant in one of the local golf courses. It was a nice place and the
> dining room faced a small lake and also overlooked the 9th and 18th
> holes. The menu had an interesting variety of dishes and was very
> reasonably priced. We had a hard time deciding what to get for an
> appetizer and opted for the antipasto platter. We were amazed at what
> arrived at our table. The waitress brought a plank measuring about 16"
> by 20" that had even more on than was indicated on the menu, and way
> more than I had expected for a platter for two. There was a pile of
> calamari with a terrific roasted red pepper aeoli, 6 slices of smoked
> duck breast, a pile of proscuitto, 8 slices of cured duck meat, a pile
> or roasted red peppers, a pile of roasted yellow peppers, about a dozen
> cubes of Assiago on a bed of greens 8 balls of Bocconcini and a pile of
> small olives along with some Calamata olives.
>
> By the time we finished the platter I was tempted to cancel my dinner
> order. The antipasto platter alone would have been a meal, and at $16 I
> don't think I could have prepared one at home for the price.

Where was this? Sounds very nice. We order antipasto platters quite a
bit and most of the time they are disappointing. Looks like you
discovered a great find!

--
Queenie

*** Be the change you wish to see in the world ***
Author:
Date:
Subject:
 Dimitri
 2008-07-20 12:23:57
 Re: The antipasto platter
"Dave Smith" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:48826887$0$7386$9a6e19ea@news.newshosting.com...
>I took my wife out for dinner last night for her birthday. We tried the
>restaurant in one of the local golf courses. It was a nice place and the
>dining room faced a small lake and also overlooked the 9th and 18th holes.
>The menu had an interesting variety of dishes and was very reasonably
>priced. We had a hard time deciding what to get for an appetizer and opted
>for the antipasto platter. We were amazed at what arrived at our table. The
>waitress brought a plank measuring about 16" by 20" that had even more on
>than was indicated on the menu, and way more than I had expected for a
>platter for two. There was a pile of calamari with a terrific roasted red
>pepper aeoli, 6 slices of smoked duck breast, a pile of proscuitto, 8
>slices of cured duck meat, a pile or roasted red peppers, a pile of roasted
>yellow peppers, about a dozen cubes of Assiago on a bed of greens 8 balls
>of Bocconcini and a pile of small olives along with some Calamata olives.
>
> By the time we finished the platter I was tempted to cancel my dinner
> order. The antipasto platter alone would have been a meal, and at $16 I
> don't think I could have prepared one at home for the price.

There is another possibility.

They wanted to get rid of a bunch of food.

I used to work near a Hyatt hotel and their coffee shop/restaurant was a
lunchtime favorite.

At that time they had scrambles eggs, lox & onions on the breakfast menu
(served all day).

Here was the "trick"

Order the lox & eggs & onions but ask for the lox on the side.

I am not sure of the knowledge of the cooks but I would get scrambled eggs &
onions with hash browns, a toasted Bagel, sliced tomatoes, some cream cheese
and about a half a pound of lox -

I kid you not there had to be $15.00 worth of lox on the plate.

It was a very goyisha neighborhood.

:-)


--
Old Scoundrel

(AKA Dimitri)